NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 9

NOTES BY PHAETON.

PHAR LAP'S CAREER. " CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS." GREAT WIN IN A.J.C, PLATE. The death of Pliar Lap in the apace of a few hours after suffering a seizure just as everything appeared bright for him to register a series of victories in America makes a tragic ending to a great racehorse's career. The campaign mapped out for Phar Lap in America was well thought out, and. in addition lo having the Australian veterinary surgeon Mr. F. Neilsen in his party, the forage for the horse was selected in Australia and New Zealand with the greatest care. With all the forc.sinht exercised, however, Phar Lap could not be protected from contracting illness and apparently his condition from the outset was serious.

Possibly the change, of climate may have played a part in bringing about the fatal ailment in spite ot all tho precautions observed. It is possible that ha might have mot with (ho same fate if. ho had remained in Australia, but, again, he might have had a very much longer life if he had not journeyed lo America.

Tho brilliancy that marked Phar Lap's racing career placed him high among tho greatest horses that have figured on !he turf, and some of tho leading critics in Australia did not hesitate to te.rm -him a phemmenon. Many brilliant feats stand to his credit, and one of a particularly outstanding character he registered at three years old, when he won the Australian Jockey Club Plate, a wcighl-for-age event run over two miles and a-qtiarter, in tho

record time of 3.405. The all-round merit of tho performance was on all hands recognised, for some of the intermediate times were better than world figures for tho distances.

In referring to the great pace displayed by Phar Lap .in this race the Sydney Refereo Said;—" Phar Lap was timed to run the first four furlongs in 40s and the first soven furlongs in 1.24, and, with the pace such a cracker, doubts were expressed as lo his ability to finish the task in great style., hut this he accomplished in a blaze of glory. Continuing on, he ran the first

nine furlongs in 1.51, the mile and a-quarier in 2.4J, the mile and a-half in 2.28J, mile and five furlongs in 2.401, mile and threequarters in 2.51, mile and seven furlongs in 3.7{. and two miles in 3.205. the concluding two furlongs being completed in 295." Included among the many great horses bred in Now Zealand, Phar Lap added lustro to tho Dominion, and, although horses of his standard are to ho expected only at raro intervals, our equable climate and rich pasturage are still fine assets, calculated to bring about the breeding and rearing of horses qualified for tho champion class.

NEW ZEALAND-BRED VEILMOND. A G 0 01) ST AK E -AVi N X ER.' . ' By winning tho A.J.C. Plate Veilmond must now be accepted as a true stayer, for ho was credited with running tho two piiles and a-Qiiarter in 3.5 H. The pood-lookinc son of Limond lias many times proved difficult to manage in a race, but in the hands of J. E. Pike he has lately {ought out several finishes with marked grit, and ho. may have an extended racing enreer. as he is credited with being a very sound horse. When a yearling Veilmond was bought for 575gna. by Mr. E. Moos, of Sydney, who. although ho has had several great disappointments with him, lias yet. received a handsome return,, for his. 6Luke- winnings amount to over £IB,OOO. To date Veilmond has contested '0 races and his record stands as follows: t'nFirst. Second. Third, placed. At 2yrs .3 1 0 0 At- 3yrs . . (1 4 1 5 At lyrs .. 0 4 4 3 13 12 5 8 NIGHTMARCH AT RANDWICK. SUCCESSES AND DEFEAT. Nightmarch having won tho. Autumn Stakes, one mile and a-half, and the Cumberland Stakes one mile and threequarters. matters seemed to shape verv promisingly for tho son of Night Raid to' add tho AiJ.G. Plato to his winning repertoire, which would have given him the distinction of capturing ..tho three leading weight-for-age events at, the A.J.C. meeting. The sensation of the long-distance race was that Nightniareli finished last in a field of four, which would seem to indicate that lie was not tuned up properly for a journey extending to two miles and a-quurtor. Nightmarch lias been entered for tho Awapuni ('told Cup, to be run at the Manuwatu Racing Club's meeting on April 20. lie won this race last year, defeating Vertigern, Historic, Laughing Princo and Limerick.

BRILLIANT TWO-YEAR-OLD, AUSTRALIA'S BEST COLT. New South Wales has tho distinction of breeding Kuvera. tho leading two-year-old performer in Australia this scasqn. and his performances have been marked with such a dash of brilliancy as to invest liis future with wide interest. It was in the autumn of his career that Kuvera placed himself prominently in the limelight, and, by winning tho V.R.C. Sires' Produce Stakes. A.J.C. Sires' Produco Stakes and A.J.C. Champagne Stakes in succession, his form was highly impressive. In the last-named event Kuvera had to carry a 10lb. penalty. Kuvera, who was one of half-a-dozen yearling colls submitted at auction at Randwick last autumn by Mr. 11. S. Rouse, was bought cheaply by "Mr. F. Smithdcn" for 270 guineas. The leading linea in tho pedigree of Kuvera read as follows:

Sire: Brazen, by Phalaris, son of Polytrichia and grandson of Cyllcno, from South AVnlcs, by Llangibby. son of Wildfowler. from Southern Belle, bv Ayrshire, son of Hampton Dam: Varta. Moz/.10, by Linacro, son of Wolf's Crag and grandson of Barcaldino. from Grafton Lass, by Grafton, son of Galopin, from Misa Mclos, by Melos. son of Goldsbrough. STUD ITEMS. IMROWED V. COLONIAL SIRES. Considering the largo number of Englishbred sires in Australia, and. further, that they monopolise the places in most of the loading stud establishments, it is only to bo expected that the colonial bred horses should toko secona place in stud records, but the fact that only three of the 20 races decided at the Australian Jockey Club'fi recent autumn meeting fell to the progeny of Australian-bred Aires furnishes material for much thought. Hossendalo. by St. Frusquin, who had three winners, headed the list., and tjio only other horses to .claim more than one winner were Limond, by Desmond. Night Raid, by Radium,' and Brazen', by Phalaris, with two winners each. The colonial-bred sires credited with winners were: —Wedgo. by The Welkin. Wellilo. by Ihe A\ elkin, and Windbag, by Magpie. Tho progeny of sires tracing to Bend Or topped the list with I'2 victories. NIC! HTM ARCH AS SIRE. Nighlmnreh, who was used as a sire Inst season, is staled to have been mated with 20 mares, so that in tho ordinary course of events he should bo represented by a good number of his progony wlion tho XoU4uo season couicb round.