NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 9

NOTES BY PHAETON.

PHAR LAP IN MEXICO.

" A GLORIOUS adventure:

TO-MORROW'S GREAT RACE. " A glorious adventure " was Ihe term used by an Australian journal when the owners of Phar Lap decided to accord the New Zealand-bred champion an opportunity to win honours in America. The particular inducement for the trip was the prospect of the Agua C'aliento Handicap carrying the

same prize-money aB last year, namely, £'20,000; but shortly after the horse had been shipped across the sea it was announced that tho stake-money would be only £IO,OOO. It has been cabled that Mr. D. J. Davis, part-owner of Phar Lap, was not greatly perturbed at this announcement, but all the same it would probably be a keen disappointment.

The Agua Calicnte Handicap, which is to bo run to-morrow, is a mile and a-quarler race, and Phar Lap is weighted at 9.3. New Zealanders and Australians will bo very keenly interested in the result, for a solid opinion prevails that if the champion is in a position to reproduco tho brilliant form which won for him the leading position in Australia ho will set the American horses a stiff task to beat him in a true-run race. When American journalists set out to bestow eulogy on a racehorse they make no bones about it. When Phar Lap was paraded for tho first time at Agua Calicnte an enthusiastic admirer wroto:—" Phar Lap came out, a proud and lordly beast, striding confidently through a lane of iiop-eyed humans—an inspiring thoroughbred if ever there was one. He gave the horse-fancier a thrill, from the hardened trainer down to the lowliest groom. The professional gambler forgot his figures to peer intently on something in the flesh the like of which he had never seen before. Phar Lap left them speechless. With his magnificence he looks like something moulded by a sculptor to the classical measurements of a war horse from another age." COMING' RAND WICK RACES. NEW ZEALANDERS' PROSPECTS.

Present appearances point to New Zealand being fittingly represented at the pending meetings at Randwick, and tho prospects of Nightmarch racing up to tho standard he attained in previous seasons will add special interest to the New Zealand-bred division. Amnion Ra's decisive victory in the Rawson Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday indicates clearly that the son of Limond stood in a highly-satisfactory manner the four races exacted from him in Victoria during the past few weeks, and although he will bo called upon to carry a Tib. penalty in the Chipping Norton Stakes, 11 miles, to be run at Randwick to-day, thero is some inducement for his owner to remain optimistic in regard to his chances. THREE-YEAR-OLDS IN FAVOUR. DONCASTER AND SYDNEY GUP. A remarkable feature of the early speculation this year ill connection with the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup is that in each race the two most fancied are S three-year-olds. Winooka (8.4) and Stephen (8.1) are the favourites for the Doncaster Handicap, while for the Sydney Cup Middle Watch (S.l) and Pretzel (7.4) stand at the head of the list. RICH TWO-YEAR-OLD RACE. TIIE &RES' PRODUCE STAKES. The Sires' Produce Stakes, run annually ; at tho Australian Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, is by far the most valuable two-year-old event in this quarter of the globe. Tho added money is £SOOO, and with a subscription of £lO each for the sires nominated and forfeits and sweepstakes ill tho total value of tho stake is raised considerably. Last year tho value was £7151, which was distributed as follows:—Owner of winner, £5151; breeder of the winner, £250; nominator of the sire, £200; owner of second horse, £1000; and owner of tho third horse, £SOO. New Zealand owners havo furnished the winner on two occasions within the past four years, and each time it was a son of Limond that scored. In 1929 Honour carried Mr. G. D. Greenwood's colours to victory, and in 1931 Mr. C. C. SheaJ-h's Amnion lfa led the field home. Prolyxo. a full-sister to Amnion Ra, is the only New Zealand bred one engaged in this year's race, and so far thero are no indications that she is likely to figure among the favourite division. STUD ITEMS. N.Z. ST. LEGER WINNER. The victory registered by Peter Jackson in (he New Zealand St. Leger can bo regarded as well deserved under several headings, but especially on account of the gamo manner in which he has stood up to his racing, for he was early on the Btene and has contested 15 races since last Sep4cmber. From tho leading lines of his pedigree it. will readily be discerned that Peter Jackson traces to illustrious families oil each side, and with St. Simon and Musket on tlio sire's side and a double strain of Bend Or on tho dam's sido his breeding will well withstand the searchlight : Siro: Nigger Minstrel, by All Black, son of Gallinule and grandson of Isonomy, from Aurarius, by Maltster, son of Bill of Portland, from Aurous. by Wallace, son of Carbine. Dam: Left, by Martian, son of Martagon, and grandson of Bend Or, from Lovelorn, by Melton, son of Master Kildare, from Hebrew Maid, by Orion, son of Bend Or. Peter Jackson is engaged in tho Great Northern St. Leger, so that there is a good prospect of his earning distinction as a winner of dual classic honours. THE ST. SIMON LINE. At olio period close in-breeding to St. Simon would have been regard Id with some disfavour, but tho prejudice that existed has largely faded away since several pointed instances havo been forthcoming where tho mating has been highly successful. Tho most recent case to bo cited is that of Baba, who is by Comedy King, grandson of St, Simon, from Harriet Graham, a granddaughter of St. Simon. THE YEARLING SALES. The number of yearlings to bo submitted at auction at the approaching sales in New South Wales will bo fewer than for several years past, but as the lots catalogued reach to 520 there will be no pronounced shortage. A feature of tho catalogue is that Fernkluof, a siro who has yet to prove himself, claims tho largest collection, 24 in number. Fernkloof, who is by Alan Breck, performed well on tho English turf, and was purchased by Mr. H. S. Thompson, owner of the Tarwyn Park Stud, for 5000 guineas. He is considered to be ono of the highest-class horses imported from England, and a great deal of interest is centred in tho form his progeny will display when they come to race. The veteran Magpie, by Dark Ronald, who has won a place among tho illustrious sires in Australia, is again well represented in the catalogue with 23 yearlings.

THE KAHUNA STUD

Following upon the death of Mr. A. F. Roberts, Ihe Kaituna Stud is to be dispersed. Willi Night J{aid, the eire of the champion Phar Lap. included in the catalogue. the sale will be invested with special interest, for it is anticipated that there will be very spirited competition for the imported horse.