BREEDING RACEHORSES

Otago Witness, Issue 2669, 10 May 1905, Page 50

BREEDING RACEHORSES

-It is generally allowed that racehorses cannot bo bred scientifically, because it that wer-e co all our horses would be of the Achillos calibre, and no Sea Lions would exist ; but, nevertheless?, these who make a study of breeding know that a knowledge of the value of different strains gives valuable hints to those who own etuds, and that the risk of breeding- duffers is greatly reduced by judicio-is instead of haphazard mating. Hence it is that ttiere is a great amount of interest taken iv the mating compilations annually organised by the London Sportsman, which this year S£l£ c j£d Pretty ?°l]y §3 the oiar© and the

International Committee appointed decided upon Flying Fox as the most suitable stallion for the daughter of Gallinule. Curiously enough, though the committee decided by a large majority in favour of Flying Fox, the competitors did not agree witli that view, as with the latter Cyltene came first with 59 votes, Persimmon feconcl with 41, and Flying. Fox next with 39. Amongst the prize-winners was the wellknown Randwick trainer, Mr lice Earnshaw. and consequently his reasons for selecting Flying Fox will be of interest. In his letter Mr Earnshaw said : —

Sir, — I select Flying Fox as the most Gaitable to mate with Pretty Polly. In tlie first place, they are both sound arimals that have stood the test of the racecourse, and, in niy opinion, the blood will blend.

P.P.'s pedigree is a combination of four stout lines. Her sire, Gallinule, is a 19, by Isonomy 19, while her dam, Admiration, is a 14, by Saraband, a 14 ; he is by Mtincaster, a 16, while P.P.'s great-granddam Eyepleaser, is by Brown Bread, a 16. Isonomy is by Sterling 12, by Oxford 12; while Saraband's dam is by Scottish Chief 12. Here we have a combination of four stout, good, hardy, staying families.

On the other hand, Flying Fox -was a hcrso full of tire and dash, as one would expßct, being twice inbred to Galopin. In F.F.s pedigree we have the same families, only through different lines, as are met with in PP.

F.F. has three crosses of Ved«tte 19 — twice through Galopin and once, through Speculum, both being by that sire ; whuc F.F.s grandsire is the mighty Ormonde 16, and his darn v/as by Marconi 14.

In our foal's pedigree we have, for sire F.F. a> grandson of Ormonde, he being backed up with a. double cross of Galopin ; whiie P.P., the dam's siro, is by Muncaster, a grandson of Stockwoll.

And Patrick -was bred on those lines. He was by St. Florian, a son of St. Simon, from M-organette, who was by Springfield, a- grandson of StockwelJ.

Sceptre is bred on similar lines, by Persimmon, a son of St. Simon, from. Ornament, a sister to Ormonde, whose sire, Bend Or, is a grandson of Stockwell.

In fact, St. Simon was bred on similar lines. He was by Galopin out of a daughter of King Tom, who was half brother to Stockwell. To illustrate the families I have tised the Bruce Low« rtimbers, so that to those who understand pedigrees it is far easier to follow.