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Heroic (horse)
Encyclopedia
Heroic was a great Australia
n Thoroughbred
racehorse
who won 21 races from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 2 miles (1,600 m) and was a Leading sire in Australia
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winner, Cicero
), his dam was Chersonese (GB) by Cyglad. This made him inbred twice in the 3rd generation to Cyllene
and in the 3rd and 4th generations (4x3) to Illuminata through the half sisters Gas, dam of Cicero and Chelandry. Heroic was a brother to the useful sire, Thracian and a half-brother to the stakeswinner, Cimbrian.
Heroic was an outstanding type of yearling that fetched the top price of 1,800 guineas at the Inglis’ bloodstock sales.
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During this season he had a total of 10 race starts for 6 wins and 2 thirds.
Following this race Heroic’s nominations for the VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup
were rejected. This was as a result of Heroic’s connections being disqualified because of their failure to allow a stable-mate to race on his merits.
In February 1925, Mr C.B. Kellow paid 16,000 guineas, a record price, for the great Heroic, who won a number of races for him afterwards including his only other win for the season, the weight for age
(w.f.a.) AJC Autumn Stakes over 12 furlongs.
During this season Heroic had 18 starts for 4 wins and 9 placings.
He was then unplaced in the VRC Newmarket Handicap before he finished second to Spearfelt in the VRC Governors Plate. At his next start he won the VRC King's Plate. Taken to Sydney he failed to place in his next four starts and was retired.
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He was no less dominating as a sire, leading the Australian sire list continuously from the 1932/1933 season through the 1938/1939 season.
During his seasons at stud he sired 29 stakes-winners that had 110 stakes-wins between them earning £293,849 in Australia and New Zealand, including:
Heroic died in 12 December 1939 at age seventeen and was buried at Growee Gulf Station, near Rylstone, New South Wales
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Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who won 21 races from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 2 miles (1,600 m) and was a Leading sire in Australia
Leading sire in Australia
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in Australia for each season since 1883–84. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
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Breeding
Heroic was sired by Valais (by the 1905 Epsom DerbyEpsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner, Cicero
Cicero (horse)
Cicero was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the best English two-year-old of 1904, winning all five of his races. In 1905 Cicero became one of the shortest priced successful favourites in the history of the Derby, winning at 4/11 to remain undefeated...
), his dam was Chersonese (GB) by Cyglad. This made him inbred twice in the 3rd generation to Cyllene
Cyllene (horse)
Cyllene was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career that lasted from 1897 until 1899, Cyllene won nine of his eleven starts, winning major races and being regarded as the best horse of his generation at two, three and four years of age...
and in the 3rd and 4th generations (4x3) to Illuminata through the half sisters Gas, dam of Cicero and Chelandry. Heroic was a brother to the useful sire, Thracian and a half-brother to the stakeswinner, Cimbrian.
Heroic was an outstanding type of yearling that fetched the top price of 1,800 guineas at the Inglis’ bloodstock sales.
Racing record
He was trained by Jack Holt who posthumously would become part of the 2001 inaugural class inducted in the Australian Racing Hall of FameAustralian Racing Hall of Fame
The Australian Racing Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum which documents and honours the horseracing legends of Australia. The museum officially opened in 1981 and created the Hall of Fame in 2000....
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At two years: 1923-1924
Heroic’s stakes wins were:- 1923 AJC Breeders Plate 5 furlongs
- 1923 VRC Maribyrnong Plate 5 furlongs
- 1924 AJC Champagne StakesChampagne Stakes (Australia)The Champagne Stakes is a Group 1 horse race in Australia for two-year-old Thoroughbreds at set weights run at Randwick Racecourse over a distance of 1,600 metres during the Sydney Autumn Carnival...
6 f - 1924 VRC Ascot Vale Stakes 6 furlongs
During this season he had a total of 10 race starts for 6 wins and 2 thirds.
At three years: 1924-1925
His stakes wins were:- 1924 AJC Australian Derby 12 furlongs
- 1924 Chelmsford StakesChelmsford StakesThe Chelmsford Stakes is an Australian Group 2 Thoroughbred horserace run over 1600 metres at Weight for Age at Randwick Racecourse Sydney in September...
over 9 furlongs, defeating GloamingGloamingGloaming may refer to:* Gloaming, or twilight, the time after sunset and before dark* Gloaming , a famous Australian-bred racehorse who was owned, trained and based in New Zealand...
by 1½ lengths. - 1924 VATC Caulfield GuineasCaulfield GuineasThe Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres at set weights for three-year-old horses, held annually on the second Saturday in October and forms part of the Spring Carnival at Caulfield Racecourse. Total prize money is A$1 million...
8 furlongs
Following this race Heroic’s nominations for the VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
were rejected. This was as a result of Heroic’s connections being disqualified because of their failure to allow a stable-mate to race on his merits.
In February 1925, Mr C.B. Kellow paid 16,000 guineas, a record price, for the great Heroic, who won a number of races for him afterwards including his only other win for the season, the weight for age
Weight for Age
Weight for Age is a term in Thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. It means that a horse will carry a set weight in accordance with the Weight for Age Scale. This weight varies depending on the horse’s age, its sex, the race distance and the month of the year...
(w.f.a.) AJC Autumn Stakes over 12 furlongs.
At four years: 1925-1926
Heroic’s principal wins for this season were:- 1925 VATC Memsie StakesMemsie StakesThe Memsie Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Caulfield Racecourse over 1,400 metres . The total prizemoney for the race is A$201,000...
9F - 1925 w.f.a. Caulfield StakesCaulfield StakesThe VATC Caulfield Stakes is now a Melbourne Racing Club Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under weight-for-age conditions, for three-year-olds and upwards, at Caulfield Racecourse. The race was previously known as the Caulfield Stakes but since 1997 it has been referred to as the...
9F - 1926 VRC Newmarket HandicapNewmarket HandicapThe Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...
with 9st. 8lbs. - 1926 w.f.a. AJC Cumberland Stakes over 14 furlongs defeating the good horse, Windbag.
During this season Heroic had 18 starts for 4 wins and 9 placings.
At five years: 1926-1927
Starting his five-year-old racing season in Melbourne Heroic won his first six starts against top horses. These wins were:- 1926 w.f.a. Williamstown Underwood Stakes 8 furlongs
- 1926 VATC Memsie Stakes over 9F carrying 9 st. 11 lbs and beating Manfred.
- 1926 w.f.a. WS Cox PlateCox PlateThe W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
10F - 1927 MVRC William Reid Stakes 6F
- 1927 WmtnRC CF Orr Stakes 8F
- 1927 VATC St George Stakes 9F
He was then unplaced in the VRC Newmarket Handicap before he finished second to Spearfelt in the VRC Governors Plate. At his next start he won the VRC King's Plate. Taken to Sydney he failed to place in his next four starts and was retired.
Stud record
Heroic was leased from Kellow by H.S. Thompson and stood at his Tarwyn Park Stud at Rylstone, New South WalesRylstone, New South Wales
Rylstone is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Central Tablelands region within the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area. It is located on the Bylong Valley Way road route...
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He was no less dominating as a sire, leading the Australian sire list continuously from the 1932/1933 season through the 1938/1939 season.
During his seasons at stud he sired 29 stakes-winners that had 110 stakes-wins between them earning £293,849 in Australia and New Zealand, including:
- Ajax II (31 stakes-wins, including 18 consecutive race wins)
- Cereza (AJC Adrian Knox Stakes, AJC CW Cropper Plate (twice),VRC Standish Handicap)
- D'Artagnan (WATC CB Cox Stakes, WATC Sires' Produce Stakes etc.)
- Gallantic (NZ ) (VRC Oaks Stakes, AJC Adrian Knox Stakes)
- Hall Mark (15 stakes-wins including Melbourne CupMelbourne CupThe Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
) - Hua (VRC Victoria Derby, VRC Sires' Produce Stakes, C F Orr StakesC F Orr StakesThe C F Orr Stakes is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 is A$400,000...
,VRC St Leger Stakes, William Reid Stakes etc.) - Heroic Prince (VRC Essendon Stakes, VRC Australian CupAustralian CupThe Australian Cup is a Group 1 Weight for Age race for Thoroughbred racehorses run over 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March...
) - Heroic's Double (Stradbroke HandicapStradbroke HandicapThe Stradbroke Handicap is a Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred open handicap horse race, run on the first Saturday in June, over a distance of 1,400 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane...
) - Herolage (QLD Tattersall's Cup, Brisbane CupBrisbane CupThe Brisbane Cup is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds and upwards, run under handicap conditions over a distance of 2400 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane in June...
) - Heros (AUS) (William Reid Stakes (twice), VATC Futurity Stakes)
- Nuffield (VRC Sires' Produce Stakes, Caulfield GuineasCaulfield GuineasThe Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres at set weights for three-year-old horses, held annually on the second Saturday in October and forms part of the Spring Carnival at Caulfield Racecourse. Total prize money is A$1 million...
, AJC Sires' Produce Stakes, VRC Victoria Derby, AJC Derby, Maribyrnong Plate - The Marne (Canterbury Stakes, AJC Challenge Stakes, NSW Tramway, AJC The ShortsThe Shorts (Horse Race)The Shorts is an AJC Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds and upwards, at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1200 metres. It is held annually at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in October...
) - Valiant Chief (VRC C.M. Lloyd Stakes, Moonee Valley Stakes, Linlithgow Stakes, VATC Memsie Stakes)
Heroic died in 12 December 1939 at age seventeen and was buried at Growee Gulf Station, near Rylstone, New South Wales
Rylstone, New South Wales
Rylstone is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Central Tablelands region within the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area. It is located on the Bylong Valley Way road route...
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