NOTES BY PHAETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 7

NOTES BY PHAETON

QUEST FOR STAYERS INTERESTING EXPERIMENT PROMISING FOUR-YEAR-OLDS . brace 'of four-year-old geldings engaged in the next Melbourne Cup whose careers are invested with special interest nre High Command, 7.5, and Onslaught, 7.3. It is related that their respective ownors, Messrs. W. Mitchell and E, Lyons, bought them as yearlings with the set determination of getting stayers rather than sprinters. With that ehd in view no engagements were made for their horses at two yoars old, and the rich classic events at threo years old were also missed so that the horses should be given time to mature properly. In mapping out the procedure to bo followed with High Command and Onslaught the two geldings were sent across to New Zealand to havo the bonefit of the rich pasture, and they both mado good development. It was not until lost month that High Command and Onslaught were called upon to race, and, interesting to relate, they both scored victories within a day of each other. High Command and Onslaught are both by Spearhead, eon of Spearmint and grandson of Carbine. Hich Cojnmand is out of Polylogy and Onslaught's dam, Queen Battery , is a full-sister to Cross Battery, who gave the turf a brilliant stayer, Artilleryman. winner of the Melbourne Cup.

A very keen interest is centred in the form High Command and Onslaught will display when they come to race at four years old. Their sire Spearhead, is already represented by one first-rate stayer, The Dimmer, who won the Perth Cup and Sydney Cup, both of which races were decided over two miles. The Dimmer was also tested over two miles and a-quarter in the A.J.C. Plate, which event he also won in good style. FRENCH-BRED HORSES SUCCESSES IN ENGLAND In the early spring of the present year the French sportsman M. E. do St. Alary won the One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket with Kandy, and ho had another winner at Ascot last month when 110 took the Prince of Wales Stakes with Sigiri. who defeated a warm favourite. Miracle, owned by Lord Rosebery. The race in which Sigiri defeated Miracle was decided over a mile and five furlongs, bo that tho French-bred colt proved himself a better stayer than his English-bred rival. Tho four-year-old mare Brulette, who won tho Goodwood Cup this week, is another noteworthy winnor to be credited to i'rance. Strip the Willow, who registered victories in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Dorbyl and the Grand Prix de Paris, elands out as tho most noteworthy three-year-old racing in France this year. Strip the Willow is not engaged in tho St. Leser Stakes, to be run at Doncastor in September next, so that he will not havo tho opportunity of measuring strides with English three-year-olds in the long-distanco classio event.

WOMEIT AS OWNERS SUCCESSES WITH JUMPERS Many important successes,-including those of eteeplechases, have in recent years been registered by horses racing in the nomination of women. The following is a list of winners of cross-country ©vents that have carried the colours of women owners:— Livorpool Grand National.—Lady Nelson's Ally Sloper, Mrs, Partridge's Sprig, Mrs. Gemmel'o Gregalach. Great Northern Steoplechaso.—Mrs. A. Ellingham's Moifaa. V.R.C, Grand National.—Miss Dorothy Sheil's Precocious. Australian Steeplechase.—Mrs. F. P. Chapman's Acceleration. The two Australian women mentioned above as owners have the additional distinction of training the horsoe that carried their colours to victory. Miss Shcil made additional history at Flemington a fow weeks ago by riding her horse Precocious in a schooling lesson over n, full round of the eteeplechaso fences, which was executed at a racing pace io company with another candidate for Grand National honours, Mies Shoil handled her horse with marked courage, but the V.R.G. authorities, fearing an accident, issued an wlict prohibiting women riders from echooling steeplechasers at Flemington, so that Miss Sheil's display is likely to etand as another record for the V.R.C. ground.

STUD ITEMS THE STALLION SOLAIUO According to a London cablegram published in Australia, an American breeder made a courageous effort to secure tho etallion Solario when that horee was submitted to auction in England on the 11th inst. Tho American figured in tho contest for the possession of Solario until Lord Glanely carried tho bidding to 47,000 guineas, and the bay horse was thus left to adorn the sires' list in England. TIIE STEEPLECHASE HORSE In concluding an interesting article on " Steeplochasers and Steeplechasing" tho Melbourno writer " Fernhill" remarked:— " Tho ideal horso for Flemington must bo a strapping big fellow like, say, Sussex, Rodleap, Mountain God, Clan Robert and Nyangay. A touch of coarseness is no detriment either, as wo havo seen time and again. Grand Nationals havo been won by jumpors moulded on a comparatively light scale, but as a. rule size is a qualification that counts with formidable timber in tho way." FRENCH-BRED MARE BOUCIIT Bruletto, by Bruleur—Seaweed, who won tho Oaks Slakes in England, and who opened her four-year-old career by scoring a noteworthy victory in a long-distance raco in France, was recently bought \vj Lord Woolavington, which points to her being sent to tho stud in England. THE KIA ORA STUD The New South Wales breeder Mr. Percy Miller, owner of tho Kia Ora Stud, whoso establishment comprises by far tho largest collection of thoroughbreds in Australia, has reduced tho number of stallions to half-a-dozen by tho sale of Spelthorno, by Spearmint, Legionnaire, by Phalaris, and Saltash, by Sunstar. Tho sires' list at tho Kia Ora Stud is entirely confined to horses imported from England, several of which cost large sums. Magpie, by Dark Ronald, who was bought in Australia for 5000 guineas after a noteworthy racing career in Victoria, stands out prominently as tho horso who has brought most honours to the Kia Ora Stud, and it is computed that liis progeny havo won over £240,000 in prize-money, AUSTRALIAN SIRE DEAD Greenstead, who ranked as the most noteworthy eon of Tho Welkin as a sire, died recently in Victoria. Greenstead's progeny won prizo-money to the amount of £75,000. which could be regarded as a verv satisfactory record, for ho wae not advantagoously placed. Greenline, who is by Greenstead, won fame as a brilliant eprinter wfifcu he carried 10.2 to victory in tho Newmarket Handicap run at Flemington in the autumn of 1930.