In the realm of turf legends, the wondrous Carbine won the 1890 Melbourne Cup carrying 66 kgs (the record still holds) 43 starts for 33 wins.
As a young colt Carbine was described as abnormally lazy and not flustered by the breaking in process. He seemed to lack ambition and had no class in the first two starts of his career.
Later representing Antipodean heritage, encore the iconic Phar Lap — 51 starts 37 wins. In the 1931 Melbourne Cup he carried a staggering 68 kgs (10stone 10lbs).
*To win the 1931 Melbourne Cup, Phar Lap had to carry his massive frame plus another 11.5% of his body weight. Can you imagine waking up one day and having an extra 11.5% more weight (credit ref. by Zeb Armstong)
Phar Lap had a marvellous temperament – a better temperament than any horse I have ever seen.
W. F. Elliot
If the colt by Night Raid, from Entreaty, has four sound legs and a head, and looks right, buy him for me up to 200 guineas.
Trainer, Harry Telford instructs his brother to buy the Night Raid colt. He was purchased for 160 guineas.
– New Zealand Hall of Fame mare Desert Gold. 36 wins from 54 starts, won consecutive 19 races winning from 1000m to 2800m. Defeating colts, she carried around 65kgs (144lbs).
During the 1940’s it was all about Kindergarten – the powerhouse freak raced 35 times for 25 wins. He won the 1942 Auckland Cup by 5 lengths at a top weight of 64.5 kgs (10stone 2lbs). His female family 2-r is from the ancestress Miss Kate.
It was 1942 Easter Handicap, the champion Kindergarten carried 10 stone, 3lbs and put up a phenomenal performance – Galloping Greats/J. Costello
And come again, the Miss Kate distaff (as is Phar Lap) through the unforgettable Sunline. She won 32 times from 48 starts – this charismatic mare that captivated with an unrivalled ‘will’ to dominate at distances from 1100m to 2040m.
Contemplating the enigma – it becomes evident that an unrivalled ‘root’ lies within mitochondrial DNA haplotype, one with an unparalleled characteristic through to a weight-carrying performance.
It is by uncovering the family 2 ancestral Chestnut Thornton, daughter Lusty Thornton her descendants et al, has a special significance.
What individual was Chestnut Thornton?
The family#2 mare is key, as is the Haplotype L4.
To appreciate family 2 phenotype is the forgotten hero, the Irish Eclipse Harkaway.
Harkaway had an awkward breeding legacy and it was left to his son King Tom from dam Pocahontas (f.f.3-n). In turn, King Tom the broodmare sire as Equinox of Pedigrees Byerley Turk (#BT) line, St Simon. Noting, the female family 1-P Pinprick is 5x5x5 King Tom (aka Hornbeam, Court Martial, Black Caviar, Australian sire All Too Hard.)
It appears Harkaway is to quietly confined to the history corridor – yet his enormous racing attributes are pheno/geno/haplotype which warrants fullest attention.
Historic Hoofs – Harkaway, a famous horse🐴
Harkaway by Economist from a Nabocklish dam (dam’s given name Fanny Dawson, was the daughter of Harkaway’s owner Thomas Ferguson ). The Nabocklish mare was the winner of many Queen’s Plates in Ireland.
Harkaway though stated as chestnut was earlier accounted by pale yellow sorrel. As an individual he was powerful yet coarse and angular-looking. It was when in action that Harkaway’s astounding powers were seen and with an apparent ease to himself as he galloped. His vast stride and great speed was truly amazing. His head light, bony and long, with ears fine and well set on. His neck was short, light, well-formed and muscular. He stood rather high on the leg – 16 hands and 2 inches. A horse of great power largely to his hindquarters which were very lengthy, particularly muscular and of great breadth; he galloped very wide behind, bringing his stifles up with such a force at top speed where they would touch the legs of his jockey.
Harkaway won 11 races in Ireland, 1838 The Goodwood from start to finish, then the fastest on record. He won 25 times from 38 starts.
All of Harkaway’s successes made the American breeders ever keen to cast over their eager eyes upon Harkaway. Tattersalls where commissioned to send him over to the New World, but only at a price. Harkaway’s owner Mr Ferguson responded ” The price of Harkaway is six thousand guineas and I hunt him twice and thrice times a week”
Vast numbers went to see him believing Harkaway was one of the “wonders of the world”
Late to the start of a race and by its starting rules, the Harkaway rival was given a quarter of a mile start. Ferguson called to the jockey ” Go after them; you can give him to the Hare Park and win”
Harkaway never won the St Leger only because he was never entered. He was too superior.
His extraordinary performances would have the public in an uproar.
Harkaway had Godolphin (41 strains) and Crofts Partner (30 strains) & Flying Childers (23 strains)
His produce and his kind were better received by only an astute eye. Some odd accounts placing the dam’s pedigree with ‘flaws’ and deemed not ideal physique. Peculiar, round, wide-sweeping motion was Harkaway – temper of a lamb, the propelling power of a steam-engine, & the eye of a gazelle.
Not worth a bowl of soup – Mr Watts
Yet another’s account…{I should like to be an owner to a few of them with that ‘flaw’ – that this animal could run at any distance, carry any weight}.
His progeny easily defeated all Ireland bred horses of their year; they were said moderate, yet a perfect wonder.
It was stated Harkaway’s were some of the speediest, stoutest, and longest runners as well as best weight-carriers been very narrow between the fore-arms and fore-legs, still they had a well-expanded chest.
This King of the Curragh, an Irish Eclipse overpowered every opponent that had come his way; distancing horses of first class rated in both England and Ireland. Yet Harkness died by unforgiving view possibly due to the colourful personality of his owner Tom Ferguson.
He earned his livelihood as a drudge being held but little of account.
Bailey
It was a limited breeding career for Harkaway however his genetic prowess proudly ‘lives’ and today, only belongs to the Elite.
🐴🐴Harkaway is found to Lombard‘s distaff the female family 1-d.
🐴Lombard the sire of Allegretta, 2nd dam to the great sire Galileo from dam Urban Sea. Sea the Stars sire of Stradivarius. & mare Taghrooda
🐴 Vaguely Noble, f.f.1-d – by Vienna to note his 3rd dam’s distaff ie Spearmint by Carbine’s L4 haplotype. Vaguely Noble sire of the great Dahlia family, Dam of Dahar (Lyphard).
🐴 5th dam sire of Enable (Nathaniel – Concentric) note, Lombard & Vaguely Noble
🐴Vaguely Noble sire of Empery (USA) and breeder of the Aga Khan’s female ‘D’ family @5th generation dam of Almanzour (FR) 👇👇👇
A Harkaway grand-daughter Lady Chester (her dam, Audrey) was exported to New South Wales, Australia. For electrifying performances…the breath-taking grey flash by name of Chautauqua (AUS) – f.f. 8-k distaff ascends from Harkaway. The distaff to a haplotype mass through NZ bred Cyre – 4x Harkaway.
Audrey/Lady Chester by Harkaway has also influenced the bloodlines of the Australasian family #C24 – Tails (6 G1 wins) and Man About Town (Winter Cup winner) both by Dalray.
And to the remarkable Kiwi #2-b distaff – a 23 horse field in the 1983 Melbourne Cup and Kiwi came from last to first to win by 1 1/4. (replay)
Family #2 – branches majority are assigned to haplotype L 4: to note other #2 branches are assigned differing haplotypes 2-a, 2-c, 2-d, 2-f.
Carbine, haplotype L4 review our TBL article Martha Lynn #2h,
– haplotype L4 are (as presented above) Desert Gold (NZ) distaff #2-g. (review #2-g Challenger)
🐎✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨🐎
By some heavenly order… Carbine once raced against descendants of Harkaway daughters. 1888 Australian Derby winner & Australian St Leger Melos as his Australian dam was 4th generation daughter by Harkaway. 1889 Victoria Derby, VATC Caulfield Stakes & 1890 VRC St.Leger, AJC St.Leger, VRC Australian Cup winner was Dreadnought by Chester from dam Lady Chester the daughter Austrey by Harkaway. (same above @ Chautauqua)
The mitochondrial DNA 4 haplotype could be considered the finest strain to thoroughbred racing history.
Harkaway – the Irish Eclipse (update article)
Additional references:
Phar Lap forever
Kindergarten (photo)
stay tuned…
The Thoroughbred Link 