SOME CUP CANDIDATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 54

SOME CUP CANDIDATES.

In the list of nominations received for the New Zealand Cup there is, as usual, a. predomination of names well known to those who take an interest in racing, and consequently the doingsof the horses bearing them require very little- commenting on; but as this year's .race has conditions attached to it which, in the writer's estimation, -strongly favoura -three-year-olds, some remarks concerning those of that age which claim engagement may prove of interest. In tliis race engagements have been claimed for 17 rising three-year-olds, and taking them' all round they are a particularly well-bred lot of youngsters, who in the fulness of time may be found playing a prominent part when the time comes to sport silk for the contest. Some of them — such as Sungod, Sir Tristram. Noctuiform, Boomerang, end Apollodoris — have shown winning form, and others have yet to make their debut in public, consequently their light ie still under a- bushel. There is always possibilities about an attractivelybred animal, and a glance at the breeding of the three-year-olds engaged, although it may prove instrumental in raising false hopes, still, if the animal realises expectations, ifc is only "what could have been expected from such a beautifully bred horse." The first tfiree-year-olds met on the list are a trio which, with a bit of luck, are destined to carry the popular Zetland spots of the Hon. Geo. M'Lean. The first of these is Notus, a big upstanding chestnut colt, who shows a pleasing combination of power and quality, although his possibilities as a racehorse are still hidden. He is closely related to Pampero, as he was got by Lord Rosslyn, out of Mistral, and belongs to the family which haa pi-oduced Buroclydon, Blizzard, and .Vladimir. Armamento, a stable companion of Kotus. was formerly in training at "Wellington, but failed to achieve anything in his first season, except work up a bill of costs against his owner. He was got by Lord Rosslyn (who, by the" wav, the Hon. G/SO. M'Lean once told the writer was the best horse- he ever owned) out of Eseopeta, a daughter of Hotchkiss, who .was sent to iho stud as a three-year-old without being •tried. Eseopeta is out of the St. Leger mare Agnes, a daughter of the imported Macaroni mare Lovebird, Avho failed to produce anything -of note. Anoilodoris, the third of the Hon. Oeo. Milan's candidates, has shown winning form, but it was not of a very high quality. He was got by Phoebus Anollo, out of Brisa. and is a first foal. Brisa- was in her day a cut above the ordinary, and as a further recommendation sTie is a sister to Pampero and Mist, the dam of Vladimir. Two of those engaged hy Mr .T. F. Buchanan are rising three-year-old fiHies. The first is named Assegai, and ia by "Benzoin out of Corselet, a daughter of Cuirassier and Rubina, the dam of the flvinpr Machine Gun, Lnu.nce.ston, Florrie, and "Vandal; whiV.t the othei' is Tsitsihar, a daughter of Stepniak and the Dunedin Cup winner Tempest, whose sire was a grandson of Flying Dutchman, and whoss dam (Tornado) was ax>t by the Stoekwell horse Gang Forward, out of the Wild Dayrell mare Tvnhoow. Next on the li«t is a colt named Probable, who was got by Maxim's three-quarter brother The Possible, out of Primula, the daughter of Tornedo and The Mute mare Primrose. Probable won three races this season, and is spoken of as a likely sort. Apolugue. who conies next, is half blather by Phoebus Anollc to the crack mare Gladsome-, and he has al?o lost his maiden status, as he goi amongst the winners of the present reason. Gay Spark gave a promising display in tire Champagne Stakes, won by Munjeet, and he was also :-oen out at the N.Z. Cup meeting, when he was amongst these who foil-owed Marguerite home in the Irwell Handican. Gay Spa'-k is a sou of ClanranaJd and Catherine Wheel, whose claim to distinction ?s a brood mai-e rests on having produced Treadmill, whom the writer considers to ha^e been one of the very best two-year-olds wo have ever had

out in this colony. Mr T. H. Lowry is represented by Lady Helen, a daxighie? of Merriwee and Lady Helen , wl>o was got by St Ledger out of the Yattendon mare Ouicta, the dam of jfctillery. Hilda, Hazel, Strathmcre. Sho h followed by Mr G-. G. Ptead's quartette of Mulnforms. The first of the^o is Sungod, the half brother to Martian, who scored twice in the spring of tho year. Noctuiform. the brother to Nightfall, comes next, and hei alto has caught the judge's eye a? a winner. A couple of unknown quantities in Cruciform, tho son of that good mare BJuefire. and Porcelain, a son of ihe imported English mar© Saucer, whose dam Angela is a daughter of Angelica, the dam of Ormc, who sired tho 37.500gts horse Flying Fox. Bluefire has not been a stud success if ishe is judged by her first produce, but on breeding l'ncs both her son and that, of Suaeer read promisingly. Mr 15. J. Watt ha* Melofeon, Boomerang, and Loirot <nigag'ed. Boomerang- won three i-soss this season, and as he is by the Melbourne Cup and Derby winner Merriwee, h-o may prove a stawr. He is doubtfully bred on the dam's side, a.s Mousqueterw is returned as being- by Jefc d'Eau or Moujquetaire. Loiret is a filly by Seaton Dolaval out of St. Loire, who was by St. Ledger out of the Nordenfeldt niaro Ch-arante, the dam of Nonette, •=o that Loirpf is stoutly enough brad to win anything. She srwted' ©ilk during tho present season, but failed +o get returned as a winner. Mr Dan O'Brien, who wen the first N.Z. Cup with Tasman, and subsequently acted as runner-up with Gipsy King and Malatua, has three horses engaged, and the youngster of the party is Mulfcifid, who scored twice amongst the iuveniles this season. Multifid is out of Herioi, who was ?ot by Grafton out of th© Carbine mare Grafin, so that the oolt under notice is inbred to Musket through two of his hest deso »ndan ts. The last three-year-old on the list is Sir Tristram, fihis year's winaor of the, Hawke's Bay Stakes, and wlic is a colt hiohly estimated by those who huve Feen him race. He was Ejot by Sir Lancelot (the half brother to Sir Modred and co ) out of Thame, the dauarhter of Sword Dance and Carbine * sister. Lady Mersey. Thome ran second li British Lion in the N.Z. Cup. and although sho has ntif- been a stud success, it appears moro than possible that Sir Tristram is the host of her produce with which the public has become scquainted. From th© above it will be seer that there is a particularly snc lot of wriN-bred youngsters engaged in the Cup. and if they turn out as well as their breeding: suggests, and get to the po*t fit and well, foot© of the older equities in the race will have their work cut out to 'push them back at the finish.