sainfoin ( 1887 – october 1911 ) was a british thoroughbred racehorse that was the winner of the 1890 epsom derby and was the sire of rock sand , the tenth winner of the triple crown in 1903 .

sainfoin ( horse )

sainfoin is a premium forage alternative to lucerne and grass . ‘sainfoin’ means ' healthy hay’ in french and this is exactly what it is ! sainfoin pellets are also non - bloating .
sainfoin is suitable for all horses , and can be very beneficial when fed with hay and grass as a nutritious alternative and to add a variety of flavour . sainfoin is particularly suitable for horses requiring a nutritious diet , including :
a handsome , good - sized chestnut horse , sainfoin was of sturdy make with a good shoulder . existing photographs suggest that he was sickle - hocked . his form tailed off badly at 4 and 5 for unknown reasons .
peter davy , who has supplied fresh sainfoin test samples to the legumeplus project has grown a small acreage of sainfoin for a number of years . last year he planted a few acres on a neighbours field - mr . & mrs . phillips from shelvin , in kent - to try sainfoin on british warmblood colts from their ukeuro stud ( seen pictured to the right ) .
forage legumes are attractive to farmers these days . free nitrogen and extra protein content certainly meet current farming needs . sainfoin offers this and a lot more besides . until now there has been little information on sainfoin , but that is changing . the eu sainfoin research project known as ‘ healthy hay ’ is now completed and we are in the process of publishing the results online .
no horse less of longevity or number of foals has affected the modern quarter racehorse to the degree of domino .
our sainfoin pellets are rich in natural minerals and trace elements . they are a good source of condensed tannins , which aid digestion of protein . sainfoin is also a source of naturally occurring copper , which can aid the health of bones , tendons and joints .
unfortunatly no official crest was given to these l . s . i . ( l ) ' s , so the crest to the right was made up from sainfoin ' s
history
. h . m . s . sainfoin was named after the winner of the 1890 derby
interestingly , there are some differences within sainfoin varieties which we may be able to take advantage of . these opportunities are to be explored further this year .
undefeated in ten races st . simon in all probability is the greatest horse of all time . unfortunately st . simon was not tested in the classic races of england because rules in effect at the time stipulated that if the person who had nominated a particular horse to a classic died before the race , the horse was inelgible to run in the race . as the breeder of st . simon had died the horse was denied the opportunity to become a classicist . nevertheless he did run against some very good horses and dealt with them summarily .
anthelmintic over the years we have heard from many of you about the remarkable effect that sainfoin has on wormy lambs . the ‘healthy hay’ project has demonstrated that the anti - parasitic benefits are very real indeed . early results confirm that parasitic worm control is effective when sainfoin is fed , are their lifecycles are disrupted .
bloat free & methane an animal blown up as a result of grazing clover is a distressing experience and is the main reason given by farmers for not growing legumes . sainfoin never causes bloat , one of its great attributes . recent work in australia lead to the conclusion that as little as 20 % of sainfoin in the diet can offset the risk of bloat to near zero . work with beef steers in canada showed the same when small quantities of sainfoin were mixed with lucerne . rumen activity is important in other ways . from an environmental perspective the eu project has been studying rumen gas production with a particular interest in how sainfoin reduces methane production .
by the time of his death , sainfoin was considered of so little account as a stallion that his death was not reported to the press for over a year .
man o ' war passed away on november 1 , 1947 after suffering a heart attack . more than two thousand people attended the funeral , which was broadcast by radio . the great stallion was the first horse to be embalmed , and is now buried at the kentucky horse park in lexington .
and the good sprinters elmstead and amphora , all by amphion . sainfoin is also a half brother to 1902 jockey club cup and cesarewitch handicap winner black sand ( by melanion ) .
every year , thousands of visitors flocked to faraway farm in kentucky to see the legendary horse and hear his famous stud groom , will harbut , tell stories about the champion . he always introduced his charge as
the mostest horse that ever was
and insisted that man o ' war had never been beaten . when a guest asked about
we never lifted a jockey to his back that we didn ' t tell to hold the horse down , so as not to win by too wide a margin .
by the early 1950’s two thoroughbred stallions had already begun their ascension within the quarter·three bars and top deck . the dam of three bars was by a horse decending from domino ,
in direct descent the tetrarch has influenced the quarter horse through gray dream . gray dream is , of course , the maternal grandsire of lena’s bar , the dam of easy jet . ,
roots , soil & drought a sainfoin crop is capable of growing on the thinnest of alkaline soils . it is extremely drought - resistant and never stops growing even in prolonged dry spells . its root structure leaves soil in excellent condition and sainfoin can be considered an invaluable part of the light land rotation . it penetrates soil and rock to a great depth where it seems able to extract nutrients better than any other species . it grows best on stony brash or chalks , but does not like wet soils where red clover should be chosen in preference . sainfoin will grow well on alkaline soil and should not be sown on land below 6 . 2ph .
this was a four year project involving 12 partners from europe . these include three from britain : reading university , niab and cotswold seeds . the network , which completed its work in 2010 , has produced some interesting results . it seems that the role for sainfoin is about to be reinvented . in short , sainfoin offers farmers an attractive fodder crop for naturally alkaline , free draining soils . some of the findings so far are detailed here .
sainfoin haylage cut late summer was tried on the young horses and some brood mares this spring . referring to mr . & mrs . phillips ' comments mr . davy says
yes his horses loved it and he said they looked better almost straight away . he was very pleased and said he was going to plant 8 acres of it there and then , though the field he had in mind turned out to be too acidic so he couldn ' t . he has many horses all set stocked ( no rotation system ) with a worm problem including , he thinks , wormer resistance . so potentially it ' s a good site for an experiment in the benefits of sainfoin which we are sort of trying in our little way - with a plan to feed / supplement a group of young horses through the year with sainfoin to compare with the other groups . we have talked about grazing them on my sainfoin this year but are in two minds as we want to have enough sainfoin as a daily supplement through the year so we can compare that with the controls . however we are thinking of grazing some if it as opposed to second cut of hay .
he was purchased by sir james miller just a few days before being entered for the derby and was ridden by a jockey named j . watts . his racing colours were white and gold , and the derby is known as the blue ribbon race , hence the ribbon overlaying the horse shoe sainfoin later sired the colt ' rocksand ' the tripple crown winner some thirteen years later . sadly , being a gelding there were no further issue .
sainfoin is inbred 3x3 to the “emperor of stallions , ” 1852 dual english classic winner stockwell , and has a cross of stockwell ' s full brother rataplan at the fourth generation , making him inbred 4x5x4 to the baron and pocahontas . he is also inbred 5x5x5 to the baron ' s sire birdcatcher and 5x5 to 1834 st . leger stakes winner and four - time english leading sire touchstone . sainfoin is a full brother to sierra , dam of 1911 english leading sire
sainfoin has deep penetrating roots making it highly suitable for the dry , alkaline soils of england . in these times of fluctuating feed and veterinary drugs prices , alongside increased environmental demands , there are few crops that tick as many boxes .
no one dared challenge him in the lawrence realization . mrs . jeffords finally agreed to enter a horse , provided he was not beaten too badly . samuel riddle didn ' t consider this a problem , saying :
sainfoin ( gb ) ch . h , 1887 { 2 - g } dp = 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 ( 0 ) di = inf cd = inf - 11 starts , 4 wins , ? places , ? shows
there are few crops like sainfoin . it is a high - yielding , drought - resistant plant which needs no nitrogen fertiliser and little phosphate . it won’t cause bloat , is a natural anthelmintic and with rumen protected protein produces top quality meat and milk .
man o ' war acted up at the start , allowing sir barton to break on top , but the older horse held his lead for only sixty yards before man o ' war passed him . as the new york times reported :
the author could find little evidence that quarter horse breeders had attempted to incorporate the lineage of st . simon into their operation . however , rocket bar is out of a mare whose sire goes in direct decent to st . simon .
protein , animal growth & tannins protein , the essential element for growth , can be poorly utilised in ruminant animals as it can be rapidly broken down in the rumen . this is inefficient and leads to slower growth rates and increased nitrogen losses in the urine . sainfoin contains tannins ( complex chemical structures ) which bind with protein molecules , protecting them as they pass through the rumen so that they can be absorbed efficiently as they pass further down the digestive tract . this doesn’t happen with other legumes and largely explains why stock fed sainfoin have faster liveweight gain when compared to any other forage .
as with any new feed , introduce gradually over a week . sainfoin pellets are ideally fed soaked . if appropriate , feed singly as treats or mixed with twice their volume of soaked purabeet or twice their volume of chop and well dampened . use as part of the forage ration or in addition . start with 100g per 100kg of bodyweight per day , increase as required up to a maximum of 5kg per day . for example , for a 500kg horse start with 500g per day ( dry weight , before soaking ) and increase as required . feed according to requirement & condition .
i ' m putting common and isinglass back - to - back because . . . well , how many times do you see two triple crown winners in three years sired by the same horse ? not a bad run for isonomy by producing two horses to sweep the honors .
sanda , the dam of sainfoin , failed to win on the flat but was a winner over hurdles . she is a half sister to 1876 coronation stakes winner footstep ( by see saw ) and is out of the stockwell mare sanda , whose dam lady evelyn ( by don john ) won the 1849 oaks stakes .
an obscure footnote to the career of galtee more : a man named marcus daly , an american sportsman known as the
montana copper king
at that time , offered the owner of galtte more $ 125 , 000 for the horse , roughly $ 3 . 2 million in current dollars .
as lochsong began dominating the sprint division another kingsclere horse , selkirk , was making his mark as a miler . he won the queen elizabeth stakes at ascot in 1991 en route to being crowned champion miler , before taking the lockinge , the celebration mile and the challenge stakes in 1992 , all by more than two lengths . the finish was much closer in the sussex stakes at glorious goodwood , where selkirk went down by a head to marling , but he finished the year as champion older horse in britain , and retired to stud where he was a highly successful stallion until his death in 2013 .
at 3 : won derby s . ( eng , epsom , 2414m = 12f , now g1 ) , esher s . ( eng , sandown ) , dee s . ( eng , chester ) sainfoin had a full sister , sierra ( ch f 1889 ) , who is prominent in many modern pedigrees through the full stakes winning siblings ( close )
on june 6 , 1919 , man o ' war began his racing career with a six length win at belmont park . it later seemed appropriate that the great horse made his first start there , since the historic track was built by his breeder , who named it in honor of his father , august belmont i .
the so - called
race of the century ,
run on october 12 , 1920 , was a weight for age event , contested over a mile and a quarter . being the older horse , sir barton carried 126 pounds , while man o ' war carried 120 . during the week leading up to the race , the condition of each horse was questioned . louis feustel worried about a slight filling in man o ' war ' s tendon while rumors spread that sir barton was training poorly . in response to an article in chicago ' s evening post , sir barton ' s trainer h . guy bedwell issued the following statement :
355 sainfoins collected almost one for every day of the year ! from a plant breeding point of view , the ‘healthy hay’ project has been extremely productive . through the involvement of niab a great number of sainfoin accessions have been collected . these have come from around the world and include some very interesting sub - species from armenia . in total 170 have been planted , monitored and classified over the last three years . now that the initial collection has been completed , it is hoped that this resource can be exploited by plant breeders . we are also compiling the results of biochemistry research which is providing helpful information on the effects of sainfoin on meat and milk quality . for full details of the work visit urltoken ( from spring 2011 ) .
teddy has influenced the quarter racehorse at the highest level of competition . in fact , his son bull dog can be found in the pedigree of all american futurity winners hot idea , three oh’s , timetothinkrich and savannah , jr . in direct descentteddy has influenced the quater horse through jackstraw , spotted bull , everett , jr . and others .
sainfoin won the first four races of his career , ending his streak with a win in the derby stakes over a rain - soaked course . after that , it was all downhill for his racing career . the one bright spot in his stud career was 1903 english triple crown winner rock sand , who successfully maintained the male line and also wielded marked influence in the united states through his daughters .
man o’war , of course , has had a phenomenal impact upon the quarter horse . two direct descendants have won the all american futurity , namely timetothinkrich and hot idea , both by aforethought . man o’war is also in the pedigree of top deck and moolah bux , which has made a significant contribution to the quarter runner through his daughters , is out of a mare
ainfoin ' s only notable runner was 1903 english triple crown winner rock sand , although his daughter bromus won the important seaton delaval plate as a juvenile and gained greater fame later on as the dam of two - time english leading sire phalaris . sainfoin ' s only other notable contribution was tout suite , whose unbeaten son hurry on led the english general sire list in 1926 and continued the male line of unbeaten barcaldine .
a full brother to fairway , pharos was a very good horse winning 14 of 30 races . this was an unduly large number of starts for a top class english horse of pharos’ era . pharos had just failed to win the english derby and his connections left him in training in the hopes that he would win a race commiserate with his ability . their patience was well rewarded because in the last start of his career pharos was victorious in the champion stakes . this race , run at newmarket in october , is a group 1 race * this writer’s opinion a good performance in this race forecasts an adaptability by a horse’s descendants to the american style of race more so than any race in europe . the champion stakes has often been the last race of a horse’s career and at one and one•fourth mile is shorter than the more prevalent european distance of one and one• half miles . the ability to revert successfully to a shorter distance tends to indicate first class speed . pharos1 _ r at stud first in england , pharos spent much of his career in france . it was in this latter country that pharos had his best success , as he sired nearco and pharis while there . perhaps it is also worthy of note that pharos sired ei greco , the maternal grandsire of ribot . as stated earlier pharos was a full brother to fairway . in no other instance in history have two brothers been so successful at racing and at stud and their influence so far reaching . hal k . may , elements of speed
after the stuyvesant , man o ' war was once again challenged by a horse from the payne whitney stables , this time in the form of whisk broom ii ' s son john p . grier . the trainer from payne whitney , james rowe , jr . , referred to man o ' war as
that red lobster
and refused to believe that he , or any other horse , was invincible . he had been aiming john p . grier at the dwyer stakes , and was hoping to beat the champion again . john p . grier stayed with man o ' war for over a mile , even pulling ahead once , and when big red caught grier and drew clear to win in record time , he broke his game opponent ' s heart . the pole
color : ch ( gb ) at 2 : won astley s . ( eng , lewes ) at 3 : won derby s . ( eng , epsom , 2414m = 12f , now g1 ) , esher s . ( eng , sandown ) , dee s . ( eng , chester ) sainfoin had a full sister , sierra ( ch f 1889 ) , who is prominent in many modern pedigrees through the full stakes winning siblings ( close )
we have a couple of paddocks that need re - seeded . has anyone any experience of including some sainfoin in a seed mix ? i understand that it can take a year to establish and doesn ' t withstand heavy grazing but that horses love it ? our soil is alkaline and not normally prone to waterlogging ( excepting this winter ! ) . any info from the uk or other countries with using it in grazing would be helpful . thanks !
the first time johnny loftus got on him , man o ' war threw the jockey about forty feet . but according to his owner ,
tossing johnny was the last bad move man o ' war ever made ,
for once he began galloping with the stable pony , major trent , and the other yearlings , man o ' war quickly became the most highly regarded horse in the barn .
most effective at around a mile , phalaris won sixteen of twenty - four races . as witnessed by the fact that he was the number one sire in england on two occasions , phalaris was a good sire of winners . however it is the strength of phalaris’ male line which places him among the elite horses in history . in fact , phalaris has founded the strongest male line of any horse of this century .
the day of the big race , j . k . l . ross , the owner of sir barton , replaced his regular rider , earl sande , with frank keogh , explaining that sande had developed a nervous stomach , but many speculated that he was taken off the older champion because he had stated that man o ' war was the best horse he had ever ridden after substituting for clarence kummer in the miller stakes that summer .
foaled in 1905 , fair play was owned and bred by major august belmont ii , and during his racing career he was trained by andrew joyner . he was best known for his rivalry with colin , to whom fair play finished second in many game efforts , including the 1908 belmont stakes . colin was the last american champion to retire undefeated until ogden phipps ' personal ensign duplicated the accomplishment in 1988 , and fair play was the only horse to ever challenge him .
the next time he ran , chicago o ' brien expressed his confidence in man o ' war ' s greatness by betting $ 100 , 000 against tom shaw ' s $ 1 , 000 that once again the big chestnut colt would prevail .
it ' s a crazy bet , i don ' t mind giving you a grand , but any horse can fall down ,
said shaw . even with an impost of 135 pounds , man o ' war managed
the great turf writer joe palmer , of the blood - horse , called him
as near to living flame as horses get ,
and most american horsemen consider him to be the greatest racehorse in american turf history . when samuel riddle was offered a million dollars for man o ' war , he answered that
lots of men have a million dollars , but only one can own man o ' war .
offered a blank check , he again declined , saying :
louis feustel , who had galloped hastings , had worked for august belmont ii under andrew joyner during fair play ' s racing career , and had trained mahubah himself , became man o ' war ' s trainer . ex - jockey harry vitotoe broke him to saddle . man o ' war proved to have inherited some of hastings ' fire , and was said to be a very difficult horse to break , fighting every step and repeatedly dumping harry . as samuel d . riddle recalled :
like all horses , the great man o ' war had his quirks . his grandsire hastings , who won the 1896 belmont stakes , was said to be one of the most unmanageable horses in history , and was famous for biting other horses during races . although some of hasting ' s fiery temperament was passed on to his grandson , man o ' war refrained from biting his competition , and he chose to chew his hooves instead , a habit which baffled those associated with the legendary horse .
the actual bid was made by riddle ' s friend ed buhler , the uncle of the great artist richard stone reeves . one of the finest painters of thoroughbreds in racing history , reeves was always awed by the fact that his uncle had bought man o ' war , and when he was commissioned to paint the great horse , he said ,
i had gathered reference material since i was a boy . it was almost as if i had been practicing all my life for that one painting .
matthew dawson trained many classic horses as well as st . simon . st . simon was thought by dawson to be far superior to any other horse he had ever seen . going further , dawson said that st . simon was as good at one furlong as he was at three miles . dawson’s claims can be substan - tiated by reviewing a few of the performances of st . simon . as a two year old st . simon had a matched race of six furlongs against duke of richmond which ranked among the best of his age . the jockey of duke of richmond had been instructed to break in front and attempt to make all the running . yet at the end of a quarter mile st . simon was ahead by fifty yards . later st . simon won the ascot goldcup at two and one - half miles . after the ascot gold he was able to successfully revert back to a mile . both dawson and archer had a predilection against allowing a horse to exert any more energy than that necessary to win . yet st . simon won races by twenty lengths while under severe restraint .
more group 1 success came in 1989 when jeff smith’s dashing blade won the dewhurst . that same year silver fling took the prix de l’abbaye for george strawbridge , but it was a kingsclere sprinter of jeff smith’s , lochsong , who was to capture the nation’s hearts in the following years . slow to reveal her talent , lochsong blossomed as a 4 year old , taking the stewards cup , the portland handicap and the ayr gold cup in 1992 – the first time all three of these big sprint handicaps had been won by the same horse in the same year . the following year she stepped up again , running away with the group 1 nunthorpe at york before recording a startling four - length victory in the prix de l’abbaye . she was crowned champion sprinter and cartier horse of the year in 1993 . racing on in 1994 , she took the temple stakes , the king’s stand and the prix de l’abbaye , retaining her title as champion sprinter . she retired to stud and her offspring have been trained successfully from park house , whilst her half - sister lochangel was trained by ian to win the nunthorpe in 1998 .
the riddles and jeffords shared a training track between their two farms in maryland , and every year the two stables matched their most promising young horses against each other in order to give them some racing experience before their first season on the track . that year , man o ' war met golden broom in the trials and the high priced saratoga yearling won the short sprint . man o ' war , being the bigger horse , had trouble breaking fast enough to beat the smaller , quicker colt , but once the big chestnut learned how to handle his long legs , it was an entirely different story .
the kenilworth gold cup was not only the
race of the century ,
but it was also the first entire race to be filmed . photographer edward muybridge , the man who had taken the first film of a running animal forty years before , used fourteen cameras to record the event , and the film was shown on broadway . even though the great horse had outrun the triple crown winner , set numerous track records , and set world records that still stand today , man o ' war had never been fully extended , and he was retired without ever having the opportunity to display his full potential .
legend , fact and disbelief become one when reviewing the career of the horse which is still regarded as america’s best . his speed and stamina were extraordinary – few horses have combined these attributes in a more spectacular manner . man o’war won twenty of twentyone starts . his one loss can be attributed to the american style of racing in that he was boxed in between the rail and outside horses . contemporary reports stated that man o’war was fully extended only once in all his races . though a top sire , the stud career of man o’war was compromised because he stood as a private stallion and the few outside mares he received were usually of inferior credentials . man o’war sired triple crown winner war admiral and his influence today is carried on mainly by in reality and olden times . through his daughters , the name of man o’war appears in the internal parts of many pedigrees . in fact , in 1973 his name appeared in the pedigree of four of five divisional champions .
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this title is currently out of print . it will be re - published shortly .
( 1939 , the thoroughbred owners and breeders association ; reprinted in 1974 ) .
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urltoken
winx ' s staying power as one of the world ' s top rac . . .
t . j . comerford , assistant trainer for aidan o ' brie . . .
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urltoken
premium forage alternative to lucerne and grass , rich in natural minerals and trace elements .
all products are natural and seasonal variations can occur , the packaging of each product will detail the typical analysis which is relevant to the batch / cut within the bag . below are this product’s specification ranges to give an indication of the seasonal variations that can occur for this product .
we do not add vitamins as the forages themselves have them naturally occurring , often in their precursor form . we have averaged the analysis of different batches for this product to provide the following vitamin & mineral figures .
prof . irene mueller - harvey of reading university also asked if mr davy had any information on faecal egg counts ( nematodes ) and mr . davy replied
yes we have done one lot and the idea is to track through the year with some more tests
.
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not for horses but we are about to grow some for cattle this year . i would be concerned about the protein levels for horses unless they were in hard work or growing . also i think horses would graze it too close to the ground and would kill it which would make it an expensive annual plant ! try cotswold seeds for advice , i have always found them very helpful .
many thanks for your help . the horses here are a greedy bunch so grazing it to ground level might be a problem unless we can grown some at one end of the field and fence it off before it gets totally eaten away ! i ' m mostly just trying to introduce a wider range of grasses , herbs etc as some of the paddocks were previously used for grazing cattle . i ' ll talk with cotswold seeds as i see they have quite a wide range of seed mixes available .
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west australian , the first winner of the english triple crown in 1853 . ( photo : 1853 painting by harry hall )
the names of the american triple crown winners are fairly common to most of us - secretariat , affirmed , citation , seattle slew , gallant fox , etc . while we might not know the intimate details of the career of every winner , most racing fans are familar with the horses themselves .
across the atlantic our friends in great britain are on the cusp of their first triple crown winner ( camelot ( gb ) ) since the great nijinsky ( or nijinky ii in the u . s . ) in 1970 . and while most of us are familiar with nijinsky , the other english champions are a bit more obscure . to help get you up to speed , i ' ve cultivated and summarized a summary of the winners of the english triple crown , from west australian to nijinsky .
west australian began his racing career by running in two races within a week in october of his juvenile season . he lost his debut but came back to win the glasgow stakes just days later . he began his three - year - old campaign in the 2 , 000 guineas at newmarket , winning by a half - length over sittingbourne . in the epsom derby , west australian faced a field of 28 horses winning by a neck over sittingbourne .
gladiateur is the only french - bred winner of the english triple crown , and one of only three horses to sweep the series that weren ' t bred in great britain . sporting a career record of 19 - 16 - 0 - 1 , gladiateur is considered one of the best throgoubreds of his time . in addition to the english triple crown , gladiateur also won the grand prix de paris and the ascot gold cup .
i don ' t have anything particularly interesting to add about lord lyon , but check out the newspaper summary of the 1866 epsom derby entitled the race for
the derby
.
one of the great champions in thoroughbred racing history , ormonde never tasted defeat in 16 career races . so feared was ormonde that only two opponents entered to run against him in the st . james ' s palace stakes at royal ascot and he was sent to post as the 3 / 100 favorite . 3 / 100 . i wonder if there were any bridge - jumpers that day ?
ormonde was devastating over any distance , winning races from six to 16 furlongs during his career . in addition to the english triple crown , ormonde won the champion stakes , the st . james ' s palace and the dewhurst .
common was one of the more obscure winners of the triple crown in that he only raced five times in his career , winning four races and finishing third in the other . unraced as a two - year - old , the 2 , 000 guineas was the first race of his career , followed by the derby . after sweeping the first two legs of the triple crown , common went to royal ascot and won the st . james ' s palace stakes but tasted his first defeat in his next start , the eclipse stakes at sandown . common would finish his career by winning the st . leger and was retired shortly after the race .
isinglass sported a sparkling 12 - 11 - 1 - 0 record in his career and won the princess of wales ' s stakes , eclipse stakes and ascot gold cup , in addition to the triple crown .
the sire of flying fox , orme , was sired by prior triple crown winner ormonde .
following his racing career , flying fox was a three - time leading sire in france ( 1904 , 1905 and 1913 ) .
unlike many of his counterparts , diamond jubilee had one of the more uneven records of any triple crown winner at 16 - 6 - 4 - 1 . diamond jubilee was bred and owned by the prince of wales ( later king edward vii ) .
rock sand sports one of the more distinguished careers of any english triple crown winner . in addition to his victories in the 2 , 000 guineas , epsom derby and st leger stakes , rock sand won the dewhurst , the st . james ' s palace stakes at royal ascot , the princess of wales ' s stakes and the jockey club stakes .
1915 - pommern ( gb ) by polymelus ( gb ) out of a st . hilaire ( gb ) mare ( merry agnes ( gb ) )
pommern , gay crusader and gainsborough are the three winners of the english triple crown during world war i , when the series was altered significantly due to the ongoing hostilities in europe . all the races were run at newmarket and the conditions for the derby and st . leger differed from their historical norms . as a result , these three winners are generally not considered
true
winners of the triple crown .
one of three non - great britain - bred horses to win the english triple crown ; bahram was bred by hh aga khan iii at the curragh in ireland .
in addition to the triple crown , bahram won the st . james ' s palace stakes at royal ascot .
1970 - nijinsky ( can ) ( or
nijinsky ii
in u . s . ) by northern dancer ( can ) out of a bull page mare ( flaming page ( can ) )
nijinsky was one of the great race horses in the 20th century and one of the most important stallions in the last 50 years . in addition to the triple crown , nijinsky won the irish derby , the dewhurst and the king george vi and queen elizabeth stakes .
nijinsky sired 1986 kentucky derby and 1987 breeders ' cup classic winner ferdinand , along with 1982 epsom derby winner golden fleece , 1986 epsom derby winner shahrastani , breeders ' cup mile winner royal academy , 2 , 000 guineas winner shadeed , and french derby winner caerleo n . that is one impressive resume .
this article has a component height of 41 . the sidebar size is long .
© 2018 vox media , inc . all rights reserved sports data © stats 2018
the term “upset” has been used in all sports . it i . . .
man o’ war , regarded as one of the two or three be . . .
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the legendary man o ' war , informally christened big red by racing fans , was foaled at the nursery stud in lexington , kentucky , shortly before midnight on march 29 , 1917 .
his dam was mahubah , a bay daughter of the english triple crown winner rock sand . bred in england , rock sand won that country ' s most coveted trio of races , the epsom derby , the 2 , 000 guineas , and the st . leger stakes , in 1903 , and then made headlines again in 1906 with his $ 125 , 000 pricetag when purchased by august belmont ii , who imported him into the united states .
man o ' war ' s sire was the leading sire fair play , a golden chestnut sired by hastings , the infamously bad tempered belmont stakes winner of 1896 , and out of fairy gold . winner of england ' s woodcote stakes for two - year - old fillies , fairy gold was a daughter of the 1880 epsom derby winner bend or .
when the two retired to stud , it was colin who found himself to be overshadowed , for his stud record paled in comparison to that of his old rival . in addition to man o ' war , fair play sired the accomplished horses display , mad play , chance shot , chance play , mad hatter , my play , ladkin , chatterton , stromboli , masda , sands of pleasure , and countless others , leading the american sires list in 1920 , 1924 , and 1927 .
man o ' war was so dubbed by mrs . eleanor robson belmont , who traditionally named all of her husband ' s horses , including mahubah , whose name is arabic for ' good tidings ' . mrs . belmont originally wanted to call mahubah ' s colt
my man o ' war
in honor of her husband ' s participation in world war i . when she sent the registration to new york , the first word was dropped and he was officially named man o ' war .
major belmont had planned on racing the colt in his own colors , as he usually raced the horses he bred , but in 1918 belmont decided to sell his yearlings , feeling that his involvement in the war in europe would prevent him from racing them . therefore , after an attempt to sell them as a package failed , man o ' war and the other nursery stud youngsters were sent to saratoga ' s sale in august of 1918 .
the highest priced yearling at saratoga that summer was a blaze faced chestnut colt named golden broom , purchased by mrs . walter m . jeffords for $ 15 , 600 . her cousin , samuel doyle riddle , a textile manufacturer and former rider on the northeastern hunt circuit , paid a moderate $ 5 , 000 for man o ' war .
the reasons for riddle ' s purchase have been greatly debated , with numerous individuals claiming to have influenced the decision . what is known is that trainer louis feustel wanted a fair play colt , and also admired man o ' war ' s dam , mahubah , having trained her for belmont . it was said , probably with at least some truth , that riddle felt that man o ' war would surely make an excellent hunter , if he was not a successful racehorse .
it was also said that sam riddle liked the way the colt ' s coat shone
like gold in the afternoon sunlight ,
although this poetic legend seems at odds with claims that man o ' war was not prepared for the sale as carefully as his stablemates . belmont had considered holding man o ' war back from the sale , but had decided that keeping the best colt for himself might make a bad impression on potential buyers .
he fought like a tiger . he screamed with rage , and fought us so hard that it took several days before he could be handled with safety .
while this description was very possibly an exaggeration , it was well known that man o ' war threw his rider while still at saratoga , and enjoyed at least fifteen minutes of freedom before he was captured .
three days after breaking his maiden the first time out , man o ' war went on to win the keene memorial , beating colin ' s son on watch by three lengths . he covered the sloppy five and a half furlongs in 1 : 05 3 / 5 .
next came the youthful stakes at jamaica . once again , on watch failed to catch him , and man o ' war was the two and a half length winner . it was only two days later that he went to post at aqueduct in the hudson stakes , and despite an impost of 130 pounds the story was no different . the big chestnut son of fair play won by a length and a half , and was quite obviously not running his hardest . in the july 5 tremont stakes , also at aqueduct , and also under 130 pounds , an extra furlong proved no challenge . man o ' war easily beat ralco by a length .
after a month off , man o ' war went to post at saratoga for the u . s . hotel stakes . for the third time he carried 130 pounds . big red wired the field , and h . p . whitney ' s upset could only get within two lengths of him . man o ' war ' s brilliance in these early juvenile stakes prompted comparisons to colin and sysonby .
then , on august 13 , 1919 man o ' war met payne whitney stable ' s upset and his old rival golden broom , who had since won the saratoga special , in saratoga ' s sanford memorial stakes . after a substitute starter sent the field off while he had his hindquarters to the barrier , man o ' war was working to make up lost ground when his rider , johnny loftus , sufferd an error in judgment , going to the inside , and the champion was boxed in . when he finally found racing room , it was a moment too late . the living legend had been upset by upset , losing by less than a half length and carrying fifteen pounds more than the winner , who in the race of his life had covered the six furlongs in 1 : 11 1 / 5 . willie knapp , who rode upset , described the race :
we ' d passed the quarter pole and were going to the eighth pole , i guess it was , and i heard something right behind me and i knew it was big red coming at me now . i looked back and there he was . johnny loftus was riding like a crazy man and he yelled at me , ` move out , willie ! i ' m coming through ! ' so i yelled back at him , ` take off ! take off me , bum , or i ' ll put you through the rail ! ' then i set down to riding and we won .
stable employees claimed that man o ' war had nightmares for weeks after his only defeat , and he never lost again . golden broom developed a quarter crack , and was retired for the year after finishing third in the sanford memorial .
man o ' war got even in the grand union hotel stakes , beating upset by a length with the highly regarded blazes third . he also won the hopeful stakes by four lengths and finished the season with a two and a half length victory over john p . grier in the belmont futurity .
in 1920 , johnny loftus was denied a renewal of his jockey ' s license , possibly as a result of the controversy following the sanford memorial , and therefore man o ' war had a new regular rider in clarence kummer .
man o ' war ' s three - year - old career began with a win over upset and wildair in the 1920 preakness stakes . to the great disappointment of racing fans , he had been kept out of the kentucky derby because samuel riddle disapproved of three - year - olds being asked to run a mile and a quarter so early in may . after setting a new american record of 1 : 35 4 / 5 for the mile in the withers stakes , big red took the belmont stakes by a stunning twenty lengths , breaking sir barton ' s american record in the process . man o ' war ' s time for the mile and three eighths was 2 : 14 1 / 5 .
to keep his footing and rewarded the faithful gambler by easily scoring an eight length victory in the stuyvesant handicap . he had successfully given 32 pounds to runner up yellow hand .
where man o ' war passed grier was preserved at aqueduct , called the
man o ' war pole
in honor of the event . man o ' war ' s time of 1 : 49 1 / 5 for the mile and an eighth was a new american record .
john p . grier did at least partially recover , and later beat the champion filly cleopatra in the aqueduct handicap while giving her sixteen pounds . he also won the edgemere and annapolis handicaps , and was widely considered the second best three year old of 1920 .
after the dwyer , man o ' war won the miller stakes by six lengths and in the travers stakes he beat upset by two and a half lengths , with john p . grier third , and covered the mile and a quarter in 2 : 01 4 / 5 without any difficulty , despite high weight of 129 pounds . the whitney horses carried 123 and 115 , respectively .


the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) is a rare australian fish from the family brachionichthyidae .

it is classified as critically endangered on the iucn red list 2002 .

it is a benthic fish usually found at depths of 5 to 10 m , with overall sightings varying from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 30 m deep .

the spotted handfish is unusual in that it has highly adapted pectoral fins , which appear like hands ( hence the name ) and allow it to walk on the sea floor .

it has a highly restricted range , being found only in the estuary of derwent river , tasmania , and nearby areas .

spotted handfish

spotted handfish recovery team ( 2002 ) . draft spotted handfish recovery plan . department of primary industries , water and environment , hobart .
these unique spotted handfish are the ambassadors for csiro ' s captive breeding program .
spotted handfish use their fins like hands and feet , walking rather than swimming .
the spotted handfish uses its hand - like fins to ‘walk’ along the seafloor .
the pattern of spots on the spotted handfish’s body is unique to each individual .
body of spotted handfish is covered with small , tooth - like scales called denticles .
dr tim lynch wants to stop the spotted handfish going the same way as the thylacine .
spotted handfish has hand - shaped pectoral fins that are used for walking on the sea floor , hence the name
handfish
.
the spotted handfish is currently listed as critically endangered under the commonwealth and as endangered in tasmania .
each spotted handfish has unique pattern of spots on the body ( like fingerprints in humans ) .
a female spotted handfish her eggs are behing her around the ascidian . image courtesy © mark green
scallop dredging is no longer permitted in the range of the spotted handfish ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . danish seine fishing is prohibited in the derwent estuary and within one nautical mile of the shore ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . in the mid - 2000s , there was only one danish seine fishing licence holder operating out of hobart ( pullen 2005 , pers comm . ) . whilst these restrictions on danish seine fishing provide some protection to known spotted handfish populations , danish seine fishing still occurs within the historic range of spotted handfish ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
front dorsal fin of spotted handfish is modified into long filament ( called illicium ) with worm - like , fleshy structure ( called esca ) which dangles above mouth . spotted handfish uses esca to lure the prey . when prey approaches close enough , spotted handfish swallows it in a blink of an eye .
it is believed that spotted handfish eat small crustaceans such as amphipods , small molluscs and polychaete worms .
any form of fishing that degrades the benthic habitat can be considered to pose a threat to handfish species ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
the spotted handfish has three close relatives listed as vulnerable on the tasmanian threatened species list : the red handfish , ziebell’s handfish , and the waterfall bay handfish . these species are found only in restricted habitats in south eastern tasmania .
the cause of the decline of the spotted handfish is yet to be accurately determined . suggested threats include :
meanwhile dr lynch and mr fountain will look for more spotted handfish to breed in their artificial river derwent .
the spotted handfish has a small lure just above its mouth , which might be used to attract prey .
the spotted handfish is classified as critically endangered ( cr ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
availability of suitable spawning substrate appears to be critical to the reproduction capacity of spotted handfish . due to their limited distribution and observed decline , all of the areas within which spotted handfish are found are considered important habitat .
sculpture of the handfish , known to all as “jessica the handfish” or ogoh - ogoh .
rose , the mother spotted handfish , will protect her pole of eggs until they hatch in six to eight weeks .
the spotted handfish is one of the world’s most endangered marine fish , having undergone a massive decline in recent decades .
the endangered spotted handfish are found on sandy sediments at the bottom of tasmania ' s derwent estuary and adjoining bays .
spotted handfish rarely swim , but when they do , they use anal and tail fins to propel themselves in the water .
bruce , b . ( 1998 ) . progress on spotted handfish recovery . on the brink ! . 11 : 9 .
brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish , spotted - hand fish ) : species management profile for tasmania ' s threatened species link ( threatened species section ( tss ) , 2014sl ) [ state action plan ] .
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
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spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) are a type of anglerfish that prefer to walk on their fins along the seabed rather than swim .
spotted handfish have creamy - white skin on the back covered with brown or yellowish - brown spots and white skin on the belly .
spotted handfish has pear - shaped body with crest on the back made of skin that stretches between the second and third dorsal spine .
spotted handfish is a carnivore ( meat - eater ) . its diet is based on shrimps , amphipods , worms and small fish .
recovery plan for the following species of handfish : spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2005u ) [ legislative instrument ]
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
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[ the spotted handfish ] have the dubious distinction of being the first marine fish to be listed as critically endangered back in 1996 .
spotted handfish are born fully developed ( they do not have larval stage ) . young fish settle on the sea floor immediately after hatching .
reductions in prey abundance , possibly related to decreases in benthic cover of seagrasses and alga that provide habitat for invertebrates , may impact upon handfish survival and reproduction ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
spotted handfish are bottom dwelling and live on sandy or silty sediments at depths of between 2 and 30 metres . within their range , the handfish live in colonies , groups of fish that breed together .
the spotted handfish is a critically endangered species that lives in tasmania . it has an extremely restricted distribution due partially to its unusual life cycle .
almost totally hidden in the background , behind a pole , is a juvenile spotted handfish , collected at the same time as the two adults .
spotted handfish feed by sucking in prey items ( 5 ) , including shrimps , small fish and small crustaceans such as amphipods ( 3 ) .
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arkive species - spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus )
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the spotted handfish used to be found in waters around the state but is now restricted to the lower reaches of the river derwent and surrounding bays .
three spotted handfish were collected from the river derwent off the shore of battery point and taken to a tank at the csiro a few metres away .
the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( 2014pb ) outlines a range of recovery strategies for the conservation of spotted handfish . the following recovery strategies have been designed to achieve the overarching objective of the recovery plan ; to ‘ensure an ecologically functional wild population of spotted handfish that , with limited site - specific management , has a high likelihood of persistence in nature :
scientists have begun a captive breeding program for the spotted handfish , 11 years after it became the first australian marine animal to be listed as critically endangered .
spotted handfish are endemic to south - east tasmania . currently , the only known populations of spotted handfish are located within the lower derwent estuary , with the only other recent sightings of spotted handfish consisting of the identification of two individuals in the d’entrecasteaux channel in 2013 ( green 2014 , pers . comm . ) . populations have previously been recorded in fredrick henry bay , the d’entrecasteaux channel and the northern regions of storm bay ( bruce et al . 1998 ) .
the bottom - dwelling spotted handfish is found on coarse to fine sand and silt , in coastal waters from depths of 2 to 30 metres ( 3 ) .
the most recent survey of the spotted fish that prefers walking to swimming raises alarms among conservationists .
one of the newly named species , the pink handfish , is known from only four specimens and was last recorded off the tasman peninsula in 1999 . the pink handfish will feature in a photographic exhibition of australia’s marine biodiversity that opens today ( 21 may ) at questacon in canberra . the spotted handfish is listed as endangered under the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 and the red handfish and ziebell’s handfish are listed as vulnerable .
the joint csiro / utas team is about to get back into the water and help the spotted handfish by planting 1000 artificial spawning habitats . these are inedible to the starfish and provide much needed places for the handfish to attach their eggs .
within the derwent estuary the estimated extent of occurrence for spotted handfish is approximately 70 km² , however the species area of occupancy is likely to be considerably less ( tss 2014sl ) . in frederick henry bay in 1999 , the area of occupancy was estimated at 0 . 3 km² ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) , however no handfish were located in this area during surveys in 2005 ( green 2005 ) .
threatened species section ( tss ) ( 2014sl ) . brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish , spotted - hand fish ) : species management profile for tasmania ' s threatened species link . department of primary industries , parks , water and environment , tasmania . available from : urltoken .
dr lynch said spotted handfish were at high risk as they were only found in a handful of spots in the river derwent and one spot in the d ' entrecasteaux channel .
migration rates of spotted handfish between the ralphs bay population and other populations in the derwent estuary are likely to be low ( green 2005 ) . there is some thought that the ralphs bay population of spotted handfish is genetically unique , given the apparent isolation of this population and the large size of specimens observed there ( aquenal pty ltd , 2008 ) .
the spotted handfish is endemic to tasmania and is found in parts of the derwent estuary , frederick henry , ralphs and north west bays . spotted handfish are small ( up to 120 mm long ) slow moving fish which appear to walk on their pectoral and pelvic fins rather than swim . the spotted handfish is white , cream or brown covered in many dark brown , orange or black spots and sometimes stripes . the first dorsal fin is prominent over the head and the second dorsal fin is long extending back down to the tail .
spotted handfish do not go through a larval stage , but hatch from their eggs as juvenile fish 6 - 7mm in length . juvenile spotted handfish do not move far from the site of their spawning . this habit , combined with the lack of larval stage , has led to the very restricted range of the fish and increases its vulnerability to threatening processes .
spotted handfish have a low breeding capacity . surveys conducted in the late 1990s concluded that the female lays 80 - 200 eggs that are held together in a vertical structure by threads ( last & bruce 1996–97 ) . in 2002 the species ' was found to attach their eggs to small , vertical , semi - rigid structures on the sea floor ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . this included stalked ascidians ( sycozoa sp . ) , seagrasses , sponges , small macrophytic algae and polychaete worm tubes ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
green , m . a . p . and b . d . bruce ( 2002 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 : year 3 . environment australia , canberra .
protected in tasmania since 1994 , the spotted handfish has the dubious distinction of becoming the first marine fish to be listed as endangered under the commonwealth endangered species protection act in 1996 .
this species occurs in benthic ( seafloor ) environments in association with coarse to fine sand and shell grit or silt ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . the species was recorded from depths between 2 - 30 m in 2002 , but observations around this time suggested that they are most common in depths of 5 - 10 m ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
the spotted handfish is endemic to south - eastern australia , occurring in the lower derwent river estuary , frederick henry bay , d ' entrecasteaux channel and the northern regions of storm bay .
never mind the tassie tiger — hobart ' s spotted handfish are super rare , found nowhere else on the planet and are really rather cute , in a weird - looking fishy way .
green , m . a . & b . d . bruce ( 2000 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan : final report : year 1 ( 1999 ) . environment australia , canberra .
the species has also been called the prickly - skinned handfish and tortoiseshell fish .
spotted handfish are currently protected under the recovery plan for four species of handfish ( deh 2005v ) . the 2005 recovery plan was reviewed in 2013 by an expert panel that included representatives from department of the environment ( cwth ) , department of primary industries , parks . water and environment , commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation , university of tasmania and derwent estuary program . this review noted that there had been a sustained effort to implement recovery actions for the spotted handfish in the derwent estuary and recovery plan objectives had been partially met for this species . however , the review concluded that threats to handfish species remained largely unchanged and known handfish populations had not demonstrably increased in size . the review identified a number of relatively simple actions that could be implemented to boost the survival of the spotted handfish , and recommended that a new recovery plan be developed for the three handfish species . the outcome of this review led to the development of the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( department of the environment 2014pb ) .
there are survey guidelines for australia ' s threatened fish that include survey protocol fordetecting fish listed under the epbc act . this document contains information relevant to the surveying of spotted handfish ( dsewpac 2011i ) .
anecdotal evidence from the early–mid 2000s suggests that some handfish species are more active at night , but the species are still likely to be seen and / or collected during the day ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs 2004 ) . spotted handfish breed in spring ( september to november ) . there were some indications in the early 2000s that during breeding time spotted handfish are more abundant in areas where there is spawning substrate ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs 2004 ) .
environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 - section 269a - instrument revoking and jointly making a recovery plan ( spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) and jointly makes , with the tasmanian minister for the environment , the ' recovery plan for three handfish species ' ( 01 / 03 / 2016 ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2016b ) [ legislative instrument ]
endemic to tasmania , the spotted handfish or brachionichthys hirsutus looks like a tadpole in the late stages of development , with a fin atop its head to lure unsuspecting prey and the sour expression of a british bulldog .
spotted handfish were bred successfully in captivity in the late 1990s ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . spotted handfish were initially bred in captivity in 1996 , however all of the juveniles in that trial died within 29 days of hatching ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . the cause of hatchling mortality was not fully understood but coincided with critical stages in the life history of the species ( bruce et al . 1997 ) .
barrett , n . , b . d . bruce , & p . r . last ( 1996 ) . spotted handfish survey . report to endangered species unit , anca . csiro div . fisheries , hobart .
green , m . a . & b . d . bruce ( 2001 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 : progress report , end of year 2 ( 2000 ) . environment australia , canberra .
the longevity of spotted handfish is still yet to be determined ( bruce et al . 1999 ) , however there was some information made available on growth rate in the early 2000s . spotted handfish in the derwent estuary at two years old are approximately 70 mm in length ( green & bruce 2001 ) . in their third year of growth , specimens attain a further 5 - 10 mm in length , and approximately 2 mm every year thereafter ( green & bruce 2001 ) . this suggests that when spotted handfish in the derwent estuary are 100 mm long , they are 12 - 16 years of age ( green & bruce 2001 ) . however , most of the spotted handfish found at sites surveyed in the derwent estuary in the late 1990s to early 2000s were 81 - 90 mm in length , making them between 4 - 10 years of age ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
the aquarium mr fountain built for the handfish looks gloomy compared to a pet fish aquarium .
the pattern of spots on each spotted handfish appear to be unique , meaning we can identify individuals . they are members of the group of fish including deep sea anglerfish . there are a number of handfish species found in australian waters , with the majority of these being rare and restricted to the south - east .
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia .
the spotted handfish , a tiny , bottom - dwelling creature that walks , after a fashion , on its fins on the sea floor , is in deep trouble , with just 79 left , according to a recent survey .
due to their distribution in shallow coastal habitats in close proximity to urban and industrial areas handfish , particularly spotted handfish , are exposed to numerous impacts from anthropogenic activities ( dep 2013 ) . impacts to handfish populations from coastal developments can arise as a result of increased top soil runoff and sedimentation in surrounding waterways , while impacts from marine developments can occur due to the loss or modification of habitat ( dep 2013 ) .
common throughout the lower derwent estuary and adjoining bays prior to the mid 1980s , the spotted handfish has suffered a serious decline in distribution and abundance . only a handful of populations are now found around the mouth of the derwent estuary .
endemic to the lower derwent river estuary in tasmania , the spotted handfish was a relatively common species until the 1980s . the species has declined massively , however ; only three breeding colonies were known to exist in 1998 ( 3 ) .
the spotted handfish , which is the subject of a captive breeding program , used to be found in waters around tasmania but is restricted to the lower reaches of the river derwent and surrounding bays . photograph : auscape / uig via getty images
the spotted handfish is endemic to tasmania and is only found in the derwent estuary and adjoining bays in the south east of the state , close to hobart . see the distribution map on the tasmanian department of primary industries and water website .
just two spotted handfish were reported between 1990 and 1994 ; this dire state of the population led to the formation of the spotted handfish recovery team in 1996 ( 3 ) . the recovery team consists of a number of government agencies concerned with saving this rare , and bizarre , fish . research into existing wild populations and the development of captive breeding techniques are some of the priorities of the recovery plan ( 3 ) . initial work has been encouraging , with successful breeding attempts from two adult pairs of spotted handfish at the tasmanian department of primary industry and fisheries aquaculture ( 2 ) . a captive population may be used in a future re - introduction programme to restore these fish to some of their previous range ( 6 ) .
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia . available at : urltoken
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia . available at : urltoken
the relative age and growth of spotted handfish surveyed at frederick henry bay in the early 2000s has made it difficult to draw conclusions about the lifespan of the species generally . at this site , the spotted handfish appeared to grow larger and faster than at derwent estuary sites ( green & bruce 2001 ) . one specimen observed three times in 12 months had grown from 60 to 93 mm , which far exceeded growth rates observed at sites in the derwent estuary ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
bruce , b . d . , m . a . p . green & p . r . last ( 1997 ) . developing husbandry techniques for spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and monitoring the 1996 spawning season . environment australia , canberra .
department of the environment ( 2014pb ) . draft recovery plan for three handfish species . canberra . urltoken
collection of spotted handfish is an offence in tasmania unless a permit has been issued under the living marine resources management act 1995 ( tasmania ) . however , the tasmanian department of primary industries , water and environment have never issued a permit for the take of handfish other than for the purpose of scientific research ( pullen 2005 , pers comm . ) .
bruce , b . d . & m . a . green ( 1998 ) . non - current spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 . ea . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
the spotted handfish is pinkish above and white below , with darker orange , brown or blackish spots . it has a high first dorsal fin originating on the snout and a long based soft rayed dorsal fin . there is a long illicium on the snout .
the spotted handfish has a very restricted and patchy distribution , low population density , limited dispersal capabilities and a reproductive strategy of producing low numbers of demersal eggs that are susceptible to disturbance ( bruce & green 1998 ; green 2014 , pers comm . ) .
climate change and warming ocean temperatures also pose a potential threat to all handfish species . increased water temperature may impact upon handfish survival and reproductive capacity both directly , as handfish held in aquaria appeared distressed at temperatures above 18 °c ( gledhill & green , unpub . ) , and indirectly , through the creation of conditions favourable to the growth of filamentous alga and the spread of native urchins . furthermore , climate change driven increases in severe weather events may dislodge spawning substrate and degrade habitat ( gowlett - holmes 2014 , pers comm . ) . at the frederick henry bay site during the early 2000s , storms during the breeding season of the spotted handfish over successive years could have threatened the population ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) as seagrass , which formed a part of the primary spawning substrate at this site , was susceptible to storm damage .
the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) is a small fish that lives on the sea bed in the cool , sheltered waters of south - east tasmania . it has modified pelvic fins that look like “hands” , hence the name . while the handfish can swim when required , it usually uses the “hands” to “walk” across the seabed in search of food such as mysid shrimps .
the spotted handfish , with its unusually large overgrown pectoral fins that look like hands , is the darling of the derwent estuary and the hero of hobart . we’re not being hyperbolic . this bizarre fish is an icon in tassie , so much so that renowned winter art festival
it takes a village to raise a child , and it takes a number of organisations to raise a handfish .
so far we’ve found handfish at all of the known sites , many with higher than expected numbers . this is great news . however , at several sites the handfish don’t appear to be as densely populated as we once thought .
females reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 to 3 years . low number of eggs , removal of sea squirts and prolonged period of incubation ( north pacific seastars have enough time to collect all eggs ) are responsible for drop in the number of spotted handfish in the wild .
there are nine known areas in the lower derwent estuary ( seaward of the tasman bridge ) where spotted handfish have been found and surveyed ( green 2005a , 2007a , 2009a ) . analysis of survey data in 2009 suggested a total abundance of 1500–2700 adult spotted handfish ( green 2009b ) , however there may have been decreases in total abundance within key populations since this time ( green 2014 , pers comm . ) . the calculated density of fish at a location in frederick henry bay during spring 1999 was about 45 per hectare ( green & bruce 2000 ; green 2005a ) , which would have represented an estimated abundance of 180–250 adult handfish ( green 2007b ) ; however surveys at this location failed to detect any spotted handfish in 2005 ( green 2005a ) . a reliable report was made with a photograph of a single specimen at a location in north west bay , at the northern end of the d’entrecasteaux channel ( deh 2005u ) , but the presence of a viable population has not been verified .
handfish are small , bottom - dwelling fishes that would rather ' walk ' on their pectoral and pelvic fins than swim . they are native to australia and five of the eight identified handfish species are found only in tasmania and bass strait .
a handfish in hand . meet the enemy . the north pacific sea star is an introduced species , and it is causing havoc for the handfish’s habitat . off for a trot . those handfish are made for walking . don’t make the handfish angry , you wouldn’t like it when it’s angry ! give us a smile , this is your close - up after all . it’s a cold and murky job . lincoln wong ( utas ) takes a sediment core next to a handfish to assess habitat preferences . you can see the joy in their eyes . tim lynch ( csiro ) and lincoln wong ( utas ) hanging at the safety stop .
with time , improvements in the water quality within the derwent should flow through to improved habitat for the spotted handfish , and perhaps to a reduced threat from introduced pest species as more natural assemblages of species return . meanwhile , monitoring and artificial egg sticks offer the best chance of avoiding the loss of the species .
the small overall numbers and low population density means that the spotted handfish is vulnerable to disturbance . threats may be predation by the exotic pacific seastar , loss of spawning habitat through scouring of seabed , e . g . by boat mooring chains , and water quality issues from industrial pollution , urban effluent and siltation .
green , m . ( 2007 ) . implementing handfish recovery plan 2006 / 7 . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .
there are three species of handfish endemic to tasmania , one of which has not been seen by divers in the wild for several years .
bruce , b . d . , m . a . green & . p . r . last ( 1997 ) . developing captive husbandry techniques for spotted handfish brachionichtys hirsutus , and monitoring the 1996 spawning season . page ( s ) 22pp . repor to endangered species unit , env . aust . csiro div . marine research , hobart .
the spotted handfish is a member of the family brachionichthyidae ( handfishes ) , and are closely related to anglerfish . they are a small fish , growing to around 12cm in length , white or cream in colour with numerous small orange or brown spots . the arrangement of these spots is unique to each fish , and can be used to identify individuals .
surveys indicate that the majority of spotted handfish now persist as small fragmented populations within the historic range of the species ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . an apparently healthy population was once present in great oyster bay on the east coast but specimens have not been recorded from this area since the 1950s ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . similarly , at primrose sands ( fredrick henry bay ) a population numbering several hundred spotted handfish was recorded in 1999 ( green & bruce 2000 ) but no handfish were located during surveys in 2005 ( green 2005 ) and anecdotal evidence from dive groups suggests the species has not been present in the area since the early to mid 2000’s . within the d’entrecasteaux channel only two individuals have been observed , on two separate occasions , in the vicinity of howden in north west bay ( green 2014 , pers comm . ) .
handfish were once abundant around the globe but are now only found in waters off south - east australia , with most species endemic to tasmania .
green , m . ( 2009 ) . handfish 08 - 09 . nrm south final report . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .
the age structures of three known spotted handfish colonies were assessed during surveys undertaken from 1998 to 2001 ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . at one of the two sites in the lower derwent estuary , the number of adult spotted handfish ( those greater than 71 mm in length ) had declined over this period ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . at another site in the lower derwent estuary , a three - fold increase in mature fish was observed in spring 1999 ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . the reason for this increase is unknown but it is considered likely that fish may have moved into the area to breed ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . the ratio of juvenile to adult handfish in the two regularly surveyed sites in the lower derwent estuary varied annually from 2011 to 2014 ( green , pers comm . , 2014 ) .
spotted handfish are protected under tasmanian law and the commonwealth ' s environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 . over the last five years , the commonwealth government , through the natural heritage trust , has contributed over $ 390 000 to help ensure the survival of the handfish . these projects , which have included researching and monitoring existing populations ; public education and awareness raising ; and identifying threats , have been undertaken in conjunction with the tasmanian department of primary industries , water and the environment and the csiro .
threatened species scientific committee ( tssc ) ( 2012bw ) . commonwealth listing advice on brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish ) . department of sustainability , environment , water , population and communities . canberra , act : department of sustainability , environment , water , population and communities . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 11 - oct - 2012 .
handfish are like rare jewels when you find them on the sea floor and , besides their beauty , they can tell us a thing or two about resilience and survival – it is in our best interests to make sure they thrive and remain a talisman for hobart and handfish aficionados around the world .
traditional block and chain swing moorings can have significant localised impacts on benthic habitat in sensitive areas ( seq catchments 2014 ) . in the derwent estuary a large number of traditional boat moorings are located in known , historic or potential spotted handfish habitats due to the deliberate positioning of moorings in shallow and sheltered estuarine embayments ( green 2014 , pers comm . ) . traditional moorings consist of a concrete block ( or other dump weight ) with a heavy chain attached and are designed to allow boats to move in response to winds and currents , often resulting in the slack chain dragging across the seabed and scouring the surrounding substrate ( dpi 2014 ) . scientists conducting spotted handfish surveys at battery point in the derwent estuary have observed damage to artificial spawning habitat caused by boat mooring chains dragging across the substrate and noted an absence of handfish in these disturbed areas ( green et al . 2014 ) .
the introduction of artificial spawning substrate was tested at two sites in the derwent estuary in the late 1990s after trials in aquaria showed that spotted handfish would use plastic rods as spawning substrate ( green & bruce 2000 ) . these rods were buried in the sand to form vertical structures on the seafloor that spotted handfish may use as alternative spawning substrate to stalked ascidians ( green & bruce 2001 ) . during the breeding season at one of the two sites , 52 egg masses were observed attached to the artificial spawning substrates , with only two egg masses attached to stalked ascidians ( green & bruce 2000 ) . the artificial spawning substrate at the other site was not as successful , with most lost due to heavy weather ( green & bruce 2000 ) .
the markings on spotted handfish are unique so it is possible to identify individuals within populations ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . individual patterns of spots do not change with season , substrate type or behaviour although some changes in pattern can be observed over time as individuals grow ( i . e . larger spots may break in two ) ( bruce et al . 1999 ) .
hale said the handfish’s ungainly appearance could go some way to explaining why it remains relatively unknown , despite being one of the most endangered animals in australia .
handfish of all types abounded around the world 50 million years ago but are now only found in waters south - east of australia , mainly around tasmania .
issues paper : population status of an threats to four handfish species listed as threatened under the environmental protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 ( deh 2005u ) .
the endangered spotted handfish is a small , unusual fish that is slow - moving and prefers to ' walk ' on its pectoral and pelvic fins rather than swim . the pectoral or side fins are leg - like and resemble a human hand – hence their common name . their body is white or cream and is covered in numerous small , closely set orange , brown or blackish spots .
whitley , g . p . 1949 ,
the handfish
, australian museum magazine , vol . 9 , no . 12 , pp . 398 - 403
nine new species of handfish have been described by csiro in research that highlights an urgent need to better understand and protect the diversity of life in australia’s oceans .
researchers theorize the critically endangered fish ' s perilous situation is due to a seastar wreaking havoc with its habitat and reproduction efforts . the handfish uses its habitat to camouflage its eggs , and then it watches over them . but the seastar is eating away at the scenery , leaving the handfish and its eggs vulnerable to predators .
the handfish survives today only in tasmanian waters , in the hobart ' s derwent estuary . the hand count has researchers considering urgent methods to keep the species alive .
spotted handfish occur in limited numbers in colonies and are usually found on soft substrates often in shallow depressions or near rocks or other projections . they are found in depths of 2 to 30 m below the surface .  they eat small molluscs , crustaceans and marine worms . spawning is from september to october , eggs are attached to objects on the substrate and the female remains in attendance until they hatch .
in 1997 / 98 eighteen juvenile spotted handfish were spawned , hatched and raised in captivity to an age of seven months ( green & bruce 2000 ) . these fish were hatched from two egg masses that totalled approximately 200 eggs ( green & bruce 2000 ) . the total survival rate from these egg masses was approximately 9 % of spawned eggs and 34 % of hatchlings ( green & bruce 2000 ) .
the new species are described in a review of the handfish family by hobart - based fish taxonomists from the csiro wealth from oceans flagship , daniel gledhill and peter last .
the spotted handfish was common in the lower derwent river estuary until the mid 1980s , when the species underwent a catastrophic decline ( 2 ) . although unproven , it is thought that the introduction of the northern pacific seastar ( asterias amurensis ) to tasmania at this time may be the key to the decimation of the handfish population ( 3 ) . these seastars are voracious predators of shellfish and it is thought that they may also eat the eggs of handfish or the sea squirts upon which the eggs are attached ( 2 ) . the deterioration of coastal habitats due to development may also be involved in the decline ( 3 ) . this species is under added threat from its vastly reduced population , limited dispersal , restricted distribution and low reproductive rate ( 3 ) .
spotted handfish are often found in shallow , shell - filled depressions or near rocks of low relief projecting from the substrate ( bruce et al . 1998 ) . unspoilt shallow , benthic , sandy habitats with suitable spawning substrates ( e . g . primarily stalked ascidians sycozoa sp . , but also sponges , and seagrasses ) are believed to be critical to the survival of this species ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) .
bruce , b . d . , m . a . green & p . r . last ( 1999 ) . aspects of the biology of the endangered spotted handfish brachionichthys hirsutus ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) off southern australia . in : seret , b . & j . y . sire , eds . proceedings of the 5th indo pacific fish conference , noumea 1997 . page ( s ) 369 - 380 . societe francaise d ' ichthyologie , paris .
the spotted handfish is a bottom dwelling fish that lives in coarse to fine silt and sand at depths of 2–30 metres . they spawn from september to october and lay an interconnected egg mass of 80–250 eggs on objects attached to the sea bottom . the female remains with the egg mass for 7–8 weeks until hatching . their diet includes small crustacea and worms and they are often found in shallow , shell - filled depressions near low relief rocks projecting from the sand .
our team popped on some fluffy onesies underneath our thick dry suits and proceeded to dive into the cool winter waters of the derwent estuary . there , we conducted the first ever survey of all nine local populations of the spotted handfish . battling what could only be described as ice cream - like headaches , we completed multiple daily dives at each of the sites for the last three months , to get up close and personal – close enough for a high - five .
the spotted handfish was common throughout the lower derwent estuary and adjoining bays prior to the mid 1980s , but subsequently suffered a decline in distribution and abundance ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) . anecdotal reports ( cited in bruce et al . 1999 ) from the late 1990s , suggest that the population around the hobart region declined relatively rapidly in the 1980s . this decline appears to have coincided with the introduction of the northern pacific seastar ( bruce et al . 1999 ) . this species is believed to have been introduced in the 1970s or early 1980s as larvae in ballast water , or as juvenile or adult seastars on the hulls of international ships ( csiro 1998 ) . the exact cause of the decline in spotted handfish populations is not fully understood ( bruce et al . 1999 ) , however there are known to be several threats operating ( as outlined below ) which result in a reduction in the quality and quantity of available habitat , in particular spawning substrate .
there are a number of reasons the handfish is listed as endangered . a small population , restricted distribution and vulnerable life cycle are key . habitat degradation and pest species have contributed to the species’ decline .
the pectoral fins of handfish bear a resemblance to a human hand , hence their common name . they move by slowly ‘walking’ along the sea floor with the pectoral fins and pelvic fins rather than swimming .
the greatest threats to the handfish appear to be siltation and invasive species . the derwent estuary where the fish lives is highly urbanised and industrialised , and a range of marine pests have been introduced through shipping .
bruce , b . d . , green , m . a . & p . r . last . 1999 . aspects of the biology of the endangered spotted handfish , brachionichthys hirsutus ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) off southern australia . pp . 369 - 380 in séret b . & j . - y . sire , ( eds ) proceedings of the 5th indo - pacific fish conference , noumea , new caledonia , 3 - 8 november 1997 . paris : societe française d ' ichtyologie . pp . 888 .
spawning was found to generally occur from september to october , during early spring ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ; last & bruce 1996–97 ) . in the late 1990s spotted handfish in aquaria were observed performing what appears to be courtship behaviour prior to spawning ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . after laying the egg mass , the female guards the eggs for 6–7 weeks until they hatch ( bruce 1998 ) . eggs were approximately 4 mm in diameter and are contained in ' flasks ' that are inter - connected in a single mass by fine tubules ( last & bruce 1996–97 ) . eggs observed in aquaria began hatching 51 days after spawning and had finished hatching 57 days after spawning ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . the spotted handfish was not found to have a pelagic larval phase in 2002 , with the eggs hatching into fully formed juveniles ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) . hatchlings were observed settling in the immediate area surrounding the location of the egg mass in the late 1990s ( bruce et al . 1997 ) .
artificial sticks for attaching eggs have been developed by csiro and planted throughout the estuary . there is some evidence that the handfish are already using the sticks , although it is unknown whether the eggs survive to hatching .
spotted handfish are small , colourful , slow moving benthic ( sea - floor dwelling ) fish that are easily approached and photographed . adults are typically 70–90 mm tl ( last et al . 2007 ) and grow to a maximum size of 143 mm ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . they use their illicium ( modified dorsal fin ray ) to attract food ( edgar et al . 1982 ) and to probe egg masses ( deh 2005u ) , sometimes extending and resting it on the seafloor ( bruce et al . 1998 ) .
unlike other fish , handfish care for their eggs during the gestation period . these protective parents guard their eggs , which cling to stalked ascidians for up to six weeks , keeping a close eye on them till they hatch . sadly , stalked ascidians are a favourite food of an introduced species , the north pacific sea star . the handfish’s ongoing battle for survival will continue as long as these villainous sea stars live in the estuary .
hobart has already began to adopt the species as its own : a giant papier - mache handfish , dubbed jessica by its creator , the balinese artist ida bagus oka , was burned in effigy at the dark mofo festival in june .
visual census techniques are non - destructive and during the early 2000s ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs 2004 ) were the most appropriate method for the detection of handfishes in depths within safe scuba diving range ( i . e . to approx . 40 m ) . given that spotted handfish are rare and cryptic in nature , an estimated six hours of searching at each site , and a minimum team of three persons ( one boat person and two divers ) , was recommended ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs , 2004 ) .
we thought with the decline of the handfish , at this moment while there ' s still some , it would be prudent to get some captive populations going for insurance purposes ,
dr lynch told ryk goddard on abc radio hobart .
department of the environment and heritage ( deh ) ( 2005u ) . issues paper : population status of an threats to four handfish species listed as threatened under the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 . canberra . available from : urltoken .
handfish lack a larval stage and hatch as fully formed juveniles ( 6–7mm in length ) which move straight to the sea floor and appear to remain in the vicinity of spawning throughout their lives . this has two important consequences . first , colonies may be relatively isolated ( ie mixing between them is restricted ) and a reduction in spawning success may seriously impact on a colony . second , the ability for handfish to recolonise areas from which they have been displaced is likely to be low .
one of the first strategies to conserve the handfish was to give them full protection under fisheries legislation , preventing collection for aquariums . the species’ restricted distribution has worked in its favour , encouraging interest from the local community to clean up the estuary .
in 1998 / 1999 , 158 ( 37 % ) of 423 hatchlings survived in captivity to an age of 6 months ( green & bruce 2000 ) . all of these handfish were tagged and the surviving 155 ( three died after tagging ) were released at the site from which their parents had been captured ( green & bruce 2000 ) . however , in surveys post october 1999 no sightings of these tagged handfish were made , which suggests high mortality post release ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
the csiro has been conducting an annual survey of handfish numbers for two years and this month collected its first specimens – an adult male named harley , an adult female named rose and an as yet unnamed juvenile – to begin a captive breeding program .
one key pest is the northern pacific seastar ( asterias amurensis ) , a particularly large and voracious predator that is now abundant in the estuary . studies by csiro show that the seastars eat the stalked ascidians that the handfish use to attach their eggs .
in recent decades considerable effort has been put into improving water quality in the derwent estuary , including site works to reduce heavy metal discharge at the zinc smelter , expansion of the wastewater treatment plant at the paper mill , introduction of effluent reuse schemes for sewage from metropolitan hobart and improvements to storm water management ( whitehead et al . 2013 ) . sediment samples taken in 2011 indicate that concentrations of heavy metals have decreased at some sites in the derwent since 2000 , however levels vary across the estuary and copper , arsenic , zinc and cadmium concentrations increased in some spotted handfish locations ( whitehead et al . 2013 ) .
spotted handfish spawn during september and october ( 3 ) , the male enticing the female by his courtship display ( 5 ) . compared to many other fish , the female produces a relatively small number of eggs ; around 80 to 250 eggs are spawned and these are often positioned around the base of a sea squirt ( a jelly - like invertebrate ) ( 3 ) . the female guards the eggs for seven to eight weeks until the fully - formed juveniles hatch . these tiny young measure a mere six to seven millimetres and when they emerge , move straight to the bottom of the seabed , instead of dispersing ( 3 ) .
the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) is one of the world ' s most endangered marine fish . this extremely distinctive fish is almost pear - shaped ( 2 ) and unusually , has hand - like ' paired fins ' that enable it to ' walk ' along the seafloor ( 3 ) ; both the pectoral and ventral fins are used in this locomotion ( 4 ) . when swimming through the water , the unpaired or ' median ' fins ( such as the tail and anal fin ) are used ( 4 ) . these fish are cream in colour with a myriad of dusky brown , and occasionally yellow - brown spots ( 4 ) , the pattern of which is unique to each individual ( 3 ) . some individuals also have orange markings on their fins . handfish have a small lure just above their mouth which may serve to entice prey , although its exact function is unknown ( 4 ) .