Castle syndicated to stand at Amberley stud

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34105, 18 March 1976, Page 9

Castle syndicated to stand at Amberley stud

The English-bred Castle, a winner and a brother of the high-class performer Ksar, has been syndicated and will join the New Zealand Derby winner, Pep, at Amberley House Stud in Canterbury next season. Amberley House, once a private school for girls, is now being directed as a combined thoroughbred and cattle stud bv Mr Garth Pool (shown in the above photograph with Pep).

After the school was closed down in the 1940’s the Amberley House property became a thoroughbred stud in the hands of Miss Joyce Edgar-Jones, who had moved from Geraldine.

Miss Edgar-Jones, who was to breed and race the high-class stayer Sailing Home, later moved closer to Christchurch, but another chapter in Amberley

House’s life as a thoroughbred stud came when Mr Ross Simpson stood Comte de Grasse and Eastern Nip there.

Amberley House was then bought by an Australian who set it up as a Charolais cattle stud, and its most recent change of ownership was in 1974 when Mr Pool bought the property and stock. Mr Pool has an up-to-date surgery and modern equipment at Amberley House to serve the needs of both the thoroughbreds and cattle.

The stud was geared for a two-stallion operation and was conducted as such last spring when Matins stood with Pep. But Matins, it has been announced, will stand elsewhere in Canterbury next spring, and Castle will take his place at Amberley House.

Castle, a son of Kalydon, and a close relation of the

great English race mare, Park Top, started his stud career in England, and will have his first complete New Zealand season next spring. Castle won six races

from five furlt mgs to a mile and three-quai tiers.

His brother Ksar was syndicated fop an Australian stud after winning £75,000 and b> ling rated the third best middle-distance horse in the i United Kingdom in 1974.