Northern Treasure

Northern Treasure began his racing career in April 1975 and failed to win in his first five races although he showed very consistent form, finishing second four times and third once. On his sixth appearance he contested a maiden race over six furlongs at Phoenix Park Racecourse in August and recorded his first victory, beating Poacher's Moon by four lengths. On his next appearance he was stepped up in distance and won a nursery (a handicap for two-year-olds) over seven furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse. In his last two races of the year ran in nurseries and finished second over five furlongs at Leopardstown in September and over six furlongs at Naas in October.[2]

Northern Treasure began his second campaign by finishing third over five furlongs and then ran third behind the top weight Northern View in the Madrid Free Handicap at the Curragh in April, beaten more than five lengths by the winner. Later that month he was moved up to Group Three class for the Vauxhall Trial Stakes at Phoenix Park and finished fourth behind Lucky Wednesday, Sovereign Dice and Wolverlife. Despite a defeat over six furlongs on his net appearance, Northern Treasure was then moved up to the highest class for the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on 15 May, in which he was ridden by Gabriel Curran and started a 33/1 outsider in a seventeen-runner field. The French colt Comeram (second in the Grand Critérium and third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains) started favourite ahead of the Italian challenger Northern Spring (Gran Criterium) and the main English hope Patris (fourth in the 2000 Guineas) while the other runners included Northern View, Lucky Wednesday, Wolverlife and Poacher's Moon. The field was tightly grouped for most of the way and there was a considerable amount of barging and scrimmaging for position but in the last quarter mile the contest devolved into a three-way struggle between Lucky Wednesday on the rail, Northern Treasure on the outside and Comeram (partnered by Lester Piggott) racing between his two rivals. In a closely contested finish the outsider prevailed over the favourite as Northern Treasure won by a short head from Comeram, with the weakening Lucky Wednesday a length behind in third place.[4]

On 26 June Northern Treasure was moved up in distance to contest the Irish Derby over one and a half miles at the Curragh and started the 10/1 fourth choice in the betting. He proved the best of the British and Irish challengers as he finished third of the seventeen runners behind the French-trained colts Malacate and Empery. He was dropped in class for the Group Three Blandford Stakes over the same course and distance in August and won easily from his stable companion Whistling Deer. In the inaugural running of the Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes at Leopardstown on 25 September he started second favourite but failed to reproduce his best form as he finished fourth behind Malacate, Mart Lane and Niebo. On his final racecourse appearance he was sent to England for the Champion Stakesover ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in October. Ridden by Brian Taylor, he produced what was arguably his best performance as he finished third behind Vitiges and Rose Bowl, with Malacate, Crow and Wollow finishing behind.[4]