PURCHASE BY IKING CAROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 13

PURCHASE BY IKING CAROL

King Carol of Rumania has pur-1 chased Firdaussi and several -swell-bred brood mares from the Aga Khan, announces a London exchange of November 7. This linterestmj -deal recalls the memorable St. Leger of 1932, in which the Aga Khan was not on'fy first and second with Firdaussi and Dastur, but fourth and fifth with Udaipur and Taj Kasra respectively. That achievement was unprecedented "in 'the history of classic racing. It was hoped that Firdaussi would train on into an Ascot Gold Cup winner, a hope strengthened when he was second in the Kempton Jubilee under a tremendous weight, but he was unplaced at Ascot, and in the Eclipse Stakes, when almost an -even-money chance, he found Loamingdale too, good for him. He has not been long enough at the French stud to enable a fair -estimate of his prospects of making a successful stallion, but he should add enormously to the strength of bloodstock breeding in Rumania, which for many years has been keenly interested in racing, the Rumanian Derby being .an event o*f high value. Firdaussi is a son of Pharos, his dam being the Oaks winner Brown Hylda. The mares purchased by King Carol include Buland Bibi, a daughter <of Blandford and dam of Rao Sahib. Me has also acquired mares !by the Tetrarch and Son-in-Law. The disposal of Firdaussi still leaves tht, Aga Khan ;as the owner of more stud horses than any other breeder, not even excepting Lord Berby. Two years ago he sold Blenheim, to ©o ito i America for ,£!iS,)OQQ. At various studs in England he has Bahrain at a fee of 500 guineas, Mahmoud at 300 guineas, Dastur, Felicitation, -and jUmidwar each at £198, and a new--1 comer, Khan Bahadur, at £48. At the French stud Mirza II has lately been sent to join Taj Akbar and Sind, the fee for each of these being about £100. The Aga Khan's Blenheim, horse Le Grand Due, who stood in Belgium last season, has been sent to France.