Talma (horse)

Talma
Sire	Pharis
Grandsire	Pharos
Dam	Thaouka
Damsire	Asterus
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1948
Country	France
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Marcel Boussac
Owner	Marcel Boussac
Trainer	Charles Semblat
Record	9: 5-1-1
Major wins
Prix Franc Tireur (1951) Prix Berteux (1951) St Leger Stakes (1951) Cumberland Lodge Stakes (1951) Prix Flying Dutchman (1953)
Awards
Timeform rating 130 (1951)

Talma, also known as Talma II, (1948 – after 1969) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes. After winning his first two races in France he started second favourite for the St Leger and won by a margin conservatively recorded as ten lengths despite misbehaving before the race. He recorded his only other win of any consequence when he took the Cumberland Lodge Stakes. He raced until the age of five and was then exported to South America where he had moderate success as a breeding stallion.

Talma was a chestnut horse with four white socks bred by in France his owner Marcel Boussac. He was sired by Pharis, the undefeated winner of the 1939 Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris. Talma's dam Thaouka, also bred by Boussac was a successful racemare who won the Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne in 1932. Before Talma, Thaouka had produced several winners including Canzoni (Prix Penelope, Prix Chloe) and Micipsa (Prix Eugene Adam, Prix du Prince d'Orange). As a son of Pharis out of an Asterus mare who was in turn out of a mare by Gainsborough, Talma was bred on very similar lines to Boussac's 1950 St Leger winner Scratch. Talma was sent into training with Charles Semblat at Chantilly.

Talma was unraced as a two-year-old. On his racecourse debut in 1951 he won the Prix Franc Tireur at Le Tremblay and then took the Prix Berteux at Longchamp Racecourse.

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