Family C-11: Belhari

This family, which seldom had the benefit of the infusion of top stallions' bloodlines or multi-generational nuturing in any famous studs, still managed to throw some good runners, and had some decent winners up through the 1970s. Its origins were in a mare located in Tasmania whose antecedents are not known. Because Tasmania had supported racing since 1814, and boasted some excellent racing studs, comprised of both arabians and imported thoroughbreds, it is possible, or even probable this mare was fairly well-bred. In the stud of a Mr. Taylor of Tasmania this Tasmanian mare was bred to Snoozer (1837, by Orville's son Muley; imported to NSW by bloodstock agent John Purves c.1841), who was taken to Tasmania by William Field, a prominent Tasmanian turfite, in 1842. The product of this breeding was Mrs. Burt (1844), who was taken to South Australia by E. Sturling. Bred to Egremont (1841, by Little John (imported to Tasmania in the 1830s), also born in Tasmania and sent to South Australia in 1840, she produced the filly Blink Bonny in 1852. Blink Bonny bred only one recorded thoroughbred filly, Belhari, for whom this family is named.

Blink Bonny passed into the hands of Rawdon F. Greene, a well-known Victorian breeder who imported a number of good animals from Great Britain, including the stallion Indian Warrior (1849, by Napier) and Melesina (1849, by Harkaway), the latter, with her at-side filly foal The Fawn, establishing the most successful branch of (English) Family 3 in the southern hemisphere (Wallace, Peter Pan, and many others descend from Melesina). Bred to Indian Warrior, Blink Bonny produced Belhari in 1861. Greene's stud was dispersed in 1866, and Belhari came into the ownership of H.B. Welsh, whose farm was located in the Hay township of NSW. She bred thirteen foals and died in 1884, having been sold at age 19, producing two of her foals, both unnamed, after that time. One of her colts, Captain Webb (1873, by The Diver (1870, by Maribyrnong)), was bred by Welsh and won the 16 furlong AJC Cumberland Stakes. Another Belhari son was Camballo (1874, by The Friar), who was sent to New Zealand, where he won races before he was exported to India. Belhari's daughters Grecian Bend (1868, by Troubadour), Argosy (1871, by Freetrader) and Melody (1876 or ''77, by Troubadour) contined the female line.

Melody stayed in Australia, and was second dam of two sprinters, Veloce (1893, by Velocipede) and her half-brother Silenus (1899, by Valala), both of which won the VRC Standish Handicap (6 furlongs). Grecian Bend, in the NSW Urana Stud of C.M. Lloyd, bred the grey filly Governess (1876, by Lecturer). Governess produced the gelded Locksmith (1893, by imported Padlock), a winner of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 7 furlongs, his sister, Key (1894, by Padlock), and half-sister Ariadne (1892, by Auchendarroch). Key, in the stud of the well-known West Australian turfite Dr. W.H. Lang (also owner of Scuffle (Family C - 4) and later as a broodmare in the Shipley Stud of Melbourne bookmaker Sol Green (importer of Tragedy Queen, dam of the great runner and sire Comedy King, and owner of the great New Zealand-bred mare Gladsome during her latter years of racing), produced a son, Scotland (1902, by Wallace), another fast one, winner of the VATC Debutant Stakes (4 furlongs) and the VRC Newmarket Handicap (6 furlongs). Key's branch bred on in Australia through the mid-twentieth century. Her half-sister, Ariadne's branch, also bred on, with the famous pony mare Little Marg (see below) a descendant.

Belhari's daughter Argosy was a broodmare at Samuel Gardiner's Bundoora Stud until her sale to Peter Mitchell of Albury NSW in 1890, bred Bundoora, who became a good sire in New Zealand, and Argolis (later named Ouida), who also went to New Zealand, where she bred the good runner Skirmisher (see below). Another Argosy daughter, Commerce, by Tubal Cain, continued this branch of the family.

The more recent winners in this family date to the 1960s and '70s, and include Boy Dandy (1965), who won the STC CP Air Quality Handicap, and Free Style (1959), a winner of the WATC Belmong Spring Stakes.

Notable Descendants