A PRINCE OF SPRINTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2721, 9 May 1906, Page 50

A PRINCE OF SPRINTERS.

Although it has not been definitely announced that Machine Gun will be _ taken from the post to the paddock by his new owner, it may be taken for granted that, as Mr O. Baldwin is known as a breeder of blodß stock, the handsome and upstanding son of Rubina has in ail probability sported silk for the last time, and Australasian racegoers will have to make tbeir adieu to one of the most brilliant horses that the colonies have ever known. Tho writer has seen it stated in print that Machine Gun became affected in the respiratory organs as a result of catching cold when a two-year-old; but he has also heard vocal evidence that the eon of Rubina " made a noise" from the first time he galloped in the paddock. There is no doubt in the' writer's mind that Machine , Gun did not betray such bad symptoms of wind affection during the last couple ot I seasons he xaced as he did as a two-year-old. When he came down to Dunedin to win the Champagne Stakes he could be heard half a mile away in his woi*k at Wingatui prior to the meeting; but latterly at Ricearton ho always returned to scale ! after his races without showing nearly as much distress as many good-winded horses did who were short of work or badiy , trained for their races. Cf course, in the !, bustle and noise of a race it ie not easy to detect a horse that is a whistler; tut special attention was paid to Machine Gun in order to note the amount of distress he exhibited. Experience has demonstrated that the bigger tho animal the more predisposed it is to roar, and the explanation . is that the smaller the horse, the quicker is the circulation of blood, and consequently the readier will be removed from the : system any diseased products from an : attack cf strangles, catarrh, a flight cold, or any of the causes which tend to develop roaring. Machine Gun stande just under 17h.de, and it is possible that he acquired the disease through misfortune rather than 1 possessing an hereditary tendancy to the | complaint. His sire (Hotchkiss) has never j been noted as a eire of roarers, although his best son, Multiform, developed' the . disease, principally, it has been told the j writer, as a result of 'being fed on chilled grass -whilst on hie voyage to Eng- ' land. Itubina, the dam of Machine Gun, 1 threw come excellent performers, who were i both noted stayers and sprinters, amongst ' them being Fiorrie, a daughter of Tasman, ; who won the C.J.C. Derby, Otago Cup, j C.J.C. Oaks, prior to going to Australia, where she won the V.R.C. Free Handicap, tone mile and a-quarter; Queen's Birthday I Cup, one mile and a-half; Sydney Handi- ! cap, one mile and a--half, and other races, j Launcesion, a brother to Floi-rie, won the C-J.O. Midsummer, one mile and a-ha.lf; ! and Vandal, as a three-year-old half-brother ,' to the above pair, ran second to Sultan in the Dunedin Cup, two miles -and a distance, whilst Bubina hereelf ran second in the same race to Spade Guinea. None of ' the above-mentioned offspring of Rubina, as far as con be remembered, showed a tendency to roaring, but on the other hand the family has displayed a rare combination of brilliancy and staying nower*. which scouts the idea of Machine Gun being an hereditary roarer. So that there is ro ' reason why " big Mac" should not make ' his mark at the stud as he did on the turf, where ho proved himseif one of the beet horses that ever carried a saddle. As , far as breeding is concerned, however, ' there is a fly in the amber, as Rubina (sire Kingsboroagh) belongs to the Sappho family, which, although the taproot of many good horses, cannot be traced in the Stud Book. ' 1 ' i ' 1 j ! 1