NATIONAL YEARLING SALES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 150, 21 December 1940, Page 15

NATIONAL YEARLING SALES

DOMINION'S ROLE AS THOROUGHBRED NURSERY

[(By "Rangatira.")

The steady and continued progress the Dominion has made in recent years as one of the leading thoroughbred nurseries in the world is well shown by the splendid entry that has been made for the Fifteenth Annual National Yearling Sales, to be held at Trentham on Monday and Tuesday, January 20 and 21. The catalogue for this year's sales comprises a record offering of 220 yearlings, arid these youngsters, among whom may be many future champions, are representative of no fewer than 49 sires, imported and colonial. With England and the Continent devastated as never, before by war, New Zealand, Australia, and America have a highly important mission at present to maintain the flow of -thoroughbred horses.

It was back in 1927 that the annual National Sale was inaugurated iii the Dominion. Prior to that date the selling of yearlings in New Zealand lacked any systematic or organised effort, sales being held in various centres at -different times of the year. There were many inconveniences resulting from a multitude of small sales, and in particular it was always difficult to have a.fully representative bench of potential buyers at any one of such sales, hence breeders could hardly expect the best prices the market might be willing to give.

Jn 1926 the leading blooding agencies ,ia the Dpminion, in conjunction with "one of the largest Australian agencies, decided to organise and centralise the selling of thoroughbred yearlings in the Dominion, and the result was the inauguration :of the National Sales series th'S-following year. It was decided ihat ~such sales should be held at Treiitham. during the course of the .Wellington Cup Meeting each January. Aftef,'Satisfactory .arrangements had been made by the firms concerned with the Wellington Racing Club, plans were drawn ujp for the erection of large and commodious stables adjacent to the .Trenthanv course for the housing of the yearlings to foe sold, and these stables were ready for the first sale in January, $927.

SUCCESS FROM START. Prom ineir inception the National Sales have been a great success. In 1927 the aggregate of 48 lots sold was 16,600 guineas, averaging 341 guineas; and the average reached as high as 415 guineas; for 50 lots in 1930, which was' jiist^before the depression set in. The average fell "during the slump, out the offering, which was increasing in size!, continued to be disposed of at satisfactory prices under the ruling conditions of the/day; During the last seven years more and more yearlings have been: sold, and, though the average has dropped again a little the last two years, as a result of international uncertainty and then the war, the prices on the whole have been maintained on a profitable basis for breeders. Twelve months ago 133 lots were disposed of for anj aggregate of 28,410 guineas, an average of 213J guineas, which was some 30 guineas lower than the average of t^vo years ago, when the Munich Pact gave some temporarily ~ definite hope that the war clouds would disperse. The racing outlook in the"Dominion and Australia remains bright, despite the mounting war effort, and it is anticipated that this season's sales will retain their full interest for facing men and breeders, indeed, it is more important than ever, because of the severe restraint on breeding and racing in., the Old Country, that New Zealand should take a still bolder part in seeing" that no deterioration is permitted in the racing thoroughbred. From the Dominion and the Commonwealth the English and Continental studs may have to draw in years to come if the war be prolonged, as our. leading statesmen .i forecast it will be. The^e will be wide choice for buyers at the sales next month. The record catalogue comprises 141 colts and 79 flllies,. which is. an unusual excess of colts, and for the first time the sale is being divided because of the size of the offering, approximately 130 yearlings to be offered on the first day and 90 on the second day. The two days will afford much more comfortable conditions for both auctioneers and public, as there will no longer be the hectic, pressure that has prevailed ■with an dverbig offering the last two years. The usual parade will be held on Sunday, January 19. yALXJE OF THE BLOOD. As to the value of New Zealand blood, if any doubt remains as to its quality and worth in the minds of would-

be purchasers of yearlings next month, one has only to consider the success of Dominion horses against Australia's best during the past few^ months. New Zealand horses had an extraordinary run- of triumphs during the spring campaign in New South Wales and Victoria. Beau Vite, Beaulivre, and High Caste' dominated the. w.f .a. situation. Beau Vite and High Gaste both trounced Australia's No. 1 horse, Ajax, and Beau Vite, High Caste, and Beaulivre won all the leading handicaps among them, excepting only the Melbourne Cup, for" which Beau Vite started a hot favourite. Other New Zealanders to have raced well in Australia since the last sales are Mosaic (Sydney Cup), Gold Salute, Amiable, Tidal Wave, Fearless Fox, Saint Warden, and Footmark. Another feature that demonstrates the quality of the yearlings sold at the sales is the cuccess they have subsequently had'in the contests for the big three-year-old classics in Australia and New Zealand. In a period of eleven years they have won no fewer than 40 of the Derbies, St. Legers, and Oaks, such winners during the last'season having been.Beau Vite, Saint Warden, Belle Cane; and Fearless Fox. Thus, on an average, three or four of the season's biggest classics in Australia and New Zealand are won by horses who have been purchased at the New Zealand National Sales, a remarkable record.

And besides these classic wins, such famous handicap and w.f.a. winners as Phar Lap (Melbourne Cup), Beau Vite (Metropolitan Handicap), Defaulter (Wellington Cup), Royal Chief (Metropolitan Handicap), Catalogue (Melbourne Cup), High Caste (Epsom Handicap), Mosaic (Sydney Cup twice), Veilmond (£21,616 in stakes), Heritage (All-India Eclipse Stakes), Tohunga (Durban Gold Cup), Cerne Abbas (N.Z. Cup), Gold Rod (Epsom Handicap), Waikare (Metropolitan Handicap), Sir Regent (Metropolitan Handicap), Concentrate (Auckland Cup) are among those who have figured in Trentham catalogues. It is impossible here to consider all the splendid families that are represented in this year's offering—indeed, there are few families of note in the New Zealand Stud Book who are not there—but as a final point it may be observed that the 49 sires with progeny in the sales are:—Mr. Standfast (half-brother to Beau Pere), 13 offerings; Theio, by. Tetratema, 12; Man's Pal. by Manna, 11; Lord Quex (sire of -Melbourne, - Auckland, and New Zealand Cup winners); 10; Foxbridge, by Foxlaw, Solicitor General, by Blandford, and Broiefort, by Blandford, 9 each; Bulandshar (sire of High Caste), 8; Night Raid (sire of Phar Lap, Nightmarch, and' Nightly), Nightmarch (Melbourne and New Zealand Cup's and sire of New Zealand Cup winner Serenata), and Ringmaster, by Colorado, 7 each; Tiderace (sire of Tidal Wave), Phaleron Bay (half-brother to Miracle), Siegfried (sire of Melbourne, New Zealand, and Wellington Cup winners), Captain Bunsby (half-brother to Coronach), Colossus (sire of Dannevirke, etc.), St, Bos wells, by Solario, and Gynerium,- by" Phalaris, 6 each; Defoe (sire of .Defaulter), Spiral, by Limond, Baffles (half-brother to Manna), Pink Coat (sire of Kinnoull). and Croupier (sire of The Raker), 5 each; and lesser numbers by the successful sires of stayers and classic winners, Hunting Song, Paper Money, Lord Warden (sire of Gold Salute), Paladin, Vaals, Inflation, Leighon, Foxlight, • Hazrat, Salmagundi,. Illumination, Nightly, Vermeer, The Greek, Tidal, King Lv, Spear Dance, Musketoon (sire of Gladynev), Valkyrian, Martarma (sire of Martara), Jay, Portofino, and the untried sires Dink (another half-brother to Beau.Pere), Guarantee, and Langßian (by Massine). These sires comprise what is probably the finest array of male blood that has ever been listed for the consideration of those who will be on: the bidding benches at next month's sales. ;