Van der Hum (31 July 1971 – 27 July 2001) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

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 ...

racehorse, who won the 1976 Melbourne Cup when ridden by Bob Skelton. He was sired by the versatile stayer and sire of the winners of over $2m, Hermes (GB), his dam Tip O'Dawn was by the good sire Count Rendered (GB).

Flat racing career

In 1976 Van der Hum won 10 races in New Zealand over distances ranging from 1600m to 2200m. Heading to Australia he won the 2400m Herbert Power Handicap on 9 October 1976 from Demerara on a slow track. He then ran 3rd behind How Now in 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 ...

on a heavy track, ridden by Brent Thomson. With Bob Skelton aboard he was then 8th, out of 14, behind the three-year-old New Zealand-bred filly

Surround Surround sound is a technique for enriching the fidelity and depth of sound reproduction by using multiple audio channels from speakers that surround the listener (surround channels). Its first application was in movie theaters. Prior to sur ...

in the

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

on a fast track. The favourite for the 1976 Melbourne Cup was the

Bart Cummings James Bartholomew Cummings (14 November 1927 – 30 August 2015), also known by his initials J. B. Cummings, was one of the most successful Australian racehorse trainers. He was known as the Cups King, referring to the Melbourne Cup, as he w ...

trained local

Gold and Black Gold and Black (1972−1999) was a New Zealand-bred racehorse which was ridden by John Duggan to win the 1977 Melbourne Cup for the "Cups King" Bart Cummings. Bart Cummings bought the horse for $4,000 in New Zealand for his Adelaide clients, ...

. On cup day there was a very heavy downpour on the course and Van Der Hum, a wet track specialist, beat Gold and Black into second place. Trainer and part owner Leo Robinson had spent two nights prior to the 1976 Melbourne Cup in his car, armed with a shotgun, outside Van Der Hum’s stall. He was unplaced in his next two Australian starts on better tracks before returning to New Zealand. In 1977 he returned to Australia with a 6th behind Family of Man in the 2000m

Caulfield Stakes The Might and Power, registered as the Caulfield Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under weight-for-age conditions, for three-year-olds and upwards, run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Caulfield Racecourse ...

and 10th behind Ming Dynasty in the

. Van der Hum was ridden again by Bob Skelton when placed 10th in the 1977 Melbourne Cup which was won by the "Cups King",

, with

from Reckless and

Hyperno Hyperno (1973–2002) was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in New Zealand. He was a wayward but brilliant galloper that won the Melbourne Cup and other group and listed races. He was sired by Rangong (GB) out of Mikarla (NZ) by Persian Garden II ...

. However, Van Der Hum followed up 4 days later with a 2nd at Flemington in the 2500m

CB Fisher Plate The VRC C.B. Fisher Plate was a weight-for-age thoroughbred horse race over 2400 metres (a mile and a half). It was run at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne Australia on the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup in early November from 1870 till 1978. I ...

behind Tom's Mate. Upon returning to New Zealand he continued to race over distance on the flat but without winning.

Jumping career

He then embarked on a jumping career and won the 1981 Rodmore Hurdle at Riccarton (2550m), and in 1982 the Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and Hawkes Bay Hurdle (3100m). He was placed 6th in the 1982 Great Northern Hurdle over 4190m. Also adept over the larger fences he won the 1983 Rangitikei Steeplechase and 1984 Egmont Steeplechase at Waverley, both over 4400m. Van der Hum was euthanized on 27 July 2001, four days short of his 30th birthday.

External links

The Age - The cream of the riding crop

Van der Hum wins the Cup 1976 - Youtube

References

{{Reflist 1971 racehorse births 2001 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand Melbourne Cup winners Thoroughbred family 18

Flat racing career

Jumping career

See also

External links

References