Wintering at Wapiti.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 206, 5 July 1894, Page 6

Wintering at Wapiti.

[By

BORDERER.]

Continuing my round of visits to the breeding establishments I went out to Epsom on Saturday last to see how the Wapiti Stud was wintering. Nelson and company were found in the best of health, and although from what was shown me I gather that Major Nelson George wpl not be represented to any extent at th£ next yearling sales, I am satisfied he has one or two youngsters growing at Wapiti that will in time be worth a respectable number of any man’s sovereigns. The experience of last year’s sales was the reverse of encouraging to breeders, and if Major George does not feel anxious to enter the sale ring as an owner at next year’s sales I think few will blame him. The fact is there is just a bit too much breeding around Auckland. There are too many at it, and except in one or two cases a loss is the result' of all their labour. But to return to Wapiti. The first animal shown me by H. Harrison, Major George’s private trainer, was the two-year-old brother to Pegasus, who was reserved from last year’ S\sale owing to a bad leg, which I think he got when a : youngster by having his leg caught in a close set paling fence. This was a de cided pity, for he is a fine looking colt, showing all the unmistakeable signs. of high breeding. His looks do credit to his blood, which should be good enough, seeing that he is by Nelson fromyTenambra, and consequently a full brother to Pegasus, and half-brother to ,Raglan, the winner of many good races. The colt has had the name of Neptune bestowed on him, and I was glad to see on Saturday that his leg has greatly improved; sfnee I saw him eight months ago. Of course once a colt has had such a misfortune befal his leg, and has been sq much in the vet's hands as this youngster has, the prospects of his standing a gal-, loping preparation are rather remote, but from the way this youngster has gone on I do not regard his case as -a very bad v one He wants nice soft ground and perfect rest, and that is just what he is getting. Out all night and left by him-, self is his prescription, and he seems to , be thriving all right on it. Pegasus is next shown me, and I have a look at the* Auckland Cup winner in his box. If any- t thing he appears to have filled out and’ thickened since he was racing, and he is of course being pursed steadily with a view to the New Zealand Cup. There’s no doubt he is wintering well, and although his connections are very hopeful of his, chances I must confess to being anything but an ardent advocate of his. The weight of course is the main thing, but, he’ll want that light, and not too much, handicapping for his Auckland Cup> gallop if he is to score. [Since writingthe* foregoing I see he has received 7.13 at. which I regard him as nicely treated]., Cleopatra, the rising three-year-old, is growing apace, and if only as good as Reprisal this racer should do —but I am very doubtful on that score. St. Vincent, by 'Nelson—Florence, has hot grown so much as I thought he would when I saw him prior to last year’s sale. Still ihe’a-a good lump of a colt, and has time before, him to show what abilities there are in. his body. In adjoining boxes I am shown a quartette of rising yearlings who.

submit to being tied up in boxes with all the docility o£ aged horses. When I last saw this quartette its members were foals at footj and of course they have greatly altered since then. One fellow on his breeding ought to be worth something, and that is The Workman’s relation, a nicely cut colt by Nelson —The Maid, who has been appropriately named The Master. At present nothing more but good promise of things can be seen in his body, but on breeding he should be a fairish one, and if anything like The Workman the sale ring will never see him. His stable companion is a youngster rejoicing in the name of Admiral Hawk, and on looks thia son of Nelson —Vendetta is a most promising colt. He is well forward and carries himself splendidly. This pair both promise well, and more cannot be said of them at present. A Nelson —Florence colt and a Nelson — Sister Agnes filly occupy adjoining boxes and they both appear to be getting on . famously. Neither of them have been named. I don’t know whether to take the naming of the Vendetta and Maid colts as an indication that they will not see the sale ring, but if such proves to be the case, I shall not be surprised. Major George has five of his brood mares in foal to Nelson, viz., Memphis, Sister Agnes, Florence, Vendetta, and Fiesole, but The Maid’s condition is uncertain. Running in one of the home paddocks is .The Workman, and he appears to be thoroughly enjoying his spell of idleness. He comes of his own accord into the box attached to the paddock, and stands quietly while the leg which robbed him of last Auckland Cup is being examined. To the eye and touch there is little the matter with his leg now, but a long spell will be given him before work is again put into him. Next season a turn of ’ stud work will be given him, and after the Major has had his own mares served the horse will be at the service of breeders. Looking at him now he looks a very different horse to when I saw him a week or two prior to the gallop that broke him down. Then he was in the pink of condition, a mass of muscle and as fine „ as constant hard work could make him. Now his development temporarily gone, and his greatest delight is to roll in Uhemud. At Christmastime he looked a racehorse every inch; now, as Harrison says, he looks a perfect larrikin. But let his leg mend perfectly, and after his work has finished at the stud he will show us many a good gallop in the future. Anniversary and Swiftsure are both looking, in good health, and I close my visit by renewing acquaintance with the Sultan of the Wapiti harem, old Nelson. A noble'’looking horse, and I’ll warrant as sound now as the day he was foaled. As we look at him I remark to Harrison that the horse has no doubt plenty of the racing power left in him. But as the trainer says, when a horse has been at stud work like Nelson, to court the uncertainties of the race track would be very doubtful policy.