From Stud And Stable Superiority Of N.Z. Horses Denied

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31326, 23 March 1967, Page 4

From Stud And Stable Superiority Of N.Z. Horses Denied

One of the Cummingstrained stars of the moment is Swift General, the winner of the Duke of Norfolk Stakes, two miles, at Flemington last Saturday. Swift General is another of the good young stayers sired by Agricola, and J. B. Cummings has high hopes for him as a Melbourne Cup prospect. Before the Duke of Norfolk Stakes, Swift General had won a minor restricted race in Adelaide, but everything he has done has suggested that time will be his ally. Cummings has turned out the first and second horses in the last two Melbourne Cups and it would not be surprising if the stable had one or more horses in the finish of this year’s race. 11 Wins Swift General was the second foal from one of New Zealand’s most successful staying mares, Froth, whose

A Sydney racing writer this week discovered a myth based on reality.

“Next week’s yearling sales will resurrect the perennial fallacy that New Zealand-bred horses are superior to those bred in Australia,” says an article in the Sydney “Telegraph.”

What the writer claims to be a myth has, he says, been founded on the success of New Zealand stayers at the spring carnivals in Melbourne, “and many Australians are convinced it is true.” Out of all this confusion the article attemps to make the point that New Zealand successes in the cups have been aided by the preoccupation of many Australian owners with early results in two-year-old races. That makes some sense. But to say that Ma Cherie was probably the best miler “they” sent over in recent years does any turf historian less than credit within a few months of Chantal’s Epsom Handicap win—a win described by the leading Australian trainer, T. J. Smith, as one of the most brilliant he has ever seen in a big mile race at Randwick. True Champions The article says that Redcraze, Rising Fast, and Tulloch were true champions “because they proved it on Australian racecourses.” It seems that Great Sensation and his like must have a champion’s ranking denied them if their connexions prefer to keep them in their homeland. Other statements in the Sydney article:— “There was a story going the rounds a few years ago that the minerals in New Zealand pastures allowed the broodmares to throw stronger foals. Many people gave credence to this. The truth is that New Zealand breeders imported sires of stayers in the post-years and raced their youngsters more sparingly. “With the improvement in Australian bloodstock, we might soon hear New Zealand lamenting that their Government will not allow them to spend foreign exchange on Australian yearlings.” “Rich” Relations Messrs G. B. McCredie and M. B. Warren, who were closely associated with the management of Pyne, Gould, Guiness Ltd., for many years, have decided to get back into an active association with racing. They have leased from the famous Trelawney Stud a rising two-year-old filly by Rousseau’s Dream from Badinda. G. H. Murfitt Junr. will train this beautifully-bred halfsister to Cicada, the top filly in 1963-64 and the winner of the New Zealand Oaks, Great Northern Guineas, Wellington

Guineas, Desert Gold Stakes and five other races. Prince Grant is closely related to the Rousseau's Dream filly. For Sale The great New Zealandbred Tulloch, winner of 36 of his 53 races, will be offered at auction in Sydney next week close to Randwick, the scene of many of his great triumphs. Tulloch (Khorassan —Florida), now rising 13 years, won over £llO,OOO in stake money. He ran away with both Derbies, then brilliantly won the Caulfield Cup. It seemed that the Melbourne Cup was his for the taking, but his owner, the late Mr E. A. Haley, caused a stir by scratching him from the Flemington two-miler. Shortly after, Tulloch contracted an illness that almost ended his life and greatly restricted his racing career. He was only once unplaced, in th 1960 Centenary Melbourne Cup, and his magnificent record might never had had that slight stain on it if the late N. Sellwood had ridden with better judgment. Enthusiast There was none keener than the Australian captain, L. Favell, to force an early finish to the cricket test at Lancaster Park last Monday. One reason was that he would have liked to go racing at Ashburton. Favell likes his racing. He won at the trots on Saturday night, and on Sunday he was taken on a tour of stables and the Riccarton Stud by the Riccarton jockey, A. J. Stokes. Favell declined the offer of a drive behind a pacer at a trotting stable, but talked knowledgeably about horses and breeding, and surprised his hosts with the accuracy of his memory of racing personalities he met briefly on his last trip to New Zealand 10 years ago.

11 wins included an Auckland Cup and the New Zealand and Great Northern Oaks.

She was a year after Passive which dominated the three-year-old racing of the 1956-57 season until she lost form at the Auckland autumn meeting. Passive was a New Zealand St Leger winner, and she has already become one of New Zealand’s most famous producers through the deeds of Sobig and this year’s New Zealand St. Leger winner. Jay Ay. Passive is also the dam of the two-year-old winner Impetus (by Summertime) and she is now in foal to Agricola. Sobig is not wanting for opportunities at the stud, and he could bring further lustre to a brilliant family. All Serene, the dam of Serena, Domitare and other good winners, is in foal to Sobig this year. All Serene was the mare swapped by Mr J. A. Mitchell for Jay Ay. The deal was made with Mr G. A. Mitchell, a son of the veteran studmaster and the owner of Sobig.