Bad Luck.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 238, 21 January 1888, Page 3

Bad Luck.

Under the heading "Bad Luck," the "Sportsman" thus refers to Silvermine, who broke his back when running in Tatfcersall's Cup at Randwick :— He was unques tionably one of the unluckiest horses ever foaled in Australia, and the report of his death will, to the superstitious, read like a fitting finale to the career of a horse who almost from the date of his foaling has brought bad luck to everyone who owned, trained, or backed him. Indeed, so strange are the facts which I know of in connection with Silvermine that their recital may be> interesting. Starting with his Victorian career, he, brought bad luck into the stable from the moment he entered it. His stable companion, The Chanter, was made first favourite for a race at Geelong» I and Silvermine came out and won it. MeSBrs Fttlkiuer mid Govigo Powoll, o£ Tasmania, then had, I believe, an interest in! the horse, and they each subsequently ~ lost a ' lot of money over him, as he ran into ' a place ,iix~ four or five of the richest handicaps bf the year, but never managed to'win a Dig race. I. suppose no other horse in Australia ever ran second and third in as , many important races as this unlucky eon of Napoleon. The following are a few of his performances :— Third in Oakleigh Handicap, second in Newmarket Handicap* second in Sydney Cup, second in Caulfield Cup, third in the Melbourne Cup of '86, and second ii\ the big race of '87. Thia . horse broke more baokers than any other animal ever foaled in Australia, and, somewhat grimly, wound up his own career by breaking his own neck. Poor Snider, the New Zealand bookmaker, backed him for the Caulfield Cup of J B6 for all the money, and a trifle.more, that he was worth in the world. Silvermine ran second, and poor Snider had to return.. to ..New. Zealand, ! where he shortly afterwards died. McGrade rode this unfortunate animal in, the Melbourne Cup of '86, when he, as usual, ran into a plage, finishing third. McGrade ;* (shortly afterwards was lost in the Kqnpo. iwarraT The death of Kobertsori, who*, looked .upon Silyermine as second |to,np , horko in Australia, eqmptotesithe category , of 1 calamities in connection with this horse.

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