TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1936, 2 April 1891, Page 23

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA,

• # * Lovelier weather than that which we enjoyed at Riooarten on Easter Monday could not possibly ba imagined, and though the Dunedinites went down more or less heavily every time and did no good at all from a monetary point of view, all were ready to con fess — indeed they could not help it if they wished— that it was a capital day's racing and well managed right through. Tha Hutdle Race waa in doubt until tbe last couple of strides, though only two started. It was no certainty that Arthnr would not make one more response by way of a finale. But he could not ; the brown horse waß done. Some questioned whether it waß wise of Hobba to make the running seeing that Arthur was conceding nearly three stone and having in, view the further consideration that in doing bo be was giving a lead over the fences to a horse whose weak point was supposed to be bis leaping ; but there is no doubt that Arthur j was on the job, and it may be that the idea wa3 to bustle Erin go-Bragh by forcing the pace and making him race at the hurdles. As j it happened both jumped clean, and the lightweight got home with very little to spare ; and that would probably be the result in nine oases out of ten if the race were run over again at those weights every week for the next Bix months. No excuse can be made, so far as I am aware, for Dormeur's defeat in the Templeton Stakes. He had all the best of the luck in the race, and was beaten for pace, from which I c include that he was not in the humour. Red Crosß waß blocked two or three, times, and after trying first to get an opening here and then one there, managed at last to get clear and then smothered the lot. Oarronade had no excuse for her failure, but Prime Warden, on the other hand, was unlucky during the race, and so was Lady Sockbnrn, who, however, got through at last and gained a place. I have no doubt that Red Cross was on the day tbe bsst of the 11 starters, but if the race were to be run again at the Bame weights, I fancy that Lady Sookburn would be a little closer up, and perhaps Prime Warden too ; while Dormeur on his beat form would be dangerous. Mr Stead's friends bad Bound reason for putting their money on Palliser. - This colt had, it waa openly said, been tried to break 2 39, and with Moraine to make the pace there was little doubt that the time would be fast enough to pleaße him. As the event proved, Moraine's speed waß made übb of for Hazel's benefit— it was tbe very thing that she also wanted. Most of ua thought that her mission would be to make the running in Freedom's interest, as she did in tbe Otago Cup, but when we saw her loitering in tbe rear with Ocoident, it was evident that she had other fish to fry, and that Mr O'Brien's representative had issued other orders than that she was to go on and run a cut-threat race with Moraine. What would have happened if there had been no Moraine in the race it is vety hard to say, but I fanoy that Hazel would just have gone on and won from end to end. lam morally sure that this filly with 6.10 was on that day the Buperior of Freedom with 9.0, and it is beyond doubt that the best horse of the field (at the weights) waa the winner. The time proves the merit of the performance. Look at the following list of winners and you will Bee that Hazel made a reoord for the race :— WINNERS OP THB GRKAT AUTUMN HANDICAP.

Her. time waß at first declared as 2aun 37^360, but. us scribes were advised later on that the official time was 2min 37seo. It is tha bast ever registered in the colony bar TasmanV celebrated record at Ashburton Orucbfield ran a good honest horse ; Moraine showed a splendid turn of speed for a mile ; and Blizzard was made the best possible use of, it being a right-down good performance on hia part to get where he was. The three placed boraes finished within lesa than a length of eaoh other, bo that Blizzard's time was praotically the same as th 9 winner's. It was his bad luck to encounter a phenomenally fait mare, and be beaten after displaying form good enough to have won any Autumn Handicap previously run. Occident and Freedom were never dangerous. Many of the people on the stand thought that it was Freedom that was wincing, and a crowd gathered round the judge to verify the declaration and make sure that there was no mistake. lam half inclined to think that the stable themselves were a littlo surprised at the form shown by Hazel — at any rate, none of those who follow the fortunes of the popular rose and black seemed beforehand to have a thought beyond Freodom. If Hazal was really regarded as a likely winner, Mr Piper kept the secret closely locked out of the I üblio sight. Any way, designed or not designed, Tom, Dick, and Harry and the noble army of punters were very much out of it. They could tell you that this horse could beat Freedom, and that that horsa held Freedom safe, but no one ever gave Hazel a thought, aud I fancy that tha bulk of the totalieator money want to outeide people who make it a rule to prospeifc for a dividend. Personally I tulci bl^rus to myself for overlooking the mare, oopecially as I at the time suggested th^t she could have won the Oiago Cup if spun out for it instead of resigning in Freedom's f-ivmr What we raw on Monday onSrms me in that view.

**• The one thing to be remarked about the Champagne w&3 how it revealed iha gameneEß of the Tasroans. Florrio, one of hh firatborn, won, and Flinders ran v ifch extrftor.iiniv y staunchness, recovsring ft lot of lost ground at an amazing pace an 5 runik.f» as true ni aterl, with weight up, in his very first race. Cajolery would have bean closer at thß fiaiah if ho bad got off better, but I am not sure that he could

have beaten Florrie on equal terms, for the filly had improved very mush indeed since tbe day on which she made en poor a show in the , Marshall Memorial. Union Flag ran a good colt, as he generally dooa ; but Mr Stead's pair, though looking well, shaped most disappointingly, especially Olanranald, who got off as well as Florrie and finished absolutely last. There was considerable delay about despatching the field in tbe Epsom Welter, due to tbe faotitiousness — no, not of Catamount, who surprised us all by standing as quiet as a sheep, but to the friskiness of Rangiora. The race seemed for a mile and a»quarter to be a sets thing for Kulnine, who maintained with ease a lead of Harkaway and Rimu, but when they were about half way down the straight these three seemed to shut up simultaneously, and the finish was fought out by Grown Jewel and Coinage Derrett brought Mr Webb's filly throngb just at the proper time, as it seemed, but a second later young KiDgan made his first effort on Coinage, and this gelding just smothered his opponent, winning untouched with great ease. Kingan rode a capital race* Coinage, it will be remembered, was one of the field in the Novel Raoe at Dunedin that was given to Gazelle by the bad start, and be has ran other races, in most of which be showed a turn of speed. Burlesque made a good run at the finish, but Mr Stead's luck was dead out all day, as was again manifest in the Russley Stakes. His Ilium, a g?ldng by Albany out of Helena, waß left at the pest, and Ranee Nuna finished last of tbe others. There was a very merry Bet to in this event. May came with a long run under the whip, but was evidently beaten even while she was making her effort. Tassy did not seem dangerous until towards the end, but; as they oame by the people's stand the whips were taken out to Conjurer and Union Flag, May being by that time done, and as Tassy was more than holding his own without punishment it was seen that he must win. It was a race something like the one he won at Dunedin. Conjurer started first favourite. la the Post Stakes Chester Lad seemed to ba winning until the last three or four strides, when Tornado get up under tbe whip.

*^* The attendance on tbe second day was not bo large as on the first, but still it was satisfactory. Erin-go-Bragh won easier than on the first day, the result being in no doubt from the last fence, at which point he caught Isidore and Little Arthur.

*** Mr Boyle was very unfortunate in his send off for the Nursery Handicap. Tassy and May were left badly, and could not have won it if they had had the speed of a Carbine or a Bungebah. Melinite's suocess was not particularly meritorious, seeing that she got away better than anything else bar that unlucky colt Union Flag ; but it was something of a feat to catoh even him, for ha is honest if not brilliant, and he had considerably tbe best of the start, and I think that if opportunity had served Melinite would have been equal to proving that she is as good as her breeding would make her out to be.

%• Prime Warden's defeat in the Sockburn Handioap was a sad blow to the punters, who put their money on this supposed good thing in fives and tens, and it will be readily understood that they were quite ready to believe that the horse was stiffened. I do not know what evidence was given before the stewards, but I understand that they were unanimous in tha decision to suspend Derrett for a month, bis explanation being deemed unsatisfactory. The surprise of the race to most persona was the form shown by Inez, who had been generally reckoned out of her distance at anything over aix or seven furlongs. Florrie ran really first olass in the Challenge Stakes. Getting away fourth in a straggling start, she was with her field in two furlongs, had the lead at half the distance, and ran home untouobed, spreadeagling her opponents in rare style. The only one of them that could have had a show with her was Cajolery, who played up badly at the post and ultimately got left as he deserved to ba. He was ridden by Tommy Buddicombe, who the previous year had a treat with Thackeray in the same raoe. Diadem, who was a strong tip of a certain section of the touts, ran absolutely last, and neither of Mr Stead's pair had any show oi winning. It was in fact a one-horse raoe.

*** The Aldington Plate was just a match between Union Flag and Dragon, and the two-year-old getting home after a bustling finish, was bought in by hia owner. %* Dormeur cut out a very fast four or five furlongs in the Easter Handicap, and at half distance it seemed likely he would never be caught, but he stopped very suddenly, and the issue was left to Blizzard and Cruohfield, the last-named getting home by a length. Hazel did not recover any of the ground she lost at the start.

*** The Consolation Handicap had eight entries, Oooident, the top weight, with 8.5, did 1 not accept, and Dragon (7.4) also dropped out, leaving six to go to the post. Moraine whipped round when the flag fell. Inez did not run up to expectations, and when the pinch came the only ones left were Yon Tempsky and Kulnine —the latter, one of the best-looking of tbe Oadogan tribe, getting home by a length or more.

%* Thus ended a pleasant meeting, and everybody got back to Christchuroh before dark, thanks to the promptness in despatching the various events. They have made it a rule in Christohurch to sand the starter to the post 10 minutes bafore th 9 advertised time of each race, with instructions to fine every jockey who turns up late, and tha result is eminently satisfactory.

♦** Concerning Palliser's defeat in the Great Autumn, I learn that the colt was cannoned againat after going a quarter of a mile, and the shook caused the rider to misa foothold of one of the -stirrups, which he did not recover till the race was more than half over. In every way Palliser had very bad luck in the raoe. He bad, it is said, shown hi? trainer one of the very best gallops ever Been at Yaldhurst, and the stable went nap on him in consequence. This may be, and probably is, quite true, but it does not in any way diminish the credit of Hazel's performance, which was a first rate one from every p^int of view. I bear that Ixion has been sold to Mr Blaokwood, owner of "Vengeance, and will be taken to Melbourne.

*** Dunedin sports in general, and Messrs Stepbenson an i Hazlett in particular, were unluoky in the break- down of Mariner while at exeroise on Saturday. He would have won a race at the meifciar, proiably tbe Welter, if he had kept right. Mr Hazlett tells ma that the injury is apparently a jirring of the fetlock joint, and that it ia hopsd that this may bo cured in time, though the colt is knocked out for the present.

*** It was pretty fully expected that the D.J.C. would willingly remiS the disqualification passed on James Cotton a* soou as he asked for it, and no one waa surprised to learn before the week was out that tie sentence had bean commuted, or, rather, varied to a monetary fiaa auflicicat to vindicate the authority of the rules. lam glad that that was done, because in doing bo the club practically express the mind of the public that there was no swindle about that Selling Hurdlo Raoe so far aa

Trapper was concerned. My own opinion of Cotton's conduct is this : the thought ran through his mind that his brother on Erebus had not seen Trapper run off, and he urged Trapper to overtake the other horse so as co inform Tommy of the occurrence and tell him that he need not run any risk of a fall by bustling Erebus. It took three or furlongs run to do this, and Jimmy thought that he might as well come home with Ertbus as retrace his steps. This theory seems probable in view of tbe fact that Trapper was not put over the hurdle round by the quarter-mile post. lam satisfied that Jimmy was for the moment forgetful of_ the fact that be was doing anything reprehensible. No one has ridden a smaller percentage of stiff 'uns than Jimmy Cotton. He is not a cunning man in the unworthy sense of the word.

*** Little River races, held on Thursday of last week, were fairly well attended. Only two, Fernlea and Panic, started for the Hurdle Handicap, and tbe latter breaking down, Fernlea was left to canter home. Jack the Ripper was much tbe best of the four starters in the District Hurdles, as was proved by the fact that he ran off and then won easily after being set going again. Mr Brad ley's Oatmeal effaoted a surprise in the District Maiden by defeating the favourite, Butterfly, by a couple of lengths. The honours of the day were fairly taken by Marlborougb, the aged son of St. George and Farewell, tbaJLOcoa on a time used to earn money for Mr Butler. The Cup was run to suit hini, in that the pace was made very slow, and only a dash was required at the finish to bsst Darkey and D<tndenong. The District Handicap wan also taken by Marlborough 9,6, beating Nancy Till 9 7; but he was only third to Darkey and Dandenong in the District Flying. Walls rode him in each of his races. gVictor won the Trot from noratoh, beating Ladybird, to whom he conceded 853e0, by a length or two. The other six starters were receiving from 90360 to 105360. Victor's time was 8.26. His Bucoess was received with enthusiastic applause. *** I took a run out to the Lancaster Park meeting on Saturday, and saw four of the events got off in the presence of a large number of highly- interested and orderly spectators. The first of these waß a Maiden in harness. Maid of Orleans, a great favourite when the machine opened, suddenly fell into disfavour ; then there was some demand for a useful-look-ing member named Cass, who went in good style in her preliminary : but in the last three or four minutes before the race these and all others were entirely neglected in favour of Maid of Lynsky, who had been doing some three or four miles as a steadier. The starting bell rang while there were yet Bcores of pounds being carried to the totalisator for this mare, thus procuring a better dividend for those who did get on than would have been the cane if everybody bad backed hia fanoy. For Maid of Lynsky did win, though with preoioua little to spare, an she was manifestly tiring in the laot three rounds, and with a little further to go would have been licked by Oass, who was blooked time after time— l will not say purposely. The Saddle Race, two miles, was an honestly-contested event to all appearances. The winner, Butcher Boy, ia a longstriding steady goer, that was made the best use of all the way regardless of future events. The fastest one in the field was Pan kau-chee, who will show better form when longer training has taught him steadiness. A nioe-looking mare named Siberia was preferred among the starters for tbe Harness Raoe, three miles, but she broke at the very start, and was pull a d up after going round once or twice. Inferno, a handy-looking pony by Newland'a Hambletonian out of the Traducer mare Iniquity, partially wore off the lameness he exhibited when he first came on the track-, and made a good show ; and fairly good form was also displayed by Home Rule, Pan-kau-ohee, and Elsie Gay, but an a matter of fact none of them could collar Burwood, who went the whole distance without a break and fairly earned his success. The beat-looking horse among the starters was Berlin Boy, but he is not as fast as one would expect from bis action, and I don't think that ho should have been at scratch. The Pony Race was contested by a large field, mostly weeds of the small-horse order rather than proper ponies, the only real pony in the lot being Mr Ray's Parnell, who has a rare turn of speed, but who broke up badly in the race. The winner was tha limit horse Daybreak, who was ridden to better advantage than the one that finished seoond. From what I saw of the meeting I was perfectly satisfied with the management. Messrs Williams, Mace, Rattray, and other members of committee did all that they could to ensure good raoing, and they seem to have a good grip of the whole business. The one thing they require now is a larger track, so aB to lessen the eternal blocking seen in every harness race. With so limited a circuit it is impossible to say how much of this blocking is accidental and how muoh of Bet purpose, and it would be at the risk of doing an injustice to an bone t trier if every auspicious case were inquired into, under present circumstances. I feel sure, as I have said, that the management is in oapable hands, and there is every reason to hope that the association as a whole will prove worthy of being invested with the extended responsibilities now thrown on their shoulders.

*** The winners of both the steeplechases at Riverton on Easter Monday are by Golden Butterfly, the handsome chestnut that was sent to tbe Old Country by Mr W. S. Armitage, of Timb.ru, there to be used as a hunter. Golden Butterfly carried his owner with credit through one hunting season in Leicestershire, but unfortunately broke a leg the seoond year he was in England, and had to be shot. Both P.itohwork and Tally-ho — his get above alluded to— bear a strong resemblance to their sire. The first-named is out of a mare by Croydon that was uevor broken, and is very nearly if not quite thoroughbred. Tally-ho is from a mare called Lady, who has thrown some wonderful jumpers, amoDg the number being Pionesr, one of the best hunters in Canterbury.

*«.* The starting difficulty is not confined to Duiedin. We hoar of it from numbers of placeß in the clony, some very bad starts being-ocoaßionally recorded. One of the worst is reported from Cambridge. At the recent meeting there the owner of the horse that finished second in the Maiden Plate protested on the ground that the winner got six lengths' start. If tbia had ocourred at the Forbury the procedure would have bean to call in the starter and ask him if it was a start, and if ho replied in fche affirmative, or if it were shown that bo gave the signal to go, the stewards would declare it a race. It is not stated whether fcho =iarter was conauftsd-' at Cambridge, bub thti stewards Hustaingd tha protest and ordered the rac? to ba run over again, whan, by (.ho "w^y, the ssmo horsn won asr^io. *** It is a ques ion (says the L.V. Gazette) whether any joo i&v'b grave ever attracted as much attention a » thai; of Fred Archer. As we walk up to tho classic heath to eea the raoing, each day g ;nera!!y a gf-up is looking over the wall that separates the cemetery from the road. Many and many an anxious glance is cast at the white marble oroee, the top of which can be aeen standing out above tho burrounding shrubs. ItJ scarcely ueemß tbati.more than

fonr years have passed away sinoe we saw him on St. Mirin get second to The Sailor Prince in tbe Cambridgeshire, and to most of us it really seerm strange that we ehall never again hear frbat popular ory of " Archer wins J " With all his dash and devilry, all his narrow escapes, Fred never met with a serious accident when in tbe saddle, the savaging by Muley Edris being perhaps the worst be experienced j but that might have happened to anybody. %* At a meeting of the committee of tbe Dunedin Jockey Club held on the 26 bb a letter wtfl read from James Cotton, who had been disqualified during the late meeting, asking for the removal of the same. After consideration the stewards, believing that there was no intended fraud on Cotton's part, decided to remove the disqualification and to fine him £5 for a breach of the rules.

*«,* Napier Park races last week introduced us to some new hurdle racers, the best being a son of Opawa named Prospeofc, who must have a turn of speed if it be oorreot, as the telegram tells us, that he did the mile and a-half in 2 52. The fastest time for a mile and a-half over the stioks at the Forbury is Waitangi'a 2 58J,|when he beat Mararaoo. That wonderful horse for lasting, The Laird, now 12 years old, was in evidence in the Selling Race, being the only one of the batch that could maka Fleta gallop. It was a weak field thifc went out for the Cap, but, weak as it was, Thackeray had no obance. He must be altogether out of form. Rosefeldt gave weight and a beating to four others in the Sapling Stakes, one of her opponents being Triton, who 'was paid up for in the C J.C events. _ Queen of Trumps was again beaten in the Flying, so she is evidently no wonder, even though she did defeat Waylaud in the Wanganui Derby. The features of the raoing on the second day were the decisive licking which Rosefeldt sustained in tbe Two-year-old Handicap, and the two substantial dividends in the concluding races. Altogether the meeting seems to have been an enjoyable one. *** Captain Thomas B. Merry, who has a large and varied experience of raoing in America, in the East, West, and oa the Pacific Slope, as, well as in Australia, and who is a close student of the breeding problem, contributes, over the signature " Hildalgo," an interesting article to the California Breeder and Sportsman, from which I make a few extracts :— Ever since I have been old enough to go to races I have heard men say, " Oh, but that horse would have been a great sire if he had not been done to death on the tuif . " Or I have heard another Bay, "She would have been a great brood mare if she had not been raced off her legs." And it is with Buoh statements still ringing in my ears that I ask, Dogs exoesaive training injure horses for breeding? Let us take a review of examples. The greatest brood mare in America was Reel, by Glencoe, out of the imported mare Gallopade, and no mare of her day oame as near being raced to death. She waß raced persistently from two years till she was five, and never lost a race till she was beaten by George Martin in a four-mile race in whioh she bowed a tendon and was permanently retired. Reel bad 13 foals, of whioh thiee were first-class performers, Lecomte, Prioress, and Sttrke. Lecomte was the only horse that ever beat Lexington. Prioress won a great many raoeß in England, notably the Oesarewitob of 1858 and a match for £1000 with Toxophilite, sire of Musket. Nina waa by Boston out of the imported mare Frolioksome Fanny, by Lottery. She raced till she waa six years old, and after her breakdown she was bred to Revenue and produced the great Planet, who headed the winners of 1859 and 1860. Nina produced 17 foala, of which Exchequer, Ninette, Orion, Ripley, and Ecliptic were fair performers, though hardly first class. Topaz, another mare that had severe campaigning, produced 12 foals, of whioh thiae were top sawyers, Oolton, Lodi, and Rivoli, while Wagram and Auaterlitz were but little behind them. Mollie Jackson ran the hardest three«mile race ever run since the world was made, doing a third heat in 5.28|, after haying won a four-mile race in 7.34 five days previously. She had the legs literally raced from under her, but she dropped seven foals, of whioh three were fair performers, while the other two— Fanny Ludlow and Monday—were not only great performers, but are famous in the stud, Monday having outbred every contemporary Bire in California, while Fanny Ludlow was tbe p rand- dam of the renowned Foxhall. And coming down to recent days there is the little mare Nantura. After three hard seasons, in whioh she met all the cracks of her day, she produced 11 foals, among them Fanny Holton, the beat three-year-old filly of 1865, and also the great Longfellow, the foremost racehorse of his day and by long odds our best native stallion at tbe present writing. As to stallions : American Eolipse wbb hammered about until he waß nine years old, and yet he got an army of cracks. Medoc lost one race out of nine, and, going to tbe Btud, surpassed all other sires in Kentucky. Two-fifths of Glencoe's best racehorses were from Medoc mares. Boston, the eire of Lexington, had the severest campaigns of any horse that has to this day been raced in America. He won 40 races out of 45 starts, 30 being at heats of four miles and nine at beats of three miles. Ro venue began his career at two years old and ran his last race at seven. He got Engineer, Planet, Exchequer, Sue Washington, Fanny Washington, Deucalion, Eugene, Lucy Haxall, and Oliata, all winners at heats of two miles, and six of them winners at four miles.

* # * On the opposite side of the question a host of illustrations are given. The dam of Joe Daniels was Dolly Carter, of whom nobody ever heard until her great chestnut son won the Travers Stakes and Saratoga Cup in the same season. Minnie Mansfield was hardly fit to race in third-class company, and yet she was the dam of Hubbard and Katie Pease, both high-class racers. Dixie, by Sovereign, was barely second olass on the turf, but she laid the foundation of half a dozen of our best American racing families. Hennie Farrow, by Shamrock out of Ida, by Belshazzar, was as handsome a mare as was ever stripped for a race, but she never beat anything of note. Still she will live in history as the dam of the unequalled Molly M'Carthy, the greatest mare ever foaled west of the Rockies, Canary Bird, out of Penola, by imp. Ainderby, was almost worthless as a racer, but she produced Harry Basset*;, the best horse of hia day, barring Longfellow. Luoy Fowler had no turf repute worthy of mention, but her sou, Tom Bowling, was probably the fastest horso ever got by Lexington. Lulu Horton, hardly above thud class, was the dam of Spartan, the only horse that ever beat tha Duke of Magenta. Ol stallions that have produced winners, having no turf repute themselves, Faustus is oue of the most prominent as the sire of Galen, Bstty Pratber, and others. His dam is Lizzy G., by L3comte, out of B jith, by Sovereign, her dam Judith, by Glenco j , no tk> t Faustuß is inbred both to Glencoe an 1 Be*B >c* n, as Enquirer^ dam is by Lexington, His succass in the etud is no woncer to me, as be is full of crosses from gteafc mare?.

*** Crossing o\er to England, the most notaVle f ulura we Bad among stallions is the great De'hy winntr of 1831, Plenipotentiary, who b at Glencoe in the commonest kind of canter without being occ3 extended. When Mr Jackson sent an agent to England to pur;

chase Glencoe his agent wrote back thai Grlencoe was not the horse for America ; that he was Roman-nosed, walleyed, hollowbacked, and calf-kneed, and that the same amount of money would buy Plenipo, who waa pronounced by SamJObifney to be 71b a better borae than Priam, the crack of his day. Mr Jackson at once sent another man over, saying he would repudiate any draft made upon him, except for the purohaae Glencoe. Before he got him the season had so far advanced that it waa deemed unwise to export him till the following year, so Glensoe stood in England as Mr Jackson's property, and got about 20 foals, among which was the immortal Pocahontas, dam of Stock well, Rataplan, King Tom, Knight of Kara, Ayaoanora, Arauoarii (dam of Rayon dOr, Apremont, and Chamant)» and other good ones. On the contrary, Plenipotentiary got nothing of note in England} and out of four marcs imported from Eugland, in foal to him, came not a single horse entitled to be rated as first olass. Considering his great opportunities in Eugland, Priam'a career in the Btud was nearly as great a failure, although be got three winners of the Oaks— Crucifix, Miss Letty, and Industry, Another equally lamentable failure wan that great performer and royally • bred horse Cotberstone, who was cot only a horse of great gameness, but one of the mo3t powerful and symmetrical individuals ever saddled for a race. Sir Tatton Sykes, Van Tromp, Elis, Launcelot, Thormanby, Savernake, Oremorne, and a host of others who carried off the Darby and Leger, were equally unsuoceabful aB prooreators.

%* In the way of great mares that have failed in England to reproduce their own quality, we find Camerine, Queen of Trumps, Oymba, Rhedyoina, Rsf raotion, Vespa, Galata, Summerside, Turquoise, and Oxygen, none of whom ever dropped a winner of a olassioal race, although high-class performers themselves. Oa the other hand, we find Queen Mary sold for less than the prioe of a month's board in London. She produced Blink Bonny, winner of the Oaks and Darby: Balrownie, winner of the Fontefraot Gold Cup ; and our own daatly beloved Bonnie Scotland, who ran a dead heat for second place in the St. Leger of 1857, won by Warlock. Blink Bonny waa the dam of Blair Athol, winner of the Derby and St. Lsger of 1864 ; and of Breadalbane, sire of that stout little horse the 111 Used. Mowerina, tbe sister of Cotherfltone, was barely a second class performer, but she was the dam of the first triple winner, West Australiac, to whom we are indirectly indebted for several hundred of tbe best horses in America. Lily Agnes, dam of the great Ormonde and O-isory, was sold for little or nothing, yet she produced the only horse that competent judges deem the equal of Gladiateur. Of English stallions that were not highly thought of but worked their way up to eminence through genuine merit, we may mention as the most recent example, Wisdom (by Blinkboolie), who ranks second on the list of winning sires for 1890, with some 150,000d0l to his credit. Van Galen, by Van Tromp, was an ' unfashionable sire, but got several noted stayers, Tim Whiffler, who was afterwards taken to Australia, being the best of the lot. Of really great raca mareg that have dona the world good service as brood mareß, we find Eleanor, the dam of Muley and Manuella, in the first 50 years of the Oaks. Cobweb, the dam of that marvellous galloping machine Bay Middleton, opens the second half of the century, followed by Crucifix, the dam of Surplioe, who won the Derby of 1848. Blink Bonny, Derby and Oaks winner of 1857, was beaten for the Lager by Inperieuse, who left nothing of value behind her, The two great mares of their class— long distance goers and great weight carriers— were Beeswing and Alice Hawthorne, tbe former being the dam of Newminater, while tha latter waa the dam of Thormanby and tbe grand-dam of Ravenßworth.

%* Commenting on the above, Turf, Field, and Farm says :— " Some of the assertions and conclusions are not oorreot. Amerioan Eolipse was not " hammered about until he was nine years old." He was broken the September he was two years old, began training in Maroh when three, turned out and again taken up for training in Maroh when four, and ran one race that year. As a five* year-old he ran two races, and was retired to the stud at six, standing for service in IS2O and the spring of 1821. In the fall of the latter year he was again put in training and ran once, once in 1822, and once in 1823, making Biz races in all which he ran during bis career. Reel ran but seven races, and broke down tha spring she was five years old. **„, When time permits I propose to make a comparison on somewhat similar lines for the purpose of finding out how our New Zealand stock stand affected in relation to the inquiry mooted by Captain Merry. At present I am off for a brief holiday, and must postpone the task, but I may remark that of our two greatest stallions, Traduoer and Musket, one was a poor performer and the other a good one. Traduoer started altogether in eight racaa and was returned the winner of but one* while he was four times absolutely unplaced. He was in Borne respeots the greatest success as a stallion tha colonies ever saw, in that he produced racers for a great number of years, many of them from inferior mares ; his atock moßtly lasted to their prime ; and in Sir Modred and Templetoa he had two real models of their respective types. Musket, on the other hand, was a capital racer himself over all distances ; and hia stock need no laudation, for their deeds still continue. It is quite possible we may find on searching the records that both sides of the argument will ba well maintained, as it happens to be in tha case of the two champion sires.

1874 1878 1876 1877 1878 1879 18K0 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1836 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 ear Winner. Kakapo Parawhenoa ... Templeton ... Bribery Lou glands ... Longiands ... Oamballo ... Lady Emma ... Salvage Welcome Jack Vanguard ... EubinaOapt. W6bster Quibble Springston ... Ravenswing ... M'rry England Hazel |&.j 3 5 5 3 3 4 5 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 3 3 3 1 3 Wght ib lb 7 9 7 5 8 11 6 13 7 3 7 0 8 0 5 13 7 7 8 4 8 3 8 0 7 0 7 3 7 5 7 2 9 1 6 10 | Killer. I ' Derrett Brunner WattieClifford Clifford Clnrk Htrris Allen Smith Rudtngs Purdham Derrett Sharp Price Williams M'Morran White Hoi men on. s 3 46} 2 47f 3 25 2 45} 2 4U 2 43* 2 41 2 43} 2 4l| 2 38* 2 40* 2 38: 2 38; 2 38 : 2 42: 2 40 9 W; 2 37 Time.