AN AUCKLAND STUD AND STABLE VISITED.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9778, 14 July 1897, Page 2

AN AUCKLAND STUD AND STABLE VISITED.

GRAND NATIONAL HURDLE RACE AND N.Z. CUP CANDIDATES. [By Telegraph From Oub Owjt corrksfonoest. ] ■■' ■ "Weekly Press and Referee." In Auckland there are no mote popular horse owners than the two brothers whose norn de coune is " Mr R. Burke." They are, indeed, two genial spirits, who boast of no enemies in the many paths of life in which they move. Successful business men they are too. It is at the salubrious marine suburb of the North Shore or, more properly speaking, Devonport, where their headquarters are, and it was in this favoured locality where they were born. "Mrß. Burke" has carried off some of the good things of the turf in this colony, and for some time past has regularly figured pretty well upon the.li.BtoE winning owners. Their stables and brood mares, &c., are located at Devonport, where they have the advantage of plenty of salt water for their equines, as the pretty harbour of Waitemata is almost at

their door. D. Morrigan, who has now been in the employ of <r K. Biirke "as trainer for close on five years, is not unknown in the south. He graduated under H. Fuller, when that; trainer had charge of the team raced by the late Dr. Prins, while subsequently ,he was in the employ of the old racing firm of Mason and Vallance. H e at last found his way to Auckland, and as rider and trainer he nas prospered ever since, having the reputation of beine bard working and steady. Morrigan broke his collarbone whije riding Bombardier in the Tally-ho Steeplechase, at the recent North New Zealand Grand National Meeting, but I was able to congratulate him on being all right again—almost as good as new—on Saturday last, when I spent a pleasant time looking over Mr Burkes racehorses in training and the other thoroughbreds there, among them being a N.Z. Grand National Hurdle Race candidate in Annabelle and two N.Z. Cup candidates in Lady Anna and Miss Anna.

The horses in training had just returned from their morning's swim, which had been got through in a suitable and secluded spot at the lake. First I looked over Annabelle outside of her box.» There is nothing very attractive about the mare to look at jnst now, she being enveloped in > shaggy coat, and altogether in the rough. This is partly attributable to .the mare being mostly in the paddock, and that a good deal of her training is done by the aid of sea exercise. However, the mare 13 in firstclass health, and, although sho has two ugly looking forelegs, she appears quite sound tagain. One thing, she has the gift of pace. If she is thought fairly handicapped, I shall be quite prepared to chronicle that she is to be shipped to Christchurch to fulfil her engagement. The next looked over was. the New Zealand Cup candidate, -Miss Anna, by St. Hippo—Anna, rising three years, who is as sound as a bell. She is one of the lean and lengthy sort, with a racing look about her, but she promises not to be a big mare. At the present time I should say she stands fifteen hands high. Since she went into winter retirement she has furnished and grown a little. In her races she comes at the right end, and I should say that she will stay better on a.journey than her stable companion Lidy Anna, by St. Leger—Anna, another candidate for New Zealand Cup honours. This mare stands 15hds Sin, and she is not at all handsome to look at. She is very hollow-backed indeed, putting mc in mind of Boulanger: 1 have never seen a mare with such withers." She has great length of shoulder, and in front there is little to find fault with her conformation ; but the only redeeming feature behind the saddle is her galloping quarters. However, Lady Anna can muster up a lot of pace, and there should be a good few race 3 concealed about her yet. Morrigan is at present treating both Mise Aqna and Lady Anna to long slow work, and both are in capital condition for the time. The next to claim attention was the hero of many jumping contests. I refer to Bombardier, who claims to have been runner up to Norton in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase and Hawke's Bay Steeplechase and Hurdles, having won the Great Northern Steeplechase. The old fellow bears many soars of equine battles, and his owners have a very warm corner in their lvoarta for him. He has never been known to refuse or baulk at an obstacle yet and is a wonderfully gmne horse at the finish. " What is the cause of Bombardier's frequent falling?" is a question I put to Morrigan, who has ridden the gelding so often. " Well," says Morrigan, "his fault is that he gets too close to his jumps." , When he stands off he jumps . land there: is * a race or two in Ahe old fellow yet, for he is a good doer, and , on the whole he is pretty sound. I was next ushered into the box of Lady Agnes. This daughter of Nelson and the highly-bred Sister Agnes is also trained on the same lines as Annabelle, plenty of swimming exercise and- being turned out in a paddo&k. She looks bright and well, and I should say she will earn further distinction over hurdles, for it must be remembered that this is the mare which won the Maiden Hurdle Race at both the Takapuna Winter and North New Zealand Grand .National, Meetings. These were the first and only attempts afc the jumping business. She is a great mare at getting through and is not partial to hard ground, or I should say that is her reputation in the stable. In another box was Kepo, a rising three-year-old - filly, by Cuirassier—Hune, who in five Starts* last season was only once out of a place,; bub despite she failed to gain a winning bracket. She is a nice, lengthy mare, yho undoubtedly possesses the knack of galloping, and I should say she will improve With age. Mr Burke haa two rising two-yeir-old colts, and bo.th, having been brdkeriin Sndiidderi, were disporting themselves ii» ajpaddock. One is by Cuirassier— Lifac and (the other by Cuirassier—Hune.' The Lilac colt, who was bought afc the last Park sale, is a shapely fellow, but he ia idwarfed in appearance by the Huae colt| who J3 one of the finest specimens of a young horse that I have gazed on jfor a long time past. Hβ is a Muskefc all over, being built on lines which combme bone and substance. There is no doubt: that Cuirassier sires, in most instances, great and handsome horses and his progeny taki a lot of beating in this respect. Running abijut another paddock was the jumping Belvidere, by Cuirassier out of Belle, by JJEusket, harihg for a companion a gelding, rising five years, by Brigadier— Rosie, by Anteros. Both of these were in the rough. En a well-grassed enclosure I looked over "four rising yearlings, and - also Anita, and a big upstanding mare, got by Cuirassier from Dolosa, who was broken in but has not been raced. - Such a fine-looking mare ought' certainly,to be put in training to prove her- worth. Anita haa made a wonderful.recovery. , As chronicled by mc in the Referee-some weeks back, the mare was savaged! 6n one of her quarters by a draught mare, and the wound was such a bad one that owners thought she would succumb. Hpwever, the wound has healed up in an- astonishing manner, and it ia now thought [that, after all, she will not be affected f#r racing again. Whether she retires to stud duty or otherwise, is not;'now finally determined upon/ The four yearlings arc bred as follows:—Fillj by Bfc Leger—Anna, filly by Cuirassier — Dolosa, colb by Cuirassier— Hune, aad colt by Cuirassier—Miss Stead. They are a well grown quartette, and are full of promise. . The St Leger filly boasts of a great pedigree, for Anna (her dam) is by Musket—Florin, by Traducer—Rupee, by Dollar. The youngeWe have been weaned six weeks, and jbhey have got over it well. The five brood mares owned by Mr Burke were running in another enclosure, having a3 a companion a rising three-year-old gelding by Regel—Belle, who is untried- Belle, who will be remembered as the Great Northern Steeplechase winner of 1886, is empty, but the other fonr mares are in foaL Last season Anna was put to St. Hippo. This aristocratic nv»re baa produced Annabelle, Anita, Miss Anna, Lady Anna, and the pony Reil, each having won races. Hune, by Cap-a-pie-^Raupo, by Dipmedes, is in foal to Cuirassier, and Miss Stead, by Leolinus— Miss Laura (dam of the consistent New Plymouth owned mare, St. Laura) to the same stallion. Dolosa, by Leolinus—Lore, by Traducer, likewise is in foal to Cuirassier. All of the mares are in splendid health, »nd

one day "MrR. Burke" should s>e able« to boast of having bred a good winner from one of them. Such liked and fine supporlei-s ot the pastime deeerve to do so.