| Heroic | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Valais (GB) |
| Grandsire | Cicero |
| Dam | Chersonese (GB) |
| Damsire | Cylgad |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1921 |
| Country | Australia |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Arrowfield Stud |
| Owner | JB Corten then CB Kellow[1] |
| Trainer | Jack Holt |
| Record | 51: 21-11-4 |
| Earnings | £38,062[2] |
| Major wins | |
| Maribyrnong Plate (1923) AJC Breeders' Plate (1923) Australian Derby (1924) Caulfield Guineas (1924) Champagne Stakes (1924) Chelmsford Stakes (1924) Ascot Vale Stakes (1924) Caulfield Stakes (1925) Memsie Stakes (1925, 1926) Cox Plate (1926) Newmarket Handicap (1926) Underwood Stakes (1926) William Reid Stakes (1927) C F Orr Stakes (1927) St George Stakes (1927) |
|
| Awards | |
| Leading sire in Australia (1933 -1939) | |
| Honours | |
| Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2003) Heroic Championship at Randwick Racecourse |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
| Last updated on 23 August 2010 | |
Heroic (1921-1939) was a great Australian 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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Heroic was sired by Valais (by the 1905 Epsom Derby 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.[3]
Heroic was an outstanding type of yearling that fetched the top price of 1,800 guineas at the Inglis’ bloodstock sales.[2]
He was trained by Jack Holt who posthumously would become part of the 2001 inaugural class inducted in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.
Heroic’s stakes wins were:
During this season he had a total of 10 race starts for 6 wins and 2 thirds. [4]
His stakes wins were:
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.[4]
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.[2]
Heroic’s principal wins for this season were:
During this season Heroic had 18 starts for 4 wins and 9 placings.[2]
Starting his five-year-old racing season in Melbourne Heroic won his first six starts against top horses. These wins were:
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.
Heroic was leased from Kellow by H.S. Thompson and stood at his Tarwyn Park Stud at Rylstone, New South Wales.
He was no less dominating as a sire, leading the Australian sire list continuously from the 1932/1933 season through the 1938/1939 season.[2]
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: [5]
Heroic died in 12 December 1939 at age seventeen and was buried at Growee Gulf Station, near Rylstone, New South Wales.[6]
| Sire Valais (GB) Chestnut 1913 |
Cicero Chestnut 1902 |
Cyllene | Bona Vista |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia | |||
| Gas | Ayrshire | ||
| Illuminata | |||
| Lily of the Valley Bay 1899 |
Martagon | Bend Or | |
| Tiger Lily | |||
| Hamptonia | Hampton | ||
| Feronia | |||
| Dam Chersonese (GB) Bay 1915 |
Cylgad Bay 1909 |
Cyllene | Bona Vista |
| Arcadia | |||
| Gadfly | Hampton | ||
| Merry Duchess | |||
| Chelandry Bay 1894 |
Goldfinch | Ormonde | |
| Thistle | |||
| Illuminata | Rosicrucian | ||
| Paraffin (Family: 1-n) |