1939
22 September 1939
HEROIC DEAD
Broken Leg
LEADING SIRE
One of the greatest racehorses foaled in Australia, and seven times the leading sire of the country, Heroic, broke his near foreleg at Growee yesterday and was destroyed. It is thought that the stallion slipped on grasshoppers while galloping in his paddock.
Heroic was one of the first of the stock of the imported sire Valais, and was purchased at auction as a yearling by the Victorian trainer, C. T. Godby, for 1800 guineas. Godby was acting for the late Mr. J. R. Corteen, in whose colours Heroic won his two year-old races and early three-year-old races.
His most sensational victories were the Chelmsford Stakes, in which, ridden by A. Reed, he defeated Gloaming, and the A.J.C. Derby, in which, ridden by the late H. Cairns, he defeated Nigger Minstrel and Spearfelt.
In February of his three-year-old season Heroic came under the auctioneer's hammer again, and was purchased by Mr. C. B. Kellow for 16,000 guineas, a record price at the time.
(PHOTO) HEROIC
He then went into the stable of J. Holt, and for his new owner won the Newmarket Handicap and numerous weight-for-age races. In all he won 21 races, was second 11 times, and third four times, his winnings amounting to £38,062/10/.
He went to the stud in 1927, and for the last seven years he has headed the list of winning sires for Australasia. His progeny so far have won 853 races, worth £263,187.
Heroic's best son is the phenomenal weight-for-age performer, Ajax, and his next best is the Melbourne Cup winner, Hall Mark, who has made a promising start, as a sire. Other good winners sired by Heroic were Silver Standard, Te Hero, Vauntry, Maid of Orleons, Gallantic, The Marne, Heroic Prince, Prittle Prattle, Parodier, Nuf field, Bold Bid, Hope, Illustrious, Gloriole, Top Hole, June, Othello, Publicity, Royal Step, Heritor, Tuckiar, Cereza, Australia Fair, Porcia, and High Degree. The Australian Comforts Fund will contribute £4 worth of comforts for each member of the A.I.F. Part will be distributed overseas and part on the troopships1
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1955
12 September 1955
Mr G H Purvis recently bought Growee, a station property at Rylstone, and finds it has a special point of interest for him.
It was there that the great racehorse Heroic was buried.
The fact is recorded on a circular concrete slab which simply says: "Heroic, 1939"2
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