Poseidon (19 August 1903 - 3 February 1930) was an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

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. Thoroughbreds are c ...

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racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. He won 19 races over distances ranging from five furlongs to three miles. Sixteen of these wins were "Principal Races" (equivalent to today's "Black Type" races), eight of them now of

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

(G1) status. As a three-year-old in 1906/07, Poseidon had 14 starts for 11 wins, including the

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under handicap conditions, although the Melbourne Racing Club is in the process of turning the race into weight for age (WFA) conditions. This is for all horses ...

(in race record time),

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melbou ...

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbour ...

and

AJC Derby AJC may refer to: * Agreement on Journey Continuation, an agreement between European rail operators to allow passengers in case of a missed connection * Allen Jack+Cottier (AJ+C), an architectural practice * American Jewish Committee, an advocacy g ...

. In achieving this, Poseidon became the first horse to complete the

double. In winning the Caulfield Cup again the following year, he also became the first horse to win consecutive Caulfield Cups.

Early history

Poseidon was foaled on 19 August 1903 at R H Dangar's Neotsfield Stud in

NSW ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. He was from the fifth crop of his sire Positano (GB) and was the fifth foal of his dam Jacinth, a daughter of Martini-Henry (NZ), winner of 1883 VRC Melbourne Cup. Positano, a son of the great

St. Simon Simon the Zealot (, ) or Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Canaanean (, ; grc-gre, Σίμων ὁ Κανανίτης; cop, ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲓ-ⲕⲁⲛⲁⲛⲉⲟⲥ; syc, ܫܡܥܘܢ ܩܢܢܝܐ) was one of the most obscure among the apostl ...

, was unplaced in his seven starts in England, although he was placed second in the Ascot Derby. After he was imported into Australia he won three races from 12 starts. Jacinth won five races and was the dam of 11 foals, seven of whom raced for five moderate winners, aside from Poseidon.Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977, At the dispersal of the Neotsfield Stud, Poseidon was sold to the Moses brothers as a foal at foot with his dam for 400 guineas. The Moses brothers went on to establish the Arrowfield Stud near

Singleton Singleton may refer to: Sciences, technology Mathematics * Singleton (mathematics), a set with exactly one element * Singleton field, used in conformal field theory Computing * Singleton pattern, a design pattern that allows only one instance o ...

. Interested only in the dam and not the foal at foot, Poseidon was later sold to owner,

Sir Hugh Denison Sir Hugh Robert Denison, originally Hugh Robert Dixson (11 November 1865 – 25 November 1940) was a businessman, parliamentarian and philanthropist in South Australia and later New South Wales. He was a member of the South Australian House ...

for 500 guineas at the April 1905 Chisholm and Co Yearling Sales in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

.Barrie, Douglas M., The Australian Bloodhorse, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956

Racing career

Poseidon was trained by Isaac Earnshaw, and ridden throughout his career by

Tom Clayton Thomas Clayton (1777–1854) was an American lawyer and politician. Thomas Clayton may also refer to: *Thomas Clayton (composer) (1673–1725), English musician and opera composer * Thomas Clayton (physician) (c. 1612–1693), MP for Oxford Univer ...

Season 1905/06 - two-year-old

Six starts: 1-0-1 Unplaced in his racing debut, Poseidon won at his second start as favourite by 4 lengths. Then sent to Melbourne, he had two starts but did not figure in the placings. Sent back to Sydney, Poseidon was off the board in the AJC Champagne Stakes. In his last two-year-old start he finished in a dead heat for third in the AJC Nursery Handicap, and was then sent out for a spell.

Season 1906/07 - three-year-old

14 starts: 11-3-0 Poseidon had an exemplary career as a three-year-old. He began his three-year-old season with wins in two minor races, before winning the

by three lengths, ahead of the two favourites. Just two days later, he raced against older competition for the first time in the

AJC Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October ...

, finishing in second place to Solution (NZ). Poseidon chalked up a string of wins in Melbourne. First came the VATC Eclipse Stakes in record time, then just two days later the

in race record time, the VRC Victoria Derby, and finally the VRC Melbourne Cup. After a spell over Christmas, Poseidon returned in the autumn and continued on his winning ways with wins in the VATC St Helier Stakes, VRC St Leger Stakes, and the VRC Loch Plate. He then finished second to Dividend in the three mile VRC Champion Stakes, before heading back to Sydney for the Autumn Racing Carnival. In his two starts in the autumn, Poseidon won the AJC St Leger, but in his last start as a three-year-old, he finished second again to Dividend in the AJC Cumberland Stakes. During his three-year-old season, Poseidon won approximately £12,000 in prize money.

Season 1907/08 - four-year-old

Twelve starts: 7-1-2 Poseidon continued on his winning way as a four-year-old. At his first start back in the

Rawson Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$7 ...

he finished third, but won at his next start, in the WFA AJC Spring Stakes (12-fur) at Randwick ahead of stable mate Apologue. At his second start Poseidon disappointed his backers with a poor third in the AJC Craven Plate, after Antonius had cannoned into him mid-race and knocked the wind out of him. Moving back down to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival, Poseidon returned to form, winning the WFA VATC Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield on 16 October 1907, the Wednesday before the

. There were 16 starters in the Caulfield Cup in 1907, and after the start he was dropped towards the rear of the field. Jockey Tom Clayton waited to the half mile then set off on Poseidon. Poseidon raced around the field and dashed clear with a winning break, the Cup in his keeping. He had become the first horse to win consecutive Caulfield Cups. On Derby Day, as 1-3 favourite, Poseidon won again beating Apologue in the VRC Melbourne Stakes. Next was the

, but as a result of his

win, Poseidon was given a 10 lb penalty, and had to carry . The weight told, and Poseidon finished in eighth place with the win going to Apologue who carried only . Poseidon's return to the track in 1908 was delayed by a minor leg problem. He bypassed the Melbourne Autumn Carnival but in a shortened Sydney program, won three of his four starts. His only failure was a fourth place to Tartan in the AJC Autumn Stakes.

Season 1908/09 - five-year-old

One unplaced start. Poseidon returned as a five-year-old for one last campaign. After finishing fifth in the RRC

, he pulled up sore. As he would require a long spell away from the track to recover, the decision was made to retire Poseidon to

stud Stud may refer to the following terms: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar ...

duties.

Race record

Stud record

Poseidon's owner had established the 'Eurmeralla Stud' at

Gulgong Gulgong is a 19th-century gold rush town in the Central Tablelands and the wider Central West regions of the Australian state of New South Wales. The town is situated within the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area. It is located ...

, with a number of well-bred Australian and British mares to give Poseidon every chance of success as a sire. His best performers were the "Principal Race" winners: :* Rascasse ::*1915 QTC Queensland Derby :* Telecles ::* 1918 WmtnRC Australia Day Cup ::* 1919 MVRC Moonee Valley Cup Poseidon died on 3 February 1930 at 26 years of age. Each year the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings is run in his honour.

Pedigree

References

Thoroughbred Heritage: Family 10 - Fair Helen/Childers Mare

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poseidon 1903 racehorse births 1930 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in Australia Melbourne Cup winners Victoria Derby winners Australian Racing Hall of Fame horses Caulfield Cup winners Thoroughbred family 10-d