TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 57

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel. THE FEMALE INFLUENCE. A statement was recently made in Australia by Mr Ken Austin, that the St. Simon line is the best in the world for producing stayers. This aroused a contradictory statement by a correspondent of the Australasian, who delved into the ancient history of thoroughbreds, and tried with, very little success to disorove Mr Austin’s statement. Delving into history to prove, for instance, that Eclipse was the greatest racehorse and sire the world has ever known is a waste of time, and so is an effort to prove, that, if a horse contains two or more ancient strains of the same blood, its merit is due to the fact of such in-breeding existing in the pedigree. For practical purposes it is quite sufficient to deal with the modern thoroughbred dating to .about or less.than half a century. Many will remember the battle that raged some good few years ago about what horse really sired Galopin, who in turn got St. Simon. Another great controversy waged around the identity of Bend Or. There is also a doubt as to whether Thormanbv was got by Melbourne or Windhound, although the fact is seldom mentioned by present day compilers of pedigrees. There is also a doubt as to whether Ampion, the sire of Sundridge, was got by Speculum or Roseberry. Thus we have some of the greatest sire lines in the world to-day carrying at least a shadow of doubt as to their origin. If that is so, it seems futile to travel beyond a horse who made himself easily the most conspicuous member of his line. For instance, it may be said that St. Simon started a line of his own. He was one of the greatest horses the world has ever known, so why travel beyond him particularly, as there is doubt about his pedigree. The Galopin line is almost non-existent, except through. St. Simon, and that .is further proof that the famous Welbeck sire laid the foundation of a line which is still breeding on with great success. Every student of racing knows about the objection io Bend Or after the Derby on the ground that he and another colt had been mixed up when youngsters. The objection was thrown out, but in mote recent years, some of the best authorities in the world, such as the late Mr W. Allison, the Special Com- "■ missioner of the Sportsman, believed that a mistake in identity had really been made. Thus, one has good grounds for claiming Bend Or was the foundation of a line and the one that has done best in keeping the Stockwell blood in the foreground in tail males. . Thormanby is of doubtful parentage, but it is solely through him that the Herod line was restored to prominence. He got Atlantic, who in turn got Le Saucy, and through the latter came Le Samaritain, Roi Herode, and The Tetrarch. One would have to search a long while for another successful line of Herod*, who is best known in the world to-day through The Tetrarch, the most famous member of his line, and the keystone of the tribe. It is rather interesting to note, that, when the claims of a line are advanced, the influence of the dam, or taproot is generally overlooked. That the taproot does weild a very strong influence’ seems beyond doubt.. For instance, the controversy started about St. Simon being the best line of staying blood in the world. Positano was one of his best representatives in Australia. He put up the marvellous record of siring four winners of the Melbourne. Cup, and the dams of two more. Martian ranks as one of the best sires of stayers the world has ever known. His half-brother. Boniform, has also proved himself a really good sire of stayers. Here we have three totally different horses in tail male—St. Simon, Stockwell, and Musket —all coming’ from the same taproot, which must in consequence be entitled to share the honours of what has been achieved by the three _ horses named. Now we have Limond coming forward as another success made by a horse with a Sunshine taproot, and another instance’ can be quoted in Gienapp, who also

belonged to the Sunshine family. It might also be claimed that Kilbroney owes souje of his success to the fact that his dam was got by Napoli, the son of a daughter of Sunshine. Then again, we have Paper Money, whoso dam was got by Eager, another descendant of the Sunshine taproot. Such great mares as Queen Mary, Pilgrim, age, Paraffin, Lily Agnes, and Pocohontas undoubtedly weilded a great influence in a pedigree. However, sufficient has been said to show that father is not the only feature in the family, and when making reference to a sire line it should not be overlooked that there is plenty of evidence to, show that scribes, critics, and pedigree experts should not be ungallant and overlook the ladies.

THE TROTTING STAKES. When in conversation a few days ago with a member of the Forbury Park committee the information was gathered that owing to the poor response by o-wners the Forbury Park Trotting Stakes may be deleted from future programmes. A payment for only five three-year-olds is a. most disappointing response to the club’s efforts to establish a classic tone to one of their meetings, but unless more encouragement comes from owners and breeders the race in its present form appears to be doomed. There is no doubt that many thoroughly experienced trainers, owners, and breeders are rather averse to the early handling of straight-out trotters. The same opinion holds almost equal force in connection with early racing of thoroughbreds, but in the'latter ease it is the general rule to send mares to the stallion much earlier than is the custom with light-harness stock. Hence the thoroughbred has a much better chance to be ready for early racing than the pacer or trotter. The establishment of such races as the Forbury Park Trotting Stakes encourages owners of brood mares to mate them at about the same time as the thoroughbreds, and if that became a general rule the young trotters would be more forward in racing shape than what has been the case in the past. Manytrainers hold that the early handling of young trotters and pacers is apt to considerably shorten their racing life and, perhaps, ruin them at the outset of their career. That danger would be to a great extent reduced if the light-harness breeders sent their mares to the horse in the very early part of the season. It is a mistake to force any horse, growing into big size, whilst still a baby, but there are plenty of others of £he smart, nippytype that can be handled early and perhaps prove more profitable as youngsters than at any stage of their career. There are exceptions, as, for instance, Masterpiece, who was one of the biggest two-year-olds ever raced. He won what is now called the M’Lean Stakes in October, and afterwards became a Derby winner, and in the following season again missed a New Zealand Cup by two or three inches. It is true that some trainers strongly object to the early racing of young trotters, and when the club cuts down the stakes to their present value the financial inducement dropped considerably, and naturally’’ the y-oungsters deemed suitable for earlyracing are left in the paddock instead of being kept in training. America is the home of trotting, and early racing is quite common there, and this despite the fact that heat-racing stands out as a much greater strain on a horse than the single race system in this country. Earlyracing could be safely- adopted with suitable youngsters _in this country as well as in America, if, as previously mentioned, the breeding season started much earlier than is the usual custom at the present time. The Forbury Park Trotting Stakes is not a payable proposition, and naturally those . who look at everything through financial eyes are not anxious to see it retained. The encouragement of breeding by good stakes to induce the importation of high-class stallions and mares is a secondary consideration to the man with the financial eye rather than one keen on the sporting side of the question. There is no doubt that the general run of stallion owners do very well when they have the. right kind of horse, and as it is in their interest to keep up this value of stock, they should be invited to give special support to such races as the Forbury- Trotting Stakes. It has been said that’ a trotting stallion some two or three years ago served 150 mares at 15gns each. At the present time there are four more trotting stallions in New Zealand than what, has ever been the case, and as many of them are really highclass sorts, commanding fairly liigh fees and plenty of patronage, their owners ■would probably be only- too pleased to contribute to the race if it became converted into a produce stakes. Probably 20 or 30 owners would nominate their stallions at lOgns each if the race was restricted to the progeny of their horses. By this means anything from £2OO to £3OO could be raised, and the usual nomination fees would bring in another substantial addition to the .fund. The club could add a sum that would make the race carry a very attractive stake, and so restore it to a value that would practically command patronage. If it is the general objection to early racing that is killing the classic, a change could be made to make it a Sires’ Produce Stakes for four-year-olds. It is quite"safe -to predict that a small stake on top of early racing will see the race perish from lack of patronage., and the above suggestions are offered in the hope that some consideration will follow.

THE HEROD LINE. At the present time when the greatest sale of yearlings ever held in New Zealand is taking place it is interesting to recall the fact that some of the sires represented come from the same stock as horses bred here nearly half a century ago. For instance, one of the most successful sires represented is Tea Tray, a representative of the Herod line, which has been revived in recent years. About

50 years ago the same line was going particularly strong through Traducer, and an old Turf Register shows that Le Loup, one of his most successful sons on the turf, stood at a fee of six Le Loup won the C.J.C. Handicap (now the New Zealand Cup), Canterbury Cup, and other races. He was backed to win 80,000sovs in connection with a Melbourne Cup, and there were very good grounds for placing the big commission. Traducer sired no less than nine winners of the Rew Zealand Derby in Scandal, Trump • Sir Modred, The Dauphin, Cheviot, Envy, Defamation, and Calumny. _He got eight winners of the Canterbury Cup in Lurline (twice), Templeton, Betrayer, Le Loup, Sir Modred, and Welcome Jack (twice). Traducer got six consecutive winners of the Canterbury Champagne Stakes in Danebury-, Trump Card, Natator, Betrayer, Sir Modred, and Somnus. He also got six winners of the Dunedin Cup, and in addition stamped his name in the records of racing as one of the most successful ever imported to New Zealand. Another of the Herod line who proved a successful sire in this country was Albany,-a son of Thormanby. Albany- sired such good winners as Oudeis, Disowned, La Mode, First Lord, Nonsense, Kuby, Day Dream, and others of note. Hence it is interesting to note that the line is being revived again in this country by sons of Roi Herode and his son The letrarch.

THE FORBURY PARK MEETING. The acceptances received for the first day of the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting which commences on Thursday and -will be concluded on Saturday of this week, should provide the foundation of a successful fixture. The club’s progress has been considerably hampered of late by bad weather, and it is to be hoped that the anchoring element will be replaced by one of our best samples of te -r Dg zn e , week - The forbury Pai k Trotting Club holds the very responsible position of being the Metropolitan club or the Otago and Southland

district, and hence has a duty to perform by leading the way and endeavouring to guide the minor clubs in the districts along a progressive path. Fortunately trotting clubs are placed in the happy position of catering and controlling a very popular sport, and so half the battle is won before the gates of their tracks are opened to the public, and then it seems to only require fine weather to make a complete success of a light-harness meeting. The very great number of lightharness horses in training make almost a certainty of good fields for every programme issued, and when the rank and file performers are so numerous it stands to reason that a club which desires to make its fixtures conspicuous on the sporting calendar must eater for the best horses in training. It is the duty of a metropolitan club to do so because the slow class events can be left to the minor clubs, meetings, and ' the metropolitan clubs should endeavour to avoid trespassing on what might be termed the preserves of the country clubs. It is really to the advantage of a metropolitan club that horses should graduate from the minor fixtures and so take a mark or have public form to warrant their appearance on the principal tracks. When there is so much racing the sporting public are not keen on seeing the bus-horse class in action and at the same time be asked to pay a price of admission which should provide a display of only the best goods on the market.

CONTROL OF RACING. The control of racing in New Zealand is not at all satisfactory, because at times serious blemishes occur and are seemingly allowed to pass without official notification. There is no doubt that the general management of our racing and trotting meetings is very good indeed, and compares favourably with that of clubs in any other part of the -world. The business and the machinery of racing runs very smoothly, and, bar accident, the various events on a card are got off like clockwork, thanks to the excellent efficiency of the management in the secretarial department. That, however, is not the main question in connection with the control of sport. What is greatly required is a much stricter vigilance and apparently a more competent control of the actual running and what takes place during the race. Trivial transgressions are magnified and punished by fines, and yet while an accidental .change in colours is invariably met with a monetary punishment, racing banners practically the same in appearance, although different in name, continue in existence. During the Wellington Cup meeting occurrences open to question were apparently allowed to go unchallenged. The form and betting on the first two days of the meeting created a considerable amount of comment anything but flattering to those in control of the racing. This, let it be understood, is not an individual opinion, but one generally held by everyone who has more than a mere superficial knowledge of the game. A very serious case of crowding took place during the running of the Wellington Cup just as the field was completing the first quarter-inile of the journey and the horses travelling between the grandstand and the stewards. The running and betting in connection with some of the winners on the second day should not have escaped challenge. The public, for instance, would like to knowwhy Star Stranger ran such a bad race in the Wellington Cup and yet, despite his display, was so solidly backed and ran such a sterling good race in the W.R.C. Handicap, in which the winner created an ‘Australian record. It would also be interesting to know why-Vesperus carried only £2lB in the Ruapehu Handicap and £2366 when he won the Douro Cup. There was, of course, a much smaller pool on the Ruapehu Handicap than over the Douro Cup, but, nevertheless, the contrast was far too marked to escape comment. It is such things as the above mentioned that the public are anxious for information about, and not that some practically inoffensive owner has been fined because his jockey wore the wrong cap in a race.