ADVANCE, FISHHOOK'S SECOND COUSIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 40

ADVANCE, FISHHOOK'S SECOND COUSIN.

Mr Gordon's black colt Advance, winner of the Wanganui Cup in record time, is of the same family as the renowned Fishhook that helped to lay the foundation of Mr Dan O'Brien's turf fortunes. Fishhook was foaled in 1872, got by Traducer from Laurel, by imported Peter Flat from Sharkie, by imported Riddlesworlh. It was in 1866 that Sharkie foaled Laurel. The next year Sharkie produced another filly by Peter Flat. This youngster, at first named Vanessa, and afterwards known as Bay Leaf, gave birth to a numerous family, amongst them Redeemer and Bull's Eye, who became well known 'on racecourses up north, and in 1879 she produced a filly that received the name of Laurel — no doutit as a reminder of the relationship to Fishhook's dam. It is this Laurel that 'is the mother of " Advance. The youuger Laurel is niece to the older one. Be it also noted that whereas Fishhook was by Traducev, Advance is by one of Traducer's sons, Vanguard. The blood is the same, and Advance is the closest relative that Fishhook has ever had. Note the similarity of the two pedigrees : Fishhook— I Aiwanck— By IVadiicer— Liurel, I By Vanguard (ton of by Peter Flat, Sharkie, Traduc r)— Lauivl, by by Ri: d'esworth. Yourg Gowiwnan— Bay Lea*, by Peter M it; &c. Unluckily for those who swear by the figure system, Fishhook had no number, neither has Advance. Sharkie was bred in Wellington from a mare imported from Sydney without pedigree. But Advance can very well afford to put up with any contumely which is shared by such horses as Guy Fawkes, Fishhook, Liberator, and Waiu'ku. Though they have no numbers, they could race. Wo can Advance, and he makes his own pedigree when he runs away from, the pets of the books. In this Wanganui Cup he broke the New Zealand record-- for a mile and threequarters, lopping a fifth of a second ofF the record previously held by Swordfish II in the same race. Prior to Swordfish's, performance, the best time for a mile and threequarters was Spindrift's 3min 4- 4-ssec, that gelding having wresced the record, from St. Katherine, who in 1893 did the distance in 3min ssec. Advance was bred by Mr D. Frasev, and ran twice last season, when, at the Wellington Cup meeting, he paid £13 2s in the Nursery Handicap, and next day got beaten out of a place in the Wellington Stakes won by Courtier.