AURUM IN ENGLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume C, Issue 11658, 15 August 1898, Page 3

AURUM IN ENGLAND.

Auram arrived in England on July 23. Apropos of his arrival, the “ Special Commissioner ” of the “ Sportsman " writes : " I need perhaps hardly say that I was present at the Albert Docks to see Auium landed from the good ship Damascus, and before ten o’clock I had seen him in his box on board the vessel. He had three companions, and their boxes, all built together on the main deck, forward of the bridge, were excellently spacious, giving them full scope to move about during the long voyage of seven weeks. Aumm pleased me very much. He is a rather bigger horse than I expected, and good at all points; a sturdy, hardy brown, with old Trenton’s head and eye exactly reproduced. During the seven weeks he has, of course, grown long in the hoof, and he has his winter coat on him now, but any capable judge would have been well pleased with him on seeing him land, especially in regard to his beautiful temper and temperament, for Aunnn went into the crate by which he was to be swung ashore with practically no hesitation, and when all had been made fast, in the regular way, Quinn, who has accompanied him on the voyage—as he did Merman —sat over him in the crate, and up they went. It was a lofty flight and descent they had to make, but Aurum took ■it all as a, master of course, and .presently

walked cut and into the shed behind as if ,it were all part of a day’s work. Arrived there', he ' and his/ two-year-old companion disported themselves by rearing and jumpring about and generally stretching their legs after their long imprisonment, and within half an hour they'were boxed and sent on to their destinations. Captain Douglas, of the Damascus, has a great reputation for the safe transport of horses, and I think he ought on this occasion to have a testimonial to which the underwriters should subscribe. Fox the rest, let my readers always remember that Newhaven, brilliant though some ot his form was at the Antipodes, has never been recommended without serious warnings, as far as lam concerned. I say no more as to that for Newhaven may yet come out in his true colours; but here wo have an absolutely genuine horse in Aurum, who really does represent and is likely to maintain the best form out there. Ho is game and honest, and he has landed in good condition. F. Webb by now well knows how to handle such horses, and - he . is not likely to defer to the acclimatisation nonsense, which probably did much damage to Newhaven who was not allowed to run till he had been in England nearly a year. These horse are fit to run within eight or nine weeks of arrival when landed in proper shape, and it is vastly better policy to. ran them than to let them lose their action while acclimatising. The mere fact of running does not interfere with acclimatisation, but a long period of rest certainly interferes with action.