Royal Gem (foaled 1942 in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
) was a versatile
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 ...
that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 12 furlongs (2,400 m). He was later a successful
sire
Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French.
The words "sire" an ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Breeding
He was a brown stallion by the good racehorse and sire, Dhoti (GB) from French Gem, (a winner of five races in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
including the 1938
VRC Oaks
The Victoria Racing Club Oaks (known as the Crown Oaks for sponsorship reasons), is a Victoria Racing Club (VRC) Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights conditions, over 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecou ...
), by Beau Fils (GB). French Gem was the dam of 5 stakes-winners which had 23 stakes-wins.
Her other stakes-winners were:
* Solar Gem by Helios (GB), won PARC Sires Produce Stakes
* Regal Gem by Dhoti, won
SAJC Sires' Produce Stakes
* Beau Gem by Helios, won
Victoria Derby
The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse ...
,
Underwood Stakes
The Underwood Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions, held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in late September each year. Total prize money ...
(twice), Adelaide RC South Aust. St. Leger Stakes, VRC Turnbull Stakes, Adelaide RC Parkside Stakes, exported to America
[Barrie, Douglas M., ''The Australian Bloodhorse'', Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956]
*Crown Gem by Dhoti, won Adelaide RC Birthday Cup and other races for £7,008 in stakes.
ASB: French Gem
Retrieved 2010-5-28
Royal Gem was inbred to Son-in-Law
In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity is the kinship relationship created or that exists between two people as a result of someone's marriage. It is the relationship each party in the marriage has to the family of the other party in th ...
in the third generation of his pedigree (3x3).[Morris, Simon; ''Tesio Power 2000 - Stallions of the World'', Syntax Software]
1948 racebook
File:1948 VATC Futurity Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, Front cover of the 1948 Futurity Stakes racebook.
File:1948 VATC Futurity Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, Inside cover showing race conditions.
File:1948 VATC Futurity Stakes Racebook P3.jpg, Starters and results showing the winner, Royal Gem.
File:1948 VATC Futurity Stakes Racebook P4.jpg, Starters and results of the 1948 Futurity Stakes racebook
File:1948 VATC Futurity Stakes Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing entrance gate and railway charges.
Stakes races
At two-years: 1944-1945
Five wins including the Ascot Vale Stakes (2yo) over six furlongs.
At three-years: 1945-1946
Eight wins including the
*1945 VATC Caulfield Guineas, eight furlongs, in a dead heat with Attley
*1945 Cantala Stakes
The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the ''Cantala Stakes'', is a Group One, Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day du ...
, eight furlongs
*1945 Linlithgow Stakes, eight furlongs (defeating Attley and Tranquil Star)
*1946 Adelaide City Handicap (carrying 9 st. 8 lb 1 kg
*1946 SAJC Sir Willoughby Norrie Stakes (wfa) 10 furlongs (dead heat with Brazen Jester)
*1946 SAJC Goodwood Handicap
The Goodwood is a South Australian Jockey Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three years old and older, run at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse, Adelaide, South Australia in ...
, six furlongs.
At four-years: 1946-1947
Four wins including the
*1946 Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under Handicap (horse racing), handicap conditions.
This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 met ...
12 furlongs
*1946 VATC Toorak Handicap 8 furlongs[Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977, ]
Royal Gem’s biggest win was the 1946 Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under Handicap (horse racing), handicap conditions.
This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 met ...
with nine stone (57 kg). However, this win was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the defeat of the champion Bernborough who had won his previous 15 races and then conceded 11 kg to Royal Gem, to finish fifth in this race
It was reported that Royal Gem's owner, George W. Badman
won £30,000 by backing his horse to win the race.
At five-years: 1947-1948
Five wins including the
*1948 Adelaide City Handicap with 10 stone 5 lbs.
*1948 VRC Newmarket Handicap
The Newmarket Handicap is a Victoria Racing Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race over a distance of 1200 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on Super Saturday in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carn ...
, six furlongs (1,200 m) carrying nine stone nine pounds;
*1948 Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs (1,400m) with 10 stone 2 pounds
The fact Royal Gem won the Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs (1,400m) and Newmarket Handicap over six furlongs (1,200 m) after his Caulfield Cup 12 furlongs (2,400 m) win proved his versatility.
At six-years: 1948-1949
One win, 1948 MRC Underwood Stakes over eight furlongs. Royal Gem carrying 11 stone (70 kg) was also second to Chatter Lad, 7 st 12 lbs (50 kg), in the SAJC Warradale Handicap.
Often asked to carry big weights by the handicappers, he had raced for five seasons starting 51 times for 23 wins, 8 seconds and 5 thirds for £27,630 in prize money.
Stud record
Following his six-year-old season Royal Gem was purchased by interests from the United States for £30,000 and brought to stand at stud
Stud may refer to:
Animals
* Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding
** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred
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* Stud (band), a British progressive rock group
* The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco
* ...
at Warner Jones, Jr.'s Hermitage Farm in Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
There, he sired the winners of over a thousand races including the 1953 Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...
winner Dark Star who in turn sired Hidden Treasure, the 1961 Canadian Horse of the Year
The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.
Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...
.[du Bourg, Ross, ''The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred'', Thomas Nelson, Melbourne, 1980, ] Royal Gem's son, Royal Bay Gem
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family or royalty
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, ...
(b. 1950), was a winner of five stakes races in 1953 including the Everglades Stakes
The Everglades Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. For three-year-old horses, the mile race was run on dirt until 1994 when it was converted to a race on turf. It was elevated to Grade ...
and Jersey Stakes
The Jersey Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place ea ...
for $224,495. Royal Bay Gem also ran third in the Preakness Preakness may refer to:
* The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland
* Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables
* Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...
and Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...
after finishing fourth to Dark Star in the Kentucky Derby.
Other Royal Gem progeny includes, Precious Stone won $110,861; Royal Spirit, won in Canada the Duchess Stakes (twice), E.P.Taylor Stakes and Summer Stakes. Its Ann won in Canada the Highlander Stakes and Rose’s Gem won $230,964.
The Royal Gem Handicap for three-year-olds run over 1,000 metres at Caulfield is named in honour of Royal Gem.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Royal Gem's pedigree and partial racing stats
1942 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Australia
Racehorses trained in Australia
Thoroughbred family 1-c