TURF TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 19

TURF TOPICS.

N.Z. CUP WINNER. BREEDING OF HIS SIRE. MR. LENNARD'S ADVICE. NOTES FROM TE AROHA. The victory of Stccton in the New Zealand tup lias brought to mind an inter€St i,]g story, in which the late Mr. John Leonard, tho well-known sportsman, breeder and owner, of Waihou, was a pro-1 uiiiieut figure. Steeton's main pedigree lines are as follow: By Sutala, by Soult— jjreamiand, by Cai'dijjftn—Siesta, by i'ra-j ducer. As is well known, Dreamland was owned and raced bytue late Mr, jJonaid ■Mclvinnon, of Waikato, who counted among his friends Mr. John Lennard. In a conversation one day Mr. McKinnon signified his intention of sending Dreamland 1* what Mr. Lennard considered was a second or third-rate class horse. Mr. lienuard duly convinced Mr. MeKinnon that the progeny of Soult were likely to he pre-eminent, in racing events of note, and that a Soult —Dreamland representative would be of racing value. In due course Elysian was produced by Soult from Dreamland. As a three-3'ear-old he won many important races, including the New Zealand Derby and Canterbury Cup. Elysian was the sire of Sutala, who was raced by the late Mr. G. D. Greenwood, ■who bred Steeton and was sold. It would thus appear that but for Mr. Lennard's timely advice there would have been no Steeton in our turf history. It can be noted that Mr. Lennard's good opinion of Soult was later amply borne out by the victories in the Auckland Cups of 1911 and 1912 of the Lennard-bred horses Waimangu and Santa Rosa, respectively. Mr. vj. P. Goodfellow's yearling filly by Siieardance— Keep Watch is now being handled. This half-sister to Val Watch is considered to be- one of the best in point of conformation and style bred in this district for some years. She may bo put into work in the winter with a. view to two-year-old events next season. Much of the credit for the condition in ■which King Brierly, King Mestor and King Win were produced at Avondale was due to the unremitting care bestowed upon Mr. jkines' trio by H. Eva, who was of the opinion that the horses were on the eve of striking form. This was borne out by the running at' the meeting. Now that King Brier*' has been sold to an Auckland buyer the other three-year-old of the stable, Nahlin, will be put through a thorough preparation. ■; ■ The running of King Win at Avondale went to show that the King Lu gelding should make good as a hurdler. In his schooling work he has never put a foot wrong and is considered to be one of the liest Jumpers that the district has yet proC. E. Mallowes has Mustang on the improve and he is pretty certain to be among the contestants at . the Waikato meeting this month. ;. Record Flight is being kept up to Jus work in view of the Waikato meeting. On the first day he is engaged in the Taupiri Hack, of six furlongs, uud considering, the quality .of the entrants his capability •will be tested in the race, i Gay Rose is showing improvement sjnee racing at Cambridge on- Labour Day and will be raced at Te Rapa next week. Last season the Gay Shield-filly ran well On ihe course, and in point 'of racing condition is better now. '„■■;., ::>' ''. ■ Mr. J. H. Wallace's' Mazir is gradually moulding into racing shape, and at the Waikato fixture will strip an improved torse to when he competed at the Taumarunui meeting. He is, however, being given time in which to develop, so may not strike top form yet awhile. _ The Diacquenod mare Miss Lorraine has been transferred to Pukekohe. C. E. Mallowes had the mare in tip-top trim and nicely built up this season, but she was unable to show her true form owing to the courses she raced on being of a too yielding nature.