BLANDFORD'S RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 23

BLANDFORD'S RECORD

"EMPEROR OF STALLIONS"

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT

Windsor Lad'g remarkable) record in winning the Newmarket Stakes, Derby, and St; Leger this year in England, a performance that ,had-. never previously been achieved, was very promptly noted (writes "Ith'uriel" in the "Sportirfg Life ), but it wa3 not so generally realised that the colt's great sire Blandford had also became a new, record-breaker. The total sum in stakes won by the sor(s and daughters of this Swynford horse, eve*.' only to mid-September, surpassed a record of stake-winnings for anyone season that had stood unchallenged for almost seventy .years, and Blandford has now become a new "Emperor of' Stallions " . A* long ago as-1866 that mighty stallion Stockwell, headed, the winning . stallions' list with 39 individual winners of, 132 races and stakes value £61,391. The only previous threat upon that magnificent record was made by-St. Simon in 1896. That season the immortal son of Galqpini had 23 winners,L who captured -38 races ■ and stakes-amounting to £59,740." I Immediately after Windsor Lad's vie-1 tory in the St. Leger it was apparent that the long-standing record of Stockwell would be eclipsed, for .the winnings ofj the offspring of Blandford this year then aggregated Just over £62,000. Thus,- the son of Swynford has now established a new record for the total amount won: by the sons and daughters of any stallion during a racing season. If the victory of Primero in the Irish St. Leger the week after the December classic •is"in-i eluded in the total, Blandford's record to date for the season that Tie has sired 25 winners'of 47% races, and stakes' •value' £63,525. , , o

In America Man o' War's winnings exceeded £80,000 in 1926. ; This total, however, included all place money, which is" expressly omitted from the British total. Moreover, hr the United States, all dead '■ heats are /included -with the full 'value of, the race, but jin English aggregates each dead-heater is credited with only 60 • per cent, of the stake. '■': ■ ■'.'■•'■. "■■' Only" two other stallions in thei'history, of the/American Turf have exceeded £60,000..gathered* by their successful sons and during the year. Fair Play'fliredrthe winners,of about £70,000 iij ■1927^' and the''following season High ■Time^)laa'■:■®'■^y^li^erß!:•.^■•■■••loß.^.rßea^■i:Bn4■■ stakesv:yaft9;J£6l,oCio: ■ ■: ,:. :Z. ■: TH^ ; fMM;ORt^ UISTT.' iyi^y vHerej -theni; are .the records- ■'ot'Jthe'jim- ■ 'mortal English-:staUions:^.,;^'•;/.' '^".J_&>. ,i ■ •:"■;••, ■'■'■ ■. • ■:.-■•■.■■;■-.•', ■':• ■•\!'V;? Baqes^Stat^s; • ~■ ■ ■■■■;'i>,---::-'i-'--.i..-:.--"-;\viniißts.';t-'Woni:.;V'";-4*f ' 1931 Blandford ' '''U';■''.i^f^ '■■?;■;'.•,: ;v;W ?H '■ " (10 date) ...... 25 --4T%: '63,525 IS6G StockweU ...... 30 134 V.- 61,391 1896 St. Simon .... 23 38 59,740 1926 Hurry On 11 26 59,109 1000 St. Simon ...... 10 27 38,625 1892,5t, Simon 20 47- ,56,139 :029 Tetrateraa ..... 20 ' 35•"•.'■■ 53,025 :SBS Hermit ......... 30 '■ .< Bl • 47,311 i 899 Orine :...;......■ 15 .' . ~29 .:'., 46,643 1028 Phalarla ....... 18 ; 31': ,46,393 192TBuchan .20 : 3'Va 45,918 1930' Son-in-law .'..... 31 .48 &; 44.588 1031 THaros ....... t 15 27 43,922 .JBB9'Galopln ,12. ■ {22 ■ 43,516 1867 Slo'ckweU; ...... 41 ,: 113. 42,521 1910 Cyllene • ' 18 ' ,30 -. • 42,518 : 1894. St. Simon ....... 23 '.: ~44., .. 42.092 judging by the figures for England . and the' United States, it would certainly „ appear/that thft years 1026. to 1030 covered o period of exceptional prosperity on the Turf. ;At any rate, so far as England ,j Scotland, and'lreland'were'concerned, the ( amount distributed in stake money in j those fiv,B years varied from : £842,000 in ; ( 1927, through £833,000 in 1028, down to , £808,000 in. 1926. \ ...... i Tor last year, 1933, there was some re- ( auction. This, no doubt; was largely ex- ] ■plained by the times through ■ which the j country was passing, with" owners or their agents■ pnying;; a 'little, more' attention to . ■forfeit date*. "This caused a difference of , over £100,000"-compared with the "peak" year of 1927, for the total disbursed in ' stake money for the season 1933 had fall,en to1 £735,577. ■ . ,\ , ... ..' ., > . : STOCKVyELU'S P£RFqRMANCE; ''Unprejudiced readers will: undoubtedly \ agree thatv Stoekwell's total for 1866 ; . was truly remarkable, especially; when, it: ia recalled that the. amount of stake money ( 4 distributed' that season was hardly hkfely to have exceeded £350,000. Stakes were ■ comparatively meagre in those far-off .days, l; so that Stockwell was in every: r way en- : titled to be'described, ashe is'so often, as the "Emperor of Stallions." „.-:■:." It> id difficult to know exactly .what was the amount given in stake,money inv!B6o. 'The firat official figures appearing in;the ■"Racing Calendar" refer to 1882,., when the total amount was £393,141. That som had, been increased to £488,351* in 1896, when St. Simon made his greatest^ chal- ■ lenge.bn Stockwell'a record. By 1900-the -value of the stakes had been .further augmented, and touched ■ just about :£532,000. Therefore, the chances of' St. Simon, and other stallions,. particularly of this' century, were" vaytly superior to 'thoseaffbrded: to'.Bt'ockwell in his day. In'his most'; farhou's Vseason. Stockwell sitsd seven iwtt-ye'ar-old winners, eleven three-year-olds, -eleven four-year-olds, five five-year-olds,- arid three aged horses. His four-yeatrolds included those good colts Breadalbane (brother to Blair Athol),, and The Duke (of notorious'memory, but who, anyway; "that, seasbn won eight races in succession and walked over in aboiit four others. There was also Lord Ronald, a very' "useful winner of' nine race*. He afterwards: got .Master Kildare, who. became the sirp.qf the Derby winner Melton." "■'"■- ' ' '"■"•'■ "■'■■ ,■..'. .'• , Taking' the .same record appertaining to Blandford, though, 'of course, the comparison ia rather fallacious, as there infinitely' more stallions at the stud 'than there were in. Stockwell's time, it is found that up to date thia season the son "of Swynford had sired six two-year-old winners^ twelve three-year-old winners, five foiir-year-old winners, one,five-year-old winner, One six-year-old, the moment, Blandford ajsa looks; like having an excellent chance of equalling CyllenVs, fairly Tecent record of^sir-, , ing four ivinners of the Derby, and thus: •joining the ranks of that extremely re-; atricted number of stallions who have achieved this feat. Waxy was, another,; for he was the sire o£ Pope, Whalebone,; Blucher, and Whteker. ' .'•'.',,■ i Blandford is now fifteen years old.; Statistics show a steady, decline _of sue-. ceqs after that-age,; for, of-the 718 t wn ; nerslof all classic races, 0n1y167 of^.them ' by horses fifteen years old and; upwards. However, when his -present two-year-olds were got Blandford was only, twelve years old, bo; that the statistics may not apply in, his) case. .■

The first etallion. by Blandford to be imported to New Zealand is at present, on his way out from England. This » Bulandshar, whom the Hawke's Bay etudmaster Mr.I1. Ormond recently acquired from H.H. the Aga Khan, On his arrival Bulandshar will take up duties at tjie Karamu Stud/~"Kangatira. ~;