The superb filly, La Carabine was the finest daughter the famous Carbine ever produced

Sir Rupert Clarke’s La Carabine was a Champion winning thoroughbred in 1901 and 1902. She is pronounced unhesitatingly 'a Queen of the era'. Her first season did not appear to hold out much hope of mighty deeds in the future; at least to those who were not acquainted with her domestic history. She was a chestnut, foaled in 1894, by the legendary Carbine out of imported mare Oratava, (by Barcaldine) bred Mr. O’Shanassy, but it was in the nomination of Mr. Herbert Power as the new owner that she was launched upon her career as a two-year-old. She was an exceedingly mean-looking creature during her first season. The filly would not be competitive during the 1897/98 season, but would eventually win at distances from 5 furlongs to 3 miles.

Being much enamoured of her pedigree, many people took the long journey to Melbourne from the Murray in order to see her perform. The filly was a tough, ragged-looking little thing, with a mournful look of scorn and she knuckled over on both her hind fetlocks at each step. As a two-year-old in Jimmy Wilson’s stable, La Carabine did not display the great possibilities that lay beneath her rather washy chestnut hide. She was successful in a Nursery at Randwick in the autumn, carrying seven stone seven, but beating nothing of any great account, and she was absolutely unsuccessful as a three-year-old. At four years she managed to dead heat at Flemington with Dreamland, who beat her in the run off, at a mile and a half. But for this faint silver lining to her cloud, most were left in the dark as to her true ability. She could beat Key, one of the slick sprinters of the turf, so certainly possessed a turn of foot, and when the mood struck her the horse was difficult to hold back.

Two days after she beat Merriwee at weight-for-age over three miles in the AJC. Plate, and travelling on to Adelaide, she smashed the opposition in the Alderman Cup, a mile and three-quarters, carrying the substantial impost of 9st. 7lb (60kg). Now a six-year-old, and in the ownership of Sir Rupert Clarke, and after failing in the Melbourne Cup with nine seven, she gained a bracket in the VRC Handicap. Carrying the same weight as in the Cup. In the autumn, she won the Essendon Stakes, and the Champion Stakes. In Sydney the Cumberland Stakes (2 miles), and the AJC. Plate (3 miles) were hers, and she completed her triumphs with a couple of victories in Adelaide, the last of which was the SAJC. Handicap, carrying ten stone six (66kg).

La Carabine ran but four times as a seven-year-old, and her one achievement was once more winning the VRC Championship, on this occasion beating another reigning Queen, the peerless Wakeful. She was retired to the stud in the following spring. It is seldom indeed that one sees a great race mare vindicate herself in the paddock as well as upon the racecourse, and La Carabine was no exception to the rule. It is true that her sires were chosen somewhat unfortunately, but it is doubtful whether a mare who was what may be termed “trained to rags” could ever have produced anything approaching herself in racing ability at two miles.

RACE RECORD - 48 starts - 15 wins - 7 placings
EARNINGS - $19,934

1898/99 at Five Years
Flemington VRC Stand Handicap
Flemington VRC Australian Cup
Randwick Sydney Cup
Randwick AJC Plate
Victoria Park ARC Alderman Cup

1900-01 at Six Years
Flemington VRC Handicap
Flemington VRC Essendon Stakes 
Flemington VRC Champion Stakes
Randwick AJC Cumberland Stakes
Randwick AJC Plate
Morphettville SAJC Elders Stakes 
Morphettville SAJC Handicap
Victoria Park ARC Parkside Stakes

1901-02 at Seven Years
Flemington VRC Champion Stakes