IMPRESSIVE RECORD OF MIEUXCE MARES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27985, 4 June 1956, Page 6

IMPRESSIVE RECORD OF MIEUXCE MARES

RACING

The high reputation, as brood-mares, of the daughters of Mieuxce has been enhanced recently by three rich stakes winners, writes Eric Rickman in

“Horse and Hound.” Honevlight (One Thousand Guineas and Free Handicap). Victoria Cross (Princess Elizabeth Stakes) and Full Measure, which won the first two races of his career, the Wood Ditton at Newmarket and Rayner Stakes at Newbury, are each by a sire of the Phalaris male line from a Mieuxce mare. The classic success of Honeylight for her breeder. Sir Victor Sassoon, is a substantial return on the enterprising investment he made 20 years ago when he bought Mieuxce in France after the horse had won, among other races, the Fiench Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris.

Sir Victor Sassoon was one of the first British stud-owners freely to apply an enlightened international view to modern bloodstock breeding. He recognised much sooner than did those with substantial vested interests in the best or most favoured English strains that these families were increasingly in need of good stout outcrosses.

Perhaps the first pointed suggestion + bat Britain might have something to gain from the importation of carefully selected individuals, representing in most cases lines which had flourished there from English roots, came about IP3O. In that year, Lord Glanely won the Oaks with Rose of England sired by Teddy, the great French scion of the Flying Fox male line then practically defunct on this side of the Channel.

■Brulette’s Oaks

Twelve months later, Brulette came from France to win the Oaks. From then, barely a season passed without one classic race at least besides many other important events, being dominated by a runner or runners from the Continent or of partly foreign extraction. The writing on the wall became persistently larger, but there were many who shut their eyes to it and even reproved those who tried to draw their attention to it.

Any impartial survey of the state of British bloods+ock and the breeding of champions and classic winners down to Gilles de Retz and Honeylight must recognise the inestimable benefits which have accrued from the pre-war purchase as stallions on the continent of Nearco, Mieuxce. and Donatello 11. rot forgetting their predecessors, Apelie and Brumeux. It may be too soon to declare the long-term influence of those which have followed them, such as Bois Roussel, Prince Chevalier, My Eabu, Chanteur 11, Pappageno 11, and Niccolo Dell’Arca, but results demonstrate increasingly that British breeders who do not ensure when arranging their matings, that one or both parents provide some recently imported blood, have a slender chance of getting a good performer. Gilles de Retz was sired by a son of Nearco out of a French-bred mare,

while Honeylight derives modern imported blood, not only through Mieuxce. but through her great-gran-dam in tail-female, Dulce 11. Mieuxce sired, up to the end of last season, the winners of 329 races of a total value of £133.683. a good but not an extraordinary record. The races won by his offspring after the age of two years have been of an average distance of 11.46 furlongs, or about half a furlong short of one and a half miles, a factor which greatly enhances the value of his influence in Great Britain. particularly through his daughters.

Consider some of the sources of stamina and fresh blood brought or repatriated to England through Mieuxce. His sire, Massine, member of the St. Simon male line, won the Ascot Gold Cup. Mieuxce’s dam was by Opott. second to Bruleur for the Grand Prix, sired by another Ascot Gold Cup winner. Maximum 11. from a daughter of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Rev? d'Or. Massine headed the sires’ list in France more than once in the thirties, during which period two of his sons won both the French Derby and Grand Prix.

Last season Mieuxce’s daughters provided the winners of 57 races of a total value of £25.9321, a record which put him in eighth place in the list of sires of successful brood-mares. He was seventh in 19?2, thirteenth in 1953, and fourteenth in 1954. Mieuxce’s classic winner Commotion (New Oaks) and another good one, Mazarin, were in his first crop of foals. Commotion has contributed substantially to his record as a sire of brood mares by producing seven winners, including unbeaten Combat. Faux Tirage and Aristophanes. Equally famed at stud is his daughter, Millstream, among whose offspring are Merry Miller, Medway, Running Water. La Rocca and Reel In. Hor winning sons—the first three named—were good, hardwearing stayers, Medway’s eight victories in three seasons ranging from a six-furlong race as a two-year-old to his Queen Alexandra Stakes (two miles and three-quarters) triumph in 1952.

Better, by Mieuxce out of Roman Galley by Man o’ War (United States), produced Stem King and Stem Princess to Chamnssaire. Another of Mieuxce’s daughters, Bettor So. was dam of Our Betters, one of the three best two-year-old fillies of 1954.

NAPIER PARK

CLUB

PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP TO THE VANDAL (New Zealand Press Association) NAPIER. June 3. The Vandal won the President's Handicap at Napier Park on Saturday by 10 lengths. It was his first win in open company. Noumea won the Flying Han-

dicap, the second leg, and the pair returned a double dividend of £23 8s for £l. The course was heavy after a wet spell, but there was an excellent attendance. The totalisator on-course handled Ngaire's Joy; 11. 9 Numba; 13, 13 Prince on the same day last year, a decrease of £8456. Results:— MOTEO HACK HURDLES, of £300; one mile and a half.—7, 8 SON RAE (2) 9-0 B. Wilson 1; 15, 15 Cambria Heather (13) 9-0 L. Blanche 2; 4, 4 St. Peter (11) 9-1 O. Jones 3. 12, 11 -Al war; 3, 3 Brerlyn; 8, 7 Hones John; 1,2 Gay Minstrel; 2, 1 Goldei Arch; 5, 5 Pouto; 14, 14 Andorra; 6. ( Glenone; 16, 16 Tairua; 9. 9 Dalmarnock 10, 10 Dalwene; 11, 12 Lord Balloch; 13 13 Playpen; 17, 18 Royal Manner; 13, 1 Triadis also started. Three lengths; three lengths. Dalmar nock was fourth. Time, 2min 54 l-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £l3 10s. Places: £ 3s 6d. £l4 16s, £2 16s 6d. NOVICE STAKES, of £330; six furlongs.—First Division: 2,2 GREAT LINE (5) 8-10 J. Garth 1; 6, 6 Salvador (21) 8- J. McFarlane 2; 4, 4 Julian 8-10 A. Skipper 3. 16, 17 Arohanui; 19. 20 Kaiapoi; 7. 7 Capela; 21, 21 Sly Bay; 1, 1 Munurere; 13, 14 Regal Realm; 5. 4 David Bridge: 12. 10 Bay Slipper; 8, 8 Zanzibar: 11. 13 Ring Pride; 20. 15 Golden Memento; 3, 5 Miss Merrit also started. Neck; three lengths. Miss Merit was fourth. Time, Imin 20 2-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £2 14s. Places: £1 16s 6d. £5 4s 6d. Second Division.—6. 6 HIGH FIDELITY (21 A) 8-0 D. T. Bell 1; 13, 12 Post Boy (7) 8-10 O. Jones 2; 5, 4 Vai’s Hope 8-10 M. O’Connor 3. 18, 19 Eversharp; 10, 11 Raki; 2.2 Solera; 9. 3 Ladj’ Ellwood: 22, 22 Marakau; 17, 18 Yioulia; 4, 3 Sly Cat; 12. 10 Magnificent; 8. 8 Marciano: 15, 16 Bonnie Queen; 11, 13 Queen of York; 20, 14 Salote; 3, 5 Sonling also started. Length; three lengths. Lady Ellwood was fourth. Time, Imin 23sec. Dividends.—Win: £5 7s. Places: £5 4s 6d. £6 19s 6d. Bracket: Salvador-High Fidelity. MAREWA HACK HANDICAP, of £275: one mile.—4, 4 PERMIT (10) 8-1 A. C. Messervey 1; 5, 5 Heroic Dogger (2) 8-7 A. Skipper 2; 3, 1 Niggle (5) 8-6 J. Garth 3. 1, 3 Lord Flaxmoor; 2,2 Super Rides; 10, 10 Arabian Chief; 6, 7 Royal Hope; 8, 6 Paper Song; 12, 12 Golden Fox; 9, 11 Ngaire’s Joy; 11, 9 Numba; 13, 13 Prince Shar; 7, 8 Red Planet also started. Dividends.—Win: £6 13s. Places: £2 4s. £2 4s (id. £2 Is 6d. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, of £450; one mile and three furlongs.—l, 1 THE VANDEL (1) 9-0 T. Knowles 1; 2.2 Gold Caste (10) 8-3 I. Noa Non 2; 3, 3 Easterbrook (2) 8-9 A. Skipper 3. 10. 10 Fictitious; 7. 7 Fettle: 4, 4 India; 5. 5 Bassanio; 11. 12 Beau Song; 8. 8 Brass Bar; 13, 13 Flair; 9. 9 Hamiltonian; 6, 6 Sodality; 14. 14 Special Edition; 12. 11 Suvla Bay also started. Ten lengths; length. Bassanio was fourth. Time. 2min 32 2-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £4 9s 6d. Places: £2. £2 7s 6d. £2 13s. NAPIER STEEPLECHASE, of £5OO, about two miles and a half.—l, 1 HIAOWN (5) 9-0 C. Carroll 1; 2,2 Keahmar (2) 9-3 B. L. Wilson 2; 9, 9 Martius (7) 9- M. Owen 3. 1, 1 Third Ruler (lost rider); 4, 4 Brush (lost rider); 6. 6 Diecast: 8, 8 March On (fell); 5. 5 North Carolina; 7, 7 Zan Quex also started. Six lengths: eight lengths. North Carolina was fourth. Time, smin 20 l-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £4 4s 6d. Places: £1 12s. £1 Ils. £4 19s 6d. CHAMPION HACK HANDICAP. of £300: one mile and a quarter.—2, 1 AMBER INKPOT (5) 8-2 A. Skipper 1; 11, 11 False Cheque (8) 8-0 A. R. Anderson 2; 9, 8 Red Dome (10) 8-0 A. C. Messervey 3. 1,2 Amble; 5. 5 Shoeshine Boy; 4, 4 Amber Royal; 10, 10 Crepe Suzette; 7. 6 Gold Path: 3. 3 Ruling Princess; 8. 9 World Tour; 6, 7 Your Honour also started. Length and a half: three-quarters of a length. Ruling Princess was fourth. Time, 2min 22sec. Dividends.—Win: £4 0s 6d. Places: £1 12s 6d, £6 6s. £5 6s. FLYING HANDICAP, of £350; seven furlongs.—l, 1 NOUMEA (6) 8-2 J. Ga’tii 1; 3,2 Lady Cabana (4) 8-3 J. A. McFarlane 2; 8. 7 King (7) 8-1 A. C. Messervey 3. 2. 3 Isaac Bian; 4. 4 Postman: 5. 6 Court Jester; 7. 8 Emphasis; 6. 5 Monsarrat; 6. 5 Scream: 9. 9 Uawa also started. Two lengths: half a length; Isaac Bian was fourth. Time, Imin 37 l-ssec.

Dividends.—Win: £4 14s 6d. Places: £1 17s, £1 17s. £3 ss. MEANEE HACK HANDICAP, of £275: six furlongs.—7. 8 COUNTESS KANUI GD 8-6 J. McFarlane 1; 5. 6 Partake (9) 8-1 H. R. Skipper 2; 2,2 Arran Chief (1) 9-8 B. Wilson 3. 3, 3 Sousbois: 4, 4 Queen’s Navy; 10, 11 Alga; 6. 5 Paddy Machree; 9. 10 Convincing; 1, 1 Cocoashah: 1. 1 Pretty Lace; 11. 9 Pippinette; 8, 7 Brown Slipper: 12. 12 Dundalk: 14, 13 Rawera; 13, 14 Ultimate also started. Neck; length and a half. Cocoashah was fourth. Time. Imin 21 l-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £l2 9s 6d. Places. £4 12s 6d, £3 13s 6d, £2 Bs.