Hydrogen experienced a classic haul of quality silverware from 1951 to 1953

Hydrogen was by the imported stallion Delville Wood, a beautifully proportioned dark-brown horse by Bois Roussel, the winner of the English Derby in 1938. Imported to Australia by Percy Miller in 1947 at the cost of around ten thousand guineas, this was the first crop to be offered by the stallion. The Delville Wood - Sweet Sound colt was the most expensive of the Delville Woods sold at sale and he was purchased by E.R Williams and promised to trainer Ted Hush. Dam Sweet Sound was by the powerful sire Magpie so the pedigree was particularly rich with class. Owner E.R Williams, a founding part owner of the Woolworths retail chain in Sydney 1924, was known in racing as the man with the 'Midas Touch' who also owned Pride of Egypt, Lord Forrest and Forest Beau. Trainer Ted Hush originally was a strapper for Newcastle trainer Alf Inkpen, also rode as a jockey in the Western districts of NSW. Major race winners in Abspear 1943 Sydney Cup and Dewar 1943 Tramway Handicap bought Hush into prominence at Randwick with other major winners, being Russia, 1946 Melbourne Cup, Pride of Egypt, 1954 Victoria Derby and Caranna, 1955 AJC Derby.

Hydrogen failed by a neck of being the first horse to win three Cox Plates when beaten in 1951 as a three-year-old. He won the subsequent two editions of the race in 1952 and 1953. An outstanding three-year-old he developed into one of Australia’s finest weight-for-age performers and the highest stakes earner at the time, eclipsing the record previously held by Phar Lap.

Hydrogen hit winning form early in 1951 as a two-year old, displaying a powerful burst in only his second appearance to win comfortably. That performance was impressive, but it was his remarkable finish in the Macarthur Quality Handicap at Rosehill six weeks later that clearly indicated his potential for the A.J.C. Derby.

Unfortunately, a skin condition saw the colt turned out, however, Hydrogen resumed in the Spring with a slashing win in the Hobartville Stakes at Randwick. The Chelmsford Stakes marked Hydrogen’s first clash with Delta, the horse that would prove his nemesis for the balance of the season and who would beat him in the Chelmsford. An effortless win in the Guineas at Rosehill in race record time followed for Hydrogen, but in the Derby he struggled to pick up the leaders, possibly weighed down by particularly heavy shoes on the day and acting quite fractious beforehand, but he eventually finished 9th, with Channel Rise the 1951 victor.

Four days after the Derby, Hydrogen had little difficulty winning the weight-for-age Craven Plate on a heavy track in Neville Sellwood’s hands, before going to Melbourne. The colt was brilliant enough to win the Caulfield Guineas over the mile, the first Sydney horse to do so in twelve years, and then went under by a neck to fellow three-year-old Bronton, in the W.S. Cox Plate when beaten for speed. In the Victorian Derby at Flemington, Hydrogen gave the leader Trizami twelve lengths from the half-mile and yet won by more than a length. Underlining the claim that he was the finest three-year-old of the season, Hydrogen only narrowly missed a place in the Melbourne Cup three days later.

In the autumn Hydrogen campaigned in both Melbourne and Sydney winning the respective St Legers in hollow fashion from his only two rivals in each instance as well as carrying seven pounds over weight-for-age to win the Rosehill Cup in course record time. As a 4yo, Hydrogen’s career was just as rewarding, and the son of Delville Wood managed to win numerous WFA events including the Craven Plate, W.S. Cox Plate and C.B. Fisher Plate although his biggest pay-cheques came with victories in the Alister Clark Stakes and the Brisbane Cup. As a spring 5yo, Hydrogen remained dominant in the weight-for-age classics winning both a second W.S. Cox Plate and C.B. Fisher Plate while being narrowly beaten in The A.J.C. Metropolitan. Lame as a result of a shoulder injury, Hydrogen was scratched from all engagements at the 1954 Autumn Meeting at Randwick, and his retirement was soon announced.

A winner over six furlongs (1200m) to two miles (3200m) he won many major races including the 1951 VATC Caulfield Guineas, 1951 VRC Victoria Derby, 1951 STC Rosehill Guineas, 1951 AJC Craven Plate, the 1952 and 1953 MVRC W.S. Cox Plate, 1953 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes and the 1953 QTC Brisbane Cup.

He was retired to stud in 1954. Hydrogen proved a disappointment as a stallion and only sired one really first-class racehorse in the filly Fire Band. 

RACE RECORD - 60: 26-8-9

EARNINGS - £59,444

Hobartville Stakes (1951)

Rosehill Guineas (1951)

Craven Plate (1951,1952)

Caulfield Guineas (1951)

Victoria Derby (1951)

VRC St Leger Stakes (1952)

AJC St Leger (1952)

Hill Stakes (1952,1953)

W S Cox Plate (1952,1953)

C.B.Fisher Plate (1952,1953)

Alister Clark Stakes (1953)

P.J. O'Shea Stakes (1953)

Brisbane Cup (1953)

Mackinnon Stakes (1953)

St George Stakes (1953)

Colin Stephen Stakes (1953)

AJC Randwick Plate (1953)

VRC Queens Plate (1953)