FAMOUS HORSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 866, 9 January 1930, Page 12

FAMOUS HORSE

COMEDY KING’S END A SUCCESSFUL CAREER From Melbourne comes word of the death of Comedy King, one of Australia's greatest racehorses, and for many years a leading sire. In New Zealand Comedy King was best known as the sire of Joy King and Biplane. Comedy King did not long survive his old rival, Trafalgar, who broke a leg. and was destroyed at Towong llill early in the year (comments an Australian writer). The end of Comedy King was unexpected, as he recently completed a light season, and was looking wonderfully tit after it. He promised to last for another season or two, although he had well passed the average span of life for a stallion. The Foal During 1907 Mr. S. Green, who had just established the Shipley Stud at Warrnambool, was on a visit to England. and attending the sales there he purchased the Gallinule mare Tragedy Queen, with her Persimmon colt foal, for 1,750 guineas. The foal, who was afterwards to gain great distinction in Australia as a racehorse and a sire, was Comedy King. The youngster appealed strongly to the late Count Lelindorff. who was then director of the Prussian Government stud at Gradizt. Lehndorff made a tempting offer to Mr. Green for the colt, but fortunately for himself and far the welfare of the Australian thoroughbred. Mr. Green resisted the temptation. Early Racing Comedy King was allowed time to mature, and it was not until he was a three-year-old that he began racing. His first outing was in the Standish Handicap at Flemington on New Years’ Day, 1910. He was not fancied, as he was still backward, and ran accordingly, but he was a much fitter horse nearly two months later, when he was given his second outing in the Caulfield Futurity Stakes. He was able to claim all the allowances in that race, and starting favourite, he defeated that brilliant mare Maltine, who, however, was burdened with a 201 b penalty. The form of Comedy King was so convincing at Caulfield that he was sent out a hot favourite for the Newmarket Handicap, but the best he could do was to finish fifth behind Mala, Malt King, and Flavinius. He did not race again that season. The following spring he began by finishing second to Eyeglass in the Heatherlie Handicap, at Caulfield, but going on to Sydney, lie easily upset the odds laid on Prince Foote in the Spring Stakes, and among those beaten by him were Trafalgar. Pendil. and Parsee. That race left no doubts about his excellence. A few days later lie started favourite for the Craven Plate, and failed rather badly, as he was not placed, the race going to Parsee. On returning to Melbourne he failed to gain a place in the Melbourne Stakes, but he was suffering from the effects of a cold at the time. Won Melbourne Cup

He. however, was on the improve, and on the following Tuesdav he narrowly defeated Trafalgar in the Melbourne Cup, but the luck of the race was against the second horse, who met with a very serious check at a critical stage of the race. Comedy King was hanging out in the straight, and hampered Trafalgar, but the latter had met with bad trouble at the turn into the straight, where he lost a good deal more than the half a neck by which he was beaten.

In the autumn, Comedy King made an exhibition of Trafalgar over nine furlongs at Caulfield in the St. George Stakes, but he was unequal to winning the Futurity Stakes at that meeting, as he was third to Blairgour and Broadsword.

Then came his dazzling display in the Essendon Stakes, in which he made Trafalgar look like a purse horse by beating him With ridiculous ease, and at the same time making a new mile and a-half record for Australia. A couple of days later Comedy King showed his versatility by defeating the cracks of the day over a mile in the All-aged Stakes.

Again Trafalgar had to play the role of runner-up to Comedy King in the Autumn Stakes at Randwick, but the tables were turned by Trafalgar running away from him in the Cumberland Stakes.

The following season Comedy King ran in 13 races, but won only once, his solitary success being gained in the Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield. That season Trafalgar came into his own, and was easily the master of Comedy King, whom he subsequently defeated on several occasions.

At the end of the season Comedy King was retired to the Shipley Stud where he began stud life in 1912. During his racing career he won eight races, was second seven times, and third four times. His winnings in stakes amounted to £12,945. Comedy King quickly made his mark as a sire. The measure of success gained by him as a sire can be best epitomised by stating that in a period of 14 years his progeny won in stakes £ 288,656.

Comedy King was at the height of his stud career when Mr. Green decided to disperse the Shipley Stud. The sale was held at the stud, near Warrnambool, early in January, 1918. A few days earlier the late Mr. Xormun Falkiner had the misfortune to lose Lang of Song, who had been at the head of his stud at Franjip Park. The horse had in some way broken his back, and had to be destroyed. Mr. Falkiner was faced with the problem of securing another sire, and the Shipley sale came most opportunely for him, as it enabled him to purchase a proved horse at once, without having to comb the English market for one. J-le entrusted the bidding for Comedy King to the late Mr. Frank Lavender, and the liorse was knocked down to him at 7,300gn5.

Comedy King had been extraordinarily successful while at Shipley, and there he sired nearly all his best performers, among them being Artilleryman, Biplane, King Ingoda and HarHe did not continue his felnpley success at Noorilim, whither he had been transferred from Shipley Mr. Falkiner having disposed of Pranjip I ark and transferred his stud to Noorilim. Nearly all the really good horses he sired at Noorilim were from visiting mares. He did not seem to nick ell with the beautifully bred matrons All*. Falkiner had gathered together at Noorilim.

Comedy King twice headed the list of winning sires, the first time being in 1919-20, and the second 1922-23, the latter being the season in which King Ingoda won the Melbourne and Williamstown Cups. The principal races

won by the progeny of Comedv Vi wore:— Melbourne Cup.—Artilleryman Ingoda. * Victoria Derby—Biplane. Oaks Stakes.—Folly Queen, Stace M^ t Vibr H amr dtCaP ~ S,ar Kpi,o^e r V.R.C. Sires' Produce Stakes— Carnival. Australian Cup.—Harvest King. L>ebutant Stakes.—King Garnivkl Caulfield Guineas.—Artillervman Carnival. * rv ‘ a C Moonee \ alley t up.—Royal Charter Williamstown Cup.—King Ingoda A. J.C. Derby.—Biplane. Artillcr vr>, (dead-beat). Breeders’ Plate.—King Carnival A. J.C. St. Leger Stakes.—Harvest 1 Sydney Cup.—Murray King. South Australian Derby.—stac« r--King of Mirth. Wycher ey. K S.A. St. Leger Stakes.— Stageland. Ingoda. Wycherley. Adelaide Cup.—King Ingoda, la, . Kings. Adelaide City Handicap.—Kingbie Adelaide Birthday Cup.—Clever King of Mirth, Epilogue. Perth Cup.—Seigneur. Launceston Cup.—Royal Reserve. V. R.C. Grand National Hurdle Ka«v>»