A SUGGESTION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18073, 11 January 1921, Page 8

A SUGGESTION.

TIP TO HORSE BREEDERS. (By “Over the Styx.”) The recent drop in the price of thoroughbred yearlings has caused a lot of perturbation in both Australia and New Zealand. The result has been that one notes in both Australian and New Zealand papers advertisements announcing clearing sales of studs. The question arises whether owners of stud farms were poor-hearted or lacking in the business >f speculation. In mentioning the I tter 1 mean trying a speculation in selling outside Australia. There is a country—South Africa—that at the present time is boom.ng in the racing line. Stakes have doubled in extent in all the chief centres, such as Johannesburg, Durban, Capetown, Kimberley, and Port Elizabeth, and many small “country” clubs are benefiting in the boom. Stakes at the chief meetings range from £3OOO down to £2OO. Of course this remark only applies to Johannesburg and Durban. Still at those two large centres racing is very large. At Johannesburg meetings occur twee weekly, and all within easy reach of the city. The clubs are the Johannesburg Turf Club, Auckland Park R.C., Pony and Galloway Club, East District R.C., Germiston R.C., Krugersdorp R.C., and Pretoria R.C. ■ The meetings take place twice weekly and on public holidays, so that there is a constant run of racing going on in Johannesburg so far as that city is concerned. The Jockey Club of South Africa also has its headquarters in that golden area. Durban has its weekly meetings, ditto Capetown, and Kimberley, etc., race every fortnight. There, a trainer, if he makes Johannesburg his headquarters, need never stir out of the place unless he has a fancy to try for one of the big prizes offered at Durban at the July meeting. There is every chance for the small owner, for if he cannot succeed at Johannesburg or Durban he can shift his team to Port Elizabeth, Capetown, Kimberley, etc., and can soon find hi: class.

There are several breeding establishments in South Africa, but bar about three, none of any merit. Most of the best horses that have won big amounts in South Africa for some years past have been imported from England. Just to mention three names picked at random—Pamphlet, Dub-a-Dub, and Rufus. It is open to question if it would not pay any speculative person to gather together a number of yearlings that come from families showing good records over d.stances from 5 furlongs to one and a-half miles, and shipping them over to South Africa. As matters are at present in the shipping line, the venture would be very expensive. Still I would like to be able to land over there with such as Vespucci, and a number that have been running into places at secondrate meetings, such as Feilding, Woodville and Marton. If the youngsters could show Musket blood they would bring big prices if only to be used later on for breeding purposes. The South African has a great liking for the Carbine line, but knows very little of such other champions in Maxim, Machine Gun, Nordenfeldt, Manton, etc. These were all Musket blood, and there must be an enormous number of mares in New Zealand and Australia which can trace back to the old monarch of Sylvia Park Stud. Personally, I think the venture would be worth trying, for very big prices are paid for the cast-off platers imported from England. If any animals are even taken over must warn speculators to take really good stuff, even if they have never been raced. If the first shipment proved good stake-earners it might prove the beginning of a big trade between the two countries. The inclusion of a few hordes that have proved useful, but unlucky out here, might prove beneficial by winning races before the youngsters had started to show their qualities.

As a conclusion it must be admitted that the venture would be a gamble. Still nearly all business is a gamble, and nothing venture, nothing win. The racecourses over there have the advantage of New Zealand in that both bookmakers and totalisators operate on the courses. Some very huge sums have been, and can be won at big meetings, as at Turfortein, Auckland Park, Durban, etc., much bigger than the reputed sums that “Ready Money” Robinson, and G. G. Stead (believe he came from South Africa to New Zealand), are alleged to have won.