2007

BORN on February 24th 1924 in Paris, France, Anne Moen Bullitt was the daughter of William Christian Bullitt and Louise Bryant.

Her father was the first American ambassador to the Soviet Union and later became his country’s ambassador to France. Her mother was a noted journalist.

Anne Moen Bullitt married four times and she enjoyed much success and fame in Ireland as an owner, breeder and trainer. She made history when becoming the first woman in Ireland to be granted a racehorse trainer’s licence.

Her first winner as a trainer came at her local racecourse on August 31st 1966 with Flying Tiger, which she also owned and bred.

She was the champion owner in Ireland in 1958 when her colt Sindon won the premier Irish classic race, the Irish Derby. He also finished second in two other classic races, the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Irish St Leger. Two years later she won her second classic when Zenobia landed the Irish 1000 Guineas for fillies.

Palmerstown

She bred Partholon (named after the leader of the second group of people to settle in Ireland), a son of her resident stallion Milesian who stood at her Palmerstown Stud, and the colt won the prestigious National Stakes at two years and the Ebor Handicap the following season.

He was sold to Japan where he was champion sire three times (1971, 1976 and 1984) and he was responsible for many famous runners, including the two-time Horse of the Year and Japanese Triple Crown winner Symboli Rudolf. His other champion sons and daughters include Sakura Shori, Toko Elsa, Diana Tholon, Nasuno Kaori, Tokuzakura, Yamatodake and Sweet Native.

Anne Moen Bullitt, who enjoyed success with her horses under the names of Mrs Biddle, Mrs More O’Ferrall and Mrs Brewster, died on August 18th, 2007 in Dublin, Ireland and is buried in Philadelphia, USA.

Ortensia gets the nod

2012

IF the York executive was looking for a truly international meeting, it can certainly have no complaints after the events of the last three days.

Winners arrived from Ireland, from France and then yesterday, with a searing run through against the far rails, the remarkable seven-year-old mare Ortensia lifted the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes for Australia.

In the end, she had a neck to spare over Spirit Quartz, with the gallant Hamish McGonagall just over a length away in third, followed by Humidor. This was one of those days when Bated Breath, 7/2 joint-favourite with the winner, seemed to need a sixth furlong, while Sole Power could not get into the race.

Ortensia could not win at halfway, and William Buick was obliged to administer a single smack to get her going. She took off with a vengeance, and came scorching through between Hamish McGonagall and the rail, as Spirit Quartz thrust home down the centre.

Remarkable

She is a remarkable mare, having lost her form and nearly been pensioned off to the paddocks at one stage before returning for another try with Paul Messara, who was present on this occasion. “I walked the course this morning and thought the ground was softer than she’d like, because she’s a real top-of-the ground mare,” he said.

“We took her down early to get her settled, but then William had to get her going and I didn’t think she could do it from where she was. But, she’s amazing, and is going through a real purple patch. Of course, we were a little disappointed at Royal Ascot, but we decided to let her stay over and see what happened.

“She’s kept improving while she’s been here and it’s all been worthwhile now. I think we’ll maybe take in one more race and move her up to six furlongs for the Haydock Sprint Cup. That will be it and we’ll take her home.”

This was Ortensia’s 13th victory in all, and took her earnings well beyond the £2 million mark. She is a credit to her amiable trainer, a wonderful advertisement for international racing, and was ridden by a jockey who is, tactically, old beyond his years, and who will be at the top for a very, very long time.

[Ortensia, a daughter of Testa Rossa, finished down the field at Haydock and on a couple of starts in Australia, and then retired to the breeding shed at Arrowfield. There she had just two foals, both fillies who are now young broodmares, and the first, Artefiori (Choisir), won one of her 13 starts, while Infiorata (Dream Ahead) never raced.

Sadly, Ortensia died when carrying to Redoute’s Choice in June 2016. She was euthanized due to a tumour one of her lungs. Messara said of her racing career that “on her day, she was as good as anything. In addition to the Nunthorpe Stakes she won the Group 2 King George Stakes in England, the Group 1 Al Quoz Stakes in the UAE, and the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in Australia]

Oaksey unhappy with Piggott

1982

HERE we go again! Surprise, surprise. Lester Piggott is in the news again over the use of the whip.

This time it was in the Lonsdale Stakes when, by sustained use of the cosh, he forced Capricorn Line up to beat Ore. It was one of the most brilliant pieces of riding this season, and I doubt if any other jockey could have achieved the same result.

Certainly, it caused any animal lover to wince, and had John Oaksey in his column commenting that, in his view, Piggott had not transgressed the rules but “it was still not a pretty sight, and I do not suppose that the horse involved will forget in a hurry. I, for one, came off the stand thanking my stars for everyone’s sake that the race had not been shown on television.”

What Oaksey appears to be getting at is that while he admires Piggott’s style, the whip is an unnecessary evil. Certainly, he pulled no punches over the infamous Cheltenham whip controversy when he would happily have had the Irish jockeys hung, drawn and quartered.

Could the totalisator profit exceed £1,000?

1931

THE announcement we made last week that the totalisator was being worked at a substantial profit this season is confirmed by the statement issued for publication by the Board of Control.

The excess of revenue over expenditure, including interest on bankers’ loan, was £700 at the last accounting, and it is not unlikely that at the end of the year the profit balance will verge closely upon, and possibly exceed, £1,000.

We never could understand the mentality of that small section of the racing community who kept on tediously insisting that “the tote would not pay in Ireland.” It pays in India, and has indeed paid so well there that, from a very large accumulated surplus, £250,000 were taken and expended on the equipment of the Barrackpore course, which is one of the finest centres in the world for racing.

The tote has ‘made’ racing in France, it is a valuable asset to the turf in Ceylon, and there is a demand for it on certain American racecourses. The tote does not pay in England but, when it was introduced there, there was much wasteful expenditure, and so it began its career under a handicap.

Until this year the tote has worked at a loss in Ireland.