"A HORSE, A HOUSE!"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 6

"A HORSE, A HOUSE!"

SOME NOTABLE PRICES

The price paid for Windsor Lad will arouso world-wide interest, as £50,000 marks a record price for a Derby winner (writes "Sentinel"). An offer o£ £100,000 was, once refused for Felstead, the hero of the 192S English classic, and very big prices are sometimes paid for yearlings, horses iii training, mares, and stallions,, but when they run to such figures they appear to rank far beyond actual 'value, which does not come into consideration with long-pursed sportsmen swayed by sentiment.

Tho pluckiest purchase in the. history o£ i-aoiug took place when Robert Sicvicr, a man of small capital and whose wealth always had wings, paid 10,000 guineas for Sceptre as a yearling. Sievier's capital was his pluck, plus racing knoWledge, plus a gambler's belief in the future. His. judgment proved right and the return would probably have been much greater if he1 had not trained the filly for epme : of her engagements. Apart from these aspects of the case a man who can afford to buy a Derby whiner or a potential one has the joy arising from the "pride of possession," which makes him the most envied man in the sporting world. The sentimental value of a Derby winner is so great that money has not been able to buy the majority of those seen out in the last half-century. Of course, they are, in addition, gold mines at the stud. Those that were sold proved really cheap, horses. Flying Fox sold at £39,375, and four of his stock got in France sold at about. £25,000 each, in addition to being good winners. Diamond1 Jubilee went at £31,500, and proved a' highly-successful sire in the Argentine, and so did the disqualified 1913 ■' Derby winner Craganour, sold at 30,000 guineas. Galtee More was purchased by the Russian Government at £21,000, and Ard Patrick went to Germany at the s'arhe price. Both countries were able to pay twice as much, but asked the price and paid it.

The earning, power of Derby winners at the stud really makes them : too valuable,I,to sell, and' the sale, 'of some of them "creates regret beckuse it robs: England of .great stallions. We often'read about.the decline of the St. Simon ,line, but.it seems to'be completely overlooked that such" a' result 'Was inevitable, when Diamond Jubilee, Craganour., St. Se*rf,. Positano, Demosthenes, i Limond. Ai-d Patrick, and otherst left"'England. How-, ever,' although' the long-pursed outsiders^ got away with some great English staK lions, an Englishman still holds the re-" cbrdripf the biggest price ever, offered. It stands in history. King Richard made the bid: "A: horse! a horse! My kingdom for