Wellington Park Yearlings

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 297, 14 December 1892, Page 3

Wellington Park Yearlings

[By Hipfona.]

Wellington Park is famed as the birth-, place of more than one great.racehorse, and as there is every reason to regard ib as a nursery whence many more high-class equine kings and queens will spring, ibig only a natural order of things that "the annual sale is looked forward to with genuine interest by sportsmen throughout the colonies. On Saturday last I made one of a merry party who journeyed to Wellington Park on inspection bent. It was some eight weeks since I looked over the yearlings that go under the hammer on Wednesday, 4th January, 1893, and they have made a remarkable improvement since thab period. Taking the thirty-one youngsters altogether a better looking all round lot has nob been reared ab Wellington Park, while there are a number of "plums" in the collection. No wonder this is the case, for the stud abounds in equine treasures of the weaker sex, and mated with such stoutly. bred horses as Casbor and Hotchkiss it is only the natural order of things thab the yearlings aro endowed wibh good looks, size and symmetry. In his first season Castor has certainly acquitted himself more than well, and I make bold to say that this will be bhe verdicb of everyone who looks over his progeny. A bebter - bred horse never lefb England than Castor, while his racing record is a good one, for I gather from Mr Morrin's catalogue that oub of 2G starts Castor scored 17 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds, being only twice unplaced. Castor's pedigree contains no les3 than 12 English ; Derby winners, six St. Leger, four Oaks, and four 2,000 Guineas winners. Zealot, , the sire of Castor, is by the mighty Hermit, whilsb his dam, Zelle, is by bhe emperor of sballions Sbockweli, from Babebbe, who, ib may be worthy of mention, is full sister to Bathilcte, dam of febat rising stallion Splendour, who has lately sired a number of, winners in Ausbralia. Zelle, dam of Zealob, is' also dam of Sophia, who in burn is dam of Hagioscope, sire of more stayers ab Home than any | obher horse ab presenb ab the sbud. Ib is a ' common saying now in England bhab everybhing sired by Hagioscope will sbay, which should bend to greatly enhance the value of Castor's progeny. Zoalot, sire of Castor, was a good racecourse performer, and since being at the atud, has cired, besides Castor, the following winners, viz. : — Despot, Ranber, The Deacon, Lux, Catacol, St. Dominic, Sweob Alice, Zesb, Psalm Singer, Assassin, Guardian, Lady Eveline, Mock Orange, Marbineb, My Lena, Pantaloon, Assiduity, Forest, Palm Bloom, and Zelobes. Zealpb's sbock in 1885 won 8 races; in 1886, won 1; in 1887, 19 :in 1889, won 9; in 1890, won 7; and 1891, won 17, and he is now standing ab 50gs. Lady Yardley, dam of Casbor, never raced, but was pub early to tho stud, and has produced Anxiety (own sister to Castor), Kenilwortb, Medmenham, and Buckingham (all winners); the last-named, this season, having won the 38th Biennial Stakes; also ran bhird in the Dewhurst Plate; and at the Doncaster September Meebing won bhe Rous Plate. Hotchkiss also has done well in his firsti season. He is a horse that is well-known, and all of his progeny combine power with quality. This is not surprising seeing thab he was gob by Muskeb from Pebroleuse, by Oxford from Hartshorn, by Mounbain Deer from Area, by Gladiator from Twilight, by Velocipede from Miss Garforbh, by Blacklock. Hotchkiss was never raced owing to his growing so fast. Oxford, sire of Petroleuee, is about the last direcb male descendant of Irish Birdcatcher, and is also sire of Sterling, who begat Isonomy, one of the greatest racehorses ever foaled ; Beaudesert, winner of bhe Middle ParPlate of 1879 ; and Geologist who ran second for bhe St. Leger of 188.1. The yearling 3 were looked over in their boxes, and the first the party was introduced to was a brown colt got by Hotchkiss from Onyx (the dam of Nordenfeldb). He is marked with a white of!fore and hind foot and a star on his forehead. This fellow is a beautifully topped colb and a rare one bo follow, as indeed he should be on his breeding. It is unnecessary for me to mention thab Chrysolite, tho dam of Onyx, is by Stockwell out of the celebrabed Julieb (dam of Sylvia). This line of blood is ever a bheme for Australians bo enthuse over, and on looks bhe colb under notice should keep up tho reputation of the family. An equally goodlooking, bub of a differonb stamp in conformabion, is the bay colb gob by Castor from Musket's daughter Balista. Ho is a compact youngster of high promise, with good back and loin, and nicely turned quarters, and I fancy whoever buys him will get a good one. I may mention that Balista the dam of this colb, is full sister bo Artillery and Hilda, and half-sister to Strathmore. One of bhe grandest youngsbers of the collecbion is bho colb by Casbor oub of Bangle, and no doubb bhero will-be spirited competition for his possession. He is bay in colour. The colt has a head full of character, muscular neck, well-placed shoulders, a nicely rounded middle piece, capital quarters, good hocks, and legs like steel bars. The next juvenile looked over was a big upstanding lilly by Castor from Necklace, and whoever secures her will get a gem of the first water. There is nob a bad poinb about her, and she is bound to attract atfenbion when she enters the sale ring. Necklace, the dam of bins filly, was one of the besb mares that ever graced bhe New Zealand turf, and she has shown her ability to get winners, for Swordbelb, her firsb foal by Sword Dance, has shown bhab he can race, while there are few faster mares than Miss Lebby, who Necklace bhrew bo St. Leger. This yearling is Necklace's bhird foal, for she missed in 1890. We nexb looked aba grandly grown colt by Castor from Vivandiere, who has bromendous size combined with qualiby and substance. He has wonderfully good bone, and altogether one might go a long way before finding a better iookjng yearling. Vivandiere (the dam pf this colt), has thrown Son of a Gun, who ran second to Manton in the New Zealand Cup, that fast horse The Dancer, and, Vivab who ran second in bhe Canterbury Oaks. A very neab young lady is the filly by Nordenfeldb oub of Steppe, and tbe fact of her. being a full sister to Stepniak and coming from a racing family v/ill cause plenty of attention to be bestowed on her by intending buyers? This filly should prove as smarb as she looks, and has a nice oubline. Another member of the gentler sex thab will atbracb much attention, is a powerful brown filly by Hotchkiss from Radiant. She possesses plenty of size, is well shaped, with great freedom and style and propelling power, and is altogether a3 fine a lilly as a stu downer would wish bo rear. Radian b, bhe dam of this filly, is by Robinson Crusoe out of Radiance, by Fireworks out of Sunshine, and is mother of the speedy Dunedin-owned filly Lustre, her first foal. Sunshine.tho granddam of Radiant, won the V.R.C. Oaks, and is sister to Dagmar (a Maribyrnong Plate winner), a half-sister to Lantern (a V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup winner), to My Dream (a V.R.C. Oaks winner), Sunshine's sire, Maribyrnong, was tho sire of many winners, and Nighblighb, tho great granddam of Radiant, produced several nobed horses, among which wero Lantern, Dagmar, Bude Light, and My Dream. I '< liked very much a brown colb by Hotchkiss oub of Katipo, who is as sbrong as a dray-horse, and I shall feel disappointed if he does nob turn out a good one. He appears to possess a most beautiful temper, and altogether is a very fine yearling. A colt by Nordenfeldb oub of Lyrelinus, by Leolinus—Lyre

is a well-grown youngster, and a Musket all over. A brown. colb. by Casjbor or Hotchkiss from Aida (the dam of Impulse), is endowed, with great propelling power, and is full of promise, despite the fact thab he.is a late foal. I liked greatly a brown colt by Hotchkiss from Fairy Queen. This fellow is furnished like a tour-year-old. His mother was got by The Dauphin from Queen Mab, by Derby from Una, by St. Aubyn from Miss Rowe, by Sir Hercules, so that she can lay claim to coming from a great New Zealand racing family. The bay colt by Casbor from Arielina, by Ariel (the Auckland Gup winner) has a very nice oubline and is well-grown, while the brown colt by Tasman from Rose and Black is almost' a fac simile of his sire in appearance. He is a cut-and-come-again sort of customer, and his mother claims being a full sister to Vanguard (the-sire of Skirmisher, winner of the lasb C.J.C. Welcome Stakes). A colt by Castor from The Jilt is a good looking one all round, and bhe facb of him being half-brobher bo the speedy two-year-old filly Eve will cause plenty of attention to bo bestowed on him when he is led round the sale ring. Our next interview is wibh a brown colb by Telford from Lioness. HeisaMuskeball over, and greatly resembles his sire. This colb possesses bone, greab substance and quality, and is one that improves daily. There will be no opportunity to secure Nordenfeldb yearlings after this sale, and on this score alone a brown filly by Nordenfeldt from Yattacy will no doubb fetch a decent price. A brown filly by Castor out of Venerabion, by Pabriarch from Fides, by St. Aubyn from Chance, by Sir Hercules, is a likely looking one and is almosb a fac simile of her size in appearance. A brown filly by Tasman from Moonray is a smarb-looking youngster that promises to como to hand early. She is a full sister to Reflection, who was a fast two-year-old. A mosb Bhapely youngsber is bhe filly by Nordenfeldb from Bianca, who promises to come to hand early. There is no mare in the Stud Book with bebter or more successful lines of blood than Bianca, for she was gob by Black Eagle out of Bessie, by Angler (sire of Robinson Crusoe and Onyx). A fine slashing big youngster is the filly by Nordenfeldb — Pungawerewere — (full sisber to Crackshot), and if the last-named wius bhe'Auckland Cup ib'will no doubb cause, plenby of competition for her possession. She is brown in colour wibh a white hind leg and a little white on her face. I was more than pleased with the looks of a filly by Hotchkiss from Amazon, by Anteros, who claims being half-sister to Captivity, and a grey filly by Nordenfeldt from Maid of Athol will no doubt seb many heads nodding, for her mother is tho dam of Soudan, Kotuku, Scots Grey and Queen of Trumps. A smart looking customer is the young lady by Castor from Gannett (dam of Brigand). Sho has splendid propelling power, and if all accounts are true there is nob a fasber juvenile in bhe paddock in bhe whole collecbion. The filly is chesbnub in colour. A filly by Nordenfeldb from Formo, is builb on lines denoting that she should como to hand early. Her dam is a beautifully-bred mare, being by Sterlingworth from Pulchra, by Rosicrucian, and ib will bo strange indeed if this filly does not race. Formosa, dam of Pulchra, accomplished tho feat of running a dead heab for the Two Thousand Guineas, and winning the One Thousand Guineas, Oaks, and St. Leger. There is a wear and tear look about a colt by Nordenfeldb from Patch. His face is adorned with a good deal of white, and he should grow in bo a useful sort. Mr Morrin nexb had shown bo bhe parby a handsome chestnut filly by Castor from Victoria. She is beautifully pub together, and I failed to find a fault in her. Equally as goodlooking is a bay filly by Castor from Welcome Katie (dam of Tulloch). She possesses great galloping power, and even should she never race her blood ought to provo invaluable U3 a brood mare. The dam of Dundee's Katie is by Melbourne, one of the most successful sires of brood mares ever known, claiming the parentage of such celebrities as Blink Bonny (winner of bhe Derby and Oaks), bhe Slave (dam of Lord Clifdon), Marchioness (winner of bhe Oaks), Tasmania (dam of Leolinus), Queen of Beauby (dam of Panic), Bloomer (dam of Fairwabor, Ely, etc.). The last filiy on the printed catalogue to bo offered is a brown filly by Nordenfeldt from Ouida. Tho words lasb bub nob leasb can be truthfully applied to her. This filly ia well grown, with plenty of length in the proper place, good legs and greab quarbera to drive her along, and probably sho will fetch the top price ab bhe sale, for ib musb be remembered she is a half-si3ber to such celebrities aa Strathmore, Artillery and Hilda. This concluded our inspection, and one and all of the party were unanimous in the .pinion that a better lookin gor more sound lob of yearlings have not been brod ab Wellington Park. That Mr Morrin may have a successful sale is the wish of his many friends.