TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 46

TALK OF THE DAY.

UNSUCCESSFUL (STALLIONS.

What can safely be termed an un^urcessful stallion is one who fails, owing to lack of opportunity or other means, to become what is generally termed "fashionable," and one has frequently cause to marvel at the failure of many horses who possess excellent conformation, and are a 1 so bred on lines which read as attractively as any other equine's pedigree which finds r place in the Stud Book. To be bred in the purple is not always the keynote of success on the turf or at the stud, and many horses wlio are closely related to the ruling favourites of the day go to the happy hunting grounds without having had a proper cha-uce to distinguish themselves. Glancing down a list of winning stallions which is published in the last Australasian to hand, the name of Es utrheon Ls met, and he is a horse whom I have always expected to make a name for himself at the stud. Escutcheon was foaled in 1384. and is now well up in years. He has achieved a fair amount of success since dceorting the post for the paddock, but nothing like what one might expect from such an aristocratically bred horse. He was got by Musket, one of the most successful stallions the \/orld has evei seen, out of Rosette, the imported daughter of Lord Lyon. Rosette ie out of Rouge Rose, the dam of Bend Or, from whoso loins sprang some of the most successful horses in. the world. Ormonde wes got by Bend Or, and is pirh&pN rightly considered the ho'<se >f last century. Rosette's eire, Loid Lyon, was a eon of Stockwell and a "triple crown" hero, having won the IV Thousand Guinesu, Derby, and St. Leger. Thormanby, the sire of Rouge Rose, was also a Derby winner, and Escutcheon's dam is almost a full sister in blood to Bend Or, as tihe latter was got by Doncaster, a son of Stockwell, and Lord Lyon was also a son of Stockwell. Rosette produced, in addition to Escutcheon, Scottish Lassie, the dam of Clanranald and

Sc. Andrew, besides Musk Rose, Rosa d' Argent, and 1 Mejidie. If Escutcheon could havo sired a Derby winner a few years back, he would in all pfobafbility have been selected as the mate of come of the best mares in Australia, but he is drawing near the end of his period cf utility, and may bo said to have m'is-sed his mark. Mikado 11, a half-brother (by Apre'inont) to Lady Zetland, is another wellbred horse who has failed to produce* anything as good as himself. St. Switihin, whose ?on Trochon won the important Adelaide Doncaster Handicap last week, was dug out of obscurity by a lucky chance, and has since sired some* good horses. He was got by Cadcgan, the imported son of Cremicrne, out of the Adventurer mare Chance, and Adventurer was the sire of Perk'in Warbeck. St. Swithin's dam, Malice, was got by Traducer cut of Mermaid, the dam of Lurline and Ls Loup. Teksum, by Musket out of Merganser's dam., is another who failed to gain prominence as a stud horse. Havoc, the three-qu.irter brother to Trenton, and Hova, by Ingomar out cf Happy Land, who was got by Musket out of Atlantis, the dam of St. Lpger, are another couple of wel!-bred horses w'lo have not 'been as successful as might have been expected. AY ell down near the bottom of the list is Pusohka, the son of Musket and Lady Ravenswortli, who was got by Yoltigeur, the great grandsire of St. Simon. If St. Simon owes his excellence to the Blacklock ©train, great things could have been looked for from Puschka; but he was foa.led in 18F5. and must l>e getting pa/st making a name, allowing him, to be still alive. It is ivorthy ->f note that he is probably the first example of the Musket strain being allied to the Blacklock blood, a combination which to-day is considered the only way to mate Musket's descendants.