TURF IN ENGLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22476, 21 July 1936, Page 7

TURF IN ENGLAND

CAREER OF LORD ASTOR

GREAT SUCCESS AS BREEDER

FINE RECORD IN CLASSICS

BY SI'EAKMINT

To lnivo won every classic race but one and nearly every important weigh t-for-ago race with horses of his own breeding; to have founded one of the most successful studs 111 England with the progeny of three mares who cost less than £(5000 all told and whose progeny have won over u-quarter ol 11 million in stakes; to have attained the highest honours in the racing world, including admission to that most exclusive of all bodies, the Jockey Club; and yet, by the most tantalising of ill-luck, to have missed by the narrowest of margins, not once, but many times, that most coveted of all prizes, the Derby; such has been the fortune of Lord Astor, whoso brilliant colt Rhodes Scholar placed his lil'th Sundown Park Eclipse Stakes to his credit on Friday last. Lord Astor's career constitutes 0110 of the most romantic pages in the history of the turf. When a student at Oxford in JOOO he bought a mare named Conjure for £IOO. His idea was to breed hunters from her and bo actually competed in the show-ring with this ancestress of tin 'winners of two Oaks, a One Thousand Guineas, an Ascot Derby and innumerable other races. She was merely " highly commended." Within 10 years Lord Astor, or -Mr. Waldorf Astor, as lie then was, experienced tho thrill of leading in his iirst olassic winner. This was Winkipop, a daughter of William the Third and Conjure, who won the One Thousand Guineas. Three years later her brother, Pilliewinkie, won tho Ascot Derby. It was to Lord Astor's purchase of Conjure that wo in New Zealand owe the existence of Phar Lap, as Winkio, another brother of Winkipop, was sire of the dam of our great champion. Lord Astor also bred St. Germans, siro of two Kentucky Derby winners, and Saltash and Magpie, who in Australia sired the classic winners Strephon and Windbag. His fame may therefore well be said to'bo international. Popinjay and Maid of the Mist

Lord Astor's v second purchase was Popinjay, a daughter of Ciielandry, whom he obtained from Lord Rosebery i*r 1000 guineas. After Winki pop's classic victory the urge to scale still greater heights was irresistible, and Lord Astor made somewhat of a plunge

for those days, when, at tho sale of bloodstock owned by Sir William iiass, he gave -1500 guineas for Sceptre's daughter Maid ot the Mist, with a filly foal at foot by Torpoint, a son of tho Auckland-bred Trenton. Never were two purchases more fortunate. From Popinjay came Hie classic winners Pogrom, Saucy Sue, Booklaw and Pay Up, as well as Magpie, beaten a head iu the Two Thousand Guineas by Gay Crusader, Cross Bow, Bright Bird and now Rhodes Scholar, who seems unlucky not to have broken tho long succession of minor placings in the Derby. The purchase of Maid of tho Mist was Lord Astor's most .brilliant inspiration. The Jilly foal was Jiamoaze, who produced four notable winners, Buclian, Tamar. Saltash and St. Germans, but unfortunately no filly to carry on after her. However, a daughter of Maid of the Mist was the Oaks winner Sunny Jane and a son was Crag an Eran, who won the Two Thousand Guineas. Other descendants were Bright Knight, Jura, Betty and Criss Cross. Up to the end of last racing year tho descendants of these three maros, bought for £5575, had won for the fortunate purchaser 258 races, worth the . amazing total of £335,331. Speaking after the victory of Pennycomequick in the Oaks, Lord Astor stated that since ho had started racing he had bred 89 horses; 74 per cent had been placed in races, 61 per cent had been winners and 28 per cent had been placed in the 12 big events of the Pacing Calendar. The percentage has been . maintained since. A Non-Betting Owner

Lord Astor does not make very frequent appearances on the racecourses. He takes life seriously and is. intensely interested in politics, social reform, and his brilliant wife's career in the Houso of Commons. Racing and breeding are a hobby with him and ho makes them a payable ono. His horses are trained at tho famous Manton establishment, formerly by " Alee" Taylor, now by J. Lawson. It is said that when Lord Astor appears on the racecourse wearing tho pink carnation, typical of the light blue, pink sash and cap of his racing colours, there is likely to be something in tho wind; if Mr. Somervillc Tattersall and Mr. Gerald DeaiiO; owners and patrons of Man ton, favour the saino floral emblem expectations arc running high; and if, at the time when lie was the Manton trainer. Alec Taylor was similarly decorated, the horse was as good as past the post. Lord Astor is a non-betting owner. He is of opinion that gambling spoils sport, and ho has never had a shilling on any of his horses. He does not believe in buying horses and has bred every horse that has ever carried his colours. This, to him, constitutes tho joy of racing. Although his luck in the Derby has been trying, having been second on five occasions and third once, he does not repine. He points out that, if a breeder is fortunate enough to produce five colts good enough to run second in the Derby, he cannot complain very much. That he has not won is all in the luck of the game. Let us hope that his turn is not far distant. Saltash's Eclipse Stakes

Although Lord Astor has won most of the big plums, tho Ascot Gold Cup has somehow qludod him. 11c was very close to it in 1920, when Buchan was firot past the post, but was disqualified for bumping and boring Tangicrs. He was also third with St. Germans in 1923. When Cragadour was beaten a head by Mr. Jinks in tho Two Thousand Guineas of 1929, it was the fourth time that Lord Astor had been second in the event, but he has hau the consolation of winning it with Craig an Fran and Pay Up. He was a long time in winning tho St. Leger, two supposed certainties who failed being Buchan and Craig an Fran. However, his turn came in 1927, when irj won with the good lilly Book Law, dam of Rhodes Scholar.

Last Friday's victory marks the filth occasion oil which Lord Astor has won the Eclipse Stakes. His other winncYs were Buchan (twice), Ciaig an Fran and Saltash. When the latter won Lord Astor provided the favourite with another runner, Bold and Bad, and Saltash started at 20 to 1. After the race Lady Astor, in a voice which all in the vicinity of tho saddling paddock could hear, exclaimed to " The wizard of Manton": "Oil, Mr. Taylor, why didn't you tell us that this one would win?" The chronicler states that Lord Astor's emotions at the moment must have been slightly mixed. Saltash is siro of Saltspray, who won a hurdle race at Wellington a few days ago. On tho day on which Rhodes Scholar defeated Mahmoud at Ascot Lord Astor won the rich Coventry Stakes with Farly School, a two-year-old colt by Felstead from Quick Rise. Is this to be the " smasher" by Felstead for which all admirers of Carbine have been soanxiously waiting? Ho is already being talked of as the winner of next year's j Derby.