Breeding Mix-Up Is Ventilated

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 12

Breeding Mix-Up Is Ventilated

PRINCE HUMPHREY CASE SYDNEY COMMENT The following interesting details in connection with the Prince Humphrey affair are contained in the Sydney Morning “Herald” of Thursday last: There seems no doubt now, that Prince Humphrey, who won the last A.J.C. Derby, is not the colt by Duke Humphrey (imp.) from Shepherd Princess as stated in his registration forms, but that he is from Princess Hazel (imp.), and that Cragsman is the Shepherd Princess colt. Conclusive support to the statement by the manager of the Woodlands Stud was given yesterday by Mr. Frank Kitchener, of Lindfield, who, for the 12 months before the Woodlands .Stud was dispersed, occupied the position of stud-groom. Description Correct

“There is no doubt that the description of the two colts you publish is correct,” he said to a "Herald” representative. “The Shepherd Princess colt had the blaze right down the forehead to the top lip, and had the near foreleg and both hind legs broken white. He was a plain-looking yearling. The Princess Hazel (imp.) colt was a bold, masculine fellow, a whole bay with black points. He was always ‘cobbers’ with a Maltress colt, who was almost his double as a youngster, though as yearlings their conformation altered considerably. It was my job at the stud not to make mistakes. Part of my duty was to enter in the books the markings of the foals as soon as they were born, and I was generally present at that event. These markings are checked as the foals develop. Of course, after a while, it is practically impossible to give a mare another mare’s foal, but, to be certain, the marks are watched until when the foals are to be weaned another check is made, and the full description entered. It is generally about this time that the brands are put on. Mr. Tate was the only person to handle the branding irons. There could be no doubting his word. ITe has been among horses all his life, and was for 26 years with the Ormonde family m New Zealand. He is a most meticulous i A Pet Foal “In the year Prince Humphrey was j born we had 20 foals from the stud mares. There were others from private mares, but the stud horses were kept separately. Consequently, I knew them perfectly. You can see i from the photograph of the Princess I Hazel colt what good friends we were. He was the only one to become really friendly. 1 called him ‘Mick,’ and it was only necessary to call out his name, and he would come up and let me do just what 1 wanted with him. You can see that he shows a little white above the hoofs. It appeal's white in the picture, but it really is a fawny cream fluff which most foals have when they are born, but which they lose as they develop. He lost that later. Naturally, because he was my pet, I entertained a regard for him. I had to mark a catalogue for probable purchasers, and the remarks on the Shepherd Princess colt are ‘very plain, straight in front, not a good sort.’ The words referring to the Princess Hazel colt are ‘very good indeed, one to buy.’ “In fact, 1 liked him so much myself that 1 tried to buy him. It was I who was bidding against Mr. McKenzie when the colt came into the ring, but when I saw who was bidding against me I considered that I had little chance of securing him, so I retired and later purcliaseu another yearling. Missed the Horse at Randwick

“I was at Randwick when the Derby was run, and went down to the stalls to have a look at Prince Humphrey fpr the first time since he left the stud, tie was not in his stall, nor did I see him go out of the enclosure. After the race a friend passed a remark about the superiority of New Zealand horses, and so much did we argue, more especially as Prince Humphrey was bred here, that by the time we went to the enclosure the horses had been taken away, and I did not bother any further. I can safely say I did not examine any of the photographs after the race. If I had taken particular notice I do not think that 1 would have questioned the horse’s pedigree. I would probably have thought that a photographic mistake had been made, for even now it seems inconceivable that anyone could have ooxed’ the two colts.

“I cannot suggest where the confusion could have occurred. Mr. McKenzie bought only the two, and they were so different that it seems impossible that he could not tell them apart when he got them home. But they have been confused —there is no doubt about that.”

Mr. Kitchener has had life-long experience among thoroughbreds, and » is now engaged principally as a buyer • of horses for prospective inter-State 5 sale. He was at different times asso- } ciated with several studs, including Noorilim, and The Nook, in Victoria; He is well-known in sporting circles, particularly in Western Australia. His version of the matter will be brought 3 before the A.J.C. Committee, and the 1 photographs taken by him at Wood* - lands have also been placed at the - disposal of that body. * Little Can Be Done t Another Sydney paper had the fol- > lowing comment to make: . The A.J.C. Committee will inquire into the allegations that Prince Hum- ’ plirey’s breeding is incorrect—that his dam is Princess Hazel, not Shepherd Princess. But beyond making a correction in I the breeding of the A.J.C. Derby win- , ner, if necessary, nothing can really 1 come of such inquiry. There is no 1 blame to be sheeted home to anyone, though there has apparently been care- ; lessness somewhere. Interesting information cabled from New Zealand, seems to make the position even more complicated. Both the owner, Mr. C. G. Macindoe, and the trainer, J. T. Jamieson, deny that there could have possibly been any mistake in identity. Y'et the cabled brands of the Princess Hazel colt do not tally with those detailed in the Woodlands Stud dispersal catalogue, when both were sold. A Difference New Zealand sources credit the Princess Hazel horse with the brands inverted 5 over 144 on the hind quarter and a half diamond over B on the near shoulder. The catalogue shows the Princess Hazel colt to be branded V over B on the near shoulder and 5 over 136 on the near thigh. The Shepherd Princess colt was branded V over B on the near shoulder. But the fact that the actual breeding of such a high-class performer is questioned by his breeder, who must have great proofs to have come into the open with his allegation, brings up the possibility of other horses being wrongly described without anyone ever being the wiser. Such a position is more than a possibility. Matter of Checking A close check is not kept on all studs, though the bigger establishments do everything possible to check any mistakes by means of extensive records on each mare and stallion. Yet there is one mare at Randwick now about whom there have always been doubts without any solid foun- ; - - Good-bye. Freckles. Stillman’s Freckle Cream is guaranteed to remove freckles Tt is also a wonderful skin bleach. Booklet on request. Price, 3s 6d a jar. —E. W. Hall. 117 Armagh St., Christj church. i

dation. She has all the conformation and characters of one well-known sire while she is credited with being by another prominent stallion who, at the time was doing: duty at the same stud. In the Prince Humphrey case, it will be a. difficult matter, if not an impossibility, to decide where the mistake was made, taking it that Prince Humphrey is from Princess Hazel. not fchepherd Princess. The A.J.C. Committee will possibly spend much time over the case. It is not a matter to be passed over lightly by the men who control racing in New South Wales, and it may direct attention toward the tightening up and elimination of all loopholes in the breeding world. Yet despite all the complicated precautions that might be taken to prevent a mix up. such cases -will crop up at very infrequent periods, to provide the racing world with a sensation.