ON THE TURF AND OFF

Southland Times, Issue 23987, 30 November 1939, Page 10

ON THE TURF AND OFF

BLOOD STOCK CHEAP IN ENGLAND QUEEN OF SONG’S RETURN TO WINNING FORM By SIR MODRED Less than a month away the Auckland Cup is attracting very keen attention. Long distance handicap performers are in short supply for the South Island holidays. Southern investors appear to have overlooked Queen of Song’s chances at Ashburton races. The investments at Auckland November races exceeded those of 1938 by more than £28,000. During the spring season in Australia the two-year-old winners represented more sires than is usually the case. Survalyon, winner of the Kawau Hurdles at Ellerslie this week, is a son of that good horse Surveyor (son of Nassau, imp., from a Stepniak-Wallace maternal sire family). The aged gelding Sebrof, who has been racing successfully in Auckland, is a son of the German horse Lucullus from a mare by Elysian. Confiscated by the Government in England when the Great-War broke out and he was in training in the Old Country Lucullus was purchased at a hack price, by a New Zealander and. brought to this country to sire a very large family of winners and valuable stud mares. Lovers of the jumping game are numerous in the Auckland province and it goes without saying that the recent successes at Ellerslie in junjping hurdles of Ureklaw and Survalyon will be eagerly marked down for future reference. Many of the best hurdle racers and steeplechasers of New Zealand’s turf history have been bred in the far northern province and its traditional endeavours in regard to the illegitimate game have been kept green in the memories of all down to its humblest followers of racing. Of the winners of .the past few days Ureklaw is a son of The Ace, a horse imported to the Dominion by the late Sir George Clifford, while Survalyon is by Surveyor, a good racer and sire bred in the family of the late Mr G. G. Stead. SPORTSMAN’S DEATH Deep regret was expressed in Southland and northern racing circles when it was learned that Mr Donald Macdonald, of Edendale, had passed away at the ripe age of 81 years. He was widely known as a lover of good horses of any breed or country, and he retained a very soft spot in his heart for the best of thoroughbreds. The wagering side of the turf pastime did not attract the tall Southlander but 1 e would journey afar to witness prospective contests in which proclaimed giants of the game were to meet and measure strides. Mr Macdonald was also a close student of breeding and the traditions of the turf and possessed a number of works on these subjects that were a delight and education to read.

For a colt .who had displayed smart galloping ability on the tracks Calula Boy went out at the forlorn quote of 11-10 selection when he won the Rakino Handicap of £3OO (five furlongs) at Ellerslie this week. His breeding is interesting each way as it is more than likely to be heard of in connection with gallopers of the future particularly where the male and female descendants of Paper Money are concerned. Monday’s surprise two-year-old winner is by Autopay (winner of 23 good races, and of the St. Simon line each way), by Paper Money (imp.) from Trebelli II (imp.), by Thrush (son of Missel Thrush, by Orme, by Ormonde) from Dramatics, by St. Simon from Tragedy (a mare of great galloping family). When racing Autopay was in the money on 47 occasions (23 wins, 14 seconds and 10 thirds), and his successes included the Epsom Handicap (one mile) in Sydney, the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Stewards’ Handicap, Great Easter Handicap, Awapuni Gold Cup and Thompson Handicap. Representing the first crop of his sires progeny Calula Boy’s dam was Gortyn, by King Soult (son of Soult, by St. Simon) from Europa, by King Mark (imp., and by Marco from a mare of St. Simon line) from Temeraire, by Dreadnought (a stout Australian horse from Sister Mary, by Ingomar (imp., and a sire of stayers) from Sister Agnes (imp.). The Auckland youngster should furnish into a galloper of extreme brilliance with a claim to seeing out middle distances. His dam, Gortyn, was foaled in 1921. ENGLISH BLOOD STOCK The war has disorganized the English thoroughbred industry bringing with it a curtailment of turf activities. The classics have been abandoned, but crops of youthful blood stock naturally continue to rise ever nearer to maturity. In the meantime good three and four-year-olds of both sexes are in the market at prices that would have been pronounced ridiculous 12 months ago, and studs are being dispersed. It is reported that H.H. the Aga Khan has cleared his studs in Ireland and France. This state of affairs has led to Americans securing horses from England that would not otherwise have been for sale. Under the circumstances there does not appear to be any valid reason why Australian and New Zealand studmasters should not replenish their collections by importing and introducing new blood—shipping costs would be heavy and import restrictions have to be overcome, but these obstacles could be met where the ultimate benefits to be derived are logically brought under the notice of the Governments concerned. If steps are not taken in this direction it is safe to say that the cream of the market will go to America, Russia, Italy, Japan and other neutral countries always on the lookout to secure English thoroughbreds. This is not an idle conjecture, but a sober, solid

fact. It happened before and during the Great War and New Zealand was one of the countries to benefit. Of the horses secured for the Dominion the German stallion Lucullus was a bright example as many breeders in New Zealand can testify. There would be. war risks by sea, but men who deal in blood stock would hardly stop to consider these as unsurmountable factors. Shipping space to Australia and New Zealand might be expensive, but it is likely to be available with many vessels voyaging to the Southern Hemisphere to load colonial agricultural produce and metals. The opportunity to gain the best of English stud stock other than horses appears to be equally presented to people interested. VETERAN’S SUCCESS Foaled in 1931 P. T. Hogan’s good slave Queen of Song recorded a popular win at Ashburton last week in accounting for the principal event the Tinwald Handicap, of £2OO (one mile and a-quarter) in 2min 6 3-ssec, carrying 9.0. She is a daughter of the Southland sire Songbird, by Kilbroney (imp.) from Grey Linnet (imp.). Her dam, Differential (bred by Mr L. C. Hazlett, of Dunedin) was by Tractor (imp., and a successful sire of brood mares) from Fabia, by Light Artillery_(son of Trenton) from Perhaps, by Gang Forward (a well-known Australian sire) from Peradventure (imp., and a good stud mare). P. T. Hogan has trained two good Tractor mares in Queen of song and Water Power. T Fortune has not smiled upon Mr J. M. Samson’s racing activities for some time past and it was therefore pleasing to note that the Dunedin breederowner won another race with his promising colt Lord Midas at the Ashburton meeting. Prepared at Riccarton by F. Roberts, trainer of Defaulter, Lord Midas is a well-bred juvenile. He is a son of Iliad (imp., and by Swynford) from Wealth, by Paper Money (imp.) from Skydream (imp.), by Skyrocket (son of Sunstar from Maid of the Mist, by Cyllene from the peerless mare Sceptre). In England Skyrocket was a first-class staying racehorse and a successful sire. On being sent to Belgium he was responsible for numerous winners in that country where racing is conducted on a high Pl ane - „ • 1V The success of Birthday Boy m the St. Andrew’s Handicap, of £5OO (one mile and a-quarter), at the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting on Monday, was a fitting one where his maternal family is concerned as his dam traces back to a line long associated with the family of Mr W. Walters, a turf and stud veteran of the early-days of a province which has produced the majority of New Zealand’s most celebrated thoroughbreds. Many great sires and mares have been owned in the province of Auckland and several of the world’s greatest horses were foaled there, including Carbine, Trenton and Maxim. Monday’s winner, Birthday Boy, is a five-year-old son of Limond (imp., and by Desmond, by St. Simon) and his success as a sire speaks for itself. On the other hand Birthday Boy is descended from a great family, as his dam was Queen March (her progeny include King March, Gay Marigold and Limarch), by Lucullus (imp., and by Ard Patrick, a Derby winner by Galtee Moore) from March, by Marble Arch (imp.) from Lady Musket, by Blairgowrie from Muskerina, by Musket from Hipporina, by Hippocampus from Yatterina, by Yattendon, a horse whose line has produced countless stayers in Australia and New Zealand. March and her daughter Queen March were bred by Mr W. Walters, but the latter produced her valuable contributions, to the New Zealand Stud Book for the Hon. E. R. Davis, of Auckland.