BRILLIANT KARAPOTI

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1931, Page 4

BRILLIANT KARAPOTI

A CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD ' ! SON OF A NEW ZEALAND-BRED SIRE BEST NOT YET SEEN OF AUCKLANDER This season Karapoti has won brilliantly over all distances from six furlongs to a mile and a half in the best weight-for-age and handicap company in the Dominion, and these performances mark the status of an exceptionally good galloper. Without doubt he is the outstanding three-year-old of the season, and his decisive victories over Cylinder in the Guineas and Derby show him to be one of the best gallopers New Zealand has seen since Commendation. Soft going or concretelike tracks are all the same to Karapoti, this giving further evidence of his greatness. ' Seeing Karapoti at Wanganui last week for the first time, 1 was surprised to find hini' at first glance, somewhat small, but closer inspection revealed compactness that fully compensated, for his lack of size J Beginning with an intelligent and pretty head, one cannot but fife attracted by his resolutely powerful shoulders.. Enthusiasm is at once aroused on viewing his middle piece, which is well ribbed-up • with a good barrel. Beautifully moulded quarters and legs which cannot be faulted complete the survey, and, through all, splendid bone and superb balance are striking features of his general, conformation.

Romanceiis closely entwined in Karapoti’s career. His ownerbreeder, Mr. M:- H. Tims, bought Kilbeggan for 144 guineas with the express intention of mating herewith the colonial-bred sire General Latour, Jin the hope that he might breed another Te Kara one of. the finest, stayers in New Zealand a few Reasons back, and a winner of ones Auckland Cup after dead-heating the previous year. Mr. Tims has achieved a remarkable success, and appears to have in his horse even better than his old favourite Te Kara. General Lhtpur, the sire of Karapoti, was bred in New Zealand, being a son ofi the successful importation Soult (St. Simon Merry Nif, by MerryjHampton—Aroma, by. Craig Millar), who gave the New Zealand Turf the Derby winners Elysian and Wairiki,-and the fine, stayers Maiiiapoto, Solution, Merry Roe, Bleriot, King Soult, Soltano, Maheno; Santa Rosa, Cordon Rouge, Marshal So.ult, Master Soult, ColoneLS6p.lt, and others, when Multiform, Stepniak, Nelson, Vanguard, St. Leger, Hotchkiss and Birkenhead were fin their prime as sires. General Latour did very little racing, but he won,the Great Northern Guineas and the A.R.C. Christmas while he finished second to Counterfeit in the Great Northern Derby, and was beaten a head by Kakama in the A.R.C. Easter Handicap. He had one more race and was then retired to the stud. - . -

Kilbeggari,] the dam of Karapoti, is a daughter of Kilbroriey from Rouge, by Charlemagne 11. from Madder, by Gossoon from Madras, by Chester. That is breeding familiar to all Turf students and is a family’that has produced some great" stayers. Madder, the third dam of Karapoti, gave the New Zealand Turf, the dual Auckland Cup winner All Red. Her other produce were Ukraine (dam of Sasanof, who won the Melbourne Cup in 1916, the New Zealand Cup in 1918, and was beaten a nose in the Auckland Cup); Mungista (dam of Indigo, who dead-heated with Warstep in the New Zealand Cup in 1918) and Rose Red (dam of. Raceful,'Zouave and .Sir Ralph). Kilbroney has been one of the Dominion’s leading, sires for Several seasons, and is represented by fine stayers and big winners.in Concentrate, ‘Kilboy, Killocra, Razzle Dazzle, The Banker, Affectation, Kilflirin, Quiescent, Kilmoon, and others. While not a particularly brilliant beginner, Karapoti soon settles into his stride, and his delightful freedom of effortless action confirms the promise given'by his good looks arid lineage. In . the Jackson Stakes, he’ was never being ridden out and, when Lady Quex made her Splendid effort in the last half furlong, he responded brilliantly to a ijouch of the spur to bound away from’ his rival. Karapoti had two starts as a two-year-old for a win, and this season he has won-:the Great Northern Guineas, King’s Plate, Great Northern Derbys Jackson Stakes, and two minor sprint races, as well as runnings, third in hack company at Avondale. To date he has won £3592 in prize-money for seven firsts arid a third- in eleven starts, and that.Tecord should be improved corisidjerably before the end of the season.