A CRACK STABLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3586, 29 March 1886, Page 4

A CRACK STABLE.

When Matchlock shot first p-ist the post m the Champion Stakes the man most delighted was the Hon. James White, who had at last achieved the object of his ambition. Comparatively a young aspirant to turf honours, lie had during a short career won nearly every great race of the Victoria Racing Club and Australian Jockey Club ; b'.t failure had 'l'.vuvs attended hi- efforts to win the great wi-ight-for-age race of tho v.-ar. The l.'crbv and Melbourne Cup, which vetcr.in sportsmen had for years been vainly struggling to win, fell to his lot early m his career ns a turfman, but his idols Chester and Martininenry both suffeicd defeat when (hey donned silk for the Champion Stake?, and it was left to tho son of Musket to.gladden tho heart of the squire of Kirkham. Thanks to the exercise of the shrewdest judgment and a judicious but very liberal expenditure m the purchaso of throughbr.vU Mr. White bus succeeded m surpassing the record of the veteran of tho turf " tlouest John Tuit," whose yellowand-black colours wore tho mojt popular that ever Haunted m the breeze upon Australian racecourses. Mr. White commenced m a very smalt way as a racing nnn, and the first horse we ever remember to havo seen carrying his blue-and-whilo jacket was the steeplechaser Hotspur, a good horse over fences, and his victories induced his owner to try hi 3 luck on the flat, and one of his first representatives was Democrat, a son of Gemma di Vergy. About the same time he became possessed of Chester, whom he had refused as a yearling, but pnrcbascd after he had shown euch excellent form as a two year old. His first venture with a son of Yattendon was not a happy one, for he suffered defeat from Woodlands m the A. J.C. Derby. He amply atoned for this reverse when he camo to Melbourne, for he won tho Derby, Melbourne Cup, »nd Mares' Produce Stakes, and from that moment was regarded as a certain winner of the Champion stakes, but m that ho met a worthy foeman m First King, who by many i^ood judges was then regarded as tho best three year old that ever trod an Australian racecourse. It would bo tedious to follow Chester through lub career —suffice it to say that he proved himself a great racehorse, up to any weight, and good at all distances. With Democrat Mr White won tho Sydney Cup and Metropolitan Stake*, and m tho following year we find him winning tho Miiribyrnong Plato with Palmyra, a magnificent iilly, who unfortunately broke her back a few months later. With Segenhoe ho won the same race m 1881, and lolantho and Acme carried his colors to victory m 1833 and TBSS respectively. With Tho Pontiff ho won t- c Metropolitan Stakes m ISBO, and m that year he aho carried off the Oaks with Sapphire, the " ladies' race " also being appropriated by Uralla m 1885. In 1883 Mr White repeated the Chester coup with Martini-Henry, who won the Derby, Melbourno Cup, and Mares' Produce Slakes, but it wns not until 1881 that he scored a victory m the Ascotvalo . takes, which he won with Btirgo, following up this success with Uralla m 18S5. Twice has he been proclaimed victorious m tho V.R.C. St. I.egcr, with Martini- H onry m 1884 and Matchlock m ISBG. The A J.C. Derby also has fallen to bis lot upon two occasions, Uavgo being his representative m 1884, and N'orclenfeldt m 1885. Morpeth proved triumphant m the Australian Cup m 1884, but the crowning triumph was aehioveil at Fleinington on Saturday last, when Matchlock so gallantly scored a victory m the Champion Stakes. Wo could fill a column with tho records of minor events won by the ' crack 6table" which has been fairly embarrased with riches during tho present season. With Nordcnfeldt, Uralli, Matchlock, Tempo, Philip Augustus, Acme, and Tamarisk race after raco has been annexed, and the amount already won m stakes since August unlit amount to something like £10,000. Since Mr White oommonced racing ho has won nea*ly £50,000 m prizo money, a marvellous record, considering the short time ho has been actively engaged m turf pursuits. Tho secret of this success is that Mr White has stuck to a principle which is generally succeesful m racing. In selecting his blood stock he has invariably chosen members of families which have been winners on the turf, and as he never falter 3 when ho makes up his mind to have a yearling ho richly deserves all the success that has attended his efforts. He has also shown a wise discrimination m selecting a trainer, for results havo proved tlinfc there is no more capable man than Mr Fennelly, to whom no end of credit is due for the manner m which he has prepared tho various cracks placed under his euro, and though wo do not agree with the policy of threaten to soratch horses when tho stable is forestalled, we shall always be glad to sco both owner and trainer leading m winners upon Victorian courses — Australasian.