STUD NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 12

STUD NOTES.

DUNEDIN JCUP WINNERS. -Y . .i- ■BY - - phaeton.;; •;,. l ; .' The Dunedin Cup winner ißosedayv fur- ' nishes another illustration of happy results '. attending the mating of the St. Simon | and - Musket families, for his sire ranks ;as - a - grandson of the oelebrated Galopin horse. 1 while his : dam is .by;; a. U- grandson of- ' Musket. The following are the leading lines in i the pedigree of the Dunedin ~. Cup win- ■: ner:— _-" ;:: ~i - *~ .'•■ ROSEDAY. ' Sire! Solferino, by Soliman (son of St. ■■-; Simon), from Little Red Spinner, by . Bonnet Rouge (son of Isonomy). . from Little Twin, by Tertius (son of Marquis ; %. of Carabas). , _ ■ • - . ! Jam; Rosalia, by Stepniak (son of Nordenfeldt), from Rosellft, by Beaton Delaval (eon of Melton), from Roie, by St. ;>, Leger oz Captivator. ■■\.\r-' .^■■■'^-.■'■.. THE PROBLEM OF BREEDING.. i "Breeding." says an Engjiah writer, "makes a text from which copious sermons may be drawn, discourses very interesting to those who study theories mostly tenable, according to -my view, • because they aro concocted like detective stories, with the result open to be justified by circumstances created, or at least collated, after the event. Given success achieved fox certain strains of bicod, you can take the Stud Book and conclusively prove that such was not only deserved, but inevitable. While, if the same breeds begin to fail, then the fallings-ott, being in accordance with ■ the fitness ot things, is provable- by, going back to relations. Ancestors, and the like who did not add lustre to the family's record. Critics on such subjects professed themselves satisfied that Bend Or was Bend Or and not Tadcaster, as alleged by attendants who had to do with the two youngsters. Death-bed testimony showed full belief in the - statement made that the two were changed- vOn, the. dam's side subsequent domga went .all to favour the theory that a mistake had been made, for Bend Or's mother did nothing in producing good stock -to follow him, while Tadcaater's were quite the other way. Matters were managed in a very happy-go-lucky style when , Galopin was bred, and popular opinion went quite as much toward* crediting Delight with his paternity as making him a son of Vedette. Here, again, critical authorities have declared for Vedette, as it there could be no doubt, though considerable doubt must be allowed by any fair judge. What happened, or may. have occurred, with Bend Or and Galopin has for certain been of quite frequent occurrence in the history of the turf. gt-'domot say that occasional lapses of this Wti render theories on breeding untenable, but .they dp ,to a great extent shake their infallibility. . What aja- edifice might be built with for foundation a Horse of the Century, the result of a happy blend of Bend Or and Galopip, and all the while the rock on which it was \ eq juStm uorp3i9 s.eogipe orp uetH T{anou.» 'pmjs ©tUf Jl«B|i OApser pjnoa pepunoj justified, because.' like .this human family 'and >J*m, all the grains of sand in the Stud Book do come pretty much from the same original lump of rock or out of the same quarry. . ■—... /" .

. THE BTOCKWELL STRAIN. . The best line from Stockwell is undoubtedly through - Doncaster. ,who was the product of the "emperor of stallions" and a Tedding ton mare (remarks an English writer). In their racing days Stockwell and Teddington had much to do with the manufacture of turf history. Teddington, who was a year older than Stockwell, won the Derby. He was a moderate two-year-old and did not blossom till the spring of his third year. His Derby trial was a smasher, and, though he was suffering great J>ain from a festered and filled lest for some days before .the Derby, he won the great race eaeily. Stockwell was not even a second-rate two-year-old, but developed into a champion at three and four. The greatest race Stockwell over ran was against Teddington for the Emperor of Russia's Plate— called the Ascot Cup— and a-half miles. Teddington was giving \ Stockwell 9lb for 'the year between them, and after a desperate engagement won by a head. This was in 1853,' and 20 years later the pair f again were made famous by Doncaster. who. won the Derby, and began a line of Derby winners, the last two of which were Flying Fox and Galtee More. So great is the influence of Stockwell on the modern thoroughbred that it is uncommon to find one of note that has not veral strains of him in its pedigree, and when only one cross cropu up it is a very exceptional case. " ' ,' ' -t . THE ARAB STRAIN. -% An Australian writer answers the question of why. if all horses trace back to the Arab, are there now so many types? " When the bovaea were transported to other countries the varied conditions affected them, and from generation to generation there was a gradual change. They lost the characteristics of their own country and assumed those of the country of their adoption. Thus time evolved the Flemish war horse, the shaggy pony of the Russian steppes, the diminutive Shetland and Moorland ponies of Scotland, and many other types. In support of that argument, one.has only to compare English thoroughbred with his Australian-bred brother and note the difference. It is not much, certainly, but sufficient for experts;to almost unerringly pick out ■ the home-bred avticle from the imported one. However, the difference in the thoroughbred the world over now is never likely, to 'be pronounced. for the "continued intermingling, of blood will' keep the species much as it is to-day. If tho importation of horses into Australia were prohibited for many years, it is certain that this country would evenually breed ja type of animal quite distinct from the English thoroughbred." ; ' . ;

TE AROHA RACECOURSE. [BY. TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ; ' TE AROHA, Tuesday Among the improvements recently effected at the To Aroha racecourse is the terracing of the outside enclosure, providing much better facilities for patrons of that area for viewing the whole of the races. The club secured splendid nominations for the forthcoming meeting, and already indications point to a record fixture. \ NOTED HURDCiE-RACER DEAD. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY, Feb. 18. ■3 Colonel Knut, who held the Avstralian record (4m 88Je) for two miles and™a-auarter over hurdles, succumbed to an attack ,of blood poisoning. Colonel Knut was owned by Mr. J. R. Gough, HECTOR GRAY IN ENGLAND. ■ RIDES OVER HURDLES. ;. "" [from OTTft OWN correspondent.] ; . LONDON. Jan. 4. u ' Already the New Zealand jockey, Hector Gray, has received some flattering notices regarding his riding over obstacles, and he has had a few thrills as well. He made his debut at Kemp ton Park over the sticks on Datnar, an aged gelding, who ran fourth. His next mount was Precious, on the same day, the horse as well as the rider making a debut in their new type of running. By some unfortunate oversight Gray was not supplied with the usual rubber reins, and as it was raining ip torrents he had great difficulty in holding his horse together. However, this mistake was remedied on the ocoaeion of Precious' second outing, at Newbury, last Saturday, and the gratifying result was that '-he: was only narrowly beaten by .Mrs. Hevbourn's Gasper (ridden by G. Duller, to whom, by the way. Gray has been flatteringly likened for style). Gray describes Gasper as the most promising young hurdler in England. -A private watch made of this event showed that these two horses ran, the first six . furlongs in 1m 16s / over the first three fences—thus putting' up a record for the Newbury course. Gray looks forward to Precious developing into a great hurdler. ■/■":•._■.■;.■■.-... ...".:..:;'. .:: So far. perhaps. Gray's greatest ""thrill was experienced on the same course next v day, for riding White Satin, he found himself pitted against no less established an artist than Frank Wootton, riding V Mr. Rich's Uerald D. The result was a dead-heat. Of this contest the Daily Express remarks: When Hector Gray, the flat-race jockey, made his debut over hurdles in this country on Da-mar, most people thought that his style of riding would limit the driving power that he could apply to a doubtful jumper. It was- also considered that his crouch, in the event of. a bad blunder, would, be all against a smart reoovery. The New Zea;ander, however, promptly upset these notions yesterday, when ho took part in one of the finest finishes seen over hurdles at Newbury for. many a day_ The horsemanship i of m bo Gr °y on White Batin. and F rank Wootton on Gerald D.. was splendid to watch, and, when, at the ■ finish, their mounts dashed by the post so close that the judge was unable to v separate them, and .declared a dead-heat,: there was a rousing cheer from those hardy followers of the winter game who, appreciate plucky efforts from horses and riders.** Another mount of Gray's at the same meeting was tho much-favoured Golden Gate, belonging to Mr. Jurgenaen. Of this performance, the Daily Express sayst-War-wick gave us all an idea of his ability when he upset .general calculations by beating Owen and St. George at Kempton. Gray set the pace on Golden, Gate, and continued in front until two hurdles from home, Here i Warwick improved his position, and eve™ tually jumped into the lead, to win by three lengths from Glance. It was a case of the stouter finisher surviving." -