Looking Back

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 19

Looking Back

"Hermit.")

H0RSES 0F N0TE Performances That Linger in the Memory HARDY LOCHIEL

(By

One of tbe greatest borses over all distances tbat bas ever raced in New Zealand was undoubtedly Lochiel, and he was not merely possessed of speed, stamina and courage, but was a hardy sort as well. Lochiel was by Priuce Charlie — Nelly Moore, and was imported in utero, as wero two other good horses^ Russley, by Doncaster — Stepple, and that good sire St. Leger, by Doncaster — Atlantis. Russley did most of his racing in Australia, and though he was good, his form was certainly not equal to that of a half-brother, Stepniak, bred in New Zealand, and Stepfeldt, a younger full sister to the latter. Both of these did much.better at the stud than did Russley. Qu the other hand, none of Nelly Moore 's New Zealand-bred . sons g,nd daughters were on the same plane as Lochiel. It 'was the late Mr G. G. Stead, I fancy, who purchased Nelly Moore and Steppe. and had them iserved to New Zealand time by two of the leadiug sires of -the day. Priuce Charlie was known as the priuce of the T.Y.C.,' a coar^e qf just over a piile, which wa» suppose'd tq try out the best sprinters in England, for the course was one which necessitated a horse keeping a good position all the way. > Prince Charlie, by Blair Athol, and grandson of Stoekwell, the Emperpr of Stallione, was creditqd with being the best sprinter in. Engjand. Doncaster, a son of Stocl^weR, was the premier sire of the time in the Old Country, so that the sires wcre well chosen. There wero few better judges of a racehorse and of ppdigree nny>vhere in the world than the late Mr G, G. Stead, and no other one man has done so much for' the improvement of the thoroughbred in the Dominion. Lochiel was first trained as a sprinter, for he gave indications early of being possessed of great speed, as might have been expeeted from his lineage, He won the Newmarket Handicap, the greatest sprint event qf the Southern Hemisphere, and a small fortuno for hia party, as well as winning other good j-aces in AustTalia. Incidentally he lost a very considerabje sum for the New South Wales owner, the Hon. W. A. Lojjg, who had backed his representative Abner to win a very'large sfcake. Abner ran second., Returning to New Zealand, Lochiel annexed both the New Zealand and Auckland Cups, and then anotber visit was paid to Australia, and there he won the Australian Cup, of two and a-qucrter miles. On quittiog the tu:f for the paddock Lochiel bec uue a socre&sful sire, though i;r the maia hi? showed more staying rather than sprinting ability, the best sprinter perhaps beiog Strowan, who later became known as a successful sire of jumpers, including winners of both the Grand National Hurdle Racq and Grand National Steeplechase. After a short period only at the stud in New Zealand, Lochiel jWas sold to go to Australia, and here me did much better, though not a great many sprinters were got by ljim. Horges with stamina, courage and gonndpecs hq got in plenty, but none qujte of t'he calibre of hiiuself. For all that his name flgures in the back-lines of the pedigrees of many really good horses in Australia, and he has had a good influence on the goundness and stamina of the Aystralian thoroughbred.