A VISIT TO THE AUCKLAND STUD COMPANY'S FARM.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1839, 15 January 1880, Page 3

A VISIT TO THE AUCKLAND STUD COMPANY'S FARM.

fBY A COBBEBPONDBNT.]

Daring my recent visit to the Auckland races I availed myself of the opportunity afforded of visiting the Auckland Stud Company's establishment, and as its location and resources are but little known to sportingmen in the South Island, my experiences may not prove uninteresting. I had for my conductor no less a personage than one of the directors of the Company, to whom I -must record my thanks for his kindcess. The Company's farm—which is known by the name of Glen Orchard —is situated at West Tamaki, about seven miles from Auckland, and the drive, which is a very pretty one, we accomplished in capital time : the mare we sat behind being quite a local celebrity, having figured on the stage as the Derby winner when the play of " Flying Scud " was first produced in Auckland. Passing through the rising suburbs of Newmarket and Beinwera, the most prominent object on the rigbt is the residence of Mr Dilwortb, noticeable from the fine specimens of the prints insignis which surround it. Further on Mr 8. Morrin's villa nestles in the trees on our left hand, while the prettily-situated racecourse of Ellerslie, now so quiet and deserted, may be seen on the right, A few moments afterwards Major Walmsley, the ■ energetic managing director of the Company, •approaches in his basket carriage on the. way to town, and having exchanged greetings ■•with him, we drive on, and shortly afterwards pass St. John's College, formerly Bißhop Selwyn's school in connection with the Melanesian mission. This spot con:* •mauds a 'fine view of the lasd near OneJiuoga on the right, and of the charming scenery of Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto on the left, and as we .descend the road toward* Glen Orchard the steamer Albion comes in sight steaming up the harbor. Passing through the gate into the Company's farm we drive up a splendid avenue of trees, and alight in front of the stables. Here my conductor introduces me to J. Thorpe, the head groom, who kindly shows me round the place. Before I proceed to enumerate the animals it may not be out of place if I give .3 short sketch of the formation of the Company. Until July, 1879, the only stud premises in the Auckland province were those of the Cobbam Stud Company, situated in the Waikato, which Company owned, amongst others, the Bt-dlions Musket, Knottingly, and Feve. From a variety of causes the Cobham Company was a failure, and the present Company, which was formed by •several influential Auckland racißg-gentle-men, took over the whole of the Cobham thoroughbred horses and mares at a valua tion, with the exception of Feve, who happened to be away at the time in Australia. And apropos of this horse, who is by Lord Clifden out of Haricot, and is now the property of Mr B. Fergusßon, of Waikato, it mnv bo stated that he waa originally imported for Cobham, but not being a success as a foal getter, was sent to Australia, where ill-luck again attended him, and he was reshiDped to this colony. The property known as Glen Orchard consists of 300 acres of land,|moat suitable.for the purpose of breeding horses. The term for which the property is leased is five years, with the option of a renewal for a further period of five years, the rental of the whole being £IOO per annum. There is a capital villa residence upon the property, which is occupied by Msjor Walmsley, and a comfortable cottage for the use of the groom-in-charge, while the stables of ten stalls, paved with concrete, and the appointments are of the most complete description. I first inspected the colonial-bred mares of the Company, who were all running together. The first one pointed out to me was an old face—Pungawerewere, by Golden Grape out of Atalanta, by To wton—Crescent, by bir Hercules. Punga, who it may be remembered won the Dunedin Cup of 1876, in the colors of Mr F. W. Delamain, and whose last owner was Mr Perkins, of Auckland, has a colt foal at foot ta Tregeagle. Close beside her waß Moonbeam, a chesnut mare bred in 1864, by Pacific out of Moonbeam, by the LibelTwilight, by Velocipede. Moonbeam's last foal to Aerolite died laßt year. Aerolite, who was ODoe located at Cobham, is now the property of Mr Owen McGee, and is standing at Otahuhu. The other mares were Renga, Deception, All Steel, Rosalie, and Atalanta. Bangi, bred in 1371, is abay marc by Ravensworth (imported) out of vSkybird (imported), by Teddington. She ha 9 a colt at foot to Aerolite. Deception, who is now 24 yearß old, and will be remembered as the dam of Tattler, is a bay mare by Young Plover out of Vanity, by Sir Charles, and has a colt foal at foot to Mr Horefall's Rand wick. AllSteel, bred in 1871, a cheßnut mare, by Stockham out of the Steeltrap-man, has also a oolt foal by Randwick, as also has Rosalie, who is by Patriarch out of Flying Doo, by the Premier. The three latter mares were nntil lately the property of Mr Horsfall, who imported Rosalie and All Steel from Australia. Atalanta is a bay mare by Dainty Ariel out of Moonshine, by the Libsl— Twilight by "Velocipede, and must not be confounded with Mr Delamain'd mare of the same name. She has a colt foal at foot to Knottingley. The whole of the above mares are in foal to Musket. This concluded the colonial bred mares, and crossing the avenue we came into a ten acre paddock, in which the two imported matrons—Sylvia and Onyx—were grazing. Sylvia, who stands about 16 hands, is a bay mare, by Fisherman out of Juliet,

by Touchstone out of Lancashire Witch and was purchased t y the Company from Mr Wentworth for 20CO guineas. She has a beautifully shaped h -ad and a splendid rein, in fact it would in eed be hard to find a fault in her. Shi- is the very ileal of sym metry. She is now 16 years old, and has made a name for herself throughout Australia as having never yet thrown a bad 'un, which may be said to have been justly earned, seeing that Ehe ia the dam of such celebrities as Robin Hood and Goldsborougb. Her companion, Onyx, is also a picture. She is a black marc, with two white fore-feet, and like Sylvia, is very handsome, though smaller and mo r e compact. She stand 15.2, on good legs and feet She is now 7 years old, was purchased by the Company for 1000 guineas, and ia by Angler out of Chrysolite (imported), by Stockwell out of Juliet, by Touchstone. She and Sylvia have each a foal at foot to Bapid Bay, both of which have been sold to an Australian breeder, the price being 760 guineas for Sylvia's foal and 500 guineas for Onyx's Both the mares are in foal to Musket, and for their stock the Company should be able to realise a handsome figure. Bjcroßsing the avenue to the stables, I flud myself once more, after a lapse of some years, face to face with an old Canterbury favorite, Kuottingly, than whom a gamer horse was never saddled. Knotting ley, who is by Scud out of Termagant by Cap-a-pie—Griselda, will be well remembered as the winner of the Canterbury Cups of 1868 and 1870, the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap of 1870 and 1871, and the Christchurch Plate of 1870 and 1871. Those who know the old horse so well will be surprised to learn that his covering fee is only four guineas, and that he has had nothing but a lot of hacks put to him. He looked the picture of health, and though now 17 years old, is still good for many more seasous. Let ns hope that better times are in store for the son of Termagant, who from his high class performances, his gameness, and his low fee, should be well worth the attention of Northern breeders. In the adjoining box Btood the lord of the Glen Orchard harem. Musket is a darkbrown horse, standing 16 J. He shows immense quality, atd what strikes one on seeing him for the first time is the tremendous strength of his quarters, which are like those of a dray horse. He has rare legs, and is unmistakeably a splendid horse. His performances were of a ve-y high order, and almost every English mail brings the intelligence of some of his progeny being returned as winners. There is no doubt were Masket in England at present he could be sold at a profit on the price paid for him by Mr Bus?ell ; but he is well where he is, and the Company are to be congratulated on the possession of a sire who has scarcely an equal in New Zealand. I may mention that in the taking over of the Cobham Stud Musket was valued at 2000 guineas. It is almost needless to say that Musket was bred by Lord Glasgow, and is by the recently defunct Toxonhilite, his dam by West Aus tralian out of Brown Bess by Camel. In boxes further on were the two Clydesdale stallions recently imported—Elgin and Prince Arthur. Elgin, who is a three-year-old, ia certainly one of the most magnificent animals of his class ever imported to this country, and both he and Prince Arthur should work wonders in improving the heavy stock in the Auckland province. The Company have also a number of very fine Clydesdale mares, which I bad no opportunity of seeing.

On the road back wo passed Mr Smith's training quarters, whtve I daw Maid of Honor browsing in tbe paddock. After A very pleasant drive tbrough Epsom, we arrived back in Auckland early in the afternoon. I had almost forgotten to say that by a clause in tbe articles cf association the directors of the Company are not allowed to race any of the stock belonging to the Com • pany. My impression of its prospects was certainly a most favorable one, and with such a sire as Musket, and mares like Sylvia and Onyx and others, the Company cannot fail to eecure high prices for their stock.