Trotting stallions.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 216, 13 September 1894, Page 8

Trotting stallions.

The American trotting stallions imported by Mr Lopez from Merriwa Stud Farm, Pleasonton, California, were submitted by Messrs Hunter and Nolan at Potter’s Paddock on Saturday last, but bids were like angel’s visits, and when Mr Philson relinquished his efforts to secure proper appreciation for Mr Lopez’s enterprise the sum total of the sale (?) was the purchase of La Rue by Mr Abbott for 4oogs, and Mr Paul’s buying of A. W. Anther for 6ogs. And as Mr Abbott’s offer for the first named animal was made privately, Saturday’s proceedings were limited to Mr Paul’s purchase of A. W. Anther who is at present suffering from fever in the feet brought on by lung fever contracted before he reached this country. Mr Halstead has, however, examined the horse and given a professional opinion that he will grow perfectly sound, so that the Mangere sportsman may be reckoned to have received sofnething like a bargain. A. W. Anther was got by Albert W. (the sire of the crack Little Albert —Flowing Tide, &c.) out of Silica by Algona, who was the sire of Flying Gib, against whose name can be placed the figures 2.04.. Mr Abbott is to be congratulated upon the purchase of the bay horse La Rue (by Campaign— Clara D.), and although another hundred sovereigns would have secured the ElectXor horse Pleasonton many good judges would put La Rue, at the cheaper figure, as an even greater bargain than Pleasonton would be at La Rue’s breeding is by Campaign. , son of Electioneer. First dam Clara D zmin 49sec, own sister to Honesty, the sire of Mr Robbin’s (of Melbourne) Mystery, being by Priam. Campaign is by Electioneer, dam Lily 8., by Homer from Maggie Lee, by Blackwood from Lucille, by Abdallah. La Rue found many admirers (although only one bidder) when he shaped around the track, for in conformation, action and style he is indeed a picture. After La Rue had changed han Is, Antrim (by Albert W. —Jeanette), for whom soogns was paid as a suckling foal was offered, but not a bid could be elicited. Then Shoemaker, the grandlybred and built son of Redwood—Pearl, was offered, and the extent of the market was 4-ogs (logs less than it cost to land him); Allan Dale met with even less appreciation; and then, beyond a 210 sovs bid for Pleasonton. the alleged sale was finished. When this grand result had been reached Mr Lopez remarked that when he came to Auckland he understood trotting was flourishing here. He knows better now. The fact of the matter is we are not sufficiently grounded in the appreciation of trotting to pay reasonable prices for highly bred stallions, and Mr Lopez can only be sympathised with for having placed a higher estimate upon local breeders’ ideas and purses than they apparently deserve. Doubtless Sydney will prove a more remunerative market for our visitor’s animals, who are well worth the sovereigns required for them. After Mr Lopez’s stock had been sent back the heavy draught stallion Willie Wallace (by Young Wallace imp. — Nancy) was purchased for 39 guineas by Mr Winstone, and the. following offers were not accepted:—izogs for Handsome Jack, the four-year-old son of St. Leger —Radiant; roogs for Dishonour, the six-year-old son of Captivator—Maid of Honour; and s6gs for the heavy draught stallion Claverhouse, seven years old, by Pride of Galloway—Queen Isabella.

Mr J. O. Evett has been reappointed handicapper to the Wellington Racing Club, and the position of starter for the ensuing season has been entrusted to Mr Andrew Young. Cremorne, who heads the A.J.C. Epsom Handicap with 9.10, covered a mile at Randwick one morning last week in imin 4<isec, going easily throughout, and never showing an apparent effort. Paris covered a like distance in imin 47|sec, going strongly throughout. Jeweller is credited with having accomplished a particularly fast gallop. Loyalty is said to be coming on lately, his last meeting (track) with Launceston over a mile being clocked at imin 51 sec, which is held to be more than fair considering that O’Bilen’s colt is anything but a track performer.