Amid the Thoroughbreds

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 114, 29 September 1892, Page 4

Amid the Thoroughbreds

A LOOK THROUGH WELLINGTON PARK.

FBy

“Sir Launcelot.”]

My first visit to Wellington Park was as my readers will remember, reported in the Sporting Review of August 25, but it was only done in brief form, for my visit at the time in conjuction with Mr. J. McNicol of Waikato and several other lovers of the thoroughbred was but a hurried one. When on that occasion in my innocence I produced my note book and started to jot down my impressions of the yearlings, Mr. Morrin exclaimed, “ Put up your book, ‘ Sir Launcelot ’; you and I must have a quiet day together and go over the whole establishment.” And so I looked forward to a great treat, and, as the sequel will show, I was not disappointed. Mr. Morrin and I did have a quiet day together at Wellington Park on Thursday last —a day that might have been a little nicer from a meteorological aspect, but which was otherwise the most pleasant, for I was on a congenial theme to me —the home of the infant thoroughbred, and with no one to worry us by questions not pertinent to the subject I enjoyed the way in which Mr. Morrin performed the duties of guide, philosopher and friend, and his talk on strains of blood and the “ nicks ” thereof — arguments on which he takes a lot of beating. And, in short, I spent one of the most pleasant days I have ever enjoyed in the course of my numerous stud strolls in Australia and New Zealand—a day spent among congenial surroundings,

in the presence of some of the most celebrated brood mares to be found south of the Line —a day that will ever remain a green spot in my memory as the first occasion on which I had a look through the Wellington Park Stud. The location of Wellington Park about 12 miles from Auckland, the drive thereto and the pretty surroundings of this home of the thoroughbred are themes that have been “ done ” so often by the journalist —sporting and otherwise —that I will not enlarge upon them, but proceed at once to a narration of what I saw when I got to the Park. Mr. Morrin greeted me heartily, and we commenced with an inspection of the yearlings. The first I saw was a daughter of Castor —a filly out of Necklace, one of the best mares that ever sported silk in New Zealand. This a very evenly-shaped filly, not perhaps likely to furnish into a particularly big one, but she will show all the quality of her dam with plenty of power. She is a chestnut in colour, with white hind feet. The next box was occupied by a grey filly by Nordenfeldt out of Maid of Athol (dam of Krupp, Soudan, Kotuku, Scots Grey and Queen of Trumps). This filly is a dark grey in colour, and, I am told, closely resembles her now two-year-old sister Norsemaid, for whom the Hon. J. D. Ormond gave 280 gns. She will be a good-sized raking filly, and possesses plenty of length, but might be a bit better turned in the barrel. A great slashing young lady is the filly by Hotchkiss out of Radiant (dam of Lustre), and Radiant, is a full sister to Quadrant, being by Robinson Crusoe out of Radiance. With plenty of size and power and big bone and a nice level back, I liked this filly very much. Her half-sister Lustre has already shown the possession of a good turn of foot. The next lot should realise a good price in any case, more especially if Crackshot win the New Zealand Cup—which is well within the bounds of probability —for she is a full sister to Crackshot. She resembles him in colour, but will never, I should say, be quite as tall as he. She is nicely coupled, girths well, and has fine driving power to send her along, and as there has never been a living brother to Crackshot, and it is not likely there will be another sister now that Nordenfeldt is in Australia, this filly should set many a bidder’s head nodding to a good tune when she enters the sale ring. Formo, the daughter of Sterlingworth and Pulchra (dam of Lady Evelyn and St. Clair) is represented by a daughter of Nordenfeldt—her first foal. Like her dam and all the Pulchra stock this yearling filly is on the small side, but in another respect she also resembles them —she is brimful of quality from her head to her tail. Be it remembered she is bred very like St. Clair, who was a good honest racehorse, and she has got the valuable addition of the Sterlingworth (sire of Scot Free) strain thrown in, and what could be better than his blood ?—by Sterling (sire of Isonomy) out of Chillianwallah, by Newminster —Lady Gough, by Launcelot (brother to Touchstone). Then again, Pulchra is by Rosicrucian (a great English racer) out of Formosa(who performed the unprecedented feat of dividing the Two Thousand Guineas, and winning the One Thousand, Oaks and Leger) by Buccaneer—Eller, by Chanticleer out of Ellerdale’s dam. Even if this filly never raced a yard—and she has every indication of being able to race to a good tune, and coming early as a two-year-old —she should be invaluable as a brood mare with such strains of blood in her possession. Nordenfeldt is also responsible for the paternity of the next filly I saw — a daughter of Bianca, an Australian-bred mare by Black Eagle (son of Yattendon) out of Bessie, by Angler (sire of Onyx) out of Scraps, by Lord of the Hills (imp.) —Ragpicker (sister to Sylvia). This is a strongly-built filly, not remarkable per haps for quality, but all there for power and strength, and a real well-bred one to boot. This is Bianca’s third foal to Nordenfeldt, and her now two-year-old was bought by Mr. Gollan for 560 gns. I have heard good accounts of him from Napier. The filly by Castor out of the Anteros —Albatross mare Gannet (dam of Brigand) has thrown back to her grandsire Anteros in colour, being a chestnut. She has immense substance, and is a great commanding filly that may want time, but looks all over like racing, and I liked her very much. And now came up for inspection what should, as there is no son nor daughter of Frailty to be offered, prove to be the highest priced yearling at the forthcoming sale—the sister to Strathmore by Nordenfeldt —Ouida. This filly is like her brother, a whole brown with a white star in her forehead. She is perhaps a bit over-

grown and somewhat course, but she looks as if she will soon fine down, and with her big bone and power, powerful and drooping quarters, well sprung ribs, and nicely let down hocks, she is a young lady who should worthily uphold the reputation of the illustrious dam from whom she sprung and her distinguished brother. The filly by Castor out of the F£ve mare Victoria (who was such a consistent performer in the Auckland district) is the same colour as her dam, a chestnut. Like her, too, she is not a very big one, but she is full of substance and has a great deal of quality, stands on good legs and has a nice straight back and strong muscular quarters. This is Victoria’s third foal, and is likely to be a cheap lot, and 1 should recommend her as the makings of a good “poor man’s horse ” —as the expression goes. Another of the same sort, though not showing the power of Victoria’s daughter, is the bay filly by Castor out of Veneration by Patriarch (son of Yattendon), out of Fides, by St. Aubyn—Chance (full sister to Revoke). Ihe filly by Tasman out of the Apremont —Luna mare Moonray, is on the small side, and otherwise bears a strong resemblance to her sire. In another row of boxes were the rest of the yearling fillies, four in number, viz., a filly by Castor out of Brown Bess (sister to Derringer), by Musket —Rosalie ; filly by Castor —Welcome Katie, by Musket (imp.) —Dundee’s Katie (imp.) ; filly (sister to Stepniak) by Nordenfeldt — Steppe (imp.), by Saunterer; and filly (sister to Yattaghan) by Nordenfeldt— Yattacy, by Yattendon. Of this quartette my pick was decidedly the daughter of Castor and Welcome Katie. This young lady is one of the biggest youngsters in the whole establishment and one of the nicest in point of quality. She has plenty of length, and, though a tall one, stands on nice short legs She has plenty of heart room, does not lack liberty, is well ribbed up, has great driving quarters, and is beautifully let down —a filly altogether that will stand any amount of picking to pieces. Be it remembered too that her dam has produced a good winner in Tulloch, and is sired by Musket out of a daughter of Dundee (who was the crack two-year-old of his year, and who, literally on three legs, hobbled home second to Kettledrum in the English Derby), tracing back on the dam’s side to Phyrne, one of the landmarks of the English Stud Book. The Steppe filly resembles Stepniak in colour, being a brown. She shows a bit of quality, but is on the small side, and it is really surprising that when mated with Nordenfeldt, Steppe—a fine big mare herself—did not produce bigger animals than this filly, her sister She and her brother Stepniak. The Yattacy filly is also on the small side, in which respect she is in marked contrast to her brother Yattafeldt. now in training at James Kean’s.

The first of the yearling colts I looked oyer was a son of Tasman and Vanguard’s half-sister Rose and Black, and the first of the progeny of that dame, who had a bit of foot when racing in Mr. D. O’Brien’s colours as a two-year-old. He is a dark bay in colour, and, owing to his dam not being the best of mothers, is a bit backward in condition, but he will furnish into a wiry cut-and-come-again sort of customer. The colt by Nordcnfeldt put of Patch (dam of Patchwork and Quilt) is the last of the progeny of his dam, for she died a few months back. He is a dark bay in colour, and is most peculiarly marked with a white blaze and three white legs. He is a strong wiry customer, and if purchasers are not prejudiced against him by reason of his peculiar markings and his close relationship to the erratic Patchwork, he may fetch a good price. I have heard very good accounts of his full brother Gun Cotton, whom Mr. D. Campion has in hand. The colt by Tetford out of the Leolinus —Miss Laura mare Lioness, is a somewhat loosely built youngster, and I cannot say that I am enamoured of his lineage on either side of his pedigree. The bay colt by Castor out of Derringer’s half-sister Queen Cole, was a December foal, and is therefore a bit backward, but he will furnish into a tolerably goodlooking one ; and another backward one is the bay son of Castor and Ariolena. The colt by Nordenfeldt out of Lyrelinus by Leolinus —Lyre, has thrown back to Leolinus in colour, and resembles him a good deal on the top. The dam of this colt, intending purchasers should remember, is full sister to All There, a horse that has shown some first-class form at the Melbourne suburban meetings. The colt by Castor out of The Jilt (dam of Eve) is hardly likely after his half-sister’s success in the A.R.C. Juvenile Plate to

go for anything like the 85gs. she realised as a yearling. Her buyer will have to nay a bit more than that for the colt, who, though on the small side, is beautifully turned and has a good bit of quality about him. A powerful colt is the doubtfully bred son of Aida (dam of Impulse), returned as being by Castor or Hotchkiss. He is undoubtedly a Hotchkiss, having been foaled to that horse’s service. The bay colt by Hotchkiss, out of Fairy Queen —Fairy Queen by The Dauphin —Queen Mab by Derby, out of Ariel’s dam Una —is a perfect giant, and would readily pass muster for a two-year-old. He has plenty of good points about him, though. The colt by Hotchkiss out of Katipo is another big ’un. but is not quite so overgrown as the Fairy Queen colt. He has nice length and fine propelling power, and it must be noted that being by a son of Musket out of a halfsister to Crackshot, he bears very close relationship to the latter celebrity. The brown colt, with white hind feet, in the next box, is the result of the first union of the famous Onyx with Hotchkiss. Those who have seen Nordenfeldt — which I am sorry to say I have never done —tell me that this colt is very like what Nordenfeldt was at the same age. He is not particularly noticeable for quality perhaps, but there is a wear and tear look about him that I like. He is lengthy enough, stands over a lot of ground, and is good to stand in front of and to follow, and has a set of legs that look like wearing. Balista, the sister to Artillery and Hilda, shows her first foal in the shape of a colt by Castor, and if this is a sample of the stock she is going to throw in future I can only say that she will be one of the most valuable mares in the whole of Mr. Morrin’s collection. The young gentleman under notice is bay in colour, and has tons of power, plenty of quality, fine driving quarters, and a capital set of legs under him —altogether an exceptionally nice colt. The colt by Castor out of Bangle (the sister to Necklace, thunderbolt and Chain Shot), shows plenty of quality, but might be a little taller. He, too, has heaps of power, and does credit to his dam, who never yet seems to have been properly mated/ “The clipper that stands in the stall at the top,” and the last of the yearlings I saw, is indeed “ the pick of the stable, the show of the shop,” in my humble opinion at all events. This is the roan colt by Castor out of Vivandiere (dam of Son of a Gun and The Dancer). Of course there are a lot of worthy people I know that will be prejudiced against his colour —he is a roan —but leaving that out of the question where can they pick him to pieces ? He is a good-sized colt without a particle of lumber about him, is beautifully turned, capitally let down behind, with wellsprung back ribs and a back like a billiard table. He is unquestionably my pick of the whole lot, and the recent successes of his half-brother The Dancer are sure to make bids for his possession come rapidly. What a pedigree he has ! —by imported Castor out of a mare by Musket out of a daughter of imported Bishop ofOsnaburgh, whose sire Surplice won the English Derby. I shall not be surprised to find this colt one of the highest-priced lots at the sale. So much for the youngsters Mr. Morrin has to submit to the public this season —29 in number. Among them it is almost superfluous to mention are the last of the progeny of Nordenfeldt that he sired before he left New Zealand, and as several of them are out of mares that he has previously nicked with most successfully they should evoke some keen competition. Both Castor and Hotchkiss have yet to earn their laurels at the stud, but if we are to judge them by the results of their first season as detailed above, then assurredly a high niche in the temple of stud fame will have to be accorded to the imported Zealot horse and to the son of Musket and Petroleuse.

With the rest of the Wellington Park Stud I shall deal next week.