Family C-19: Josephine

Still active family boasting several champion runners has its roots in Australia's early bloodhorse history, was sent to New Zealand in the 1870s, and was successful there, with some branches returning to Australia. The family was not admitted to the Australian Stud Book, although listed in the appendix, for many years, but, due to successes of its many members, was finally admitted in 1952, along with Beatrice (Family C - 24) and Sylph (Family C - 21, through a list of approved mares whose branches had meritable performances.

The confirmed family line traces back to Fair Helen, by Rous' Emigrant, born around 1838 in the Veteran Hall Stud, near Prospect, of "Old Ironbark" William Lawson. Barrie speculated Fair Helen's dam was a mare named Fair Ellen, also in Lawson's stud, but the maternal pedigree is unknown beyond Fair Helen or Fair Ellen. Lawson came to Australia as an ensign in the New South Wales Corps in 1800, and gradually acquired a great deal of land at Bathurst, Mudgee, and elsewhere, and was an early racing enthusiast, importing or standing such early thoroughbred stallions as The Baron (1816), Theorem (1824), and later, (Lawson's) Emigrant (1831, by Tramp); the unnamed founding mare of the Lilla colonial family (Family C - 8) was a broodmare at Veteran Hall.

Fair Helen was bred to the native-born stallion Cossack (1846, by Sir Hercules and out of the famous mare Flora McIvor by Rous' Emigrant). Cossack had won the AJC St. Leger and other good races, and retired to Charles Reynolds' Tocal Stud near Maitland (later the famous stallion New Warrior would stand at Tocal). The resulting in-bred filly, Wando, born around 1855, was taken to Melbourne, where, bred to the successful stallion imported Boiardo (1851, by Orlando; sire of Banker, Barwon, Oriflamme, etc.) she dropped the bay filly Josephine in 1869, bred by Mrs. Joseph Council, the widow of a hotelkeeper at Box Hill.

Josephine, for whom the family is named, bred two fillies and two colts in the Bryan o'Lynn stud of Henry Phillips, located in the western district of Victoria. Phillips was a founding member and president of the Warrnambool Amateur Turf Club, where the Grand Annual Steeplechase has been held since 1872. Josephine's son Dhurringhile (1876) won steeplechases under heavy weights, and her other colt Deringa (1878) won a number of hurdle races, including the VATC Handicap Hurdle, and was third in the 1881 Grand National Hurdle. Josephine's daughter, Jointress (1875) was a dam of local winners.

Josephine's last filly, Brassolis (1877), by imported Panic (winner of the Launceston Cup in 1865, and other races, later sire of Strop, a four-time winner of this race) was sold to J. Macpherson of New Zealand, and passed through several hands during her stud career. Her daughter Vienne (1889, by The Dauphin) produced the gelded Full Cry, a winner of the 8 furlong WRC Thompson Handicap. Another daughter, La Dauphine (1886, by The Dauphin), produced Charente (1891) through which the family continued.

Charente bred three good winners in La Gloria, Crucinella, and the great stayer Nonette (see below), and three daughters -- Crucinella, Bonehur, and La Valiere -- that bred on. Recent winners in this family include the the good Australian sprinter Panorama Heights (1997) and the dual New Zealand Cup winner Sapio (1990).

Notable Descendants