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| St Simon |
| Possibly he greatest racehorse and sire of all time. By Galopin out of St Angela, St Simon ran in ten races and won them all easily, then went on to become a powerfully prepotent sire. This trainer Matthew Dawson, who won the Epsom Derby with Thormanby, Kingcraft, Silvio, Melton, Lodas and Sir Visto, said of him, "I have trained only one smashing good horse in my life - St Simon." Dawson also stated that, "The extraordinary thing was that St Simon ws as good at a furlong as he was at three miles, and distance never seemed to worry him" The stud goom at the Duke of Portland's stud at Welbeck, wheere St Simon stood for so long, John Huby, said, "I always thought there was something superior, both in his action and contour, to anything I had ever noticed in any other horse." As a stallion St Simon headed the list of sires of winners in England for seven consecutive years, 1890 to 1896 inclusive, and again in 1900 and 19001. Ten of his sons and daughters won seventeen English classics and in 1900 his progeny captured all five of the Classic races. Diamond Jubilee won the Triple Crown, Winifreda the One Thousand Guineas and La Roche the Oaks. As an individual St Simon was magnificent: he posssessed a marvellously long, sloping shoulder, a very deep chest, and a great length from hip to hock. All of this blessed with superlative quality. He also had what were once known as "galloping forelegs". St Simon was, in fact, the very epitome of the Thoroughbred. (From "Stallions: Their Management and Handling) Today those "galloping forelegs" are called "over at the knee". |
| Notice the resemblence to Raschida on the first page also registered in Wetherby's Studbook. (Click on Brumbies below to recheck) Also notice the emphasis on the "Classic races" of two miles and over. St Simon was not only famous for his blistering speed, his progeny were so volatile many could not be raced although those that could be kept on the track long enough to finish the race were invariably champions. He was the beginning of the sires of the likes of Sovrango and Sostanuto siring brilliant but tempremental progeny. I remember watching My Amazon standing in her stall on her hindlegs amusing herself, boxing the rafters of her stall. My first Thoroughbred Darmack was so beautiful I won numerous Champions and Supremes whenever he felt like staying in the showground long enough for the judge to let him sash him. He broke the track record at Wyong in the only race he deigned to finish, Harry Darwin his trainer told me. Harry taught me to break in the first horse my brother and I bred. |
| For further information on the Development of the Australian Saddlehorse there are two links on the Links page, to pages 10 and 12 of the Australian Waler Website. Written by Dr Kennedy. They are well worth the read. |
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| This photo was sent to me recently and as you can see St Simon is a lot older. His Galloping (over at the knees) forelegs are just as evident and his back has dipped to a degree I certainly did not expect. Even so his hindquarters are not only still level with his wither but he still displays his superb shoulders and the powerful hindquarters that made him the undefeated champion of his time. |