TURF-TOPICS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 56, 16 March 1943, Page 8

TURF-TOPICS

ECLIPSE : THE GREATEST HORSE EVER RACED ?

When Kindergarten romped home an easy winner of the Auckland Cnp with 10.2 on his back, there were many ready to acclaim him as the best horse ever raced in Australia or the Dominion, some even saying lie was probably the best in the world. Old-timers will remember that the same claim was made about Carbine, and 12 years or so ago Phar Lap was placed on a similar pedestal. Discussions along such lines can, not, of course,' prove the correctness or otherwise, of these claims, and veterans will not concede that the faster times recorded to-day prove conclusively that Carbine was inferior to the best of the. present time. The best ever the world has seen is another question that must remain a matter of opinion. If turf historians of a couple of centuries ago are. to be believed, then Eclipse must have big claims, as the best ever. The champion of England back in 1769-70, Eclipse was a chestnut horse foaled during the great eclipse that happened in the year 1764, from which he took his name. He was bred by H.R.H. Duke of Cumberland and purchased after His Royal Highness' decease by Mr William Wildman, who afterwards sold him to Mr Dennis O'Kelly. Eclipse was got by Marske, out of Spilleta. Mr O'Kelly sported much money on this race; sometime previous to which he had taken the odds, to a very large, amount, and on the day of running he bet even money, and 5 and 6 to 4 that he '-posted" the horses, and when called on to declare, he said, first, the rest in no place!" -Eclipse won at all distances and all weights, and was never beaten. Ho ran his last race; at Newmarket in 1770, his starting price being 70 to 1 on. On the following day he had a walk-over for the King's Plate and was then put out of training. Eclipse won eleven King's Plates, the weights for ten of which were 10.0, each. Mr O'Kelly gave Mr Wildman 650 guineas for a halfshare in him, and afterwards bought the other half-share for 1100 guineas, and even at that price he. certainly I was the cheapest, horse ever purI chased. He was. allowed by all ranks of sportsmen to be the fleetest horse j that ever ran in England. | M. de. St. Bel, from his accurate computations (and with the greatest I probability) said: "Eclipse, free from all weight, and galloping at liberty, with his greatest degree of swift- | ness, would cover an extent of ground of 25ft at every complete caiton on the gallop, and that he would run nearly four miles in the space of six minutes and two seconds." ! To cover four miles in 6.2 a horse j would Ifave to average 1.30% a mile, the New: Zealand mile record, while the New eZaland mile record, while the world's record for three miles is 5*19, an average of 1.46 1-3 to the mile. It will be noticed that M. de, St. Bel qualifies his statement by saying "'nearly" four miles;, but. even allowing for this, Eclipsc must have been a galloping machine rather than a horse, to have been able to do what is claimed for him. To quote further from a turf his-! torian: "Eclipse died at Cannons, Middlesex, on Saturday, February 28, 1789, aged 25 j-ears. If his his-i tory were written it would resemble that of many heroes. He ivon many battles and ruined many individuals;, yet, according to the Christian belief, he is not one to answer for his misdeeds. "Eclipsc was short in the forehead. and high in the hips, which gave a kind of. elasticity. to his strokes. His heart weighed when taken out 131b. To such an extraordinary weight lie was supposed to owe his natural courage. At his interment ale and cake were given, as at that of the God.olphin Arabian.'" Spilleta (dam of Eclipse) was a bay marc foaled in 1749 and bred by Sir Robert Eden. She was got by Regulus out of Mother Western, vol. 1, page. 111.« Spilleta, when in training, was the property of H.R.H. William Duke of Cumberland, but started only once.

TRANSFERRED TO OPEN CLASS

Consequent upon her win at the Franklin meeting Water Vixen will now race in open company. The Foxbridge marc is: developing into a stayer, and being able to carry weight should continue to be. a payable proposition. STEADILY IMPROVING One of the improving horses at Ta'kanini is Route March,, who ran a good race in the Auckland. Railway Handicap. A NEW ZEALAND RECORD The Dominion has had so many good horses in the last two decades that records or the honour of registering one over eleven furlongs goes to Lou Rosa who traversed, the distance at Te Rapa in 2min ITsecs with the top weight, of 9.11. When the poundage is taken into consideration it will be generally agreed that it may be a considerable time before the performance will b« eclipsed. BACK IN WORK Banco, owned by the. Indian sportsman, Mr F. H. Melita, after a pad-> dock holiday of a few weeks, is again executing fast work on the and is expected to lie again noted on the winning list before long. A RUNNER-UP Ice Floe, runner-up to Te Minemoa in the Bombay Plate at Te Rapa, is a three year old by Mr Standfast—lceball. He is owned by Mr H. Overton and trained by Ernie George, of Ellerslie l . LIKES EASY TRACKS The. Surveyor gelding, Landveyor, now in very forward condition, was strongly supported for the Franklin Cup. But he is partial to easy tracks and is likely to race much more prominently after the courses become affected by rain. FOR AUTUMN RACING Since, running second in the Woodville Cup Mr T. H. Lowry's Lambourn has; further improved, and is expected to be back to form for Easter events. NGARUAWAHIA MEETING The Ngaruawaliia Racing Club will stage; its annual meeting on April 17 and the usual success; is practically assured. A SMART JUVENILE Wee Bun, winner of the Juvenile Handicap at Stratford is by Croupier —Baby Bun by Some Boy II from Bonny Doreen by Boniform. She is raced, by the; well known trainer, T. R. George, now of Masterton. A HARDY EQUINE The Gisborne owned Black Thread who was. placed in his; Matamata and Te Rapa starts is now eleven years of age. He 'is quite sound in wind and limb, so may therefore be regarded a very hardy type of thoroughbred. THE PATRIOTIC FUND The. Wairarapa Racing Club has decided to donate all the profit from its Easter meeting to the Patriotic Fund.' A CLASS RACEHORSE Neenah won the Waihou Handicap with 9.8 in lmin 12 2-s'secs. This performance ranks with those at Ellcrslic in" the. Railway Handicap, where 1.12 is sometimes clocked. The Auckland course, however, is somewhat on the down grade from the five furlong post, and. therefore famous speedy sprinters. TRAVANCORE RESUMES Travancore. hitherto trained at Ellcrslie by R. S. Bagby, was returned to Hawke's Bay a few weeks ago. and is now working on the Hawke's Buy tracks. RACING FIXTURES March 20—Ohinemuri Jockey Club March 20—Manawatu Racing Club March 20—-Oamaru Jockey Club March 27—Bay of Plenty Racing Club (at Paeroa) March 27—Hawke's Bay J.C. March 27—Waimate Placing Club