DEATH OF STEPPE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9128, 12 June 1895, Page 2

DEATH OF STEPPE.

Auckland, June 4. A famous brood mare in Steppe, one of the Wellington Park brood matrons, was destroyed to-day by the aid of a friendly ballet. Mr Morriu had a great dislike to anything of this kind, but mercy compelled him to have her shot, and going down to the Thames for a short trip he left the flat behind him.

t A* the dam of Ruanley, Lady Norah, Too Soon, Stepniak, Stepfeldt and Mahaki, the half sister to Hermit has made a name for herself in New Zealand equine history that time will not deface. A very interesting history of Steppe and her progeny could be written, bat I leave this to "Spectator."' Suffice it to mij chal Steppe's soo,"Mahaki, is likely to keep her ntaaory green in the season 1895-96. Steppe was purchased at *k& bre&ki&g-np sal/of the N. Z. Stud Company's establishment for 200gs and she h»d at her aider a colt by Ingomar, now Mahaki. Looking over an old scrap book I and that fir G. G. Stead purchased Steppe at the Cpbham Stud sale of 1881 for 760iis, besides a number of other aristocratic mares, which, after being landed in New Zealand, eventually found their way into the defunct New Zealand Stud Company's establishment. Assembled at the ring side was the late Hon. J. White, who bought several famous mares which now graze at the Kirkham Stud. In this connection the following extract from the report of the sale will be interesting:—"SweetCicely, whose aristocratic lineage led to such spirited competition, realised 670gs before the hammer fell to Mr Stead's final bid. Amongst his opponents were K. Weatherby, Baron C. Martezham, and the Hon. J. White, the latter of whom consoled himself by securing The Solent and Princess Maud. It is not a little remarkable that two old colonial racing opponents like Messrs White and Stead should fight for the possession of a brood mare 15,000 miles away from their own homes almost as stubbornly as their two horses Chester and Le Loup struggledfor the Cumberland Plate, the last weight-for-age race in which they met in Sydney in 1837, and In which Chester won by half a length.

[By SiPECTATonJ. When a noted racehorse or aira of win*

nere departs to those " fresh fields and pastures new"—about which we are told so much by theorists—the papers in proclaiming the fact seldom neglect to refer to the turf and stud deeds of the equine. Famous mares likewise receive mention, but seldom is their loss as fully realised or recognised. The death of that illustrious mare Steppa is one of the events of the season. It recalls to memory some of the deeds accomplished by members of her big family, and stirring memorable achievements many of them were. They were only, however, as might have been expected of the progeny of so right a bred one as the half-sister to Hermit (the Derby winner of 1567), who for some years was at the bead of the list of winning *iree in England. That he owed much of his greatne-s to his dam, Seclusion, there is no doubt, and the same may be said of Steppe, who claimed Saunterer, one of the most successful performers and sires of his day, as her progenitor. Steppe inherited galloping qualities herself, being a good performer, and with a healthy strong constitution she has been prolific in leaving behind her worthy representatives of her high lineage.

Steppe's performances in England were as follows:—As a two-year-old she won several racea, and ran second in the Middle Park Plate to Albert Victor, Hannah third (the former subsequently running second for the Derby, and the latter winning the One Thousand Guineas, Oaks and St. Leger). As a three-year-old, she ran second to Hannah in the One Thousand Guineas, and second to Corisande in the Coronation Stakes. As a four-year-old, won a Weight-for-age Sweepstake at the Newmarket Craven Meeting; at the Newmarket Second Spring Meeting, ran second in a Handicap Plate over the Bretby Stakes Course ; and at the Croydon October Meeting ran second in the Woodside Handicap (five furlongs). Steppe is dam of Rye Grass (by Wild Oats) winner of the Refuse Plate (200 <ovb) and Manor Stakes, and was sold for oOOsovn, and is also dam of Leads (by Doncaster), who as a two-year-old won the September Nursery Handicap (300«ovs), at Sandown Park (five furlongs), carrying 7st and beating sixteen others; as a three-year-old won the Great Surrey Handicap (15«ovs each, 200 added), at Epsom (five furlongt), beating Chevronel and five others, including a full brother to Shotover ; as a four-year-old, at the Nottingham Spring Meeting, Leeds also won the Portland Plate of 300sovs, carrying 8«t 61b, beating ten others; the Bretwood Park Plate of 200aova, carrying Bst 131b, beating nine others; and the Curzon Plate of sG(hova, Bat9lb, beating thirteen others j and carrying 9st, ran a dead-head with Pillory, 6*t 71b, for the Alexandra Cup (handicap) of oOOsovs, and won many other races on the Euglish turf during his long career. After coming to New Zealand Steppe produced to Doncaster Russley, who after winning a number of races in New Zealand was taken to Australia, and there sold, on account of Mr Stead.after which he won the Doncaeter Handicap, of lOOOsovs, beating twenty others. Lady Norah. by Cadogan from Steppe,opened her winning account as a three-year-old by pulling off the Maiden at Auckland, afterwards running second to Disowned in the Derby, and winning the Wanganui Stakes, of 20i)sovs; Hawke'e Bay J.C. Handicap, of 600jovs ; and Great Northern St. L >ger, of 30i)sovs. As a four-year-old the Auckland R.C. Handicap, of 300aovs; Wellington R.C, of 250sove; and as a five-year-old the Wanganui Cup, of 50060va. Too Soon, by Anceros, beat four, large fields in Australia, and the Carrington Stakes, of 750iova, fell to his lot, twenty-two horsea finishing behind him. Tartar was a good little horse, and was also a winner, the Christmas Handicap at Auckland being captured by him. She, by Nordenfeldt, won the Sapling Stakes at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club Meeting, beating a field of twenty-one; also the Nursery at the S iuth Australian J.C. Meeting, and the Two-year-old Handicap at the V. A.T.C. July Meeting, beating a field of fifreen, besides other races. The deeds of Stepniak, her eon by Nordenfeldt, are yet green in the memories of racegoers. The Welcome Stakes at the C.J.C. Meeting, the Stewards' Handicap, the C.J.C. Derby, in which St. Hippo played second fiddle, and the Canterbury Cup, and his second to Merganser in the Great Autumn Handicap, pointed to him as a good one. Then there is Mahaki, by Ingomar, who, during the decaying season stamped himself as one of if not actually the best of our handicap performers. Stepfeldt, who, as a two-year-old, won races, and who put down Blue Fire in the Great Northern Derby this season, it the youngest of a right good family.