COMEDY KING

It is relatively easy to still find Comedy King in modern pedigrees, though of course his influence is fading back in time. We have spoken of some of his sons and rather oddly he only ever produced two stakes winning daughters.

Ormolu, out of an All Black mare, won the 1931 Williamstown Easter Cup but Stagegirl, out of a Stepniak mare, was by far his best. She won the Adelaide Guineas and beat the colts in the South Australian Derby but is best remembered for her win in the 1918 VRC Oaks Stakes. At stud she produced the Toorak winner, The Gay Mutineer by Lucknow.

Seven sons of Comedy King went to stud, but none matched the success of their wonderful sire. There is always of course the question as to what might have happened had Artilleryman got an opportunity at stud, but we cannot dwell on that. Five sons produced only one stakes winner and these were Biplane/Gallant Airman, Divine Comedy/Birdcage, Harvest King/Calulu King, Mimetic/Black Thread, and Tavistock/Billy Barton. Interestingly both Birdcage and Calula King won the VRC Standish Handicap for 2yo’s. Another son, Kingbier produced two stakes winners in Simon's Bier and Triple Chief. Again it is interesting that