PAPAKURA STUD FARM.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2633, 14 September 1882, Page 4

PAPAKURA STUD FARM.

" Phaeton," the sporting contributor to the Auckland "Weekly Herald," recently paid a visit to the Papakura Stud Farm, and as Mr Walters, the owner, is so very well known down South, the following extracts from our confrere's aitiole will doubtless prove interesting to our readers : The brood mares Yattarina, Fanny Fither, Slander, and Bosarina are all in foal to Masker, but Venus Transit, it is thought, has missed to the eon of Toxopholite, while Peeress is in foal to Mnribyrnong. With the exception of Venus Transit, all the mares looked in splendid health, and I could not help remarking to Mr Walters how wonderfully well old Slander carries her age, whioh on looking up I find to be eighteen years, and yet the old girl looks even younger than Libeller 3 * five-year-old sister— Bosarina Piscstoriaus I found looking big and well, and his dickey leg hat fined down nicely, under tte persuasive influence of a strong blister. Since he was last ■een on the Auckland course, Pijoatorius has developed into a great horse, standing as he does 16 hands 2 icohes high, and fit and well I should take him to be one of the best animals in the colony over a mile and a quarter. Mr Walters was thinking of putting him to the atud this season, but now X believe that it is his intention to give the hone as long a rest as possible, and then, should he stand his preparation, race him in the baok end of the coming season. . . .1 -Billinfigita bos ouffered a good deal from

a enlargement of his knee joists for Borne time pant. I aru glad to state that they look much better nc.w than when he arrived from Canterbury tome three months ago, but still they are for from well. It is not, I believe, Mr Walters' intention to Billingsgate to the Southern meetings this year, so that the borsa will have a good spell, whioh indeed he deserves, for he has now been racing ever since he was two years old. Crossing over to the main stables the first horse that caught my eyo on entering was Hippocampus, and as X looked at him I could almost fancy I saw his blood like daughter, Hippodamia. Here were the same hocks, woll let down, and clean, and the same flit bone and well shaped shoulder. As a winner-producing parent Hippocampus bids fnir to equ»l, if not surpass, his grand old sirv. Dainty Ariel, for we find the vary first one of his stook running on the New Zealand turf almost getting (if not-quite) to the top of the list of winning horses during the past season. That game little horse, Libeller, was the next that claimed my attention, and right well did he lock. He has furnished a good deal since I last law him, and looks none the worse for the heavy work he did last season. He is very sound, as I ran my hand down his legs, I found them as clean as they were when the little son of Yatterina first saw the light. Libeller is just in nice oondition to be taken up, and it will not require much galloping to bring him fit. Xho next 'box was occupied j by the two-year-old eon of Yattendon anfl Peeress. To the eye he is not a taking horse i by any means, standing too straight in front < for my liking, which I should say will tell; greatly against him when undergoing a' severe preparation. He is a long way overgrown for his ago, too, and it is not Mr Walters' intention, therefore, to train him until he is three years old. In the end box, on the other side of the stable, I found irishwoman, the three-year-old daughter of Yattendon and Fanny Fisher. This young lady has grown nioely, and appears to be in excellent health. She suffered a good deal last season from bad hocks, and French was compelled to bring th<> blister into requisition, whioh has had the effeot of making them much batter. In the next box was the handsome but unfortunate Grand Duohess. It was Mr Walters' intention to have put the daughter of Peeress to the stud this season, but she has come on so well that ha has decided to give her another trial. Hippodamia was the occupant of the next box. She, too, looked well in her ooat, and was jumping about as lively as a kitten. The heavy work the filly did last season does not appear to have affected her muoh, and I think she is as sound as the day she was <oaled. If anyone had asked me what horse was in tbe next box I must confess I should have had to plead ignoranoe. It was Fita-Heroules (late P» eress oolt). He has furnished wonderfully since I last saw him, and looked fresh and well. Fitz Hercules has grown into a very powerful animal, and possesses as good a fore-end as I have ever seen. He appears perf eotly sound after his rest, but it is not Mr Walters' intention to take him South. And now I oome to the main objsots of my visit—the two-year-olds—Musketeer, by Musket, out of Yatterina; and Piahgirl, by Yattendon, out of Fanny Fisher. The former has developed into a really fine oolt, standing as he does 15 hands Sin high, and measures 6ft all but lin round the girth. He shows plenty of bono, measuring BJin round the can no J», 12 Jin round the knee, and Slin round the arm. His propelling power behind is also very good, and he should certainly not tire in getting over a distance of ground. Fishgirl is, without doubt, the handsomest filly I have seen for a long time, and if she does not earn her oat bill during the coming season, I shall be greatly mistaken. After lunoh French saddled the two-year-olds, and they were taken on to the course to receive their eduoation. French, who was aiding Heroulaneum, took his two companions down to the half mile post, where the three jumped off. Musketeer and Fishgirl stuck elose together, but Heroulaneum, who put his feet down as if they were props, did not appear to get' along well. It must be remembered, however, tbat with Frenoh he had a good big weight [up. Considering that Musketeer is yet very gross, his style of going pleased me very muoh; Fishgirl also acquitted herself well, and put her feet down like an artiste. Having seen all the gallopping, we took a turn down the paddock to look at the young stock. The first that olaimed my attention was Fusileer, a ten-months old oolt, by Musket out of Yatterina. He is a very strong-built youngster, and olosaly resembles his fnll brother Musketeer all over. Torpedo, by Musket out of Fanny Fisher, is not a very taking youngster, and his backward condition, jwhioh is mainly owing to his dam being a bad mother, does not add to his good looks. A filly, by Hippocampus out of Slander (full sister to Hippodamia), took my fanoy greatly, but I think the palm goes to Peeress" daughter, [by Maribyrnong—a fine lengthy filly, showing heaps of quality all over. I shall watch the growth of this young lady with much interest, for I believe she will turn out a real good one. In another paddock adjacent so the stables I notioed Hipporina, the four-year-old daughter of Hippocampus and Yatterina. This young lady, who has only sported silk once, has recently been on the siok list, but is now recovering. She is a nies racing-like filly, and may some day be heard of. Altogether, I have seldom seen a team of horses looking so well in winter as those of the Papakura stable, and with ordinary luok we may, I think, expect to see the rose and white stripes play a prominent part in the various big events of the coming racing season.