ROTORUA'S DETERIORATION

Evening Post, Issue 149, 20 December 1935, Page 20

ROTORUA'S DETERIORATION

Experience has proved that it is a dangerous experiment to ship young horses from New Zealand or Australia with the object of racing them in England (writes "Sentinel"). The same does not apply in regard to more seasoned horses, as Merman, The Grafter, Moifaa, Paris, Siege Gun, and others proved that mature horses can be shipped with success. Back in the dark ages of racing the late Hon.. James White had the sporting ambition, to win, the English Derby with an Australian-bred horse, and he shipped Kirkham, : Nareeban, and MonS Meg with the idea of a campaign in the English classics. They all failed, because it was claimed that.the joints of youngsters suffered from a long sea voyage while in an immature and growing stage. He then conceived the idea of shipping youngsters to the. South of • France and after wintering there sending them on to England. They would thus avoid the severity of an English winter following shipment from Australia. The Australian sportsman did not, however, live long enough to carry his ideas into fruition, and exploit the possibilities of success. This is called to mind by the fact that Rotorua, a Night Raid filly closely related to Phar Lap, has been a failure on the English Turf. The English scribe, "Meyrick Good;" describes, the filly as a failure, but .the opinion is, after the above explanation, obviously based on a superficial view of the situation. There is not the slightest shadow- of a doubt that Multiform and Noctuiform were-two of the best horses ever foaled in the Southern Hemisphere. Multiform nearly died when going through the Red Sea, and became useless for racing in England. Fortunately he was returned to his native land. : Multiform paralysed his opposition by the style in which he won the A.J.C. Derby, and then came back to win the New Zealand Cup, Derby, and Canterbury Cup with the greatest of ease. He also proved a failure in England. From a private source it was learnt that Noctuiform contracted "Newmarket fever," and hence would become useless as a racehorse. He came to an inglorious end by breaking a leg while running in a hurdle race. Shipping a ■ young horse is one thing, and shipping a mature one on a long journey involving practically a stand still in a confined area is quite another story.- Even Phar Lap might have failed if shipped to America as a < yearling; arid' he 'would then have been ■■classed, as. a. failure, instead of ranking as oriß of the best, the world has ever .known.,. ...