LORD DERBY'S HORSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 11

LORD DERBY'S HORSES.

DRASTIC ECONOMIES. LARGE REDUCTION IN STABLE. THE BURDEN OF TAXATION. [from our own correspondent.] LONDON, Sept. 5. Lord Derby, who has been one of thp most lavish supporters of racing and horsebreeding for many years, has decided upon drastic reductions in his racing establishment at Newmarket. Ho will dispenso with the services of his trainer, Mr. Frank Butters, will sell most of his yearlings and a number of his mares, and will reduce tho number of horses at Stanley House stables. This step, it is understood, has been decided upon in pursuance of the policy which Lord Derby adopted several years ago. In a public speech protesting against tho mounting burden of taxation and death duties, he remarked: —"I find the time is coming—if it has not already como—when I ma 7 havo to consider leaving the home where my ancestors and T have lived for bo many years."

Fortunately, Lord Derbjj found it possible to retain Knowsley Hall, but ho ha 3 disposed of large portions of trie Stanley estates. In 1925 the wholo of his Burv and Pilkington estates wero disposed of tit a price reported to be about £1,000,000. Two years later, at a price of £1,750,000. freehold ground rents upon 22,000 houses in Liverpool and Bootle and Kirkdale and Walton were sold. £300,000 Won in Ten Years. "* At tho present time there are over CO horses in training at Stanley House, and Lord Derby's string has won over £26,000 in stakes this year in 36 races. During the past. 10 years the amount won hag been over £300,000, most of tho winners having been bred by their owner. Lord Derby's decision has caused great regret. No colours are more popular on the racecourse than tho black jacket and white cap, and it is regarded as ft misfortune to racing that his establishment will bo cut down owing to the burden of heavy taxation. Lord Derby is regarded as the leading owner of modern racing. His Stanley House stable has turned out its full share of important winners not only in the past four yeurs, when Frank Butters has been in charge, but also previously, when the Hon. George Lambton held a trainer's licence. During the four years of Butters' control Lord Derby's stable has been, on the whole, wonderfully successful. Butters has trained four classic winners. Beam won tho Oaka for the late Lord Durham, Fairway tho St. Leger, Toboggan the Oaks and Fair Isle the One Thousand Guineas, the last three running for Lord Derby himself. Other Owners Selling.

" To ignore the position as illustrated for us by Lord Derby would bo just foolishness and nothing else," writes " Hotspur" in tho- Daily Telegraph. " Tho latest news I have is that Lord Furuess is proposing quite seriously to disperse hi 3 big breeding stud in Ireland, a stud from which some of the most expensive yearlings sold at Doncaster in recent years have come. "I mentioned some time ago that Mr. J. B. Joel would consider an offer for the Foxliill training establishment and that it is his intention to reduce the number of his horses in training. It has been made known that Sir John Jnrdine is disposing of his few horses in training and retaining only his two sires and one or two mares. Tho present Lord Durham has similar intentions. Although neither of these patrons of the turf has tig commitments at the present time, it is, nevertheless, a fact that they are being forced into their decisions by the ravages of taxation. " The ranks of what are usually referred to as ' big' owners, because of their considerable stake in racing, are getting more and moro shrunken. The Aga Khan, Lord Glanely, Lord Woolavington, and, one might add, Lord Astor, are outstanding. One could wish that eo lavish a patron as Lord Woolavington wore 20 or 30 years younger instead of having just passed the fourth score of years. Mr. J. A. Dewar may have taken on much of the responsibilities borne by his lamented nncle, the lato Lord Dewar. Even so, Lord Dewar will be greatly missed for a long time. Effect ol the Totaliastor.

" Sir Abo Bailey sold out just before the bloodstock market began to droop and then slump. Ho ia back in it again because ho has too much love of it to remain out altogether while his health permits him to participate. Mr. S. B. Joel's delicate state of health may bring about some revision in his racing plans for the future. In any caso, he does not seem to be breeding the right class of horse to-day. " Ono cannot be happy about the future of racing in this country, and for tho reason that racing is not losing its interest for rich men, but for the bigger and more general ono which is causing the rich men of yesterday to be comparatively poor today—the oppression of State demands on their resources. No one dare prophesy even remotely when the totalisator will help to make racing cheaper for owners. I do not see the slightest prospect, especially as those who agitated most for it eeem content to ignore its existence to-day." TOTALISATOR FOR VICTORIA. EXPENSE WORRIES CLUBS. [from out own correspondent.] MELBOURNE, Oct. 2. When it first became known that the bill legalising the totalisator in Victoria was suro to pass tho Legislature, many people, including Cabinet Ministers, expected these interesting machines to spring up like mushrooms and become revenue-producers in the twinkling of an eye. All have been sadly disillusioned, for, although it is many mouths since tho bill became law, the four principal racing clubs in Melbourne havo not yet reached the stage of accepting tenders for the installation of the machines. For many months past tho racing clubs havo been deluged with literature and various data from all manner of totalisator companies, but there is little doubt that tho final decision will bo in favour of tho Julius machine. It is known that tho original tenders submitted by Sir Georgo Julius rather staggered tho clubs' representatives, and it was found necessary to modify tho planß and ask Sir Georgo Julius to make a new tender. Even now tho initial cost is causing clubs considerable concern, but finality should bo reached in a day or two.

It is hoped to economise by submitting a joint tender for the installation of the machines at Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Williamstown. Even if tenders are accepted within the next week, it will be at least 10 months before any of the totalisators are working. AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. SUMMER NOMINATIONS. Nominations for the following events at tho Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting close at 6 p.m. to-morrow Auckland Cup. Railway Handicap, Summer Cup Handicap, Auckland Racing Club Handicap, Grandstand Handicap, King's Plato and Clifford Plate. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Wager," Auckland.—King's Guard was killed at Ellorslio on April 21 last and Roman Abbey on Juno 6 last. King's Guard was running in the Autumn Steeplechase and Roman Abbey in tho Groat Northern Steeplechase. Both horses fell at the first fence on tho hill and broke their necks.