STABLE VISITS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 192, 18 September 1914, Page 5

STABLE VISITS.

WILDWOOD STUD FARM. Few trainers of trotting horses in New Zealand have had such a long and '-.' successful association with the business as Willie Kerr, the proprietor of Wildwood Stud Farm. In the very infancy, of the sport he and his latelyoleceased brother Charlie were looked on as being right at the head of their profession, and the name of Kerr will ever be associated with the light harness horse industry of Canterbury in its every branch. Those of us ■who can go back in memory to the .•days when the Heathcote, Lancaster Park, and Plumpton Park Clubs were in their infancy will remember how in-' vincible was the Kerr's stable, and tow many good horses passed through the Kerr brothers' hands. Never a meeting went by but that the New Brighton mentors had the pleasure of leading in one or more winners, and in the case of Willie Kerr his mana still stands good, for no trainer in the Dominion has such a large percentage of winners to the number of horses he races. A" «SMALL BUT SELECT TEAM. At the present time .Willie Kerr is devoting more of his ability to the breeding than the racing of trotting horses. His collection of brood mares is a 'particularly select one, and with - such a great speed producer as Wildwood Junr. at the head of the establishment its success is assured for many a year. .Already it has given the sport some of its brightest ornaments, and amongst the present batch of juveniles are several that on breeding and ; jcon- - formation would be hard to excel. On the occasion of my recent „ Kerr had only a small team , in ; work, the best known of whom is"; (the Derby winner, Admiral Though h# has been off the "scene since he captured the three-' - year'-old classic last May, the handsome son of Wildwood Jun. and D.I.C. ~ has fnot been allowed to eat the oats y . of idleness. He is one "of those contented sort of customers that require a fair amount of work to keep them in anything like racing trim, and though he is not likely to sport silk again before November, he could be got quite ready for the fray in a few week's time. In most of his characteristics, Admiral Wood favours his sire, having the same perfect action and generous disposition, while of his .great speed there can be no question. "> That he - will emulate his sire's track deeds admits of little doubt, for few young horses have given so much promise in their early, essays. The next to come under my notice was a full brother to Calm, who, when his time comes, will race under the name of Blizzard. This three-year-old < son of Wildwood Junri, and Gertie is built on altogether different lines to - any of his' illustrious relatives—indeed' he is easily the biggest of all Gertie's' contributions to the turf. Already he stands quite 15.2, and is built in proNaturally, such a big, overgrown colt does not compare favour- ' ably 'with what Calm was at the same age, and I doubt if he will ever show . -the same symmetry as did that early 1, champion. Even so, he gives every in : *'' .dieation of developing into something quite in keeping with his high lineage, though it may not be till next year that he is ready to show his worth as a racehorse. Like all his relatives, Blizzard is a natural pacer, and already gives promise of keeping up the family reputation for speed. A HIGH-CLASS SIRE.

Few young stallions have made such ah enviable reputation for themselves at the stud as quickly as has Wildwood Junr. At the time' of my visit, the handsome son of Wildwood and Thelma was looking in great heart, and it is only natural to expect that ■with "the better class of mares now available he will bring still further x fame to the establishment over which he presides. Though decidedly in the rough, there is a good deal of promise associated with Inwood v the four-year-old-son of Wildwood Junr. and Sybil, who was the next led out for inspection. Early last year this colt showed a good deal of promise, but with such "smashers" as Calm and Admiral "Wood in the same stable he was not persevered with. He is bred on very much the same/lines as; Admiral Wood, and when ready to race he; can be relied on to acquit himself with every credit. Inwood has only recently been

put into work, and he will take a good deal of fining down. Another that Kerr has but recently taken in hand is a three-year-old sister to Merce, by Galindo, from Wildwood ,'Junr's sister Authoress. She is a level-made filly, who takes after her sire's branch of the family tree, but so far she is practically untried. A QUARTET OF JUVENILES. Deporting themselves in an adjacent paddock were four two-year-olds, who have but recently been handled. The colt by Harold Dillon, from Authoress, looks like coming to hand early, for already he handles himself with every confidence in the paddock sprints with his companions. He is a typical Dillon, and can boast of a pedigree that indicates both speed and stamina. Driftwood's son from Thelma, is built on bigger lines, and is not unlike what his relative Wildwood 'Tun. was - at similar age. Of the quartet he was the one that took my fancy most, and I shall be disappointed if he does not turn out a top-notcher. The colt by Prince Imperial, from Wild Agnes, is a quality-looking chap of medium size, who can hardly fail to develop into a high-class racehorse. Marie Corelli's son, by Galindo, is another who shows a lot of promise, and altogether the quartet of two-year-olds is one that any trainer might well be proud of. THE MATRONS AND FOALS. In another paddock were the brood mares and a number of yearlings. The latter comprised a colt by Wildwood Jvvr., from Wattlej by Rothschild, from Watlass; a colt by Wildwood Junr., feom Gertie, consequently a full brother to Calm; a colt by Petereta, from Marie Corelli, and a filly by Wildwood Jun., from a Haroll Dillon mare. All were looking in robust health, and had evidently wintered exceptionally well. TEMPLAR.