THE ST. ALBANS SALE,

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 40

THE ST. ALBANS SALE,

Never during the 20 years or fo that Mc?s" B Yuille and Co. have been selling at Newmarket has their yard been a» full as it was on August 10, when the first sale in connection, with the break-up of St. Albans took place. There wero racing men from most of the colonies, writes "Terlingo,"' and all the lights of the turf in Victoria seemed to be crowded round the ring. A charge of Is at the gate kept the riff-raff out, but still only those who managed to secure posts on the inside of the crowd, which stood four oxfive deep round the ring, or who stood on the few benches provided, could see much of the horses as they were led round. It ib a rare thing for a horse sale to start punctually, but on arriving in the ring foyo or three minutes after the advertised time, I found Rumoui already sold, and sold very cheaply, lo Mr Phil Heywood for 135gs. The first lot is always sacrificed, and po it was in this case. Peninsula, an untried gelding by Bill of Portland from .Lady Carbine, went to Mr M'Kenna for India, and then Argonaut, who cost 500gs in England, and three of whose "relatives brought nearly 10,000gs in England last month, was knocked down for 150gs. The once well-talked-of Regained, looking well, and showing no trace of soreness in his valk, ran to 280gs, and as James Scobie was acting for Mr G. L. MacDonald when he bought, they cannot yet have lost all faith in Regained at St. "Albans. Eminence, looking very well indeed, seemed c^oap enough, and so did Headland at the 175gs H. Bellamy gave for him. Up to now the bidding had been fairly brisk, but there was o great improvement when Barragunda came into the ring. He is a great, fine horse, and he looks as though he would be fit to race in Sydney. Mr Maedonakl and someone el&e stuck to him for a time, but when Iho hammer fell afc 600gs Isaac Earnshaw was the buyer, and the colt goes to Sydney. Rona has not done much on the turf, but she should be worth more than the ITOsjs which bought her. Then another black in Kinglike came in, and after a jliarp battle- Mr Macrlonald's representative got him at 900gs. I expected Kinglike tc top the Ihree-yoar-olds, but did not think he would go to this price. However, he improved very much towards the cnel of the season, and should win a good handicap if he is not up to weight-for-age form. There was clenly of bidding foi Debenture, who, like most of the horses, v/as sent into Iho ring in fine form. With such a crowd it was impossible to see who the bidders were, but Mr W. Murray, the bookmaker, was the buyer. Wakeful, a nice little mai'o by Trenton from Insomnia, was knocked down to Mr Neil Campbell, who was acting for Mr Maedonakl. The beautiful La Carabine was put in at 500gs right away, and with 800 from Sii Rupert Clarke, a thousand from Mr R. M'Kenna, and 1100 from I. Foulsham, she was run to 1260gs in no time. Then there was a dwell, and Mr Archie Yuille said a few words about the mare's breeding by way of encouragement, but there was not another

bid in the cro-,vd, and amid cheers, Sir Rupert Clarke was named as the buyer. The excitement was not over yet. Revenue, now a four-year-old gelding, was wanted by Mr M'Kenna and several others, but Mr Matdonald would not give in, and after Mr M'Kenna had bid 700, James Scobie's nod of 725gs brought the hammer clown. Songbird, looking ready lo race at any lime, was soon sold for 400gs, and, although Aurous, the chestnut, half sister to Aurum and Aularia, looked rough, she made 350gs, and was cheap at the money. Mr Charles Mallen, of South Australia, bought Bombard and the La Tosca two-year-old filly, while a charming two-year-old sister to Barragunda and Songbird fell to D. Harris, and some day she will no doubt find her way into the OaLleigh Park stud. Bobadil, for whom Mr Wilson once refused something like 5000gs, came in last, and looking a perfect little picture, but it seemed to be understood that his racing days are over, and stallions are so cheap in Australia that Mr F. S. Grimwade got him foi 500gs. Bobadil' and La Carabine were probably the cheapest lots sold. Still, some of the others brought far more than was expected, aud it; was a good sale. There was not a single English commission, it must be remembered, whereas when the breeding stud comes lo the hammei in December there are sure to be buyers from England for the best lots. The 21 lots brought 7S9ogs, or an average of 374gf .