Talma
SirePharis
GrandsirePharos
DamThaouka
DamsireAsterus
SexStallion
Foaled1948
CountryFrance
ColourBay
BreederMarcel Boussac
OwnerMarcel Boussac
TrainerCharles Semblat
Record9: 5-1-1
Major wins
Prix Franc Tireur (1951)
Prix Berteux (1951)
St Leger Stakes (1951)
Cumberland Lodge Stakes (1951)
Prix Flying Dutchman (1953)
Awards
Timeform rating 130 (1951)

Talma, also known as Talma II, (1948 – after 1969) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes. After winning his first two races in France he started second favourite for the St Leger and won by a margin conservatively recorded as ten lengths despite misbehaving before the race. He recorded his only other win of any consequence when he took the Cumberland Lodge Stakes. He raced until the age of five and was then exported to South America where he had moderate success as a breeding stallion.

Background

Talma was a chestnut horse with four white socks bred by in France his owner Marcel Boussac. He was sired by Pharis, the undefeated winner of the 1939 Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris. Talma's dam Thaouka,[1] also bred by Boussac was a successful racemare who won the Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne in 1932. Before Talma, Thaouka had produced several winners including Canzoni (Prix Penelope, Prix Chloé) and Micipsa (Prix Eugène Adam, Prix du Prince d'Orange). As a son of Pharis out of an Asterus mare who was in turn out of a mare by Gainsborough, Talma was bred on very similar lines to Boussac's 1950 St Leger winner Scratch. Talma was sent into training with Charles Semblat at Chantilly.[2]

Racing career

Talma was unraced as a two-year-old. On his racecourse debut in 1951 he won the Prix Franc Tireur at Le Tremblay and then took the Prix Berteux at Longchamp Racecourse.[2]

In autumn, Talma was sent to England to contest the 175th running of the St Leger on 15 September at Doncaster Racecourse in which he was ridden by the Australian jockey Rae Johnstone. After considerable late support in the betting market[3] he started at odds of 7/1[4] second favourite in a field of sixteen colts and two fillies.[5] The favourite was Sybil's Nephew, who had finished second to Arctic Prince in the Epsom Derby, whilst the other contenders included the Irish Derby winner Fraise du Bois and the Yorkshire Oaks winner Sea Parrot. In the paddock before the race, Talma sweated badly and appeared to become sexually excited: it was noted that "his mind seemed to on anything but racing".[2] In the race however, he took the lead six furlongs from the finish and was never in the slightest danger of defeat, drawing away in the straight to win very easily from Fraise du Bois and Medway. The official winning margin was ten lengths[6] but looked to be nearer to twenty.[2]

Talma returned to England in October and won again but was much less impressive. He started 1/5 favourite for the inaugural running of the Cumberland Lodge Stakes[4] but was hard pressed by Eastern Emperor and the winning margin on this occasion was only a neck.[2]

Talma remained in training for two more seasons and was campaigned in staying races but never recaptured the form he had shown at Doncaster. In 1952 he ran three times, finishing second in the Prix du Cadran, third in the Ascot Gold Cup and fourth in the Doncaster Cup.[2][7] On his seasonal debut in 1953 he won the Prix Flying Dutchman over 2600 metres but then finished unplaced in the Ascot Gold Cup.[7]

Assessment

The independent Timeform organisation gave Talma a rating of 130 in 1951, making him five pounds inferior to their top-rated three-year-olds Arctic Prince, Sicambre and Supreme Court.[8] In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Talma an "inferior" winner of the St Leger.[9]

Stud record

At the end of his racing career Talma was exported to South America where he stood as a breeding stallion in Argentina and Peru.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Talma (FR), chestnut stallion 1948[10]
Sire
Pharis (FR)
1936		 Pharos (GB)
1920		 Phalaris Polymelus
Bromus
Scapa Flow Chaucer
Anchora
Carissima (FR)
1923		 Clarissimus Radium
Quintessence
Casquetts Captivation
Cassis
Dam
Thaouka (FR)
1929		 Asterus (FR)
1923		 Teddy Ajax
Rondeau
Astrella Verdun
Saint Astra
Sweet Picture (GB)
1922		 Gainsborough Bayardo
Rosedrop
Seamab John o' Gaunt
Sweet Marjorie (Family: 4-n)[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "St. Marguerite – Family 4-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  3. ↑ ""Togo" in St. Leger Victory". Examiner. 17 September 1951.
  4. 1 2 Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
  5. ↑ "The St. Leger".
  6. ↑ "Talma II Wins". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 1951.
  7. 1 2 "Pharis".
  8. ↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third ed.). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
  9. ↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
  10. ↑ "Talma pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
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