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Albert Cockram
West Australian Racing
IntoIt
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Have just read a letter from the great grand daughter of this man, published in The West Australian 15/10/20014.
Seems hes had a lot to do with the early developement of racing in WA; racecourses, studs, importation of mares and stallions and the racing of horses.Is there even a race named for/after him? Should be something prominent.
The great grand daughter, Robyn McSweeney MLC is writing a book. Does anyone on PTT know of him?
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English thoroughbreds bought to Australia. Leading Importers Answer. Mr. Albert E. Cockram has for many years been the importer of more English thoroughbreds than any other man in Australia. The Daily News 1923. Last year he paid one of his periodical visits to England and while there he puchased 26 racehorses. Four of them were landed in Fremantle some weeks ago and eight are now in Sydney. A few days ago a cablegram published in the Daily News gave particulars of criticism published in the London Sporting Life with regard to the purchase by Australians of English thoroughbreds. Mr Cockram is out to confound the London critic. Discussing the matter, he siad "whoever the writer is he displays much ignorance of the experiences of Australian breeders. It is true that many stallions bought in England at high prices have been successful in Australia but it is much more true that most of the imported horses that have been successfull were secured at comparatively low figures. Bill of Portland was only one of a number. The assertion that those of us who import thoroughbreds are guided by cheapness rather than class is unwarranted and absurd. I notice that a Melbourne writer breifly but tranchantly answers this is the following terms. He quoted the spring success of Violoncello as proof of the deterioration of our form. With ignorance this critic says the Violoncello had practically all the best horses in the Commonwealth behind him. As a matter of fact, Eurythmic, Gloaming and beauford all were out of commission. The quality of a stallion cannot be determined by its purchase price. Bronzino represented a heavy outlay to Sir Samuel Horden, whereas Eudorus the sire of Eurythmic was not expensive. From memory continued Mr cockram I mention Cyclon, Chippilly, Duke Humphrey, Lucknow, King Offa, Cooltrim. The Welkin, Shepherd King and comedy King as horses imported from England who hold the best blood and for some whom anything but high prices were given but who have been succesful as sires in Australia. Horses representing the best blood in the world can often be obtained in England at low prices. For instance a horse named Long Corrie, who brought 5,600 guineas as a yearling was sold at auction when I was at home recently for 75 guneas. He had failed in a selling race, His new owner won three races in succession with him. When he started in the selling race he was palpably out of condition. A good judge of form and condition and breeding can often pick up such bargains. A lot of horses are raced out of condition for the reason that there are sometimes as many as 70 horses belonging to one stablem and it ius not possible for any one trainer to give so many the proper attention and study nor to do justice to owners. Long corrie is by Tetrarch from Veneration. His sire was never beaten and stands at 400 guineas a mare. All of his stock are great gallopers. Veneration is the dam of Craganour, who won a Derby but lost the prize on a protest and who was subsequently sold for 30,000 guineas. She is also the dam of Nassau, a horse now in New zealand. Comrade, one of the biggest winners in England and who won a Grand Priz de Paris was sold for 5 guineas. Bronzino was a classical winner in England wh brought something in the region of 10,000 guineas but it cannot be claied that he has been a success in Australia. Sir William Cooper gave a big sum for Redfern. In fact, he was one of the highest priced horses ever imported to Australia. He was one of the best two year old performers at Home. He was not equal to winning a weight for age race in Australia and most of our horses could beat him. Magpie was a well bred one and a good performer in England. He was beaten out here one of those who downed hi at weight for age being Mistico, Rebus was one of the best horses here and he was secured for 50 guineas. Violoncello is not nearly the best performer in Australia as is properly pointed out. his dam Catgut threw a lot of good horses including Plant and Roman Fiddle the latter of whom is regarded as one of the best horses in England today. Anaother was Quinologist whose sire was St. Frusquin. An offer 3,000 guineas was refused for him but I got him for 200 guineas and he has won as much in stakes as Violoncello. Ahorse called the Sybarite cost his Australian buyer 6,000 guineas but it cannot be said that he has been a successm while Cooltrim whom I bought cheaply in england has been a great sire. Cooltrim represents the best blood obtainable in England being by the great Flying Fox a triple crown winner from a Gallinule mare. Among the stock which were on view at Fremantle yesterday and which are going to Sydney are many that can claim the best English blood. Lemberg heads the list of winning sires in England. A colt by him from a Gallinule mare is among my lot. Spearmint is third on the list in england. There is another big Hurry On who is second on the english list. My last lot includes a colt by Sunstar from a Spearmint mare. There is one by Rio Herode whose stud fee is 440 guineas from a Gallinule mare and another by Greenback by St. Frusquin from Menda, a 14 year old gallinule mare who was passed out of the ring a couple of months ago at 3700 guineas. She is the dam of rossendale a lot of whose get are winning in england. Rossendale is now in /australia but he could be sold in /england today for as many thousands as hundreds were given for him by his importer. All of these horses did not bring exceptional prices but they boast of the best blood obtainable, The instances I have given surely demonstrate that the London critic of Australian buyerws is lamentably ignorant of the facts.
I just thought readers may like to see some early history by my Great Great Grandfather Albert Edmund Cockram only private owner of Belmont Racecourse and Goodwood Racecourse until his death in 1943
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30,000 guineas would have been a fortune back then.
Many years ago Albert Cockram exchanged a cow for a horse from the late George Towton and with that same horse defeated the representative of the man that had traded with him. Thus his instinctive and almost uncanny powers of observation have enabled him to pick good horses when they were in the rough and playing around as yearlings. He picked horses on conformation and breeding with the same unerring ability that the old prospector specked gold in the soil. His second venture into the horse trading business resulted in him selecting a horse at a sale that is now covered by Boan's. The animal was Plutus and he cost 11 pounds. After being broken in he won at a W.a.T.C. Anniversary meeting and payed 96pounds and 15s for 10 in the enclosure. A record for many years. From then onwards Albert Cockram never looked back. Over the years he has made huge sums of money. Four trips to England saw him dabble freely in the overseas stockmarket gave him opportunities to buy thoroughbreds that earned distinction on the Australian turf. Ireland. His trip to Ireland is always regarded tragically as he missed the greatest bargain any man could obtain. At that particular stud he visited he was entertained by the owner a man who for years had been looking for a certain line of blood and had found it in France. It was the famous Herode line. For Mr Cockram.s benefit the yearlings the result of many years of research and scientific mating were paraded on the lawns. The yearlings were to be sent to the Doncaster sales and a reserve of 200guineas. Upon hearing this the Aussie selected two youngsters then and there but the owner would not sell his yearlings to Australia and so the flier of an age was missed. For one of the youngsters was later known as The Tetrarch unbeaten as a racehorse. On his visit to England last visit Mr Cockram did a great deall of purchasing and the horses selected proved the best he had ever bought. They were Satelles, The Verderer, a three parts brother to Rossendale, Murthly, Brown Rajah, Great Applause, Pagoda and Tintinara. Satelles in his first year at the stud sired Crucius, a Sydney Cup winner. Mr Cockram hoped to win a Sydney Cup with Murthly but just prior to cup had accident and died as a result. Backwood's Cup. With Brown Rajah Mr Cockram intended to win a Melbourne Cup and was unlucky not to win. Backwood won that Cup and Brown Rajah was placed third. Spearfelt was ultimately placed third and later Brown Rajah was placed third in the Williamstown cup won by Antonio. He was used for breeding as he was by Brown Prince-Radegonde who is the dam of Dark Fox and Puck winners in England. Ambitious Program. Of the horses that were imported to Aus with the most recent visit to England Great Applause, Pagoda and Tintina remained in W.A. The others over east. Albert's program was to have Great Applause win Perth Cup, Brown Rajah the Melbourne and Murthly the Sydney. Applause won the Perth Cup 1925, he was on lease to Attwell at the time. Pagoda ran second in the Railway Stakes and Tintinara died of blood poisoning and Murthly died as a result of an accident. On other trips to England Mr. Cockram selected numerous horses for Australiaand these included Contin, Peter the Hermit and Sir Thomas. Peter the Hermit had a placing in the English Derby and was half brother to Demosthenes a leading NZ sire. Sir Thomas sired Ductile and Chrystal Stream. Others imported here were Sea Crest sire of WA Derby winner Ozonia, Ergot sire of Ergotin and Cunjeboy. Duke Humphrey sired A.J.C. Derby winner Prince Humphrey. Four horses in One Away, Cooltrim, Super and Piedmont were brought to W.A. For stud. On another trip to England he purchased Rebus who won the Sydney cup for Mr. J. Lemon and then Ian O'r won in Cockram and Nicholas name. Observation who was a winner of races in W.A. Fantarie winner of Imperial handicap and others. Vinalia who was by Radium who was sent East to stud. Quinologist, Apple Charlotte winner of Railway Stakes. I have many articles which will be published in a book next year to be called Albert Edmund Cockram King Of The Racecourse. This man is acknowledged nowhere and there have been thousands of horses. Just a race named in his honour at Belmont would be a good start. Hon. Robyn McSweeney
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