NOTES BY PHAETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 9

NOTES BY PHAETON

THE KING'S HORSES HOPES OF CLASSIC WINNER FIVE COLTS IN DERBY A racing victory for tho King always creates enthusiasm, and tho numerous successes scored.by his horses formed a highlypleasing feature of tho last English racing season. With five colts engagod in the Derby next; June, hopes are held that' ll .classic winner will this year emerge from tho'Royal stable. The five colts nominated by' His Majesty "are bred as follows: , Corody, b c, by Coronach—Stained Glass. Free Pass, ch c, by Warden ,qf the Marshes—Frankly. Catherine Wheel, b c, by ICnoQkando— Catherine. Slady, br or gr c, by Bridge. Brief, b c, by Foxlaw—Reef.

AUSTRALIAN RACING THREE-YEAR-OLD DIVISION ; As the season progresses there will bo renewed intorest in the form displayed by tho three-year-olds. With the A.J.C. Derby, Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup to his credit. Hall Mark has well established .his right to bo accepted as the leading one of his ago. The heel ailment which caused him to be eased up after his Melbourne Cup victory has yielded to treatment and there eeenis every likelihood that he will reproduce his best form at the autumn meetings. Palphar, who defeated him in the Caulfield Guineas, is stated to bo training on well, and it is predicted that he will yet prove one of the leading colts. The fact that Hall Mnrk fairly romped awuy from him in the Victoria Derby, a gap of five lengths separating thonl at tho finish, indicates that the 6on of Fernkloof will have to make considerable advance to dethrone his victor.

By finishing second to Hall 'Mark in the A.J.C. Derby the Auckland-bred colt Deputy Ruler < placed himself bo .well in the limplight . that a Sydney sportsman , invested 2000 guineas in his purchase. Unfortunately the colt shortly afterwards developed unsoundness, with the result that he had to be treated to a rest and he has not since been raced. He is stated 'to have.' come round all right, and it is anticipated. that he will figure among the contestants for nutumn honours.

Blixten failed so badly in tho Victoria Derby, when much was expected from him. that it is doubtful whether ho is a stayer. That his condition at Flemington was satisfactory was very amply established when he won tho Batman Stakes on tho concludijiH day, for under 9.0 ho won the mile race ,ip. good style and in fast time. Tho Night Raid colt has displayed brilliancy, but lie will' require to improve at distances beyond a mile to entitle him to ■be regarded as a dangerous rival for Hall Mark," - , .

Rapsonia, by Curialis, .Brutus, by Windbag, Break Up, by Dignity, Burle'sfiue, by Seremond, and Lord 'Cale:fon; by- Caledon, were all viewed in a favourable light in the early part of the Seaßoii, ,-but they did not come up to expectations. Tho failure of Rapsonia was especially disappointing, far his sire traces to Carbine-through Spearmint,, while his .dam :is _a grand-daughter of'St. Simon. The New ' Zealand-bred colt Wheriko, a son of Night Raid/ owned in Victoria, was also thought: to ■be most promising, but an ailment developed and lie had (o be withdrawn from all spring engagements. It is stated that ho has made a complete recovery and that there is a good prospect that he will resume racing next month. TILLY AS DERBY WINNER • ' , •! -• " A DAUGHTER OF WINDBAG . The. distance of a.race, called a .Derby is generally expected to.be one at a mjle and la-Kali!' Ho\Vever,' the' Tasmhftian_ Derby er|terids only to one,mile tind a-quarter, and 'in that respect probably stands by itself 'as far as Australia is concerned. The classicrace run at Launceston :on New Year's Day resulted in a victory for Gabbler,,a daughter of Australian-bred Windbag, her dam, Sis-' tine, being by Red Dennis frbm' Sister Patience, whose dam, Patience, was bred in Now Zealand, and who traces to the famous King Tom mare Mermaid. Gabbler had previously won the Tas'manian Guineas*

; STUD ITEMS REDSHANK AND HER PRODUCE .At, the Trentham sale an the summer of 1932,' 'when the Great Northern Derby winner Red Manfred was sold, as a yearling for 200 guineas, his dam> Redshank, -with' a colt foal at foot by Night' Raid and in foal to' the same sire, was;bbught by Mr. G. N. Magill,. of New South/,Wales: The colt that followed Redshank into the "ring has | been named Hands Up, and.tho. foal she to Night Raid in the same year is a filly. , , '. , | DAJVL OF NIGHTMARCH The Martian mare Marsa, who produced the brilliant Nighlmarch in her fifteenth yehrl has eiuce failed to furnish any further notable, additipn. to. the New Zealand Stud ;Book. It seems safe to conclude that her ; fame as a matron will rest entiroly on her brown • eon- by Nigfyt Raid, whose record ensures- a good place for her among noteworthy, stud mares, for he won in prize-money, his 'victories including tno New Zealand Derby, Melbourne Cup and New Zealand Cup.

A GREAT STUD , The Kia Ora Stud, established and owned ;by Mr. P.' Miller, of New South Wales, lias advanced to; such magnitude a« to entitle it Ito a prominent place umpng the world's greatest establishments for tliQ breeding of I thoroughbred stock. A recent return states 'that n°• fewer than 94 live foals were this season produced at tlie stud, which can be ,regarded as a remarkable record. Five imported stallions are located at Kia Ora, namely, Constant Son, by Son-in-Law, Pantheon, by Tracery, Caledon, by_ Hurry On, Baralong, by Galloping Light, and Magpie, by Dark Ronald.- The number of stallions will shortly be augmented by another English-bred horse, a commissioner acting lor Mr. Miller having effected the purchase of Christopher Robin, a son of Phalaris. HEROIC'S RECORD In the 1932-33 season the progeny of Heroic placed their parent at the head of the sires' list in Australia with a total of £'25,411. which represented tho earnings of 47 horses in !)5 races. With fivo months of the 1933-34 season gone. Heroic's stock hold such a commanding lead that it seems safe to conclud* that the Australian eire will head tho sires' list for the second season in succession. BLOODSTOCK BREEDING With falling prices for bloodstock in England some concern wob expressed for the industry. However, • matters improved last year,, . and _ the returns secured by breeders I have created a very much'improved outlook, ;a.]thoue!} -doubts are expressed whether -the: ' big prices paid for yea.rlings in former years will bo approached for a considerable period. In a review of' the . bloodstock question a. London journal says:—One of the most .remarkable of the features of the British yearling sales at Doncaster in 1933 was that for itlie-first timo for many, yoars there was no foreign competition. In the four days' sale no 'norses" were bought for the United I States of America, yet, in spite of lnck' of outside competition, 321 lots sold for 188,268 guineas, with an average of 586 guineas. This \vas an advance of 11 per cent on '-ast year's average MISCELLANEOUS v •' v 'Pretr.el, by Spelthorne, grandson of Car,bine, bred in Australia, has been sold for exportation to South Africa. How very widely full-brothers can vary in racing capacity is illustrated by the caso of Sinuoma, a four-year-old, full-brother !to the brilliant Aniounis. Sinuoma recently finished last in a maiden handicap, seven ifurlongs, at Warwi?k Farm-

; , RACING FIXTURES iJnnuary' 13—Thames Jockey Club. January 13, 15—Vincent Jockey Club. January 20—Bay of Islands Racing Club (at Pukekohoi January 20—Wairio Jockey Club. January 20, 22, 24—Wellington Racing Club. January 22—Ashhurst - Pohangina Racijjg Club. January 25, 27—Wairoa Racing Club. January 27. 29—T?kapuna Jockey Club. January 31—Tapanui Racing Club.