THOROUGHBRED SALES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 306, 28 December 1936, Page 5

THOROUGHBRED SALES

WESTMERE AND TRENTHAM. RECORD OFFERINGS IN JANUARY. Catalogues for the National Thoroughbred Sales, which include the most comprehensive lot of yearlings yet offered for sale in New Zealand, are now available from the ’ auctioneers. These sales, established some 11 years ago, have grown into ' such importance that they are renowned throughout the whole world and in that way not only prove a great advertisement for New Zealand ■ bloodstock but for the country as a I whole. In addition to a catalogue of ; 134 yearlings, a fine collection of stal-

i lions, brood mares, two-year-olds, untried stock, racehorses in training, etc., will also be submitted. This sale as usual coincides with the summer meeting of the Wellington Racing Club. It will be held at Trentham on Thursday, January 21.

Two days prior to the National Thoroughbred Sales, there is being dispersed at Westmere, Wanganui, the famous thoroughbred stud established some 13 or 14 years ago by Mr. John Donald, who is now retiring owing to K continued ill-health. His sale will be held at the stud farm, Westmere, at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. Mr. Donald is sending down his usual draft of yearlings to the National Sale.®, These will again be sold without reserve as will the thoroughbred stud itself. It comprises a wonderful collection of brood mares, 11 of which have been imported from the leading studs in England, quite a number of fashionably bred Australian mares from the best staying families there, and an exceptionally fine lot of young mares bred in the Dominion and sired mostly by those great stud successes, Chief Ruler and Limond. Twentytwo of the mares have foals at foot by Beau Pere, Captain Bunsby, Colonel Cygus and Irish Lancer. These are a magnificent lot and are a standing advertisement to the quality of the Westmere mares and sires. The mares have all again been mated with Beau Pere and Phaleron Bay. Beau Pere is generally considered to be the finest type of a thoroughbred yet imported to New Zealand. He is royally bred as he is by Son-in-Law from the One Thousand Guineas winner, Cinna, who was Polymelus from Baroness La Fleche, the best of her year. He is a half-brother to the highly successful Gay Shield and his first foal was a winner in England this season. The supporting sire, Phaleron Bay, was only imported last year at a very high cost. There is no better bred stallion in any part of the world and he is a horse of magnificent bone, wonderful conformation and outstanding quality. He is a threequarter brother to Miracle, winner of that great English race, the Eclipse Stakes, and there are other famous winners from his dam, and his granddam is a half-sister to the famous mare, Scapa Flow, whose progeny have established a record for the world. He is, too, almost a full relation to the leading sires of the day, Fairway and Pharos. The dispersal of this stud which is now at its zenith is undoubtedly a calamity as far as the bloodstock industry in New Zealand is concerned, for Mr. Donald has not only shown outstanding enterprise in importing the best stock obtainable in England but he has culled consistently and, as the proportion of winners that have come from his mares and sires is unusually high, the sale should attract very wide attention.