DEATH OF GREAT SIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19699, 27 July 1927, Page 15

DEATH OF GREAT SIRE.

MARTIAN'S CAREER ENDED.

A REMARKABLE RECORD.

STOCK WIN OVER £270,000, [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. Mr. J. F. Buchanan's great stallion Martian has been destroyed, an attack of paralysis rendering this course necessary. He was foaled in 1901, so that he had exceeded the average age of the thoroughbred. The late Mr. G. G. Stead made many notable purchases of bloodstock in England, but one which stands out was the Sheen mare, Otterden, in foal to Martagon. In due course after arrival here Otterden foaled a colt, who was named Martian, a horse destined to make history in New Zealand and Australia. Martian's racing career was brief but brilliant.. In his first season as a three-year-old he won the Canterbury Challenge Stakes and the North Island Challenge Stakes. In the following spring ho went to Sydney and won the Randwick Plate, a weight-for-age race of two miles and aquarter, returning home to capture the Canterbury Cup,' of a similar distance. He thus demonstrated that he was a stayer, and it was as a siro of stayers that he subsequently earned his greatest fame. He was purchased by Mr. J. F. Buchanan, at whose Kinloch stud. Little River, he stood throughout his stud career. Right from the start Martian was a success as a sire. His progeny early demonstrated the possession of speed, but while some of them won at all distances, it was as a sire of stayers that Martian was preeminent. Martian made his first appearance in the winning sires' list 18 years ago, and his record since then is as follows ; Season. £ 1909-10 .. 2410 1910-11 5410 1911-12 ... 2728 1912-13 ..., 7207 1913-14 ~. 15,178 1914-15 t ..i 22,848 1915-1G ...■ 17.750 1916-17 ... 18,586 1917-18 ~., 13,932 1918-19 r.v 22,951 1919-20 r. j 24,518 1920-21 ~ j 30,735 1921-22 r .-.i 24,334 1922-23 18,416 1924-25 t.>i 6,442 1925-26 i. j 15,506

These figures give a total up to the end of last season of £'271,219, to which there will be a substantial sum to add when the figures for this season are made up. Martian headed the winniug sires' list in the Dominion on seven occasions, six times in succession. In addition to the New Zealand record the progeny of Martian scored many important successes in Australia. Sasanof credited him with the Melbourne Cup, Chcrubini with the Australian Cup, and Cupidon with the Australian Jockey Club's Derby, while Sasanof, Snub, Reputation, The Hawk and .Rapine credited him with many weight-for-age stakes. Martian's record of important successes in the Dominion is very impressive, as will he seen from the following list:—Auckland Cup: Warstep, Mascot, Rapine. Great Northern Derby: Danube, Cherubini, Reputation, Sasanof, Star Stranger. Auckland Racing Club Handicap: Vagabond. Auckland Guineas: Vagabond. Royal Stakes: Danube. Great Northern St. Leger: Rapine. Avondale Guineas: Vagabond, Rapine. Avondale Cup: Star Ranger. New Zealand Cup: Warstep (dead heat), Ardenvhor, Menelaus, Sasanof, Vagabond. Royal Star. Stewards' Handicap: Star Dancer (dead heat), Warstep. Canterbury Metropolitan Handicap: Tannhauser, Rapine. New Zealand Derby: Danube. Cherubini, Rossini. Welcome Stakes: Danube. Battle Eve, Jvew Zealand Oaks: Martini, Court Martial, Warlove. Canterbury Cup: Cherubini, Reputation, Warstep. Snub, Mascot, Rapine. • Stead Gold Cup.—Warstep, Reputation, Sasanof, Rapine. Middle Park Plate: Adjutant. Great Autumn Handicap: Warstep, Sasanof. Winter Cup: King Star. Dunedin Cup: Tannhauser, Warstep, Bee, Margerme. Dunedin Champagne Stakes: Adjutant, Ares. Dunedin Stakes (renamed McLean Stakes) : Warstep, Marsa. Nones, Meteorite. Dunedin Guineas: Snub, Wardancer. Invercargill Cup: Soldiers' Chorus (twice). Honesty. Asealaphus, Marsa. Hawke's Bay Cup: Lovematch. Star Stranger (dead heat). Hawke's Bay Guineas- Reputation, The Hawk. Manawatu Bires' Produce Stakes: Warplane, Little River. Manawatu Stakes: The Hawk. Awapuni Gold Cup: Sn.sanof (twice). Rapine. Napier Cup- Little River. Rupino. Wanijamii Guineas: Danube, Reputation, Nones. Wellesley Stakes: Ermine. North Island Challenge Stakes.—Warplane. New Zealand St. Locer: Danube, Rapine, Star Stranger. Wellington Cup: Bee. Rapine, Trentham Gold Cup: Warstep. Sasanof, Rapine (twice). Martian's record in connection with the New Zealand Cup was a marvellous one. In a period of eight years he claimed six winners. On one of these occasions he provided the three placed horses—Menelaus, Johnny Walker, Snubwhile in two other years he had one placed horse in addition to the winner. Snub running second to Ardenvhor and Menelaus finishing third to Sasanof. In the Canterbury Cup Martian also had a wonderful record as he had six winners, five of them in a period of seven years. Several of Martian's sons have sired winners. hut he has not left one worthy to succeed him at the stud. His daughters, however, have proved great producers, and they seem certain to keep his name prominently under notice for many years. AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. THE YEAR'S OPERATIONS. IMPROVEMENTS TO COURSE. The committee's report to be presented at the annual meeting of the Auckland Racing Club on August 8 congratulates the members on the very satisfactory position disclosed in tho statement of accounts. The stakes paii away during the year amounted to £ G7.300. exclusive of £420 contributed in sweepstakes by owners, and good racing was witnessed at each meeting. Several large and important works had been proceeded with during the course of the racing season, notably the extension and improvement of the course proper, on which £4700 had been spent to date. This accounted for the increase in wages account for the year. It would probably be January, 1329, before racing could take place on tho new extension. The paving of the lawn and leger enclosures at a cost of £4816 was a great _ improvement, as it would eliminate dust in summer and mud in winter. The training track, buildings and plant had received the usual careful attention, and no effort had been spared in an endeavour to give owners and trainers the best facilities for the preparation of their horses. The training tracks at Papakura which the club agreed to subsidise with a view to relieving tho tracks at Ellerslie had. been completed., and an inspection had shown them to be well formed and in good ( order, and they should be available for training operations during tho ensuing season.

The committee regretted having to record a. number of deaths among members since the last annual meeting, namely, Sir Arthur Myers, Messrs. A. A. Bethune, A. B. Carmichael. J. Gallagher, A. Johnston, C. P. Mark, A. Raynes, B. W. Weston and C. Z. Clayton, who served for many years as a steward of the club. Sir Edwin Mitchelson and Mr. H. ,0. Nolan were the only nominees for the offices of president and vice-president respectively, and would be declared duly elected. Messrs. J. M. Carpenter, R. W. Duder. N. Alfred Nathan and Dr. A. McGregor Grant (retiring members), Ewen W. Alison, jun., and M. M. Louisson had been _ nominated for the five seats on the committee, and for the three seats on the stewards, Messrs. L. S. Rathbone, W. C. Ring, sen., Cr. A. Wvnvard (retiring elected stewards), and M. J. Lynch. Items of expenditure during the year were: Wages. £14,564: repairs and maintenance, £3179: rates, £2003: land tax. £lsßfi; conference levies. £1383: donations. £492. Receipts included revenue from race meetings, £38.751: members' subscriptions, £2712; tea kiosk, £235.