RACING Broodmares go to wrong studs

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33381, 13 November 1973, Page 9

RACING Broodmares go to wrong studs

Complications are almost certain to arise from the mix-up of two broodmares, one a thoroughbred, valued at $lOO,OOO, which has been served by the trotting stallion, Scotch Abbe, and the other a standardbred, which has been served by the leading thoroughbred stallion, Alcimedes.

The chief stipendary steward of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr L. A. Butterfield), who has been investigating the switch, confirmed last : night that not only had the thoroughbred mare been found, but that on Sunday i she had returned a positive | test to the standardbred stallion. According to a Press Association message from Hamil-j ton, the standardbred mare,, though served twice by Alcimedes, is not in foal. The thoroughbred mare is Port Joy, owned in Australia by R. W. and J. H. Ingham, who, five months ago, sent her to the Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, to be mated with Alcimedes. Also on the ship bringing her to New Zealand was Golden Rose, a standardbred'

mare from Scotland on her way, via Australia to the Canterbury stud of S. Ballantyne. BOTH CHESTNUTS The two mares, chestnuts with similar white markings, arrived in Auckland, and were then sent on, Golden Rose arriving at Cambridge, and Port Joy at Prebbleton. The first hint of a mix-up was when Mr J. Otway, the studmaster at Trelawney, saw the mare, thought to be Port Joy, pacing in the paddock. Nearly five months had gone by since she arrived. He then compared details of Port Joy with those of the mare served by Alcimedes. These did not match, and neither did the ones he sought from the authorities in Sydney. Trotting officials were called in. Mr Butterfield, fresh from

solving the case of the swapped stallions in Canterbury a few months ago, tracked down the real Port Joy at Mr S. Ballantyne’s Prebbleton stud. SIMILAR MARKINGS The horses are nearly identical in their white markings, and Mr Butterfield had to shave part of Port Joy to see the brand. The mare was finally identified when Mr Butterfield discovered a second brand—that of a scroll—which the Inghams use on all their horses. Port Joy, which is by the former champion Australian galloper, Todman, will be sent north to the Trelawney Stud today. Golden Rose, all going well, is expected to arrive at Prebbleton tomorrow.