San Domenico was a brown Australian

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 ...

gelding who raced for 7 seasons from a two-year-old to an eight-year-old recording 25 wins from 5 furlongs to 1 mile and regular jockey Arthur Ward 2007 Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee winning 14 races.

Breeding

San Domenico was bred by glass industrialist W.J. ‘Knockout’ Smith at St Aubin's Stud

Scone A scone is a baked good, usually made of either wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component ...

. Sire Hua (AUS) won the 1937

VRC 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 Melbourn ...

, 1938 MVRC William Reid Stakes and 1938 VRC St Leger. Grandsire and champion Heroic was the leading sire in Australia between 1933 and 1939. Dam Arpina (GB) was lightly raced and won a Mornington Maiden Plate.

Racing career

San Domenico raced in the post war years between 1948 and 1954 a specialist weight carrying sprinter and the winner of 8 Group 1 races in the modern era including the 1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate,1950 AJC

George Main Stakes The George Main Stakes, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in September. Total prize money for the race is A$1, ...

, 1952 AJC

All Aged Stakes The All Aged Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred Weight for Age horse race, run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April or May during the ATC Autumn Carnival. Prize money is A$6 ...

and the 1952 VATC Futurity Stakes carrying 65.5 kg defeating Grey Boots 1950 AJC

Doncaster Handicap The Doncaster Mile, registered as the Doncaster Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred handicap race for horses three years old and older, held over 1,600 metres at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. Although the ...

and 1950 VATC

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 ...

. Ray Formosa owner-trainer and arrant tax defaulter from

Kogarah Kogarah () is a suburb of Southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres (9 miles) south-west of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George, New South ...

, Sydney purchased San Domenico for 1,000 guineas and refused an offer of 4,000 guineas from breeder W.J.Smith prior to San Domenico racing and 8,000 guineas from other sources after his first win at Randwick. Formosa was granted a training licence in 1948 after the

Hobartville Stakes The Hobartville Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race, for three-year-olds at set weights, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the early autumn. Prize mone ...

win and original trainer N.R.O'Brien becoming stable foreman. In 1949 Formosa purchased the Moorefield Sydney stables of the late Jack Cush major winners being Journal 1934 VATC

, Reading 1939

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 ...

, VRC

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 Melbourn ...

, 1940 AJC St Leger and VRC St Leger. San Domenico was later sold in 1951 for 3,500 guineas to wealthy

Wilcannia Wilcannia is a small town located within the Central Darling Shire in north western New South Wales, Australia. Located on the Darling River, the town was the third largest inland port in the country during the river boat era of the mid-19th ce ...

grazier George Goodwin and then trained by W.J Kearns San Domenico's racing record: 79 starts for 25 wins, 10 seconds, 8 thirds

1949 Racebooks

File:1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate Racebook P1.jpg, Front cover of the 1949 Oakleigh Plate racebook. File:1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate Racebook P2.jpg, 1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate showing raceday officials. File:1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate Racebook P3.jpg, Starters and results showing the winner, San Domenico. File:1949 VATC Oakleigh Plate Racebook P4.jpg, Starters and results 1949 Oakleigh Plate. File:1949 AJC Sydney Cup Racebook P1.jpg, Front cover 1949 C.W.Cropper Handicap racebook. File:1949 AJC C.W. Cropper Handicap P1.jpg, Starters and results showing the winner, San Domenico. File:1949 AJC C.W.Cropper Handicap P2.jpg, Starters and results. File:1949 AJC Sydney Cup Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing charges at the entrance gates.

References

{{Reflist 1945 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Australia