NATIONAL SALES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 7

NATIONAL SALES

AND WESTMERE DISPERSAL

Catalogues for the National Thoroughbred Siiles, which include the most comprehensive lot of yearlings yet offered in K'ew Zealand, are now available from ihe auctioneers. These sales, established some eleven years age, have grown into such importance ! that they are now renowned throughout the whole world, and in that way not only prove a great advertisement for New Zealar.d bloodstock but for the country as a whole. In addition to a catalogue cf 134 yearlings, a fine collection of stallions, brood mares, two-year-olds, untried stock, racehorses in training, etc., will be submitted. This Scle, as usual, coincides with the Wellington Racing Club's 'Summer Meetirg at Trentham on Thursday, January 21. Two days prior to the National Sales, the fame us thoroughbred stud established som: thirteen or fourteen years ago by Mr. John Donald, who is now retiring owing to continued ill health, will be dispersed. This sale will be held at the stud farm, Westmere, near Wanganui, at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. Mr. Donald is sending down his usual draft of yearlings to the Nat.onal Sales. These will again be sold without reserve, as will the thoroughbred stud itself. The stud comprises a wonderful collection of brood mares, oleven of which have been imported from the leading studs in England, qui':e a number of fashion-ably-bred Australian mares from the best staying fanilies there, and an exceptionally fln«: lot of young mares bred in the Doninion and sired mostly by those great stud successes, Chief Ruler and Limcnd. Twenty-two of the mares have foais at foot by Beau Fere, Captain Bunsbp. Colonel Cygnus, or Irish Lancer. These are a magnificent lot and are a standing advertisement to the quality of the Westmere mares and sires. The mares have all again been mated with Beau Pere and Phaleron Bay. Beau Pere is generally considered to be one of the finest types of thoroughbred yet impor:ed to New Zealand. He is royally bred, as he is by Son-in-Law from the One Thousand Guineas winner Cinna, who was by Polymelus from Baroness La Fleche, the best of her'year. He is a half-brother to the highly successful Gay Shield and his first foal was a winner in England this season. The supporting sire, Phaleron Bay, was imported only last year at a very high cost. He is a horse of magnificent bone, wonderful conformation, und outstanding quality. He is a three-quarter-brother to Miracle, winner of that great English race, the Eclipse Stakes, and his grandam is a half-sister to the famous mare Scapa Flow, whose progeny have established a record for the world. He is too almost a full relation to the leading sires of the day, Fairway and Pharcs.

The dispersal of this stud, which is now. at its senith. is undoubtedly a calamity as fsr as the bloodstock industry in New Zealand is concerned, for Mr. Donald not only has shown outstanding enterprise in importing the best stock obtainable in England but has culled consistently. As the proportion of winders that have come from his mares •#! sires is unusually high, the sale should attract very wide attention.