RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 163, 23 July 1901, Page 5

RACING NEWS.

SEAHORSE SOLD TO ME. S. H

GOLLAN.

Yesterday afternoon Mr L. De Pelechet, manager of Mr S. H. Gollan's Mangatarita station, at Hawke's Bay, visited Major George's stud at Wapiti, accompanied by Mr E. Halstead, veterinary surgeon, aud within threequarters of an hour of leaving the city had completed the purchase of the well known racehorse Seahorse, who •had been placed under offer to Mr S. IT. G-olian's representative, who arrived on the previous day from Napier, and had personally inspected the son of Nelson and Moonga. Though Seahorse had been temporarily stopped in his work a few weeks since, owing to being pricked by a nail causing his foot to fester, he came through a searching examination, and the bargain was completed at 2000 guineas. Seahorse has been purchased to go to England, and is likely to leave at an early date, unless Mr (Jollan should" cable instructions to allow him to complete his New Zealand Cup or Melbourne Cup, and other Australian engagements, which. Mr De Peleehet informs me is very improbable. Mr Uollau has been a plucky purchaser of racing stock in this and our sister colonies, and the unbounded faith he has shown in horses bred in New Zealand in particular has been marked Let us hope that Seahorse will return to the tine, form that he exhibited as athrec year old, and reward his new owner by securing some of the rich prizes to be won on English soil.

Soulior.se, who will be five years old next foaling, opened his career ni the Hnrili" of ISB6 hi the Auckland Racing Club's Welcome Smkes. in which he ran unplaced behind -Miss Delaval, fat. Peter and Rosella. In the Musket Stakes Handicap next day, over the same distance, lour furlongs, be was second (8.0) to Miss DclavaJ (9.2), havin- seven behind him. On the third day he won the Nursery Handicap (8.12), beating ltosella (3.7) and six others. His next appearance was in the Great Northern Fool Stakes, in which he was unplaced behind Gun (now Sereingapatam), Rosella and Miss Delaval, but three days' later he won the Criterion Handicap (8.7), beating Rosella (8.9), St. Peter (8.0), and three others; and on the third day, carrying- 8.11, was second to Nantes Rosella (S.B) and three others being behind him. On the fourth day, in the Royal Stakes, Screw Gun (7.3) won, Seahorse (6.12) being second, Altair (8.11) third, Miss Delaval (6.12), Rosella (6.2), Day n tree (5.6), and Hylas (8.6) being the other starters. At the Hawke's Bay Autumn Meeting carrying 8.13 he ran unplaced to Eosella (8.12), Temeraire (7.5), Mistra (7.0) in the Nursery Handicap, and unplaced carrying- 6.12 to Rosella (0.12), Ideal (7.7) and Altair (3.13) in the Hawke's Bay Stakes. Returning to Auckland, he finished second to Miss Delaval in the A.R.C. Champagne Stakes, and on the second day with 7.10 won the Shorts Handicap, beating Rosella (7.9), Fauglr-a-ballagh and eight otheis, and carrying 9.9 was third in the Victoria Handicap to Rosella (9.6) and Blue Cap (7.9). This was the finish of his two-year-old career. Next season be started seven times in New Zealand and won fire times in succession, being beaten a neck in bis sixth race, and winning the seventh. Commencing- with the Hawke's Bay Guineas, one mile, he won in 1.43J, beating Miss Delavai, Autaia and four others, and next day won the Spring Handicap, one and a half miles (5.2). beating Tauhei (8.2), Ideal (7.7) and thuee others in 2.36 1-5. Travelling South to Canterbury,, he next appeared in the New Zealand Cup, of 15008OVS, two miles, and carry ; ing 7.8 he beat Malatua (7.0), Explosion (8.2) and thirteen others in 3.34. Two days later, Sn the Canterbury Derby, of 500sovs, he beat Miss Delaval and Sant llario, running the mile and a half in 2.38, and on the concluding day of the meeting won the Canterbury Cup. two and a quarter miles, beating Explosion and Sant llario in the record time of 3.56 1-5. In the Greot Northern Derby Miss Delaval scored a fluky neck win from him, Sant llario beaten a head for third place. In the Auckland Plate, in a memorable struggle with Explosion (a great horse when well, this) he won by a head. Going to Melbourne he injured the muscles of his shoulder and could not do himself justice, running unplaced in the V.R.C. Essenden Stakes to Eiridsdale, and unplaced, carrying 8.10 to La Carabine (7.5) in the Australian Cup, in which he got caught in the tapes. In the spring of the now closing season he was again sent to Victoria, and with a view to doing him good for his Melbourne Cup engagement was started in the Caulfield Stakes, a mile and three furlongs. In this race The Chief made the pace a cracker, but Seahorse cut him down and then settled Paul Pry, who was in great form, but was just beaten by Kinglike in record time for the distance. It was on the following Tuesday morning that Seahorse put up a record gallop on the Flemingrfcon track—a gallop that astonished Hickenbottocri, who 'had tried both Carbine and Nowliaven over the same distance. The Melbourne Cup was considered by that train«r well within Seahorse's grasp, but on the Sunday he was prostrated with influenza, and was during1 the Cup week nearly dead. Seahorse's next two performances were at the Autumn Meeting of tie Auckland Racing Club, in the Easter Handicap, carrying 9.12, and in the Century Stakes, in neither of which events was he placed, being out of form. Seahorse has won in all in this colony stakes to "the value of £r?<il7. The. head-lines of his pedigree read: —

As every racing man knows, Kelson was a sterling horse, and Seahorse is his best son. King Cole never got a better than Nelson. King Lud, brother to King Cole, was in his time voted the best handicap horse, in England. Major George could have sold Seahorse before he won the New Zealand Cup, Canterbury Cup and Canterbury Derby for a tidy sum, and it was said could have had 3000 guineas for his colt afterwards. At 2000 guineas, taking into account that he may take time to recover his form, or may never get back to it again, is a substantial price. Major George, how-

ever, thinks that his favourite will prove a good investment and a good advertisement for New Zealand.

A Christchurch Press Association wire announces that Strabhnairn has been scratched for the New Zealand Grand National Hurdles Handicap.

HEAII0RSEJ9) Moonga I Nelson (5) Kernal Goldsborough | • <'3) My Idea King Cole (19) Q g a 1] 3 0 c & a p c I 3 s = B' o g