FROM STUD AND STABLE Spectacular Season For Agricola
To the embarrassment of some spokesmen for the Australian thoroughbred industry, the New Zealandowned and based Agricola was a comfortable winner on the Australian general sires’ premiership list for 1967-68.
Agricola, with only four limited crops of racing age to represent him, produced 17 individual winners of 49 races for his total of $212,776 in stakes.
This son of Precipitation and Aurorra has now produced the winners of a record $550,000 in his first four stud seasons. He is a brilliant successor to Alcimedes. which carried off the premiership in 1966-67. The brilliant successes of sons and daughters of New Zealand sires in Australia have proved unpalatable at times to those who contribute much of the editorial matter tn the “Australian Thoroughbreds." Writers in this magazine have been quick to point -to any weaknesses they believe exist in the strength of New Zealand-bred horses in Australia. Some arguments they have advanced at fairly short intervals in the last few years reflect fast-changing and contradictory viewpoints. Classic Form In its issue of last January one writer commented: “In view of the almost total inability of recent yearling purchases in New Zealand to attain classic winning form here, one would think owners would be well advised to think very seriously of future prospects before investing in yearlings across the Tasman.” Within a few weeks of the appearance of this article the New Zealand-bred Agena won the V.R.C. St Leger. In the November issue, published soon after the Mel-
“By the way the stock of our new staying sires are shaping the winning cycle enjoyed by New Zealand visitors seems likely to be coming to an end.” That was written last November by one who found naught for his comfort at the big Sydney Easter carnival this year when the star performers Were the New Zea-land-breds General Command (Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Autumn Stakes). Unpainted (Doncaster Handicap and All-Aged Stakes), and Lowland (AJ.C. Oaks and Princess Handicap). Latest Move The latest move by representatives of the thoroughbred industry in Australia to promote greater interest in homegrown products is a decision to stage a two-night sale of yearlings in Sydney on January 9 and 10, just before the national sales at Trentham. It is very doubtful if this move will have a marked effect on the New Zealand sales. The results for the season just ended with the spectacular success of Agricola on the Australian sires’ list will influence more leading Australian buyers more than any changes to the sales calendar.
bourne Cup, in which the New Zealand-breds Red Handed and Red Crest dominated the finish, an “Australian Thoroughbreds” editorial had this to say: “Whilst we welcome the visits of our cousins from across the Tasman, and admitting that they do breed some very good horses and occasionally like ourselves outstanding ones such as Galilee was last year, we have always maintained that the true measure of their ability is found in weight-for-age events and classics ...” Tobin Bronze Pointing to the success of Australian-breds earlier in the Victorian spring carnival the editorial quite properly drew attention to the brilliant deeds of Tobin Bronze. But of course every one of Tobin Bronze's brilliant victories must have brought some heartburning because his sire, Arctic Explorer, had been sold out of Australia to a stud in New Zealand.
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Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31776, 5 September 1968, Page 4
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560FROM STUD AND STABLE Spectacular Season For Agricola Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31776, 5 September 1968, Page 4
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