RED CROSS AND NAVY LEAGUE FUNDS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1274, 13 March 1918, Page 7

RED CROSS AND NAVY LEAGUE FUNDS.

GRAND ART UNION. interestingTnformation REGARDING THE PRIZES. Few people realise the value of the eleven thoroughbred horses recently presented to the Red Cross and Navy League by an anonymous donor, in connection with which the Grand Art Union is being aggressively pushed at present. The real position is that those who take an interest in horses will be very fortunate should they chance to purchase any of the winning numbers. Those, on the other hand, whose sole desire in procuring tickets is to help forward the cause of Ihc Red Cross and Navy League will be. able to present their prizes—should they win them—to the funds in question. It has, in fact, been arranged that all prizes will be held for fourteen days after the date of the drawing (June 1), and if unclaimed they will be sold at auction. The proceeds will he held for a further fourteen days, and, if still unclaimed, will then be credited the respective funds. As already mentioned, probably few people realise fully the value of the eleven prizes now offered the public in this Art Union. They are each descended from successful families, and, apart from other considerations, their breeding should make them valuable. The first prize, the bay horse Fabrikoff, foaled in 1011, by Mcnschikoff from Fabia, proved during his racing career that he was a horse of great pace, putting up high class performances over courses up to seven furlongs. Fabrikoff’s sire, Mcnschikoff, was a racehorse of exceptional brilliance, for as a two-year-old he started in fifteen events and won eleven of them, and as a three-year-old he won all the four events which he contested. At the stud Menschikoff has sired many good winners and Fabrikoff promises to maintain the family excellence. Fabia, the dam of Fabrikoff, claims descent from Musket, and as Menschikoff is also descended from this famous sire, Fabrikoff inherits a double strain of the blood that is much esteemed by breeders. Soultmena, the second prize, is a bay mare foaled in 1913, by Menschikoff from Soult Athol by Soult—St. Margaretta, by Nelson—Sister Agnes (imp.), by Rosicrucian. Soult’s record as a sire was one of exceptional success, gained by sheer merit, and a mare bred as Soultmena is, by Menschikoff (a descendant of Musket), from a mare got by Soult (a son of St. Simon), should do well at the stud after her racing days are over. The third prize is an unnamed chestnut filly foaled in 1914 by Menschikoff from Lady Chiron, by Chiron from Estelle. Chiron is by Ladas (winner of the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby) and a very successful sire from Appenine, sister to Velasquez (winner of over £26,000 in

stakes). The fourth prize, a bay filly foaled in 1914 by Menschikoff from Oil Wells, comes from a very successful racing family. Oil Wells is by Ort Wells from Middy Morgan by Exile. Ort Wells won thirteen races out of twenty-six starts, while Exile won thirty races out of seventy-three starts. The fifth prize is a brown mare by Vasco, from Vivoca by Havoc from Virginia, by Nobleman. Havoc, who was by Nordenfeldt from that famous mare Frailty, proved himself the possessor of stamina by his victory in the Australian Cup, and at the stud he got many good winners. Vasco, by Velasquez —Seabreeze, was a sire of exceptionally good breeding, who has left some high class stock. Planudes, the sire of Lady Planudes, the sixth prize, is by the great St. Simon from Lonely, by Hermit from Anonyma, by Stockwell, a pedigree that should appeal to breeders. The seventh prize is a chestnut mare foaled in 1913 by Menschikoff from Geralda by St. Swithin from Miss Stuart, by Clan Stuart. St. Swithin was one of the best sires of his family in Australia, and Clan Stuart was by Prince Charlie, sire of Lochiel. Of the brood mares that form the balance of the prizes Vivoca, Lady Chiron and Themia have foals at foot by Fabrikoff, and have been served by him again, while Giraldakoff has been served by San Francisco. The opportunity of securing such valuable blood stock for the price of an art union ticket is one that seldom occurs. Already there is a brisk demand for tickets and the promoters feel confident that long before the date of the drawing (June 1) every book will be sold.

Complete books of tickets (costing,one pound each)jcan be obtained from Mr W. H. E. Wanklyn, Hon. Secretary, 128 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch. Tickets are now on sale anywhere and everywhere throughout the Canterbury Military District. All Red Cross workers in the country are enthusiastically pushing the art union, 6.