Grey Horses Not Popular

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 14

Grey Horses Not Popular

PREFERRED_JN ENGLAND “Grey horses are keeping racing cups in the family,” said a leading London veterinary surgeon in a recent nevvspaper article, inferring that they Avere better than horses of other colours. But such an opinion Avill not meet Avith the approval of many Kgav Zealand and Australian owners and trainers, Avho are only just being educated to forget their previous dislike for grey horses. It is only in the last feAV years that grey horses haA’e made any extensive appearance on Australian courses, and even now, numerous as they are, foAV of them have amounted to much on the racecourse. In recent years there has not been a grey horse to turn out anywhere near the real champion class. Little Stamina There has long been a prejudice against greys in Australia, and the influx of many grey sires from England in recent years has given Australian racing little more than a number of fast horses Avho, hoAA ? ever, are not noted for their stamina. Of course, the grey sires in Australia cannot be compared with the English wonder, The Tetrarch, and, possibly, were good horses by that stallion to race in Australia, they would mean the formation of totally different opinions on the matter. Another point in the discussion of this surgeon, that some horses are not grey at birth but turn that colour later through some obscure chemical process in the bodies, can be applied to many Australian horses Avho, when registered at foaling are one colour, and then, when they enter the yearling sale ring, are not fitted by such a description. The case of Lady’s Chain, the champion 14.0 pony in Sydney, is Avorthy of mention. She is a broAvn filly. Yet Avhen her coat is rubbed the wrong way. she is a grey. Her dam, Lady Liddell, a champion herself. Avas a grey, so that she is responsible for the peculiarity in her offspring. Broken Down Matu’s display in the Wanganui Steeplechase was so much beloAv par that it Avas fairly evident there must be a good reason for it. . It now transpires that he broke doAvn in the race, and he returned to Trentham on Saturday. He can be Avritten out of his Great Northern engagements, and it will probably be a considerable time before he races again. Unlucky Course for Owner It is noteworthy that Alan McDonald has been associated with eA’ery success of the Rangitikei ’chaser, PuAvhero, bar one, and no doubt he could supply a much more interesting story about his old favourite. The loss of Puwhero at Wanganui is the second misfortune the Rangitikei OAvner, Mr. S. R. Hammond, has experienced on that course in recent years. At this meeting two years ago Ardatli, a brilliant young hurdler, met an untimely end by breaking a fetlock when contesting the - May Hurdles the second day. Air. Hammond is a lover of a good jumper, and nearly all those Avho have carried the brown jacket with the Avhite band have Avon over fences.