YEARLING SALES AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25391, 14 January 1948, Page 4

YEARLING SALES AT TRENTHAM

RACING

RECORD OFFERING

MANY NEW SIRES REPRESENTED

The national sale of thoroughbred yearlings which opens at Trentham to-day has become one of the great events of the racing year in New Zealand. This year’s sale, the twenty-second of the series, will be of record proportions with a total of 519 yearlings to be sold on account of 301 vendors. Such an entry has necessitated the sale being held in four daily sessions. The second day will be held to-morrow and the third and fourth days on Wednesday and Friday next week. Racing in New Zealand has reached a new level of prosperity. Stakes have reached record figures, there are more racehourse owners than ever before, and breeding is on a record scale. Both in England and Australia the thoroughbred market continues buoyant and with the high stakes at present being offered the record level of prices of last January is likely to be maintained this year. New Zealand-bred horses have done well in Australia in the last 12 months, and there will again be the added stimulus of com-' petition from a large contingent of Australian buyers. This year no fewer than 71 stallions Will be represented by yearlings at the sales, 15 for the first time. No fewer than 24 of the sires represented were bred in New Zealand. This is an encouraging state of affairs for New Zealand breeding as it indicates that after many years of prejudice both breeders and buyers are beginning to recognise the quality of some of the home-bred sires. Many New Sires In recent years there has been a great influx of new sires to New Zealand, and to-day practically every sire line of note in Great Britain is represented in this country. New sires represented for the first time at the sales are:—Ancient Briton (by Museum), Bahershah (by Bahram), Cimbrone (by Nearco). Fearless Commando (by Fearless Fox), Gold Nib (by Dastur), Gold Strand (by Mr Standfast), Lambourn (by Bulandshar), Lord Bobs (by Nearco), Marble Faun (by Donatello II), Mario (by Solario), Paper Boy (by Colorado Kid), Pictavia (by Nearco), Ruthless (by Hyperion), Touchwood (by Tout Change), and Treasure Hunt -(by Bahram). It is unfortunate that Lord Bobs, which will have some attractive stock to represent him. should have died a few weeks ago. Marble Faun, which was the ©nly son of Donatello H, is also dead. Among these new sires are some that are sure to add lustre to the New Zealand breeding industry. Gold Nib was a top-class three-year-old in England, and Paper Boy was also a good-class performer. Lambourn was no mean performer in New Zealand. Great interest will be taken in the progeny of the Hyperion horse Ruthless, which is closely related to the English Derby wihner Watling Street. Watling Street has attained earlv success at the stud. New Zealand has long been recognised as an ideal nursery for thoroughbreds, and some time before Carbine placed New Zealand’s name before the thoroughbred world New Zealand horses had acquired a reputation through their successful invasions of Australia. Through Sir Modred and Maxim, New Zealandbred horses played not a little part in the early history of the thoroughbred breeding industry in the United States. In addition to their many successes in Australia in more recent years. New Zea-land-bred horses have won in India. Ceylon. South Africa, and the Malay States, and it is not surprising that the national yearling sale has become one of the most : important of its kind in the Southern I Hemisphere. The first national sale of vearlings was organised in 1927. Before that time most of the leading studs conducted their own j sales or sold at various smaller sales j •throughout the country. At the 1927 sale ■ 69 yearlings were sold for an aggregate j of £25,065gn5. an average of 363gns. At j

the twenty-first sale last January, ’ 301 yearlings were sold and the aggregate soared to 183,590gn5, an average of slightly less than 608gns. The price record of 4750gns established in 1946 was not broken, but a record number of yearlings made four-fieure sums. No sale ring in the world can boast of having provided such a high percentage of winners as Trentham. particularly highclass winners. Since the inception of the sales, the winners of 28 Derbies. 27 St. Legers, 17 Caks Stakes, and 49 Guineas have passed through the Trentham sale ring. 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 shows a surprisingly high proportion of winners. One of the top-priced fillies last year was Indian Coronet, which as the Coronach—lndian Princess filly made 3000gns. She is already a» winner this season. Tauloch, the leading two-year-©ld in New Zealand, was sold for 1050gns. Already he has proved a sale ring bargain, having won £4515.

The Greatest Bargain The greatest bargain ever to have passed through the Trentham sale ring was Phar Lap. At the 1928 sales he made only 160gns. In his amazing career on the turf, he won over, £70,000. Royal Chief, now well established as a successful sire, was another sale ring bargain. He rrfade only 160gns and won £18,697 in stakes. His son, Bruce, was Btill another bargain, being sold for 180gns and to date he has won £12,740. Defaulter also realised 180gns. He was the champion of his time when there were manv good horses racing, and won 22 races and £11.315 in stakes. Beau Vite was another champion sold at • Trentham. He cost 900gns and won £27,770 in stakes. Defaulter is now the most successful New Zealand-bred sire for many vears, and next season will command a stud fee of 150gns. Beau Vite has also established himself as a sire, and will add further to an already promising record. In the annals of every sale ring in the •world are tales of bargains missed. The outstanding example at Trentham was a colt by Limond from Hyades offered in 1930. He failed to reach his reserve, bidding ceasing at 475gns. How those who bid for that colt must have regretted their timidity or their error of judgment! For that colt was to be known as Ammon Ra, which won no less than £25.831 in stakes. Including the A.J.C. Derby. He is but one of many instances of a bargain missed - r such things that give the imP roSslon that the buying of yearlings is ‘a lottery. That is only partly true. A number of buyers have been too successful over a number of years in their purchases for luck to be the dominant factor. A sound knowledge of the thoroughbred, keen judgment, and a wealth of experience count for much.

Trentham Riding Engagements Riding engagements for Trentham are:— ci -j EU . ls: R ° yal Tan - Silver Link. Magic Stride. Ann Bridge. Distinction. Diameter Cambridge c. T. Wilson: Signal Officer: Blue Trout. Broie, Palomino. M. J McClintock: Beechwood. M. Jones: Magical. Authentic. K. Ford: Patmos. Spare Part. 5ii W ' Sl 2e re Khan. N. Eastwood: Falconbridge. P. Jones: Assault. H. W Hibberd: Irish Note, Tribute. C rf Mackie: L. Hare: Frances. L. J. Clutterbuck: Grill. Southern Horses for Trentham The southern-trained horses. Wantwood, Spare Part Bobby Dazzler, Grill. Frances whl s h are engaged at the Wellington meeting, were at Riccarton yesjporumn and travelled to Welling- ? lEht ' The Wingatui-tralned ST? .? R elar npago. which has been at R JJntedthem f ° r a £ew days ’ accom - Vlsiting Journalist to see Sales racing editor of the *. Bn J b .? ne ’ has arrived In Wellington to attend the national yearling sales and the Wellington summer meeting