A RICCARTON VISIT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 54

A RICCARTON VISIT.

Taki '3 advantage of a spare morning which occurred after the C.J.C. autumn meeting, the writer found himself leaving Christchurch en route to Ricearton with the object of paying two or throe calls, and even with the doubtful pleasure of "tooling" a livery horse which possessed a large circle of nodding acquaintance along the line of march the outing proved to be a very enjoyable one. Shortly before 9 a halt was made at the gates of the Caiiowi'- -tud, and the fir-t part of the principal mission achieved, as it was with the object of =eemg »he imported fit. Simon hor»e St. Ambrose that the writer was on the Riccarttn map. When the English horse was led out it was at once noticeable that he- bad b?en in doep trouble, as one of his hind leg^ was filled from below the hock to tho pestorn, whilst a nasty-looking, but evidently healing cut was on tho cannon. Despite the drawback St. Ambrose carried lumseif without a trace cf lameness, and stepped out with the gallant buoyancy of a soldier on parsd-e after a great victory, which had not been gained without the son of Mars gaining the sears which form a hero's best medals. St Ambrose was halted on th" lawn in fro it of tvs owner's residence, and it did not take long to discover that tho many high opinions which have been expressed about the horse were not uttered in fla.tte.ry, but merely as a justifiable tribute to an exceptionally fine specimen of the thoroughbred. St. Ambrose is full of vitality, a good bay in colour. and stands 16 hands high without showing too much daylight v^'er him, even though at the time cf inspection l*c was somewhat light in condition for a stallion but .this should soon be remedied, ac he o^ly fell off after meeting with the accident. A game-looking and sensible head of good

proportions is set on to a nicelycrested neck of splendid rein, which terminates with a pair of well-sloped shoulders. Behind the withers he possesses a fine barrel and good quarters, and overall fills the eye as a real quality horse of a racey and muscular type, who only requires a chance [ in order to make a name for nimself at the j stud. In fact, it is a pity more of his sort ido not find their way to New Zealand. It ( is unfortunate that he was cast in his j box, but although it may ultimately mar his beauty, it should not impair his stud value. One cannot help liking St. Ambrose's : individuality, and a knowledge of his breeding and racing qualities further strengthens one's admiration. St. Ambrose, as is generally well-known, is a son of St. Simon, one of the best horses the world has ever seen, and is out of Ambleside, a daughter of the 14,000-guinc-a horse Petrarch, who won the St. Legrer and Two Thousand Guineas. Ambleside is out of the Toxophilite (sire of Musket) mare Strayshct, the dam of the Derby and Two Thousand Guineas winner Shotover, and ranks as cne of the select matrons of his Majesty's Saridringham stud. On the turf St. Ambrose proved himself a good performer, and finished fourth in Lord Cardigan's Melbourne Cup. about a length away from the winner, a-j only three-parts or a length dhided the first two. whilst third and fourth were a head and nook behind the first pair. He holds the re- ' cord for 11 furlongs, and proved himself a good performer under silk. A visit was next paid to Sant Ilario, the son of St. Li'sor and Cissy, the sister to the famous Trenton, who threw such good horses as Day Star, Alrair, Helen Faucit, and San Ueno. in addition to Janet, the dam of Spotty. Sant Ilario has furnished into a particularly fine stallion, and on breeding and conformation he should prove a successful sire. Particularly is this likely to be the case when it is remembered that St. Lcger. a Lighlvsuccessful sire himself, has thrown his mantle over Clanranald, St. Andrew, Regal, Towr Moor, St. Clements, St. Pattl, St. Hippo, and others of his sons who have taken up Stud duties. A &iro is be«t judged by the stock he leaves, and after leaving Canowie the writer made the acquaintance of sonic of Sant Ilario's stock, and, on looks, they should turn into something useful. The best of Sant Ilario was n*v v* seen in public, as he was raced several times with one of his feet laced in waxed thread. He ran second to Seahorse in the C.J.C. Derby, being beattn a length in 2min 38sec, and was third, four lengths away, when the son of Nelson won* the Canterbury Cup in 3min 56 l-sse_c, whilst there were only heads separating Miss Delaval, Seahorse, and Sant Ilario at the finish of the Great Northern Derby. He was beat a length by Advance in the Dunedin Cup in 2min 37sec, second again in the Century Stakes to the same horse, third in the New Zealand St. Leger to Miss Delaval, and his entire form marks him down as the unluckiest horse that ever carried the Yaldhurst colours. Still, that may not hinder his meri* as a sire, even though he did not quit the turf amidst a fanfare of trumpets. With his Stockwell and Musket blood, received through such splendid sources, he should mate well with St. Simon mares. St. Ambrose should nick well with mares of Stockwell descent, as it it is noticeable that the two predominant strains of Stocky.ell and St. Simon when allied have produced some of the best horses in the world. A brief ramble through the paddocks enabled the writer to make the acquaintance of Acrasia, the Melbourne winner of 1904; Janet, the dam of Scotty ; and Seashell, who has grown into a fine type of brood ma'-e. One or two other mares were observed in. the paddocks, but the writer did not glean their names, and a start was made for town after having an all too brief hour in tne rangy and well-sheltered paddocks of the Canowie stud.