100 YEARS ON POITREL
On 2 November 1920, the great Sydney horse Poitrel proved that he was the equal to any horse in Australia by winning the Melbourne Cup. It was his third and last start in Melbourne where he was only beaten once by the great Eurythmic. But this was close to the end of the mighty Poitrel’s career, so we are getting ahead of ourselves.
Poitrel was by St Alwyne by Poinard. He was a quality stallion siring some 22 stakes winners over a long career although none better than Poitrel. Among his stakes winners were 1918 Melbourne Cup winner, Night March, Sydney Cup winner, Moorilla, Caulfield Cup winner, Lady Medallist and Hotham Handicap and dual Moonee Valley Cup winner, Gladwyn. St Alwyne was also notable as the damsire of the great Peter Pan.
Poitrel traces back to a mare called Whizgig by Whalebone who was imported into Tasmania in the late 1820’s by the Cressy Company. She was sold in 1835 by public auction for £52 10s, to Mr Edmund Bryant. Whizgig was a full sister to Whalebone’s first Derby winner in Lap Dog which no doubt influenced the decision to bring her to Australia. It is the Bruce
