YEARLING SALES AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25084, 16 January 1947, Page 4

YEARLING SALES AT TRENTHAM

RACING

RECORD OFFERING THIS YEAR HIGH PRICES AGAIN LIKELY To-day, the twenty-first annual sale of thoroughbred yearlings opens at Trentham. From small beginnings, the sale hps come to be one of the most important of its kind in the southern hemisphere. This year the sale nas assumed record proportions, the catalogue comprising some 463 yearlings, the progeny of 70 sires.

There are to-day in New Zealand more racehorse owners than ever before and breeding is on a record scale. The thoroughbred market continues in a buoyant state, and with the added stimulus of Australian competition it is possible that the price records established last year will be broken during the four days’ sales.

Even before Carbine placed New Zealand’s name on the map as a thoroughbred nursery, the country had acquired a reputation through some successful invasions of the Australian turf. Through the years. New Zealand-bred horses continued to be successful in Australia, and an ever-increasing numbef of buyers came here from Australia to purchase yearlings and older horses. Before 1927, most of the leading studs either conducted their own sales of yearlings or sold at the various smaller sales held throughout the country. The shortcomings of that system were obvious, and in 1927 the first national sale of thoroughbred yearlings was organised. At that sale, 69 yearlings were sold for an aggregate of 25,065 guineas, an average of 363 guineas. Last year. 270 yearlings were sold and the aggregate soared to 152,140 guineas, and the average was 563 guineas. All previous price records were broken when the colt by Foxbridge from Ann Acre, a brother to Al Sirat. Bridge Acre, and Lord Barwon, was sold for 3750 guineas. The record was shortlived, for at the next day’s sales, a filly by Coronach from Princess Ball realised 4750 guineas.

Since the inception of the sales, 28 Derby winners, 26 St. Leger winners, 15 Oaks winners, and 43 Guineas winners in Australia and New Zealand have been sold in the Trentham ring. No sale ring in the world has provided such a high percentage of winners, particularly highclass winners, as Trentham.

The law'of averages dictates that there be failures among the high-priced lots, and champions among the cheaper lots; but a survey of the high-priced lots of former years shows a surprisingly high proportion of good-class winners. The first outstanding winner to be sold at the sales was Phar Lap. The “Red Terror,” as he became known, made only 160 guineas at the 1928 sales, and won more than £70,000. Royal Chief was sold for 160 guineas and won £18,697 in stakes, and is now well established as a sire through the deeds of his sons, Bruce and Royal Tan, both of which passed through the safe ring at Trentham. Defaulter realised .180 guineas. He was the champion of his time, and Vrort more than £lll,OOO. Now he Is the most successful New Zea-land-bred sire for many years. Beau Vite was sold for 900 guineas. He, too, was a champion, winning £27,770, and is also establishing himself as a sire. Though there have been a great number of bargains in the sale ring, there have also. een a number of bargains missed. In 1930 a colt by Limond from Hyades came into the ring. He failed to reach his reserve, bidding ceasing at 475 guineas. Later he raced as Ammon Ra, and his successes included the A.J.C. Derby and Sires’ Produce Stakes, the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and the Caulfield Guineas. Altogether he won £25,831 in stakes. The brilliant filly Gay Ballerina was also passed in. She later won 14 races and £7467.

It is often said that the buying of yearlings is a lottery; yet some men year after year make purchases, not always at a high figure, of which a high proportion turn out payable racehorses. Strong Auckland Candidate *

' The presence of Foxwyn will add considerably to the interest in the Wellington Cup. This six-year-old Foxbridge, 1 gelding appears the best staying handicapper in the Auckland Province at present, and was a little unlucky not to add his name to the list of dual Auckland Cup winners on Boxing Day. Foxwyn has been in first-class form this season, having had three firsts and three seconds in six starts. In November he won the Waikato Cup, and before being beaten by a nose in the Auckland Cup, he won the Flying Handicap, of seven furlongs, at the Waipa meeting, on December 14, carrying 9-0. On the fourth day at Ellerslie, Foxwyn won the weight-for-age race, the Clifford Plate, of a mile and a quarter, by a neck from another Wellington Cup candidate in Hot Pursuit, with Signal Officer in the unplaced division. Auckland horses accustomed to righthanded courses have not always fared well when racing the opposite way at Trentham; but as Foxwyn has raced well on the left-handed track at Te Rapa, Trentham should not bother him. He has only to race up to his Auckland form to be a "opponent for Golden Souvenir, Bruce, and Langue d’Or next Saturday. Langue d’Or was running nicely at the finish of the York Handicap at Trentham last Saturday, and should be ready to give another sound display in the Wellington Cup on Saturday. He was run-ner-up to Golden Souvenir last year with 8-0, and with 8-6 this year he meets Golden Souvenir on 21b better terms. Langue d’Or is a formidable ftorse over two miles, and his only real failure at the distance was in the last Auckland Cup. That failure can hardly be held against him, as only five days before his race at Ellerslie Merry Robin beat him by half a head over a mile and a quarter at Awapuni, Langue d’Or carrying 9-4 and covering some extra ground. That race, plus the travelling to Ellerslie, probably accounted lor his lapse of form. Langue d’Or should be in more solid condition now than he was when he contested the New Zealand Cup, in which case he may go close to obtaining his first two-mile success. Riccarton Candidates Fancied Privilege represents better eflass than most of the field in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham, and for that reason she appeals in spite of her lack of recent racing. After her good performance in the Apprentices’ Handicap last Saturday Indian Dawn has come into favour; but it is questionable whether she would be able to give Privilege half the start she gave the field last Saturday, especially at level weights. Her slowness to find her feet will offset Privilege’s lack of racing. The third Riccarton candidate, Rahine, was finishing well in Seventh place in the Hals well Hack Handicap on Saturday, and with a firmer track will improve on that performance. Riccarton stables have a strong trio in the race, and have more than an even chance of success. Finished in the Ruck Armont finished in the ruck in the Halswell Handicap at Trentham on Saturday. However, on a firmer track he may give a much better account of himself in the Ruapehu Handicap on Saturday. He finished third in each of his two starts over a mile and a quarter at the New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton, and won a high-weight event over a mile at the Waikouaiti meeting on January 1. With a race last Saturday to benefit him, he should have no difficulty in running out the distance. He will be opposed by two useful staying hacks in Rosswood and Griffin. Now in Open Company . Sir Tague graduated from hack company when he won a double at Hokitika, and at his attempts in open company he won both open handicaps at Reefton last Saturday, making his record tour wins in succession. Sir Tague is now raced by his breeder, Mr D. F. O’Donnell At times he has been troubled by unsoundness, and he has raced best on soft tracks. His next engagement may be in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton. Sir Tague is one of the few of the progeny of the Gay Shield horse Gay Circle, to race. Gay Circle was a good handicapper that was raced in Victoria by Mr G. J. Barton, of Dunedin, and returned to New Zealand for stud duties; but he died after a few seasons. Necessary, the dam of Sir TagUe, is by Martarma from Necessity by Nassau from Este by Finland from Novoe Vremya by Stepniak. Trainers’ Badges Advocated

Delegates to the quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Owners’, Breeders’, and Trainers’ Association held in Wellington, favoured the issue of trainers’ badges with trainers’ licences, the object being that it would procure trainers admission to all couftees. It was contended that trainers should be allowed to go about their business on race days with a minimum of delay, and that any abuse of the privilege could be punished by the withdrawal of the trainer’s licence for a period to be determined by the authorities. Mr C. McLaughlin, Sydney, detailed the system as in operation in Australia, which, he considered, of great benefit to trainers. In Australia any abuse of the birdcage admission badge would result in the automatic disqualification of 'a trainer. In fact, he said, no trainer holding a No. 1 licence would dare allow anyone else to use his birdcage badge. It was agreed to forward a remit to the. New Zealand Racing Conference advocating the proposal. ' Canterbury Jockey Club Entries Forfeits for the Middle Park Plate, and entries for all other events at the Summer Meeting to be held at Riccarton on Saturday. February Ist, will close at ft pan. to-morrow. —Advt