TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 54

TALK OF THE DAY.

Br Sentinel.

THE TIMARU MEETING. No club in the Dominion strives harder to make their meetings a success than the South Canterbury Jockey Club. In recent years the club has sent along- its prize-list in a very progressive manner, and, m addition, carried out such substantial improvements on their course that it is now one of the best-equipped tracks in tho Dominion. _ The writer has always maintained that it is one of the best tracks in the country, as there is such an excellent run over the last seven furlongs that any horse able to gallop has a fair chance to win if it is good enough. Next to having a good horse, owners require a track that gives a chance to assort its merits. This can be obtained at Timaru, and hence, with an attractive prize-list, owners have latterly been paying increasing attention to the South Canterbury meetings. Last week’s meeting was not by any means too happily placed on tho calendar, as it came rather too close to Gore, Grey-mouth, and Wellington, and as a result lost a good deal of patronage from both owners and racegoers. Several sports who attended! tho first day at Timaru went on to Wellington, and some few travelled to tho Coast. Several horses engaged at Goro might have been racing at Timaru if opportunity was provided owners to race at both fixtures. Despite these drawbacks the South Canterbury meeting ranks as a success. The track was naturally on the firm side as a result of a lengthy dry spell, and one could gather a small load of dust by presence on the lawn. Tho traffic in front of the totalisator kept tho atmosphere well charged l with dust, and it was not by any means too pleasant in tho vicinity of the machines, particularly on the second day, when the weather was sweltceingly hot and rather trying to most people. Fields at times ran a bit small in number, and in several cases were not large enough to provide tho popular two-dividend hot. This was probably the cause of a slight shrinkage in the betting returns, which, under the circumstances, wore rather good. The club’s courage and consideration to patrons by providing special trains did not meet with the support it deserved, and it was noticed that a great number of people attended only one clay of the fixture. Most of tho money came for Down and Palisade in the J.C. Handicap, in which the former was regarded as having an excellent chance on his track work. He however, put up a poor display that was most disappointing to his owner. Palisade also shaped badly at the finish, although he ran well for the bulk of the journey. Nothing, however, had a chance with the winner, who cut out his first half in 49, and full distance in 1.41 34). Private watches madle it faster, some going a shade over 1.4 Q. Spccialform lay a bit out of her ground in the early stages, but was coming on well towards the finish, and was just beaten for second place by Fender. Money came with more freedom for Specialform in the mile and a-quarter race, for which she started a solid favourite. Th© Boniform mare really made a onehorse race of it over the last furlong. She kept handy throughout, and galloped over her field at, the business end. The chief sprint on tho first card saw Marti us win comfortably after Encore and Medley ran to a standstill, and Bee scored: very decisively in the sprint m the second card. First Glance ran a very creditable race under her load, but Bee also had to take up a very fair burden. In other events the racing was interesting without being particularly exciting. Tho train arrangements in connection with the meeting worked smoothly, and Dunedin visitors reached home at about 12.30 after a smart run from Timaru. SELECTION OF SIRES. It is quite a common practice with some stud,masters to mate all or nearly all of their mares with tho same sire, who, of course, generally belongs to the stud. It shows a great deal of faith in a stallion if it is thought that a nick of successful mating can bo made by the one horse with all sorts of consorts, widely varied in breeding, temperament, and conformation. Some sires have won the honour of being able to get winners out of any sort of marcs, but where all tho marcs in a stud are bred to tho same sire it fe suggestive of a haphazard method of mating or a blind confidence in tho powers of the horse. Owners of brood marcs who patronise public stallions not infrequently travel the same line as the singleidea studmaster who breeds all his stock to the same sire. A list of mares bred to a horse sometimes finds him supplied with consorts with very little in common in their breeding. Tho marcs, perhaps, present as many different linos of blood as their numbers, and it would be interesting to learn wherein some of the owners trace and find reason for making the mating. It would seem in a sense that where one is right all the others are wrong. Tho Slcdmere Stud is one of the most famous in England. For years past the Slcdmere yearlings have commanded big prices and even in the pi*esont slump a William tho Third—Veneration filly made 3000 gs whilst others made around IOOOgs at the September sales. In tho London Sportsman to hand a list of Slcdmere brood mares and tho.ir matings for tho present season is published, and it is doubly interesting because it shows that this successful stud does not adhere to tho much-to-be-condemned idea of using tho nearest horse unless, of course, deemed suitable, or the horse “next door,” or place all its eggs in the one basket by using tho same sire on all the mares. The list comprises 28 mares, and their matings wore divided amongst no less than IS different stallions. When such a wide selection is

made it is suggestive that each sire is selected only after careful consideration. The mating of tho Slcdmere mares is probably a record in the way of a varied selection in sires. To students of breeding a glance at the method of mating should prove of interest, maybe, perhaps, instructive. Agacolla (Cylene—Merry Agnes) went to Roi Herodo, and Honora (Gallinule — Word of Honour) to his eon, The Tetrarch. Bellatrix (Melton —Miners), Queenlet (Berrill—Queen Charming), and Mossdale (Desmond —-Pella) formed a trio mated with Cicero. Aida (Galopin—Queen Adelaide) and Thrums (Symington—Rosemount) wore bred to Marcovie; Miss Cobalt (Pride — Silver Wing) and Summer Girl (Sunclridgo —Permission) to Spearmint: Stolen Kiss (Best Man-—Breach) and Veneration II (Lavono —Admiration) to Tracery; Alicia (Bend Or-—Alix) and Haolder’s Pride (Hackler —Comma) to Sunstar; and First Violin (Eager—Florence St. John) to Sundridge, to whom also went Gelinite (Gallinule —Vordinal. Game Chick (Gallinule — Tierce) and Star of tho Sea (Gallinule — Ethol) went to Prince Palantine. Startling (Laveno— -Astrology) and Rectify -(William the Third—Stupidity) went to Swynford. Trodennis was used with Blue Tit (Wildflower—Petit Bleu) and Ladystown (Gallinule —Downey). Peach (Prince Hampton— Bonny Flame) was bred to Willonoyx, and Polymclus, tho most successful sire at present in England, was selected for Salute Claire, a mare by Isinglass—Santa Brigida. Other sires used were Neil Gow. St. Amant, Kroonatad, Ulster King, and Charles O’Malley. Such a varied selection is most notable, and forms an object-lesson to owners of brood marcs. BRED IN THE PURPLE. Seekers of young thoroughbreds likely to pay their way on the turf and subsequently at tho stud will find an unusual selection to choose from during the New Zealand Cup meeting. Tho catalogue is composed ot a goodly muster of yearlings bred on attractive lines that read as if they should produce winners. In several eases close relations to good winners will go under tho hammer, and some of them should excite keen competition for their possession. Thirty-three yearlings from the Elderslie, Kinloeh, Woikanae, and Burnside Studs will bo on offer, and as many of our best winners hare been bred in the paddocks of the studs named above, buyers will not be asked to purchase in the dark, but in the majority of cases be able to select stock bred on proved lines. In other cases the breeding carries an attractiveness which cannot fail to interest students of breeding. The first on the list is the Kilbroney—Ena filly. The dam was got by Royal Artillery from Strcsa, by Orvieto (son of Bend Or) from tho St. Simon marc St. Mildred. This filly is inbred to Stookweli through his best lino represented by Bend Or, and she is also enriched with a strain of St. Simon and his sister Angelica at the top and bottom of the pedigree. This, with an infusion of Musket, makes the filly read very desirable both as a racing proposition and subsequently for the paddock. It should be borne in mind that some of the best winners are bred on similar lines. Lot 2 represents another filly inbred to Bend Or. She is by Kilbroney—Gambocle, by Martian — Escapade, by Pilgrim’s Progress—Escopota, by Carbine, Martian mares should make good producers, and such a soundly-bred one should prove worthy of possession. Kilbroney is also represented by a filly from Success (dam of Kilwinning and Honesty. She is a member of speedy Hammock family. Another is by Kilbroney—Rumour, tho dam of Polymorphous. A Kilbroney— C'yre is a half-brother to Down and Former. Here we have the desirable St. Simon and his sister Angelica doubling on Stockwoll, and such a mating should produce something more than Gyre has yet shown. A most attractively-bred colt is the one got by Kilbroney from Prank. She by Pictou from Spree 11, by St. Frusquin (one of St. Simon’s greatest sons on the turf and at the stud) from Bridget, a sister to Melton, a Derby winner and first-class sire. This colt has a pedigree to ponder over, and if his looks are in keeping with his breeding, nothing offered should make a better price. Five yearlings by Cakewalk are to be offered, and each are from soundly-bred mares. The Kinloeh Stud lot opens with a filly by Treadmill from E’ire Queen, and No. 2 is a filly by Martian —Everlasting, by Padlock—Azalea, by the Galopin horse Galliard. On her relationship to Nones the Martian —Lovelorn filly should command attention; and so should a Martian colt from the imported mare Forked Lightning, she by Eager—La Fourchete, by Forager (son of Adventurer) from Dolly Agnes, and hence a member of the famous Agnes tribe. It is worthy of note that Dolly Agnes was got by Castloreagh, a representative of tho Speculum line of Vedette, and Fair Agnes, a daughter of Voltigour (sire of Vedette), to whom St. Simon runs back in tale male. Lot 16 is a sister to Danube, and a promissing colt in Winterbourne. Next is a Martian—Hebrew Maid filly, and the Kinloch Stud lot is concluded with a Martian— Gipsy Girl colt, and hence related on the female side to Strowan and other good performers. The Waikanae Stud is sending up eight yearlings. The first is a Boniform —Sea Queen colt. Sea Queen is by St, Ambrose (son of St. Simon) from (Sequin, the dam of the highly-thought-of colt in Seadown. The Demosthenes—Mistime filly represents St. Simon through one of tho best sons in Desmond, on Stockwell, through his descendants, represented by the Bend Or —Ormonde—Orme line. She is inbred to Galopin, and represents one of tho most attractiyoly-bred yearlings on offer. Tho Bezonian —Dirge filly represents three strains of Galopin on Birkenhead, a successful member of the Orme- —Ormonde— Bend Or tribe, rendered so famous by Flying Fox and other giyat sire racehorses and sires. A colt from a sister to Vladimir sounds really promising; and so does one by Achilles from Madeira, a mare by Maltster, one of the most successful sires Australasia has known. Madura, tho dam of Madeira, is a sister to Madder, one of the best producers at the stud in this country. Strathspey is represented by a Birkenhead colt, and os Gipsy Grand mares are proving very valuable at the stud, a half-brother to a useful sire such as Tevintdalo may prove a bargain. A filly by Rokoby—Crimson Rose, by Royal Artillery—Rose Madder, a sister to All Red, Munject. and co., commands attention as a beautifully-bred sort, representing one of tho best families in the N.Z. Stud Book, by Rolceby, who has already made good with Rookbound and other promising sorts. The filly is rich in three strains of Galopin fortified by two strains of Musket. That good mare Tortulla, (a New Zealand Cup winner and dam of Diabolo and Banksia) is* represented by a Bezonian filly; and next on tho list is a sister to Lady (Superior, a very Cue two-

year-old in work at Wingatui. The Burnside stud sends up live by the nruch-to-bc-rogrctted Rokeby, and one by Kilbroney. The first is a very early foal by Rokoby from Miss Dalryinple, and thou comes a colt bred to race it breeding goes tor anything. Ho is by Kokeby from Roso Red, an own sister to All Red —Munjeet. Sea Pink and Indigo are out of sisters to Rose Red. Next is a filly by Rokeby—Elaine, by Birkenhead—Camelot, by Sir Lancelot — TTontalto, by .Trenton. Teacup, the dam of De Gama (a good winner, and sold the other day at 2000 guineas), is represented by a -Rokeby filly. lima, the dam of Obsono, has a Rokeby colt, and Armilla, the dam of Armlet, concludes the list with a Kilbroney filly. A more attractively-bred lot has never been offered in this country, and if there is not some really high-class performers amongst them one could advance strong claims towards burning the stud booke and other records of thoroughbreds bred on lines calculated to win their way to the front on the turf.