Amiri the Thoroughbreds

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 176, 7 December 1893, Page 7

Amiri the Thoroughbreds

A REVIEW OF THE WAPITI YEARLINGS.

NELSON AND HIS PROGENY.

[By

Borderer.]

Through the courtesy of Major F. Nelson George I was enabled to pay a visit to the Wapiti yearlings on Monday morning last, and at the same time inspect the Nelson foals and the big guns of the stable — The Workman and Pegasus. Seven yearlings, all by the old warrior Nelson, will be placed under the auctioneers’ hammer on the 30th instant, and Major George will at the same time submit for sale St. Vincent, a grand two-year-old son of Nelson out of Florence; Coalscuttle, by King Coal —Florence ; and Nile, by Nelson —Florence. I first visited the yearlings, and found them a very well grown batch, in the best of health, and all strongly resembling their worthy sire. They are not overburdened with fat, but are in a promising condition, which should develop most favourably by the time Messrs Hunter and Nolan take them in hand. The first to answer to the call of my host’s head man, H. Harrison, was a bay filly by Nelson from Florence. This young lady is no beauty, but I should take her to be an honest filly of some promise. She has a fairly good shape, and should develop into a strong lengthy one. She was foaled on October 10th, 1892, and is half-sister to Fiesole and Coalscuttle, neither of whom have been laggards in the matter of performances. Standing close by was a half - sister to Manton (the winner of the New Zealand Cup and Canterbury Cup and Derby)—a well grown chestnut filly by Nelson from Tres Deuce. This youngster who was foaled on October 21st, had, I am informed, to be ‘ brought up on the bottle,’ but if I had not been told of her youthful misfortune I certainly should not have guessed it. There are very few traces left of her bottle feeding experiences. Her legs are cleanly cut and hard as steel, while her nicely shaped shoulder and good honest quarter indicate speed and endurance. By Nelson from Tres Deuce, by Traducer (imp ) from Gitana, by Sir Hercules from Gipsy Queen, by II Barbiere, is a breeding list that sounds well, and there is every reason why this young lady, who is a halfsister to Louie, Sir Bevidere, Tres Sec, Namoa, as well as Manton. should follow in the footsteps of her famous relations. The next brought under review was a big

bay filly by Nelson from that fine brood mare The Maid, who is by King of the Ring from Maid of all Work, by King Alfred (imp.) from Mischief (dam of First King and Petrea), by The Premier (imp.) from Maid of the Mill, by Rory O’More (imp.) from Peter Fin mare. Not a bad pedigree! This young one stands on her legs like a lady, and a fine strong little lady too. Her supports are cut as ‘ clean as a whistle ’ (I don’t know exactly how clean that is, but the trite expression hits the state of this filly’s legs off to a nicety); she possesses a fairly well shaped barrel, and if her quarter and shoulder do not speak pace and strength I am very much mistaken. She is half sister to The Workman, whom she resembles in many respects, and if she developes his pace over the distance which suits him, whoever purchases her on December 30th will have little reason to regret the speculation. She is also half-sister to Vendetta. Taken all round this youngster fills the eye very favourably, and should attract keen cempetition at the sale.

The pick of the paddock was next brought forward—a grand chestnut filly by Nelson—Sister Agnes (imp.) by Rosicrucian—Penance, by the Flying Dutchman—Rosary (who is sister to Surplice) by Touchstone—Crucifix, by Priam—Octavina, etc. With a list like that behind her it would be strange indeed if this filly failed to show blood and bone She possesses both in abundance, and her legs are a picture of symmetrical beauty. Her head recalls Nelson’s, being grandly shaped and full of character. and the sire has also given her his beautiful colour. She repays a lot of looking over, and her fine deep quarter is worthy of such close inspection that I narrowly escape a gentle reminder of the strength which is filling out her clean cut legs. She is exceptionally well forward for her age, and her nuggety form cannot fail to impress one favourably respecting her future galloping career. This filly was foaled on August 16th, and is a half-sister to Percussion, the dam of Projectile who was one of the best two-year-olds in Australia last year. She also claims a half relationship with Cannon and Anniversary. The last of the five youngsters in this paddock is a half-sister to Reprisal —a chestnut filly by Nelson from Memphis, by Gang Forward (imp.) —Palmyra, by South Australian (imp.)—Zenobia (imp.), the dam of Ada, who was dam of Newstead, a horse who bore the reputation of being in the first flight of Australian sprinters. This filly is in the best of health, and is a very likely one indeed. She’s well put together, and her action in a gallop across the paddock shows she can tuck her legs underneath her body in the most approved fashion. No fault can be found with her build, which gives the filly every promise of future sprinting power. She is, as stated above, a half-sister to Reprisal, the winner of the V.R.C. Plate Handicap and many other Australian and New Zealand races, and is also halfbrother to TEgyptus, who has shown a clean pair of heels to many a good field on the other side. In a paddock some little distance away from the one we have been walking over, I notice a cleanly built bay or brown colt, who on close inspection proves to be suffering from a rather bad swelling around the fetlock of the off fore leg. The colt, Mr Harrison informs me, caught his leg between the timber of a close railed fence, and by the time assistance was rendered him he had managed to badly injure the fetlock. The wounded member has been blistered and attended to by a vet., but 1 think a long spell in a nice grassy paddock would do him more good than anything else. He is to be put up in company with the other yearlings on December 30th, and whoever obtains him would do well if they turned him out and forgot him for twelve months. The chances are, from what I saw of the 1 leg,’ that the colt would after such a spell be as sound as ever again and prove a remunerative investment to his purchaser. He’s a very nicely built youngster, although of course his appearance just now is all against him. The pain and fretting which he has been subjected tofhas pulled him down a lot, but one has only to look at his pedigree to see what kind of material there is in him. He is by Nelson from Tenambra, by The Marquis (imp.)—Lady Manners Sutton, by Pitsford (imp.) — Green Linnet, by Delapre (imp.) —Kate Kearney, by Rory O’More (imp.)—Taglione. He claims half- brothership to Raglan and full fraternal relationship, to Pegasus. The chances are he will go cheap, and some one may get a decided bargain. In the adjoining paddock two beauti-

ful chestnut colts are striding along. One towers head and shoulders above the other, and turns out to be St. Vincent, a two-year-old son of Nelson —Florence, and a half-brother to Fiesole and CoaU scuttle. I understand it is the intention of Major George to part with him, but if he does he will, in my opionion, make a mistake. This colt is splendidly grown, as sound as a bell, and has a beautiful set of galloping legs. His deep muscular quarter denotes plenty of driving power, and when broken and put into training it is odds on that he develops great pace and strength. There is beautiful bone and substance in the colt, who should be worth a good sum to any racehorse owner. His companion is a chestnut yearling, a son of Nelson from Vendetta by St. Albans (imp.)—The Maid (dam of The Workman) by King of the Ring — Maid-of-all-work, &c. This youngster is a little on the small side, but in shape and temper he is a perfect gentleman. He is well and evenly made, and can stretch his legs in the proper style. His smallness is more than made up by his compact build, and his youthful legs are as firm to the touch as bars of steel. He may require time, but when his season comes, he should, in my estimation, do good business on the race track. It is doubtful work looking ahead as regards yearlings, but I must say I incline very favourably to the future prospects of this youngster, and of the Sister Agnes filly previously mentioned. In addition to the youngsters described, Major George has decided to part with Coalscuttle, the six-year-old daughter of King Cole and Florence. The mare is quite sound, and as a well known winner should attract good bidding. Nile, by Nelson — Florence, and half-brother to Fiesole and Coalscuttle, will also be submitted. This horse is sound as a bell, but I understand has been greatly troubled with his teeth Further on we came across the brood mares paddock, and I find here four young Nelson’s putting on quality as fast as they can. The quartette are enjoying the best of health, and promise to do full justice to their parents. The pick of the bunch is a colt out of The Maid, and a half-brother to The Workman. This youngster has heaps of bone, possesses a finely shaped body, with well cut supports, and bids fair to furnish out into an excellent yearling. Vendetta and Florence have two promising sons at foot, and Sister Agnes shows a fine little filly foal. Before taking my leave I am shown The Workman and Pegasus, who are preparing for the Summer Meeting at Ellerslie. The latter looks very much out of condition, but the former is gaining ground daily, and I. am prepared to see him run a great race in the Auckland Cup. Anniversary and Cleopatra are also found in the hands of their grooms, and in an isolated box I am introduced to Swiftsure, the four - year - old daughter of Nelson — Tenambra, who was recently brought down from Te Aroha. She appears to be very nervous, but under Harrison’s hand is being rapidly cured of her timidity. The sale will take place at Major George’s residence on December 30th, and intending buyers will find the few lots to be offered well worthy of their attention.