SUCCESSFUL YEARLING SALES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 17, 21 January 1939, Page 21

SUCCESSFUL YEARLING SALES

AUSTRALIANS ONCE AGAIN MADE MARKET

(By "Rangatira.") 1

Prior to this year's National Sales

which were the thirteenth in the series there were some who thought .thai

the prices would not reach near last year's level. But, like totalisator turnovers, the prices for the best yearlings still show an upward trend, and if the catalogue had not been quite so large there would undoubtedly have been a better average than twelve months ago. For the 70 lots disposed of before the luncheon adjournment last Wednesday the average was over 320 guineas, but by the/ end of the afternoon the smaller prices obtained for the second half of the catalogue reduced that average by 80 guineas. A feature of the sale was that the colts again were sought much more keenly than the fillies. Twelve months ago the sale was a fillies' sale, the youngsters, of this sex then being<an exceptionally good lot, while tke colts were not outstanding. The result of this season's racing has confirmed the general impression that the colts were below average last year, as the best of the term's colts are horses who are being raced by their breeders, such as High Gaste and Beaulivre. Three fillies last year were sold for four-figure prices—and each has so far been disappointing— but the best price for a filly at the' recent sales was 650 guineas. RACES FOR FILLIES.

It is interesting in this connection to note an observation by one of the auctioneers, that racing clubs in the Dominion, and also to a greater measure in Sydney, might do more than they are towards encouraging the racing of fillies, particularly as two- and - three-year-olds. ~ Melbourne is now catering almost as well for fillies as for colts, by setting aside special classic races for the fillies, but the full Victorian lead has riot been followed so far by other States in Australia or by the Dominion. Breeders as a whole would certainly welcome the institution of more fillies' classics than there are at present. In New Zealand the only events for the sex are the two Oaks, and the distance of those events, 1$ miles, is too far for most by the time that they come along for decision. The division of certain early . two-year-old classics into races for colts and geldings and for fillies respectively, as has been done in Melbourne, and the establishment of one or two seven-furlong or mile three-year-old filly classics, corresponding to the One Thousand Guineas in England, would do much towards encouraging the buying and racing of fillies.

The argument in favour of such filly classics is based on the fact that

colts and fillies are born in equal numbers, and, as a rule, unless the colts of a year are well below average, the small weight concessions made to fillies in such classics as the Derbies, Guineas, and St. Legers are insufficient to bring them to a level The colts at this -year's- National; Sales were" generally Conceded" to^'be another splendid advertisement for the Dominion as a thoroughbred nursery. -Two of them brought the best prices, with one. exception; since the days prior to the depression. COMPARATJTVT. TABLE." The result of the sale was generally most satisfactory from the viewpoint of the majority of sellers. This will be seen from the following table, giving the number of yearlings sold, the aggregate turnover of the sales, anJ the average price for the offering since the sales were instituted in 1927:^— Total, i Average. Lots sold. Gs. Gs. 1927 48* 16,600 841 1928 .. 59* 14,900 252 1929 33* 12,620 382 1930 ....... t 50* 20,750 415 1931 ........ 122 14,665 120 1932 86 10,080 117 1933 ........ 65 ' 10,140 156 '1934 67 16,650 248y 2 1935 ......... 86 20,722y 3 240V a 1936 88 21,032% 239 1937 ........ 108 25,505 236 1938 128. 32,896 257 1939 137 33,685 246 •One selling arm only. This year's aggregate turnover; at the sales was not only the largest since the two firms of Wright. Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., and. Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., combined their offerings in 1931. but it exceeded the combined

Though the average price was a shade lower than last year's, the National Yearling Sales held at Trentham this week were probably the most successful yet conducted since the series was instituted in 1927. More lots were disposed of than in any former year, and the aggregate turnover of 33,685 guineas was slightly better than last year's previous best of 32,896 guineas. The auctioneers after the sale expressed their satisfaction with the result.

aggregates of the two firms in any of the first four years of the sales. As >has already been observed, the present trend of the sales, measured through aver-j ages, is very similar to that shown by the totalisator, which, of course, might be expected. The amount of buying by Australian Didders was again a very considerable factor tflngards the success of this year's sales, as it always has been since 1932. In 193J3 the Australians contributed 6085 feuinjps to the aggregate turnover of p1ff1349 guineas; in 1934, 6525 guineas (aggregate 16,650 guineas): in 1935, 13,025 guineas (aggregate 20,722£ guineas); in 1936, 9940 guineas'(aggregate 21.032J guineas); in 1937, 12,330 guineas (aggregate 25,505 guineas); last year, 11,095 guineas (aggregate 32,896 guineas); and this year, 19,130 guineas (aggregate 33,685 guineas). None of 'he disclosed-'■juving this year was for overseas outside of Australia, as has taken place in most recent years. AH the highest prices at the sales this year were bid by the Australians. The top figure was 1450 guineas, which was secured for a colt by the new sire Tiderace. Tiderace thus took the same honour as Beau Pere did in topping the sale two year? ago.* . . TOP-PRICE YOUNGSTERS. The following table gives the yearlings who have brought top prices at the thirteen. National Sales so far held at Trentham:— Guineas. 1927 Absurd—Bronze c 1025 1928 Llmond—Homage c .... i^_... 2300 1929 Llmond—Waterwings c 2400 1930 Hunting Song—Oratress c .. 2400 1931 Limond—Hyades f 850 Llmond —Aspic c 800 1932 *Limond—Waterwings c 650 1933 ♦Llmond—Homage c ;. 1150 1934 *Limo~nd—lmprudence c .. ..:' ' 850 1935 *Limond—Veil c 2100 1936 Limond —Homage c 1200 1937 *Beau Pere—Helen c 1050 1938 Beau Pere—Drama f : 1150 ♦Siegfried—Lilock c 1050 1939 *Tiderace —My Own c 1450. •Bought by Australian owners. Tiderace's position draws attention to this sire, whose stock will be racing for the first time next season. An eight-year-old chestnut horse, he -is. .the first stallion by the Phalaris horse Fairway, who won the St. Leger Stakes and headed the English winning sires' list in 1936, to have been brought out to the Dominion. It is ol further interest that his dam, Panic, is a daughter of unbeaten Hurry On. The My Own colt, who was bred by Mr. J. S. McLeod, president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, was bought by the Randwick trainer J. T. Jamieson, who had started the bidding at 500 guineas and had to carry it to 1450 guineas, the under-bidder being the Hon. A. Croft, of Melbourne. The next best price this year was 1400 guineas for a colt by -Siegfried from Lilock, thus' a brother to Wilson, who was purchased twelve months ago by the Adelaide trainer C. Wheeler for 1050 guineas, and has been a recent good winner in Melbourne. Wheeler started this year's colt at 500 .guineas, ! and although there was keen competihtion for him from other.; Australians, he again outstayed the opposition. Among the fillies this year's top price, was given for a daughter of Bulandshar and High Art, thus a sister to Nora Gregor, who was secured by the Hon. A. Croft at 650 guineas. Three other fillies were sold at 525 guineas; and another, the half-sister by the new: sire Foxlight to Defaulter, brought 500 guineas. Only one of these fillies remains in the Dominion. A feature of the buying at the sales was the activity of the Sydney breeder and owner Mr. W. J. Smith, who_ purchased Beau Pere and several brood mares at .the Westmere dispersal sale two years ago in order to launch his new St. Aubins Stud, near Sydney. Mr Smith was a keen bidder for almost every lot of note, making, twelve purchases at a total cost of 4035 guineas, and no doubt most of the nine fillies in his long list will eventually form part of his stud. This gentleman, who really made the sale, is a well-known New South Wales industrialist, being the head of a glass-manufacturing firm that employs over 4000 people, and he has taken;up the breeding and racing of horses as a hobby. He has already been of great assistance to the breeding industry in the Dominion through the support he has given to the sales in recent years, and it is earnestly to be. hoped that his ventures are rewarded with all the success that they deserve.