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Joseph Whelan Passes Famous Breeder in Eire EireSold Sold Short Grass to Emil Herz for American Campaign CampaignBy By Special Correspondent DTJBLIN Ireland The death occured recently at a Dublin nursing home of Jo ¬ seph Whelan formerly of the Stand House Hotel The Curragh County Kildare whose black sky blue sleeves quartered cap silks were once familiar to Irish racegoers and were also sported with a fair measure of success in England The deceased was a close friend of the late Irish trainer Michael Dawson wheri the latter had a powerful stable at Rathbride Manor The Curragh CurraghThe The late Whelan was a successful owner and breeder over a period of years Among the best of the horses he owned and bred in his e arlier years was Short Grass son of Laveno and Outburst whom he sold later for export to America where the Irishbred horse faced with much success Many victories including those in the 1916 runnings of the Empire City and Queens County handicaps handicapsPossibly Possibly the best horse Whelan owned was the versatile Semper Idem a winner on the flat over hurdles and fences As a fouryearold in 1918 Semper Idem registered a remarkable series of steeple ¬ chase successes and one glorious failure the latter came when carrying 162 pounds he failed by a scant neck behind that top class versatile performer Golden Fleece in the two miles and a half Galway Steeple ¬ chase Handicap Golden Fleece was one of the most remarkable horses ever to look through a bridle and equally as smart over five furlongs as over hurdles or racing over the major fences fencesSemper Semper Idem was a winner at two years old and also at three but when he had reached his fourth year he was at his peak He had won three steeplechases before going to Galway where he started joint favorite in the betting with the older Golden Fleece for the Galway Plate It was a punishing finish and though Semper Idem subsequently won races he scored in his other three outings that year it isn ot unlikely that he would have accom ¬ plished greater things but for the severe strain of his Galway effort effortOther Other morethanuseful horses to carry the Whelan colors were Game Fowler a good performer under both codes of rules Outrun The Same Again Always Bed Hussar Little Dear a good winner in England and Ireland Spoil Five and the good but erratic Curragh Breeze
