Delta (1946–1960) was a champion Australian
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, 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 bas ...
who raced from a two-year-old to a six-year-old from distances of 6 furlongs to 2 miles. Champion jockey
Neville Sellwood won 22 races including the 1949
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 Melbour ...
, 1949
Cox Plate
The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group races, 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 Racin ...
and the 1951
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
.
Neville Sellwood was also the regular jockey of the champions
Tulloch and
Todman.
Purchased by owner Adolph Basser for £2,665 at the 1948
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
yearling sales he was trained by former jockey and successful trainer Maurice McCarten.
He died at Widden Stud in 1960.
Breeding
Delta by Midstream (GB) was bred by studmaster Percy Miller at
Kia-Ora stud Scone, New South Wales
Scone () is a town in the Upper Hunter Shire in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2021 census, Scone had a population of 5,013 people. It is on the New England Highway north of Muswellbrook about 270 kilometres (167.77 mil ...
. Dam Gazza also produced classic winners Deep River 1952
AJC Derby
The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn Australian Turf Club, ATC Championships Carniv ...
and Midway 1951
VRC St Leger.
Racing career
Delta raced between 1949 -1952 for five seasons winning 7 major races in succession between 1951 – 1952 including a rare triple win in the
Chelmsford Stakes
The Chelmsford Stakes is a Tattersalls Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race run over 1600 metres at Weight for Age at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, in September. Prize money is A$250,000.
History
The race was first run in 1895.
G ...
also defeated the great champions
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...
and
Dalray.
As a six-year-old Delta defeated the champion
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...
in the 1952
Chelmsford Stakes
The Chelmsford Stakes is a Tattersalls Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race run over 1600 metres at Weight for Age at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, in September. Prize money is A$250,000.
History
The race was first run in 1895.
G ...
setting an Australasian record for the nine furlongs. This was his last start as soon after injury problems forced his retirement. Delta's racing colours were Brown and dark blue hoops, red cap.
Owner Sir Adolf Basser (1887 – 1964) was an optician, jeweller and philanthropist from
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
was interested in scientific and medical research and in 1959 founded the
Basser College, University of New South Wales
Basser College, University of New South Wales is a residential college at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Basser College and its two neighbouring Colleges, Goldstein College, University of New South Wales, Goldstein and Philip Bax ...
Kensington
Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...
,
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
.
Delta's racing record: 41 starts for 22 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds.
1951 racebook
File:1951 AJC Randwick Plate Racebook P1.jpg, 1951 Randwick Plate racebook front cover
File:1951 AJC Randwick Plate Racebook P2.jpg, 1951 Randwick Plate showing race day officials
File:1951 AJC Randwick Plate Racebook P3.jpg, 1951 Randwick Plate racebook showing race conditions
File:1951 AJC Randwick Plate Racebook P4.jpg, 1951 Randwick Plate showing Delta placed 2nd
See also
*
Repeat winners of horse races A list of racehorses which have won the same race on three or more occasions.
Thoroughbred flat races
National Hunt races
Harness races
Quarter Horse races
Not specified
Footnotes
See also
* List of leading Thoroughbred race ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delta
Melbourne Cup winners
Cox Plate winners
Victoria Derby winners
1946 racehorse births
1960 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in Australia
Racehorses trained in Australia
Australian Racing Hall of Fame horses
Thoroughbred family 1-i