Amera (1896) was the first mare in this family listed in the Australian Stud Book, but she was not approved as a colonial taproot mare, as described in Volume XI of the ASB, and consequently her daughters were assigned to the Non-Stud Book Register. Her pedigree, summarized in her listing in Vol. VIII, extends back to a mare by Bay Camerton, who was imported into New South Wales from England in 1824, and was an early influential stallion, standing for many years at Prospect in the county of Cumberland. He is seen in the roots of other colonial families, notably Betty, the Young English Mare, and Dinah.
The most successful horses in this family were bred by Sydney merchant Daniel Seaton in the first two decades of the twentieth century. Seaton had made a great deal of money as a butcher, with shops at Waverley and Woollahra, and dabbled in politics, serving as a Councillor for Waverley after the turn of the century, soon thereafter purchasing a grand mansion in town called Eastcourt, that had been built in 1893.
Seaton's first horse farm was located at Eurundura, near Mudgee, where he had been born, and in the late 1920s he purchased Kingsfield Stud near Scone, and moved his horses there. He was a modest thoroughbred breeder, but a very successful racehorse owner: Westcourt, who won the 1917 Melbourne Cup for him was purchased. The black Wolaroi, on the other hand, was one he bred, from Widden Lass, a mare he purchased for 20 guineas from the Widden Stud -- Wolaroi was a terrific juvenile, winner of the AJC Breeders Plate and Champagne Stakes and of the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes in 1915. At age three he won the Rosehill Guineas, the VRC Derby, the Linlithgow Stakes and the C.M. Lloyd Stakes, and at age four the Linlithgow and RRC Rawson Stakes. Seaton was second on the leading owners list in Australia in 1916-17, with five winners, including Wolaroi and Eastcourt, a member of Flirt's family.
Lady Ruenalf (1904, by VRC Melbourne Stakes winner Ruenalf, a son of Grand Flaneur - Olga) was Seaton's first homebred winner. She won the AJC Villiers Stakes in 1910. She was the third foal from Amera (1896), by the New Zealand-bred Melbourne Cup winner Martini-Henry, probably bred at Kirkham Stud by Emily White, widow of the powerhouse breeder and racehorse owner James White (see Chester portrait), who had died in 1890. Both Martini-Henry and and the four-time leading stallion Chester, the sire of Amera's dam, Vain Glory, were stallions at Kirkham.
Amera had two winning brothers: Vanitas (1891), a winner of Tattersall's Carrington Stakes (6 furlongs) and later in India of the Viceroy's Cup, and Dandy (1895), who took Tattersall's Hampden Stakes (9 furlongs), the RRC Spring Stakes (9 furlongs), and the STC Anniversary Handicap (12 furlongs). Seaton purchased Amera while she was carrying Lady Ruenalf from A.E. Anderson; she had already produced two foals by Ruenalf: Camera (1902) and Damera (1903). Damera was also later a broodmare in Seaton's stud. Ruenalf was a stallion at the Belltrees stud of Henry, [William] Ernest, Arthur, and Victor White, nephews of James White, who inherited property and twenty mares by Chester and Martini-Henry when White died. It's probable Amera was one of these mares.
In Seaton's stud Lady Ruenalf bred just three live foals. Her 1913 bay colt by imported Earlston, Eastcourt, was a good winner for Seaton, taking the QTC St. Leger (14-1/2 furlongs), the QTC Moreton Handicap (10 furlongs), the Hawkesbury Guineas, and VRC Handicap, and was second in the AJC Derby and third in the VRC Derby. Lady Ruenalf's half-sister Damera bred a number of foals for Seaton. Of these, her 1913 bay filly Dame Acre, by the leading sire (imported) Linacre, was the best. She won the AJC December Stakes (5 furlongs) as a juvenile, and the RRC Railway Stakes, AJC Doncaster Handicap (8 furlongs), and a number of other races. Damera's daughter Linera (1912), bred to Seaton's Derby winner Wolaroi, produced Padicol (1924), a winner of the AJC June Stakes (6 furlongs).
The family continued through Amera's 1910 daughter Orienta. Lucky Stride (1950) won the VATC Oakleigh Plate. The most recent good winner in the family was Tandrio (1978), winner of the NJC Cameron Handicap, the CRJC Ramornie Handicap, and the Tattersall's Tramway Handicap.
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