abdera is a genus of false darkling beetles , in the family melandryidae .

it contains three species , two of which are extinct and were discovered in 2014 .

species are : abdera flexuosa abdera hoffeinsorum ( extinct ) abdera rikojotensis ( extinct )

abdera ( beetle )

abdera ( beetle ) <EOT> the flat bark beetle pediacus depressus was last recorded in the area in 1889 and is normally found south of the line between the river severn and the wash . the nationally scarce false darkling beetle abdera quadrifasciata was last reported at dunham in 1867 and is also at the northern limit of its range .

another member of false darkling beetle family ( melandryidae ) emerged from inonotus fungus . they are running like crazy . . .

there were also two new discoveries for the site from the survey . the nationally scarce darkling beetle pseudocistela ceramboides was the furthest north it ' s ever been found and the nationally scarce hister beetle aeletes atomarius has not previously been recorded in the north west of england .

on july 10 th , 2010 one specimen of the false darkling beetle abdera affinis was found in the forest ' bienwald ' near büchelberg by using a light trap . the stenotopic , 2 . 5 - 3 . 5 mm large species develops in fungi , especially in alder bracket ( inonotus radiatus ) . it ' s known to occur from spain over central and northern europe till northern russia , but is missing in southeastern europe . a . affinis is recorded from virtually all federal states of germany , but is rather rare ( rl 2 ) .

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( both in the nominate subgenus ) , 7 spp . in 2 subgenera total

american beetles , volume ii : polyphaga : scarabaeoidea through curculionoidea arnett , r . h . , jr . , m . c . thomas , p . e . skelley and j . h . frank . ( eds . ) . 2002 . crc press llc , boca raton , fl .

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17 species of small to medium - sized ( 3 - 16mm ) , oval to elongate - oval beetles , found in association with fungi and fungoid bark , particularly in ancient woodland . generally black or brown in colour , some are brightly coloured or patterned : conopalpus testaceus ( olivier ) has a bright orange pronotum while osphya bipunctata ( fabricius ) have a red and black striped pronotum and legs . all the british species are rare , and all but orchesia undulata kraatz have conservation designations .

the tiny insects were last seen in dunham park during the reign of queen victoria .

however following a new survey by the national trust , new species were discovered in the area as well as some of insects last seen in the park at the end of the 19th century .

john hooson , national trust nature conservation adviser , said the creatures are often very difficult to find .

the techniques most often employed by surveyors is to beat dead branches and look for what drops out - but this relies on beating the right branches at the right time . otherwise traps can be put in place for weeks at a time to catch the beetles .

mr hooson said : " dunham is one of the most studied parklands in the uk , making this a very special discovery . these beetles are small and finding so many that haven ' t been seen since queen victoria was on the throne is remarkable and confirms that this is a special place for wildlife . "

dunham park is famous for its veteran trees , which makes the area an ideal location for wood - decay beetles and it has been a popular area for scientists since the 1860s . the park is the fifth richest site for such specialist beetles in the british isles , supporting national and international rarities .

mr hooson added : " all species go through periods of relative scarcity or abundance due to a range of factors , such as a sudden abundance of habitat or lack of predators or parasites . it ' s possible that this latest survey coincided with a population peak for these species at dunham – they ' ve been here all of the time but just hiding away from the countless entomologists that have been looking for them . "

seven rare , scarce and endangered species of fly were also found during the survey . this includes a fungus gnat , scythropochroa quercicola , which is only found at two other sites in britain , and a milichiid ( also known as freeloader flies as they share the prey of spiders ) , madiza britannica , previously recorded at three sites in somerset and cambridgeshire .

the false darkling beetles ( melandryidae ) are oblong to oval , small to medium - sized beetles . the species are found under the bark of old trees and on branches which are overgrown with fungi . some species are also found on flowers . worldwide approx . 1200 species in 100 genera have been described , thereof 32 species from germany .

scientists aim to describe a single ' tree of life ' that reflects the evolutionary relationships of living things . however , evolutionary relationships are a matter of ongoing discovery , and there are different opinions about how living things should be grouped and named . eol reflects these differences by supporting several different scientific ' classifications ' . some species have been named more than once . such duplicates are listed under synonyms . eol also provides support for common names which may vary across regions as well as languages .

eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .

to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !

if you have images for this taxon that you would like to share with nbn atlas , please upload using the upload tools .


handfish are any anglerfish within the family brachionichthyidae , a group which comprises five genera and 14 extant species .

these benthic marine fish are unusual in the way they propel themselves by walking on the sea floor rather than swimming .

handfish

handfish <EOT> encourage the participation of community groups in the monitoring of spotted handfish populations and other handfish species .

3 . community groups actively involved in the monitoring of spotted handfish populations and those of other handfish species .

spotted handfish recovery team ( 2002 ) . draft spotted handfish recovery plan . department of primary industries , water and environment , hobart .

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 waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) is now considered synonymous with ziebell ' s handfish . the waterfall bay handfish was previously listed separately under the epbc act ( tssc 2012by ) .

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 species has also been called the prickly - skinned handfish and tortoiseshell fish .

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 .

1 . spotted handfish populations re - established throughout areas of their previous range .

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 ] as sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ]

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 ] as sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ]

esp funds are required to contribute to the costs of monitoring re - introduced handfish .

dr tim lynch wants to stop the spotted handfish going the same way as the thylacine .

the aquarium mr fountain built for the handfish looks gloomy compared to a pet fish aquarium .

appendix a - haskard ( 1997 ) . power of tests for changes in density of handfish

we have received a number of very useful reports of handfish sightings ( both spotted handfish and other species ) from the general public during our work to date . these have , for example , identified spawning sites for red handfish and ziebell ' s handfish . very little is known of the population parameters for any endemic handfish species in tasmania . it is generally accepted that they are all very uncommon and have highly restricted distributions . we now know that , similar to spotted handfish , these species have a very limited capacity for reproduction and dispersal .

all species of handfish are currently protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation . this legislation prohibits the collection and retention of handfish from state waters without a permit . spotted handfish were protected under the commonwealth endangered species protection act in 1996 . spotted handfish have not yet been listed under the tasmanian state endangered species protection act , although a nomination is recommended under this recovery plan .

the spotted handfish is currently listed as critically endangered under the commonwealth and as endangered in tasmania .

the australian spotted handfish is conventionally accepted as brachionichthys australis ( last et al . 2007 ) .

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 ) .

the australian spotted handfish has a much wider geographic distribution and depth range than the spotted handfish , occurring mainly on the continental shelf of southern australia , from new south wales to western australia and including tasmania ( last et el . 2007 ) . the spotted handfish is endemic to southeast tasmania .

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 ) .

department of the environment ( 2014pb ) . draft recovery plan for three handfish species . canberra . urltoken

the spotted handfish , brachionichthys hirsutus ( lacepede , 1804 ) , is a small handfish ( maximum size 120 mm sl ) that is endemic to a restricted area of southern tasmania ( figure 1 ) .

meanwhile dr lynch and mr fountain will look for more spotted handfish to breed in their artificial river derwent .

the cause of the decline of the spotted handfish is yet to be accurately determined . suggested threats include :

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 ) .

a more streamlined approach is required to deal with the increasing number of public enquires requesting information on handfish .

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 .

it takes a village to raise a child , and it takes a number of organisations to raise a handfish .

the ziebell ' s handfish population has not been systematically surveyed ( deh 2005u ) . however , ad hoc surveys done by tasmanian dive groups suggest that the population of ziebell ' s handfish is small ( deh 2001 ) .

in aquaria , adult spotted handfish readily consume mysid shrimp and amphipods but will also accept small live fish . captive , newly hatched handfish do well on a diet of small amphipods ( bruce et al . , 1997 ) .

handfish commonly known and recognised by the general public and regularly cited as an example of a marine conservation issue .

in 1989 , an honours student from the university of tasmania attempted to gather information on the basic biology and ecology of the spotted handfish . surveys conducted at that time failed to locate handfish in areas previously renown for sightings . subsequently , only two spotted handfish were reliably reported between 1990 and 1994 . these results were the first indication that spotted handfish had suffered a substantial decline in abundance during the 1980ís . the decline prompted the threatened fishes sub - committee of the australian society for fish biology to list the spotted handfish as endangered in 1994 . subsequently , all species of handfish were protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation in 1995 . the spotted handfish was listed by the iucn as critically endangered in 1996 and it was listed under the commonwealth endangered species protection act , as endangered , also in 1996 .

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 ] as brachiopsilus ziebelli

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 .

showed my boyfriend a photo of a handfish without saying anything and he labled it as the fish we saw in the shop . will definitely have to go back . it couldn ' t be a handfish and it will bother me !

ziebell ' s 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 ( tas ) , commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation , university of tasmania and derwent estuary program . this review noted that limited progress had been made on implementation of the recovery plan actions for ziebell’s handfish . the review concluded that threats to handfish species remained largely unchanged and known handfish populations had not demonstrably increased in size . the review 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 ) .

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 :

bruce , b . ( 1998 ) . progress on spotted handfish recovery . on the brink ! . 11 : 9 .

tasmanian government ( 2003 ) . the spotted handfish - tasmania ' s next extinct species ? . available from : urltoken .

a secondary hypothesis for the decline in spotted handfish is the effect of accumulated contaminants in estuarine sediments . standard toxicity trials ( using a microbial standard ) will be used to compare differences between areas where handfish have been lost and between known colonies .

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 ) .

3 . 5 . 2 trialing the re - introduction of spotted handfish to areas where they previously occurred and monitor its success .

handfish superficially resemble the more commonly encountered anglerfishes ( antenariidae ) and this often leads to incorrect identification ( and subsequent misreporting ) by the general public . apart from aspects of their internal anatomy ( see pietsch 1981 ) , handfish can be separated from anglerfishes by the form of the first dorsal fin ( second and third spines connected by membrane in handfish ; separate in anglerfish ) and the location of the gill pore ( above and behind pectoral fins in handfish ; on ' elbow ' of pectoral fin in anglerfish ) .

the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( department of the environment 2014pb ) outlines a range of recovery strategies for the conservation of ziebell’s handfish . the following recovery strategies have been designed to achieve the overarching objective of the recovery plan ; to ‘increase the understanding of the biology and ecology of ziebell’s handfish in order to conserve , and contribute to the future recovery , of the species’ :

spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) are a type of anglerfish that prefer to walk on their fins along the seabed rather than swim .

green , m . ( 2007 ) . implementing handfish recovery plan 2006 / 7 . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .

the possible role of the northern pacific seastar in the decline of spotted handfish has not yet been established , although the timing of its discovery and subsequent increase in abundance matches the 1980ís period of spotted handfish decline . the seastar is now abundant in many areas wherespotted handfish were previously common . predation by northern pacific seastars on spotted handfish egg masses has not been observed in the wild , although this does not preclude it as a factor in the decline . northern pacific seastars have been observed feeding on the stalked ascidian commonly used as a spawning substrate within the derwent . it is thus possible that predatory loss of the ascidian may impact spotted handfish by reducing the available spawning substrate . this hypothesis is supported by recent observations at one handfish colony where a dramatic increase in seastar abundance coincided with very low numbers of ascidians and very little spawning activity by handfish ( bruce et al . , 1997 , bruce et al . , 1998 submitted ) .

dietary data for spotted handfish are sparse . last et al . ( 1983 ) reported that they preyed on small shellfish , shrimps and polychaete worms . the stomachs of two small , wild caught , juvenile spotted handfish contained amphipods ( bruce et al . , 1997 ) .

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 ) .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive video - spotted handfish in courtship " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive video - spotted handfish in courtship " title = " arkive video - spotted handfish in courtship " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

there are only sporadic records of the spotted handfish during the 19th and early 20th centuries but , with the advent of scuba equipment , numerous specimens were recorded in the derwent in the 1960ís and 1970ís . the spotted handfish was considered to be common throughout its range ( last & bruce , 1996 , last et al . , 1983 ) and , ironically , it was sometimes referred to as the common handfish .

there are three species of handfish endemic to tasmania , one of which has not been seen by divers in the wild for several years .

" [ the spotted handfish ] have the dubious distinction of being the first marine fish to be listed as critically endangered back in 1996 .

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 ) .

handfish were once abundant around the globe but are now only found in waters off south - east australia , with most species endemic to tasmania .

almost totally hidden in the background , behind a pole , is a juvenile spotted handfish , collected at the same time as the two adults .

green , m . ( 2009 ) . handfish 08 - 09 . nrm south final report . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .

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 .

spotted handfish feed by sucking in prey items ( 5 ) , including shrimps , small fish and small crustaceans such as amphipods ( 3 ) .

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) " title = " arkive species - spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 ) .

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 ) .

collection of any handfish is an offence in tasmania unless a permit has been issued under the living marine resources management act 1995 ( tasmanian government 1995 ) .

identify the threatening processes that affect spotted handfish . strategies can be devised to overcome the effect of these agents based on a sound knowledge of their operation .

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 .

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 ) .

spotted handfish are currently protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation and the commonwealth endangered species protection act ( 1992 ) . the recovery team will recommend that the spotted handfish also be listed under the tasmanian threatened species protection act and provide appropriate documentation in support of the listing . options for protecting specific areas or habitat of critical importance will be assessed in consultation between the recovery team and regulatory authorities . the recovery team will provide advice to relevant regulatory authorities on matters pertaining to handfish where required .

bruce and colleagues ( 1999 ) stated that the egg mass structure of ziebell ' s handfish is very similar to those of the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and red handfish ( thymichthys politus ) . egg masses have been found around sponges in depths of 20 m ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) . on emergence , hatchlings have been observed settling in the immediate area surrounding the location of the egg mass ( deh 2001 ) . key biological attributes for this species include ( deh 2005u ) :

last , p . r . , d . c . gledhill & b . h . holmes ( 2007 ) . a new handfish , brachionichthys australis sp . nov . ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) , with a redescription of the critically endangered spotted handfish , b . hirsutus ( lacepède ) . zootaxa . 1666 : 53 - 68 .

a re - introduction trial will also test the survival of handfish in areas where previous impact has resulted in a population decline . such trials will utilise captive bred fish and identify if the threatening process is still operating , assist in its identification and pave the way for a more substantial re - establishment of spotted handfish across their range .

establishing the conservation status of tasmanian endemic handfish that are highly restricted in distribution requires a firm knowledge of the number of species involved . some handfish species are yet to be formally described ( eg ziebell ' s handfish ) and there are distinct colour morphs in different areas that may represent either a local colour pattern or different species entirely . if these colour morphs are different species , then these populations may be more restricted then originally thought . clarification of the number of species within the handfish family will require a combination of ( non - destructive ) genetic analyses and classical taxonomy . discussions have commenced with the university of tasmania to encourage a suitable student to carry out the work .

australia ' s csiro has produced a quicktime clip that outlines the conservation status of the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and demonstrates the tetrapod - like locomotion of brachionichthyids .

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 ) .

due to the restricted distribution of known populations of ziebell’s handfish and their low dispersal , all areas in which they are found are considered important habitat ( deh 2005u ) .

there is very little published information on ziebell ' s handfish . information gaps for this species include precise information on habitat requirements , current distribution , current abundance and threats .

department of the environment and heritage ( deh ) ( 2001 ) . draft listing advice - sympterichthys sp . ( ziebell ' s handfish ) . environment australia , canberra .

last , p . r . , gledhill , d . c . & holmes , b . h . 2007 . a new handfish , brachionichthys australis sp . nov . ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) , with a redescription of the critically endangered spotted handfish , b . hirsutus ( lacepède ) . zootaxa 1666 : 55 , figs 1 - 2

ma green , and bd bruce , spotted handfish : distribution , abundance and habitat : csiro , hobart , tas . ( australia ) , dec 1998 , 29 pp .

last , p . r . and bruce , b . d . ( 1997 ) . spotted handfish . nature australia . 25 ( 7 ) : 20 - 21 .

while threats to ziebell ' s handfish have not been identified , personal collection and the aquarium trade have the potential to threaten populations by removing individuals from the wild . under the marine resources managment act 1995 ( tasmania ) , a person , in state waters , must not take or have possession of handfish without a permit ( deh 2005u ) .

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 ) .

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 . ) .

handfish have among the narrowest ranges of any of the 4300 , or so , marine fish known from the australian region ( last et al . , 1983 , yearsley et al . , 1997 ) . five of the eight currently identified species are endemic to tasmania and bass strait ( last et al . , 1983 ) . the red handfish ( sympterichthys politus ) and an undescribed species ( ziebell ' s handfish , sympterichthys sp . ) appear to be confined to a few restricted , shallow reef habitats in south - eastern tasmania .

implement immediate management strategies based on our observations to date including trial enhancement of spawning areas by deployment of artificial spawning substrate , further development of captive breeding capabilities and trials to assess the suitability of areas where handfish were previously found for re - introduction . it is anticipated that re - introduction may become a key strategy for spotted handfish in the derwent estuary .

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 .

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 ( 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 .

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 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 .

the diet of ziebell ' s handfish is unknown but probably consists of small invertebrates ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) such as crustaceans and worms ( edgar et al . 1982 ) .

gledhill & green ( unpub . ) . issues paper : population status of , and threats to , three handfish species listed as threatened under the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 .

a poster will be produced and distributed to dive clubs , aquarium shops and professional fishing organisations ( eg abalone and urchin divers ) to encourage these groups to report sightings and promote the protected status of handfish . liaison with these groups will promote an effective exchange of information and provide the basis for developing a collective functional plan for endemic tasmanian handfish ( action 3 . 6 ) .

a suitable site for re - introduction trials will be located . the site must be within the historic range of spotted handfish ( preferably an historic ' hot spot ' ) and have suitable habitat .

supplying information ( on request ) for school and university student projects , authors of children ' s books , and the national mint ( enquiry for possible production of a coin depicting a handfish ) .

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 .

brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish , spotted - hand fish ) : species management profile for tasmania ' s threatened species link ( threatened species section ( tss ) , 2014sl ) [ state action plan ] .

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 ) .

to secure existing populations of spotted handfish , reduce the chances of future decline , enhance populations in areas where numbers have been seriously depleted or lost and subsequently achieve down listing from the current endangered status .

the asfb threatened fishes sub - committee have listed ziebell ' s , the waterfall bay and the red handfish on their threatened species list , yet there are few data to confirm their current placements . by developing a community sighting network , we can cost effectively develop the database necessary to establish the status of these species , identify potential threats , maintain the diving public ' s interest in assisting with the recovery effort and continue to promote marine conservation and education issues . these species are more likely to be encountered by the diving public than spotted handfish ( because they occur in reef areas ) , however we have already had reports of spotted handfish from people diving across soft substrate areas ( eg for old bottles ) or near reef edges . thus the spotted handfish recovery effort will also directly benefit from a community reporting system .

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 .

ensure the continuance of spotted handfish across their current distribution by developing and implement strategies to facilitate their recovery . the recovery team will continue to assess and revise , where appropriate , the direction of recovery actions .

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 .

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 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 .

prior to the commencement of the interim research projects , the biology of handfishes was poorly documented . published accounts included brief aspects of their morphology , osteology and distribution ( see gomon et al . , 1994 , last et al . , 1983 , edgar et al . , 1982 , pietsch , 1981 ) . whitley ( 1949 ) described an adult female spotted handfish with eggs extruding from the body and a 14 mm juvenile verrucose handfish . last et al . ( 1983 ) reported thatspotted handfish attached its eggs to ' solid objects on the bottom via thin threads ' and that its diet consisted of small shellfish , shrimps and polychaete worms .

barrett , n . , bruce , b . d . and last , p . r . ( 1996 ) . spotted handfish survey . report to endangered species unit . anca . csiro div . fisheries hobart .

green , m . a . and bruce , b . d . ( 1998 ) . spotted handfish : distribution , abundance and habitat . final report to fishcare . csiro div . mar . res . hobart .

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 ) .

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 .

establish the essential biological characteristics ( including critical habitat requirements ) that underpin the dynamics of handfish colonies . population fluctuations and threats can then be interpreted , and the progress of management strategies against biologically realistic recovery objectives can be monitored .

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 .

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 is considered to be vulnerable to extinction due to its highly restricted and patchy distribution , low population density , limited dispersal capabilities and a reproductive strategy of producing low numbers of demersal eggs that are highly susceptibility to disturbance .

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

" 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 .

ziebell’s handfish are restricted to eastern and southern tasmania in widely disjunct populations ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the species has been recorded at bicheno , forestier peninsula , tasman peninsula , actaeon islands and cox bight in depths of 10–20 m ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the tasmanian underwater photography society only discovered the species during surveys in 1977–81 ( deh 2001 ) . ziebell’s handfish have not been observed , or systematically surveyed , for several years and the species’ current distribution is unknown .

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 ) .

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 .

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 .

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 overall objectives of the recovery process are to secure existing populations of spotted handfish , reduce the chances of future decline , enhance populations in areas where numbers have been seriously depleted or lost and subsequently achieve down listing from the current endangered status .

to achieve this , an information pack will be produced and distributed to school groups via the woodbridge marine discovery centre where an information display on handfish has already been established . the information pack will also be available to the general public on request .

bruce , b . d . , green , m . a . and last , p . r . ( 1998 ) . threatened fishes of the world : spotted handfish , brachionichthys hirsutus ( lacepede ) . environmental biology of fishes in press .

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 ) .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

surveys will count the number of handfish along 30 randomly positioned transects ( 100 metres long and 3 metres wide ) at each colony in autumn and spring . the surveys require a team of 6 divers for a period of three days at each colony .

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 ) .

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 . ) .

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 is endemic to the lower derwent river estuary and adjoining bays and channels ( figure 2 ) . spotted handfish appear to be distributed within colonies in restricted areas of their range , although the level of mixing between colonies is unknown . three reproductively active colonies are currently known , although isolated individuals are occasionally reported from other sites . due to the restricted area of colonies , their accessibility and concerns regarding either inadvertent or direct disturbance , neither the location of colonies , nor the location of recent sightings are reported here .

illegal collection for the aquaria trade may also pose a threat to handfish . while experts consider the likelihood of poaching to be low , the consequence of removing even a few individuals from the wild is considered to be severe given the small population size of each species .

the program will utilise dpif facilities at taroona where a culture room has been dedicated to the project . an improved filtration system is necessary to ensure a continuous supply of contaminant free seawater . another bank of larger aquaria is also required for on - growing juvenile handfish .

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 .

ziebell ' s handfish is conventionally accepted as brachiopsilus ziebelli ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the species was previously known as brachionichthys sp . 1 and sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ( edgar et al . 1982 ; last et al . 1983 ) .

handfish lack the dispersive larval stage common in marine fishes . they hatch as fully formed juveniles ( 6 - 7 mm in length ) , move straight to the bottom and appear to remain in the vicinity of spawning ( bruce et al . , 1998 submitted ) . this has two important consequences . first , colonies may be relatively isolated ( ie mixing between them is restricted ) thus a reduction in spawning success may seriously impact a colony . second , the ability for handfish to recolonise areas from which they have been displaced is likely to be low .

it is unlikely that the recovery process will result in a down listing of spotted handfish within the three year time frame of this recovery plan . annual recovery team meetings will be a forum for the review of the actions proposed in this document and the status of the species .

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 ) .

it is difficult to monitor the handfish’s population because diving is involved , but in recent years some populations have been monitored as part of volunteer programs such as reef life survey . current results suggest the populations in the centre of the estuary are stable , but more surveys are always needed .


santa claus ( 1961 – 1970 ) was a british-bred , irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse and sire .

he is most notable for his achievements as a three-year-old in 1964 when he won the irish 2,000 guineas , the epsom derby and the irish derby .

his performances earned him the title of british horse of the year .

santa claus ( horse )

santa claus ( horse ) <EOT> new year : santa claus and horse in harness . old russian postcard ( 1 )

new year : santa claus and horse in harness . old russian postcard ( 2 )

new year : santa claus and horse in harness . old russian postcard ( 3 )

new year : santa claus and horse in harness . old russian greeting card ( 1 )

new year : santa claus and horse in harness . old russian greeting card ( 2 )

) , wampum ( by warfare ) and santa paula ii ( by santa claus ) .

rare vintage christmas ceramic santa claus w / gifts and white horse , 4 . 5 " tall

so far , there are no tournament results from santa claus xx are stored .

on this page , you can download santa claus pattern horse - drawn vehicles png file or . eps ( ai ) file for free . this vector resource about horse drawn vehicles , santa claus , pattern is easy for modification and ideal for printing .

the route of the toronto santa claus parade . santa is expected to arrive at st . lawrence market at 12 : 30 .

this photograph from november 17 , 1987 shows a local oakville man named bill hughes , who had portrayed santa claus each year for 39 years in the oakville santa claus parade .

the future of santa claus quarter horses is looking bright , especially with these young prospects .

santa claus quarter horses is uniquely positioned on 100 + acres in the rolling hills of southern indiana .

the 2015 toronto santa claus parade takes place today , sunday , november 15th . it will be the 111th santa claus parade in toronto , since the yearly tradition began back on december 2 , 1905 .

the santa claus parade is a nostalgic childhood event for many of us who grew up in toronto . here is a photographic look back at the ways in which the santa claus parade has changed over the years in toronto .

santa claus won the irish 2 , 000 guineas , the epsom derby and the irish derby . his performances earned him the title of british horse of the year .

santa claus ran the race exactly to form . he was well back in the pack on the uphill run to the first of the two sharp left‐hand turns . on the long curve to tattenham corner , santa claus got pushed .

there are many different origins of the santa claus that we know today , like st . nicholas and father christmas . most people don’t know though that one of the major inspirations for santa claus is actually the viking god of war called odin .

lindley was often the first choice when trainers wanted a substitute jockey for their stable stars , like santa claus and caro .

advertising for " santa ' s store " at the eaton centre in 1981 . the next year would be the last that eaton ' s backed toronto ' s santa claus parade .

santa claus ( uk ) 1961 ( chamossaire - aunt clara ) , winner of the 1964 epsom derby , ridden by scobie breasley . | pinterest | epsom derby , race horses and horse

the uk father christmas and the american santa claus became more and more alike over the years and are now one and the same .

with the headline : santa claus , 15‐8 , captures english derby ; receives $ 201 , 787 , a world record —indiana second .

where santa flies through the sky on a sleigh with eight reindeer , odin rides sleipnir , a fearsome horse with …eight legs .

this image of santa became very popular , with more artists drawing santa in his red and white costume from 1900 to 1930 .

santa claus is owned by mrs . doreen rogers of ireland and 79‐year‐o1d john ismay , an englishman who lives in the south of france . mrs . rogers ' son , mickey , trained the horse .

glad you liked the story : ) . after looking up the odin background story i’ll never look at santa claus the same again lol .

there are , of course , controversial aspects of the american santa claus fiction . some christians believe he takes the focus of christmas away from jesus christ , placing it on a fictional character with little redemptive value . others insist that it is unhealthy for parents to lie to their children to enforce their belief in santa claus . and others say that santa claus is a symbol of the commercialization and consumerism that has seized the christmas holiday in the west . still for others , santa claus and the modern celebration of christmas is seen as an intrusion upon their own national traditions .

these two were the surprises of the race . santa claus had been backed down to 15‐8 , while indiana started at 30‐1 and dilettante ii at 100‐1 .

" this horse never got a lot of recognition , " jack robbins said . " we had another horse , cassaleria , who got more notice , even though he wasn ' t the horse this one was . "

when eaton ' s ran toronto ' s santa claus parade , the department store itself was santa ' s ultimate destination . he would climb a ladder to greet his adoring public , and no doubt work to boost sales for the store .

santa was first used in coke adverts in the 1920s , with santa looking like the drawings of thomas nast . in 1931 , the classic ' coke santa ' was drawn by artist haddon sundblom . he took the idea of nast ' s santa but made him even more larger than life and jolly , replaced the pipe with a glass of coke and created the famous coke holding santa !

his value has soared to a sum estimated to ‐ be about $ 1 , 400 , 000 . santa claus will probably be sold to a syndicate for stud purposes .

but britain ' s champion jockey , scobie breasley , straightened him out nicely and santa claus started gaining when they moved out of tattenham corner , running downhill for the finish .

this is when santa really started to develop his big tummy and the style of red and white outfit he wears today . nast designed santa ' s look on some historical information about santa and the poem ' a visit from st . nicholas ' .

in the mid - 20th century a series of coca - cola advertisements featuring a rotund and jovial santa claus was drawn by artist haddon sundblom and further popularized nast ' s depiction .

grand parade was the first black horse for 106 years to win the epsom derby .

his success in the derbys on either side of the irish sea saw santa claus make racing history becoming the first horse in fifty - seven years to win both derbys in the same year . it was not that santa claus was without historic links in any event – his jockeys’ silks bore the distinctive white star emblem of mr . john ismay , scion of the family which owned the white star shipping line , owners of the ill - fated titanic .

mick rogers trains a second string to santa claus in fino , a court harwell colt from the ex - cellent winner - producing mare angelicus ( dam of hot brandy and others ) .

epsom , england , june 3—santa claus gave the irish their expected present of the english derby today , and he gave britain ' s bookmakers one of their worst financial beatings in years .

it was a great day for the irish . not only santa claus , but diletttante ii and anselmo , who also started at 100‐1 and finished fourth , were also trained in ireland .

these days kids all around the world force themselves to stay up as late as possible on christmas eve , hoping to catch a glimpse of jolly old santa claus daintily placing trinkets in stockings .

the best horses of his career were santa claus and caro , though he rode those two champions only once each - when they became his only mounts to finish in the frame in the arc . caro was the best older horse in europe when fourth to mill reef in 1971 .

beginning in 1863 , nast began a series of annual drawings in harper ' s weekly that were inspired by the descriptions found in washington irving ' s work . these drawings established a rotund santa with flowing beard , fur garments , and a clay pipe . nast drew his santa until 1886 , and his work had a major influence in creating the modern american santa claus .

or , the horse that first got me hooked on racing , nearly 50 years ago .

" in 1905 , timothy eaton ' s department store began the tradition of the santa claus parade . initially , the parade featured santa claus on a horse - drawn cart . the parade has grown in size and splendour to include upside - down clowns , colourful marching bands , mascots , characters in elaborate costumes , ornately decorated floats , and - of course - santa claus himself . over the years , santa has travelled from the north pole by train , coach , ice floe , airplane and sleigh pulled by nine reindeer . in 1982 , a local volunteer group assumed responsibility for the parade . one of canada ' s longest - running traditions , the parade remains focussed on bringing joy to children and continues to enchant and entertain people of all ages . "

ironically , lindley rode santa claus later that season when the irish champion was beaten three - quarters of a length into second place by prince royal in the prix de l ' arc de triomphe .

in north america , the popular name santa claus was taken from the dutch sinterklaas , which originated with a contracted form of sint nicolaas ( saint nicholas ) . the " mall santa " that we are all familiar with - - sporting a red suit with white cuffs and collar , and black leather belt , became the popular image in the united states in the late 19th century and early 20th century because of the " merry old santa claus " images created by political cartoonist thomas nast .

in the summer of 1948 my love became the third french - trained horse to win the epsom derby and the fifth horse to win both the derby and the grand prix de paris .

lastly , here are some other images that show how toronto has prepared for the yuletide season in years gone past . you ' ll note that santa claus is adept at appearing all across the city .

over the next few nights many pairs of little eyes – and big eyes too – will be looking towards the northern skies anticipating the visit of the great man known as santa claus who they know will bring surprise and joy to homes throughout the land on christmas morning . more than forty years ago the name of santa claus brought celebration to county kildare too when a horse of that name led the field past the winning post at the 1964 irish derby piloted by willie burke of naas . earlier that summer the equine santa claus had also won the english derby , this time with australian jockey arthur ‘scobie’ breasley in the saddle . his trainer on both occasions was the gifted mick rogers of the curragh .

at christmas , when the betting books opened , santa claus was 9‐1 and the irish , especially , aware of the word from the training stables that he was something special , jumped on the odds joyfully .

the horses of santa claus quarter horses are a big piece to the laswell family puzzle . they are what bring the family together on a daily basis as they care for , work with and show their horses .

beadsman was generally regarded as the best horse in a mediocre year for three - year - olds .

pearl diver became the first french - trained horse to win the epsom derby since durbar in 1914 .

a two year old meets santa at shoppers world on the danforth , on december 16 , 1992 .

santa claus , a rangy bay by chamossaire out of aunt clara , defeated 16 other 3‐year‐old colts to earn $ 201 , 787 , a world record for first‐place money . the gross purse was $ 236 , 376 .

plenty of things to decide on such as horse colour , what the background will be etc . . . . and i ' ll probably change santa ' s traditional outfit so he can handle the heat .

st . nicholas ' day is on the 6th december , but in the netherlands , the major celebrations are held on the 5th december , st . nicholas ' eve . the name santa claus comes from the name sinterklaas .

santa greets his public from atop the entrance to eaton ' s department store in this photograph from 1925 .

great to see you around here < 3 . yeah i can ' t believe this story about santa claus and odin isn ' t more well known , i would have loved to have heard this story as a kid for example .

this plaque tells a brief history of toronto ' s santa claus parade . it can be found out in front of toronto ' s 1899 city hall , and is located on the northwest corner of queen street west & james street .

there were two questions before the race . santa claus had never run the derby distance . could he last ? he had never raced anywhere except over the curragh in dublin . could he handle epsom ' s turning , undulating track ?

terimon , second to nashwan at 500 / 1 , is the longest - priced horse placed in any classic .

in the old stories , like santa claus , odin is an old guy with a long white beard . but if you’re naughty instead of bringing you a lump of coal he was more likely to deliver a can of whoop - ass .

this picture from december 15 , 1989 shows a local three year old meeting santa at the scarborough town centre .

the original winner running rein was disqualified as he was actually an ineligible four - year - old horse named maccabeus .

either fell or were brought down ; one horse was killed and four jockeys were detained in hospital as a result .

the four - year - olds ragusa , relko and le mesnil will probably dominate the all - aged events , for—with the solitary exception of the irish - trained santa claus—the european three - year - old crop is unlikely to prove of vintage quality .

pourparler ( ' 1 , 000 ' ) , santa claus ( derby ) and mesopotamia ( oaks ) will be backed up by ragusa —outstanding prospect for the european cham - pion of 1964 . this will surely be another great year for the irish .

the derby was only the fourth race of santa claus ' s meteoric career . he was bred in england and sold as a foal for $ 2 , 350 . mrs . rogers and ' ismay bought him as an untested yearling for $ 4 , 000 .

when santa claus won the irish 2 , 000 guineas , the bookmakers dropped the odds to 5‐2 and shortened them again at the track . it was estimated that britain ' s three leading would have to pay out more than $ 2 , 800 , 000 .

sinndar is the first horse to capture the derby , irish derby and prix de l’arc de triomphe in the same season .

april the fifth was a very popular winner and the first epsom - trained horse to win the derby since amato in 1838 .

two american‐owned outsiders finished second and third today . a length behind santa claus was indiana , owned by charles w . engelhard of far hills , n . j . , and another length back was dilettante ii , carrying the colors of larry m . gelb of new york .

in the early usa his name was ' kris kringle ' ( from the christkind ) . later , dutch settlers in the usa took the old stories of st . nicholas with them and kris kringle and st nicholas became ' sinterklaas ' or as we now say ' santa claus ' !

liam kenny from his regular feature in the leinster leader - nothing new under the sun - for 20 december 2007 - examines the victory of santa claus at the curragh in 1964 and reviews james durney ' s book on naas social housing - in the shadow of kings . our thanks to liam

nijinsky became the 15th horse to gain the triple crown after winning the derby and 2000 guineas with success in the st leger at doncaster .

oh jingle bells , jingle bells jingle all the way , oh what fun it is to ride on a one - horse open sleigh , hey jingle bells , jingle bells jingle all the way , oh what fun it is to ride on a one - horse open sleigh .

lindley gained his most famous win on aggressor in the king george in 1960 , beating petite etoile and lester piggott by half a length . the nearest he came to winning the derby was in 1964 , when his mount indiana was cut down by santa claus ' s late burst and beaten a length .

dr devious is the first horse to win the derby after contesting the kentucky derby , in which he had finished seventh to lil e tee .

santa claus ( ire ) br . h , 1961 { 3 - o } dp = 1 - 4 - 7 - 2 - 12 ( 26 ) di = 0 . 49 cd = - 0 . 77 - 7 starts , 4 wins , 1 places , 0 shows career earnings : $ 387 , 124

as the song goes , " oh what fun it is to ride , on a ' four ' horse open sleigh " or something like that .

this photograph from december 11 , 1982 , shows santa posing with a local dog for a snapshot . this was part of a dog show held at exhibition place . money collected from those who wanted to get pictures of their dogs with santa went to a fund to help provide seeing eye dogs .

originally , the parade was sponsored by eaton ' s department stores , and was a successful marketing strategy for the retail chain . one can imagine early versions of santa claus hurling eaton ' s catalogues out into the hordes , giving young attendees several weeks to pester their parents about what they hoped to get on christmas morning .

phil drake ran five times and won three races , becoming the fifth and last horse to win both the epsom derby and the grand prix de paris .

in racing parlance , a stuck horse is an entry that a trainer wants to scratch but can ' t because the stewards won ' t let him .

some people say that santa lives at the north pole . in finland , they say that he lives in the north part of their country called lapland .

the santa ynez valley star december issue covers all the upcoming holiday events such as julefest in solvang , winter fest in buellton , los o . . .

but it was through one of his british born sons , son - in - law that dark ronald was to dominate the bloodlines of the sport horse world . son - in - law was described as a plodding middle distance horse , but he became known as a sire of slow maturing horses of great stamina .

that first parade was a simple affair , with only one single float participating in the parade . the parade now has over 25 floats , 24 bands and about 1 , 700 people . the parade route stretches for nearly six kilometres . toronto ' s santa claus parade is one of the largest and oldest annual parades in north america .

we do not have many reasons for optimism . a laconic observer close to the process recently remarked that governments , experts and institutions of every kind have turned the sustainable development goals ( sdgs ) into “a letter to santa claus” , a document in which absolutely everything can be included . whatever your hobby horse in the sphere of poverty or sustainable development , if you look hard enough you will surely find it among the 17 goals and 169 targets included in the document proposed by the open working group .

but the plane in new york had prior commitments . tex sutton , the lexington ( ky . ) shipper who flies top horses all over the country , had leased out nostalgia star ' s plane to a freight company that needs extra aircraft at christmas time . it might be said that nostalgia ' s star has been bumped by santa claus .

i don ' t want a lot for christmas there is just one thing i need , and i don ' t care about the presents underneath the christmas tree i don ' t need to hang my stocking there upon the fireplace santa claus won ' t make me happy . . . . . . . . . with a toy on christmas day

pont l’eveque was a very late foal , born at the end of the breeding season on 25 may , making him probably the youngest horse to win the derby .

forget the sleigh ! on december 17 , 1984 , santa was cruising the streets of toronto on a harley , as temperatures reached a record high of 14 degrees .

favourite for the derby was the irish colt santa claus , recent easy winner of the irish 2000 guineas , ridden by the australian scobie breasley , and trained by mick rogers at the curragh . oncidium started 9 - 2 second favourite . he acted mulishly throughout the first part of the race , hanging his head to the right , away from the rails , but still managing to dispute the lead coming around tattenham corner . once into the straight , however , he was swiftly passed by the guineas winner baldric , then by indiana . he faded rapidly , still swishing his head from side to side and finished halfway down the field behind santa claus , who came fast down the outside to beat indiana a length .

i decided with this last horse to arch his neck and put the head down a bit , just to give some variation , i had a bit of fun with that horse at the back with his head up and ears back , i ' m not that happy with the closest horses head so i might change that a bit .

coke has continued to use santa in their adverts since the 1930s . in 1995 they also introduced the ' coca - cola christmas truck ' in the ' holidays are coming ' tv adverts . the red truck , covered with lights and with the classic ' coke santa ' on its sides is now a famous part of recent christmas history .

on november 18 , 1985 , santa and his aides travelled the recently opened scarborough lrt out to the scarborough town centre , but not before greeting riders along the way .

mahmoud was a light - coloured grey horse of distinctly arab appearance , standing just under 15 . 3 hands high , and bred in france by his owner the aga khan .

our barns and arena are within walking distance of our home . because we live on the farm , all of the horses and the facility are checked on daily . the horses give our family the opportunity to spend time together on a daily basis . evenings are spent at the barn and most weekends are spent at horse shows , with our extended “horse show family . ”

. in a career that lasted from 1947 to 1948 he ran eight times and won three races . in the summer of 1948 he became the third french - trained horse to win the

persistence with ponies pays for garber : horse racing : tarzana man owns thoroughbreds for nearly a decade before hitting jackpot with quintana , who ran sixth in last year ' s kentucky derby .

happy to hear that you liked the santa and odin story : ) . that’s cool about wednesday originating from odin / wodan , makes a boring day of the week way more interesting !

nostalgia ' s star will go to stud at the curragh stock farm in santa ynez . his breeding fee will be $ 2 , 500 , with a guarantee of a live foal .

' i ' m fully satisfied that your filly was at the top of her form , and that no fluke attached to the result—she could not have finished a yard closer , ' remarked mesopotamia ' s trainer , brud fether - stonhaugh , when discussing the race afterwards with major victor mccalmont . if santa claus justifies this opinion , yet another page will be added to the unending chapter of turf romance .

breasley took him to the outside of the track a half‐mile out , when baldric ii , owned by mrs . howell jackson of middleburg , va . , and oncidium , the english favorite , were still fighting it out with dilettante ii and indiana . then breasley urged santa claus forward and , as the crowd of perhaps 250 , 000 roared , the irish colt raced past the contenders and won going away .

but beneath all the symbolism and tradition that has been attached to the modern american santa claus , he , like so many other " father christmas " characters before him can hearken back to a simple christian bishop who loved god and loved people . bishop nicholas displayed his love through the giving of gifts , just as our heavenly father gave the gift of his son to us that first christmas morning 2000 years ago .

at epsom , indiana started a 33 / 1 outsider for the derby , in afield of 17 runners , with the irish colt santa claus being made 15 / 8 favourite . a crowd estimated at over 200 , 000 , including the queen and other members of the british royal family , was in attendance to view the most valuable race ever run in britain . ridden by jimmy lindley , indiana was settled in the middle of the field before moving up into contention at tattenham corner and taking the lead two furlongs from the finish . in the closing stages , indiana was overtaken by santa claus , who challenged on the wide outside and finished second , beaten by a length . shortly after his run at epsom , indiana was sent to france to contest the grand prix de paris at longchamp racecourse where he finished second to white label .

…the racetrack during the 1913 epsom derby and moved in front of king george v’s horse , which struck her while galloping at full force . she never regained consciousness and died four days later . …

in january 1863 , the magazine harper ' s weekly published the first illustration of st nicholas / st nick by thomas nast . in this he was wearing a ' stars and stripes ' outfit ! over the next 20 years thomas nast continued to draw santa every christmas and his works were very popular indeed ( he must have been very good friends with santa to get such good access ! ) .

on a one - horse open sleigh over fields we go laughing all the way , bells on bob - tails ring making spirits bright what fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight .

“he then won many long - distance races against the best in the land , crowning his distinguished career with a triumph in the gold cup at ascot . it fell to precipitation to maintain and continue the great matchem’s influence on the breed , and this big and well - balanced son of the unbeaten hurry on did not disappoint his many admirers . his son chamossaire was leading sire in 1964 , the year santa claus won the derby . ”

a muscular brown horse with a strong shoulder and hip , chieftain was durable with a good turn of speed . he preferred to run on or near the front and could stretch his speed up to 9 furlongs .

all the latest horse racing form , betting odds , news , breeding , jockey and trainer information for babe in boots . babe in boots is a mare born in 2013 september 17 by magic albert out of chelsea rose

our indoor arena is available for barrel / pole horses on tuesday and thursday nights , 6 : 00 pm to 9 : 00 pm cst . the cost is $ 10 per horse . please contact us for more information .

with that in mind , course - specialist is delighted to publish the account of regular visitor graham oliver , whose love affair with the flat was fostered by a real character of a horse from the swinging sixties : oncidium .

shahrastani holds off the strong late challenge of dancing brave in a memorable finish . bold arrangement becomes the first horse to contest both the kentucky derby and derby , finishing second at churchill downs to ferdinand and 14th at epsom .

george todd was very patient with oncidium , sending him out on long solo walks , ridden by his head lad , john cherry . blinkers were tried on the training gallops , but the horse still didn’t want to know . todd was not a trainer who liked to keep his owner’s informed much about how their horses were doing . throughout his time with george todd , lord howard de walden used to refer to oncidium as “my horse behind the iron curtain” .

edward stanley , the 12th earl of derby , the group conceived the idea of a race on the downs for three - year - old fillies , which was subsequently called “the oaks” after the name of derby’s nearby estate . derby’s horse bridget won the first running of the oaks in 1779 . at a celebration after the race , bunbury and derby suggested a similar race for both colts and fillies , to begin the following year . reputedly , a coin toss followed , and derby won the honour of naming the race after himself . bunbury’s horse diomed won the first running of the derby on may 4 , 1780 . many other horse races have since been named after the derby ( most notably the

it would be true to say that oncidium was the spark that lit the flame , that burns as fiercely now as it did in my youth back in 1965 . there is just no other sport that compares to thoroughbred horse racing .

an eleven month old boy was brought down to casa loma from markham to meet santa in this photograph from december 4 , 1987 . casa loma was filled with hundreds of presents that were then disseminated to disadvantaged children all over toronto .

the story of our modern santa claus begins with this same nicholas , who was born during the third century in patara , a village in what is now demre , turkey . his wealthy parents raised him as a christian . but they died in an epidemic while nicholas was still young , and he was left with their fortune . obeying jesus ' words to " sell what you own and give the money to the poor , " nicholas used his inheritance to assist the suffering , the sick , and the poor .

indiana was exported to stand as a stallion in japan . he sired the japanese horse of the year take hope , who won the japanese derby in 1973 and the spring tenno sho in 1974 . he died in japan on 14 june 1983 .

in their book " a century of champions " , john randall and tony morris rated windsor lad the nineteenth best horse of the 20th century and the sixth best derby winner , behind sea bird , hyperion , mill reef , nijinsky and shergar .

jay robbins , jack ' s son , trained nostalgia ' s star . it was young robbins who suggested to his father that they buy the horse when he was running as a 2 - year - old at del mar and pomona in 1984 .

the rich purse was only a relatively small part of what the race was worth to mrs . rogers and ismay . they had turned down an offer of $ 280 , 000 after santa had won the irish 2 , 000 guineas earlier this year .

to sum up oncidium’s racing career , i think it is true to say that he should have been the champion racehorse of 1964 . when he decided to put his best foot forward , he demonstrated that he was a markedly better racehorse than the st leger winner and derby runner up indiana . santa claus wouldn’t have caught him in the derby if oncidium had replicated his running in the derby trials . that form would have given him a chance to have won the 1964 arc , which admittedly he didn’t contest , preferring the jockey club cup .

the other morning at hollywood park , jack robbins , the veterinarian who treated john henry , 2 - time horse of the year , reached into his wallet and pulled out a paper with the race - by - race record of nostalgia ' s star .

" this horse would have done even better if he had been back east all the time , " robbins said . " they don ' t have hard tracks back there like they do in california , and he liked running over their deep tracks . "

the reputation of santa claus , which caused him to be promoted 6 - 1 ante - post favourite for th•e derby when william hill issued his first list , in mid - winter , depends solely on one race—the national stakes , run over seven furlongs at the curragh on september 19 . ( he had earlier run unplaced in the anglesey stakes over the same course , seven weeks previously . ) in the national stakes , he ran clear away from the brilliant filly , mesopotamia , and ten others , to win by eight lengths in very fast time .

nothing in nostalgia ' s star ' s career has come easy , and his owners - - jack and maggie robbins , fred duckett and mary jane hinds - - are not upset that their horse ' s return to california has been delayed . in fact , they may even capitalize on it and run him in the $ 75 , 000 display handicap at aqueduct on dec . 31 . the stake is 2 1 / 4 miles , the perfect distance for a horse who will have the rest of his life to rest .

did you know that rudolph and santa ' s other reindeers might well be all girls ! ? only female reindeer keep their antlers throughout winter . by christmas time most males have discarded their antlers and are saving their energy ready to grow a new pair in the spring .

another hyperion son , khaled has through his sons , sired the jumpers , black market and encore ( winner of the grand prix at fontainebleau and a uset team member ) . khaled’s most important son was the derby winner swaps , whose pedigree boasts two branches of the bay ronald line , through khalad and also through his dam , iron reward , a daughter of beau pere . swaps’ son , kudu sired the canadian equestrian team horse , stoic . tudor success , dam of anne kursinski’s olympic horse , eros , is by the swaps son marbrino .

despite the training efforts of all at manton oncidium continued his bad behaviour in the st leger , running a staying on lifeless fifth , ten lengths behind indiana . that was the last time eph smith rode the horse that he described in his memoirs as “a pig of a horse” . smith had ridden blue peter to win the guineas and derby in 1939 . only mr hitler , and possibly the french colt pharis , stopped him winning the triple crown , when war was declared a few days before the st leger , and all racing was temporarily abandoned .

but , by 1982 , the parade had grown too large for eaton ' s to sponsor , and the store ended its association with the parade . the toronto santa claus parade was nearly doomed , but a businessman named george cohon stepped in and saved the festive municipal tradition . cohon was active with the organization of the parade right up until recently , but he retired in 2014 . today , the parade finds corporate sponsorship through a variety of businesses , including tim horton ' s , mcdonald ' s , lowe ' s , sears canada and canadian tire . they all have floats in the parade .

snow knight won the the epsom derby , then the following year earned an eclipse award as the american champion male turf horse . at stud he sired awaasif , the dam of snow bride , winner of the 1989 epsom oaks and the dam of lammtarra , winner of the 1995 epsom derby .

what makes good riders great ? their sense of timing . riding and training horses requires a lot of feel , and to do it well also relies on applying the right aid at the right time . for example , a lateral leg aid must be applied when the horse can properly respond to it– when that hind leg is just leaving the ground and moving upward . if you close your leg when the horse’s hind leg is going down and weight - bearing , he won’t be able to react in the way you want . this can frustrate both of you ! how can you develop…

although most of what i have written has come from memory i am indebted to “the masters of manton” by paul mathieu , which , if you are a lover of horse racing history , is a must read . also “riding to win” by eph smith , a book i purchased back in 1968 .

) , second dam of 1983 norwegian champion 3 - year - old male what nonsense and third dam of 1997 puerto rican horse of the year lightning al , 2004 peruvian champion 2 - year - old filly la foquita , new zealand group ii winner sculptor and australian group iii winner slightly sweet .

nostalgia ' s star is a stuck horse , but his situation has nothing to do with a scratch . if someone wanted to write a song about the end of nostalgia ' s star ' s long career , the title might be , " i won ' t be home for christmas . "

if your horse wears shoes , it’s inevitable that , at some point , your horse will pull one off . usually , such occurrences happen at the worst time , like the day before a show or the day after your farrier goes on vacation . though my career of managing horses , i’ve been lucky to have a few with excellent feet who rarely ever lost a shoe . and then there were those others i’d rather forget : the ones with crappy feet who routinely ripped their shoes off and made the farrier cringe each time i called . fortunately , i’ve got some decent - footed horses in my…

saint leger , one of the english triple crown races and , with the derby , the two thousand guineas , the one thousand guineas , and the oaks , one of the classic horse races . the race was established by colonel barry saint leger in 1776 and was named for him in 1778 . an event…

another influential horse on many performance pedigrees is the french stallion , djebel . djebel was the champion two year old in france , leading money winner at three and five , and was three times leading french thoroughbred stallion . djebel’s dam loika is by gay crusader by bayardo out of coeur a coeur by teddy .

most of the time , nostalgia ' s star was not good enough to beat the best horses , but he cashed so many checks for runner - up finishes that his purse total evolved more than it grew . as robbins puts it , " the horse nickel - dimed his way to $ 2 million . "

) and third dam of 1997 santa monica handicap ( usa - i ) winner toga toga toga , 2007 vrc oaks ( aus - i ) winner arapaho miss , canadian grade ii winner minakshi and new zealand group ii winner real success . in addition , chieftain is a half brother to stakes producers celia ( by

on the evening that sinterklaas arrives in the netherlands , children leave a shoe out by the fireplace or sometimes a windowsill and sing sinterklaas songs . they hope that sinterklaas will come during the night with some presents . they also believe that if they leave some hay and carrots in their shoes for sinterklaas ' s horse , they will be left some sweets or small presents . they ' re told that , during the night , sinterklaas rides on the roofs on his horse and that a ' zwarte piet ' will then climb down the chimney ( or through a window ) and put the presents and / or candy in their shoes .

the rolling hills provide a natural and perfect setup for our horses . once the mares have foaled , they are turned out in the lush , green pastures on the east side of the farm . the yearlings and 2 - year - olds have a barn on the north side of the farm designated for them , with smaller turn - out pastures close for them to enjoy . once the horses are started under saddle , they are moved to the “show barn” . the majority of the turn - out pastures offer three - sided sheds for the horses to run in for shelter , should the weather ever become an issue . santa claus quarter horses also has a 230’ x 100’ enclosed arena .

" jay kept bugging me , " jack robbins said . " we could have bought him ( from owner - breeder john mabee ) for $ 75 , 000 in the beginning . but we waited until after the horse won that sprint stake at los alamitos , and then the price went up to $ 95 , 000 . "

but i’m guessing not too many kids back in odin’s day waited up for him and the fearsome eight - legged sleipnir , lest they surprise the legendary warriors and make them angry . still …it would be tempting just to take one peek , after all it’s not every day that you get a chance to see a horse with eight legs : d .

widely celebrated in europe , st . nicholas ' feast day on december 6th kept alive the stories of his generosity and kindness . in germany and poland , boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor . in the netherlands and belgium , st . nicholas arrived on a steamship from spain to ride a white horse on his gift - giving rounds .

lammtarra becomes the first horse to win the derby on his seasonal return since grand parade in 1919 and sets a record time of 2m 32 . 31s , beating mahmoud’s 2m 33 . 8s which was hand - timed in 1936 . the race is switched permanently from wednesday to saturday . vodafone takes over the sponsorship and remains the backer up to 2008 .

dick hern used him with success on galivanter , highest hopes , sun prince and sallust , and would have given him the leg - up on brigadier gerard in the prince of wales ' s stakes at royal ascot in 1972 had joe mercer not recovered from a plane crash two days before . he sometimes rode britain ' s horse of the century at home .

kris kin is the first supplementary entry to win the derby . the sir michael stoute - trained colt had initially been entered in the classic as a yearling but was scratched at the start of his three - year - old campaign . connections paid £90 , 000 to add the horse to the line - up at the five - day stage following his victory in chester’s dee stakes .

over the years , a number of outstanding locally based stallions have made their presence felt in the vodacom durban july . from early times when the likes of pearl diver , morganatic , and greatorex all sired at least two individual july winners , a number of leading south african sires have made their presence felt in what is still regarded today by many as the country’s greatest horse race .

of the 7 stakes nostalgia ' s star has won , the only major victory was the charles h . strub at santa anita in 1986 . he had to beat proud truth , who had won the breeders ' cup classic at aqueduct the previous year . the race was run in the mud , which nostalgia ' s star loves , and which proud truth couldn ' t handle .

many countries , especially ones in europe , celebrate st . nicholas ' day on 6th december . in holland and some other european countries , children leave clogs or shoes out on the 5th december ( st . nicholas eve ) to be filled with presents . they also believe that if they leave some hay and carrots in their shoes for sinterklaas ' s horse , they will be left some sweets .

oaks , one of the english classic horse races ( along with the derby , saint leger , two thousand guineas , and one thousand guineas ) , an event for three - year - old fillies , established in 1779 , and run over a 1 . 5 - mile ( about 2 , 400 - metre ) course at epsom downs , surrey , also the site of the derby . the oaks was…

december 6th is still the main day for gift giving in much of europe . in the netherlands , candies are thrown in the door , along with chocolate initial letters , small gifts , and riddles . dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for st . nick ' s horse , hoping it will be exchanged for gifts . simple gift - giving on st . nicholas day helps to preserve a christmas day focus on the christ child .

like other elite horse races , the derby has grown into a multiday festival , featuring musical acts and events in addition to the race itself . the oaks is also run during the derby festival , held on the friday before the saturday running of the derby . derby day is more formal than most contemporary sporting events : epsom downs maintains a dress code for male spectators in certain sections of the stands , and women often attend the event wearing extravagant hats .

what robbins meant was that although nostalgia ' s star was worth the $ 95 , 000 that he and his partners paid for him in 1984 , a horse that wins only 9 of 57 starts can drive a win bettor daffy . bets across the board on nostalgia ' s star would have cushioned the grief , since he ran second 15 times and third 13 times . with the 9 wins , he finished in the money almost 65 % of the time .

by the hurdler , hampton , bay ronald raced for four years , and more than paid his way . a winner of the lowther stakes , the limekiln stakes , the city and suburban handicap , and at the age of five , the epsom cup . described as a useful handicap horse , he was a sensation at stud , founding a line that still flourishes . his most influential sons were bayardo , dark ronald ( sire of son in law ) and macdonald ii .

in 1987 , nostalgia ' s star earned $ 756 , 030 while winning only 2 of 13 starts . one of the victories , though , in the hawthorne gold cup , was worth $ 277 , 000 and he collected $ 165 , 000 just for finishing second - - behind the redoubtable java gold - - in the marlboro cup . at santa anita in 1986 , nostalgia ' s star earned $ 210 , 000 for running fourth in the breeders ' cup classic .

camelot becomes the 37th horse to follow up victory in the first british classic , the 2000 guineas over a mile at newmarket , with success in the investec derby as he records a convincing five - length win at epsom downs . jockey and trainer , joseph and aidan o’brien , become the first father / son combination to win the premier classic . camelot narrowly fails in his bid to win the triple crown , finishing second behind encke in the st leger at doncaster three and a half months later .