A double centurion, one of only two amongst the (now) seventeen broodmares to have left the winners of one hundred or more races, Desilu (220) holds a lead of seventeen over the next placed mare French Flair (203).
UPDATE : subsequent to last week’s article covering the then known thirteen NZ centurion broodmares, a further four broodmares have been notified (thanks to Grant Coelli) that left the winners of in excess of one hundred races. They are French Flair – over 200 winners plus Motu Sweet Lady, Totara Valley and Red Jay with over 100 winners. Detailed stories concerning these and the other broodmare centurions will follow in future weeks.
Desilu had impressive progeny stats with victories recorded in NZ (second only to Berthabell’s progeny’s ninety five victories) and North America as well as a smaller presence in Australia.
DESILU (1960 U Scott/Mischievous; family of Rita Bell [by Bellman, NSW], CF N42) : unraced; seventeen live foals, thirteen raced, twelve winners, five in two minutes, four $100k earners. Bred by Jack Ferguson, Akaroa and all progeny bred by Dave Anderson apart from Mac Slash (Jim Dalgety) and Bann Eain (Jack Hughes).
| DOB | FOAL/WINS BY LOCATION | NZ | AU | NA | G/T | MR | $ ** |
| 1966 | First Batch (g Bachelor Hanover) | 7 | – | 11 | 18 | 2:04.1US | 42,211 |
| 1968 | Mac Splash (g Bachelor Hanover) | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2:13.6 | 995 |
| 1970 | Top Cash (g Meadow Al) | 2 | – | 23 | 25 | 2:03.1US | 148,066 |
| 1971 | Davey Jack (g Meadow Al) | 5 | – | 30 | 35 | 1:59.3US | 266,081 |
| 1972 | Good Time Chief (g Good Time Eden) | – | 5 | – | 5 | 2:04.8 | 2,827 |
| 1973 | Delightful Lady (f Tudor Hanover) | 47 | – | – | 47 | 1:58.7 | 472,705 |
| 1974 | Daveys Jill (f Tudor Hanover) | 10 | – | – | 10 | T2:08.0 | 36,960 |
| 1975 | Jacron (g Tudor Hanover) | 9 | – | – | 9 | 2:01.4 | 29,555 |
| 1976 | Daveys Devil (g Redmond Lane) | – | – | 7 | 7 | 1:58.3US | 37,332 |
| 1978 | Davey Be Good (g Gene B Good) | – | 10 | – | 10 | 1:59.3 | 27,875 |
| 1979 | Delightful Pal (g Tudor Hanover) | 8 | – | 44 | 52 | 1:57.3US | 195,936 |
| 1984 | Bann Eain (f Alba Byrd) | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2:06.5 | 4,240 |
| Totals : | 90 | 15 | 115 | 220 | $1.2M+ |
** Conversion: $US1=$A1=$NZ1
John Butcher leased Mischievous from Jack Ferguson and raced her U Scott mare Desiree (1956, full sister of Desilu) the winner of eight. Exercising a right of purchase (£500), Butcher bred a number of fine foals from Desiree including Josias (eleven wins, Messenger, 1:58.1US), Mathias, Elias all winners in North America. Latter generation family members included Abidias, Samarias, Zedechias, Stabilizer, Nebulizer, Pascale Bromac.
Desilu’s nineteen year old dam Mischievous (Dillon Hall/Logan Pointer mare Monaive) was purchased by Dave Anderson on the recommendation of Cambridge‘s John Butcher for £350 in 1962 from Akaroa breeder Jack Ferguson with U Scott filly Desilu at foot.
Mischievous (Dillon Hall), winner of two races for the Anderson/Butcher partnership and bred outstanding pacer Tobias (seventeen wins, Franklin Cup and placed in NZ [4th, 5th], Auckland [2nd] and Wellington [4th] Cups), later sold to North America and dissolved the partnership.
Descending from the Rita Bell (Bellman/unnamed Berlin mare) maternal family founded in 1903, Desilu’s third dam Galindo Lou (Logan Pointer) left Logan Lou, ten wins, National Hcp twice while second dam Monaive (unraced) was grand dam of Nebula, ten wins, dam of Cloudage, (nine wins, USA winner).
Desilu went early to the broodmare paddock having never raced due to a mystery shoulder ailment resulting from being kicked as a youngster. Mated with a variety of stallions, the most successful with Desilu were by Tudor Hanover (Tar Heel/Billy Direct line outcross for Peter the Great/U Scott and Dillon Hall sire lines), full brothers Delightful Pal, Jacron and full sisters Delightful Lady, Daveys Jill. Desilu is one of six dual NZ Broodmare Of Year Award winners which was instituted in 1968/9, claiming the award in consecutive seasons (1979/80, 1980/81), Deft, Interchange and Bethany also then Sheezadoosie (2009/210) and Scuse Me (2012/2013, 2014/2015) were winners in years shown.
Male progeny included :
First Batch, seven win horse for Reg Weatherley. Placed at two, winning four races at three (three at Alexandra Park including GN Derby; Cambridge) and Franklin Presidents Hcp at four. A further two wins were recorded at Claudelands as a 5yo before exported to North America (eleven wins, 2:04.1US), total earnings $42k
Top Cash, two-win horse (Claudelands, Cambridge) for Aucklanders Ray Landon and Bruce File. USA winner of twenty three races, 2:03.1US, total earnings $148k
Davey Jack, full brother to Top Cash raced by Dave Anderson and Cambridge horseman Robert Mitchell. Unplaced at two and three before winning five as a 4yo (Cambridge – Morrinsville, Te Awamutu clubs; Hutt Park – Otaki, Masterton clubs; Alexandra Park) before exported to North America (thirty wins, 1:59.3US), total earnings $266k
Jacron, nine-race winner for Auckland Trotting Club officials Ron Robertson, Jack Maich and Wayne Fleet, three victories in his first season at four (Hutt Park, Alexandra Park, New Plymouth) for trainer Ken Sefonte. Interspersed with six wins at six including four at Alexandra Park and two at Cambridge (Johnstone Memorial) for Mike Stormont, Jacron did not place at five or seven. Retired suffering from thrombosis caused by a worm build-up in his blood
Davey’s Devil, 1:58.3US winner of seven races in North America, $37k earner
Davey Be Good, winner of ten races in Australia ($28k, 1:59.3, 1700m), four at Gloucester Park
Delightful Pal, winner of eight from twenty four starts with five as three year old from nine outings (Claudelands, Alexandra Park/Cambridge twice). Winning Kumeu Stakes – 4 off 20m for Roy and Barry Purdon before two further wins at Alexandra Park at five then exported to USA (44 wins, 1:57.3US) total earnings $195k
Desilu’s fillies included :
Davita (1965 Garrison Hanover), first foal, unraced due to injury, sold to Australia, dam of two winners. Grand dam of Smooth Dave (WA Derby), Slugger (Cardigan Bay Stakes, NZ 2yo Championship); third dam of Grinaldi (NZYSS – NHT); fourth dam of Smooth Leyanda (QLD Oaks), Kirchdorf/Kotare Jaegar (Methven Cup), Fake Denario (1:48.2US, $776,059, Breeders Crown – 3c), Ross The Boss (1:50.0US); fifth dam of Mr Mojito (1:52.0, WA 4yo Championship), Kotare Mach (Welcome/Flying Stakes), Kotare Yael (1:50.4US), Tullow (1:50.2US); sixth dam of Poacher (1:49.3US)
Delightful Lady, Desilu’s crowning breeding achievement was ‘Queen of the Park’. One of New Zealand’s greatest ever race mares, her career record stood at 144 starts for forty seven wins (two more than Lordship’s forty five) and forty placings (three in Australia) for earnings of $472,705 ($5,250 in Australia).
Thirty eight of her victories came at Alexandra Park where apart from her five consecutive NI Breeders Stakes wins (1979 – 1983), she won two Auckland Cups (1980, 1981), two Pezaro/Mark Memorials, two Inter-Island Challenge Stakes/Down Under Miles, Franklin Cup, Benson & Hedges/Lion Breweries Miles. Finishing third in 1982 Auckland Cup, winning an Inter Dominion heat and placing third in the 1983 Auckland ID Grand Final (to Gammalite and Poplar Alm, first NZ finisher). Remembered at Addington for her only win (NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes) and epic length of straight tussle with Hands Down before finishing second in the 1980 NZ Cup.
Delightful Lady was 1980/81 NZ Harness Horse of the Year, leased at that time by seasonal leading owners Fred and Paul Grant ($178,305). Trained at various stages during her career by Mike Stormont (thirty six wins, thirty five winning drives) and Gary Hillier (eleven wins and winning drives), Paddy Timmins was her other successful driver – forty seven wins.
Nine of her wins came at one mile (1:58.7, also recorded 1:58.7MR over 2200m) with twelve wins over 2700m (stand) being her favourite winning distance. Most wins and highest stake winning seasons came at six (fourteen wins) and seven (twelve wins), setting a number of NZ records over varying distances during her lengthy career (1976/7 – 1984/5).
Delightful Lady received the ultimate accolade by being elected the eleventh member of the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame. A replica of her in full race trim is located in the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame and the Delightful Lady Lounge at Alexandra Park is named for her. Proved unable to conceive due to a chromosome abnormality, no on breeding occurred.
Daveys Jill, open class trotter, winner of ten races starting with placings at three. Her first seven wins were at four (Claudelands, Manawatu twice, Hutt Park – Scan Carriers series – 3/4T [placed second twice in same series previous year as a 3yo], Alexandra Park – three wins). Sixth in Rowe Cup at five, final three victories were in consecutive starts at age six (Hutt Park twice, Alexandra Park) with a third in Reg Rhodes Flying Mile that season. This was followed by 22 unplaced efforts at seven and eight (fifth National Trot). Daveys Jill was dam of four winners and grand dam of dual-gaited Hanover Zip (Cambridge/Alexandra Park Winter/Nyah/Echuca Cups)
Aucklands Lady, unraced, dam of one winner, eighth and final foal Electric Kiwi (eight wins, Caduceus Club Classic – 2, Queen of Hearts). Grand dam of five winners including full sisters Electric Chapel (ten NZ/twelve NA wins, 1:53.4US) and Classy Chapel (four NZ/five NA wins, 1:52.1US)
Bann Eain, winner of one race at age three – Cambridge (dam of four including three in Australia; Dark Baron (nine), Highfields Gem (five), So Gorgeous (six) wins)
New Zealand’s leading broodmare producer of winning progeny with 220 – DESILU was humanely put down aged 33 in June 1994 after being afflicted with chronic arthritis for several years.
Peter Craig.
25 March 2020
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
