CHAMPION SOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26545, 21 August 1947, Page 5

CHAMPION SOLD

£27,300 FOR SHANNON NEW AUSTRALIAN RECORD PRICE Itec. 11 p.m. SYDNEY, Aug. 20. Australia’s . premier . racehorse, Shannon, was sold this afternoon for £27,300, which is .£B3OO more than the previous record Australian price paid for Talking. The buyer is Mr W. J. Smith, head of Australian Consolidated Industries, and a well known racehorse owner. The astonishing feature of the bidding was that It started at 10,000gns, and was all in in approximately 73 seconds. Bidding on behalf of Mr Smith was Morric Grogan, of New Zealand, who arrived yesterday afternoon on the TransTasman flying boat. Grogan imported Beau Pere, who stood at his' stud until purchased by Smith. On behalf of Smith he also bought Ajax and Magnificent. Asked after the sale what he thought of Shannon, Grogan said: “ He is a typical Midstream, and a splendid type. He must be a good buy at the price paid today, even if used only for stud purposes.” There were actually only five bids at the sale, which was watchled by a crowd of 5000, and which was turned into a gala social event by the appearance of many fashionably-dressed women. One of these clashed with an attendant who arrived just in time to prevent her from feeding the champion with a handful of salted peanuts. The well-known Melbourne owner, Mr O. Porter, who earlier in the week an"ounefd his intention of “ going the limit ” on Shannon, did not get a chance lo bid. The horse, which Is a six-year-old by Midstream from Idle Words, was examined before the start by experts and pronounced fit. He has had 21 starts for 12 wins and £16,444 in prize money