The Te Mahanga Yearlings.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 679, 12 March 1903, Page 15

The Te Mahanga Yearlings.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Napier, March 10th. Next week, on the day after the conclusion of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Clubs “Summer Meeting,” Mr. H. T . Douglas, the Te Mahanga stud-master, will marshall his usual annual draft of yearlings for Public Competition in the sale ring at Hastings. The contingent are a healthy, hearty mob, who have not been pampered or dressed to meet the eye, and consequently are more solid than those on whom artificial means have been employed. Naturally a horse does best in the open, and a close attention to this fact as regards the Te Mahanga young ’uns has been observed, and the hardy lot that will face the auctioneer on the 19th of next month, will demonstrate to all interested, without doubt, that the rearing of young stock without coddling is the most judiciou’si way to prepare them to stand the heat and strain of battle on that convincing ground on the turf arena. The proverbial running qualities of the thoroughbreds reared on the limestone lands of Mr. Douglas’ estate are household words in the world of sport, for the proof of the pudding is the pricing of it.

Yesterday once again saw me at the pleasurable task of reviewing the aspirants for honours, that have first seen the light of day at Te Mahanga, and under the guidance of D. O’Meara, I was soon under weigh with my labour of love. My introduction to the juveniles commenced with the brown Geraldine by Gold Reef out of Ladysmith, a fine intelligent sensible looking colt, with plenty of size, exceptionally strong loins, legs of the best sort, and not a bad speck in the whole of his anatomy. He stands over a lot of ground, and if looks are a guide, should be able to hit out on a good time, and this is what one would expect from a relative of Dummy’s. Very like her sire is the brown filly, out of Young Tira by Mahaki, a lengthy damsel, with heaps of power. She is one of the loose put together tribe of the big order, with powerful quarters, and great length from crop to hock.

Though of diminutive stature, the brown filly by Torpedo —Lady’s Maid, is a perfect picture. Not a line out of place, no fault or flaw in her conformation, and full of quality from head to heel, with a beautiful, blood-like head, poised in a true set neck. Though small, there is a saying, as trite as it is true, that an ounce of blood is worth a ton of size, and this handsome daughter of Torpedo and Ladys’ Maid is imbued with some of the best of blood that ever permeated the system of an equine.

A strongly built young lady is Secret’s bay sister by Torpedo. A typical Torpedo she is, well-grown, and gives promise of the makings of a useful sort. ’ '

The bay fiUy out of Nymph is what one might expect from the blendings of such desired strains as a double-cross of Musket, allied with those of Ingomar and Fisherman. Here is a filly that should gallop well and gallop fast, for she has quarters that look as if they could propel a ship, with legs of a steel-like nature, great barrell and strong back. One of the sweeping lengthy clan is now seen in the progeny of Torpedo and Parlour Maid, a bay filly. She is as strong as they make them, without an atom of sourness, and covers a lot of country with limbs turned in the most approved style. She is a more than half-sister to Torowai, for both Waterfall and Torpedo are sons by the Toxopolite stallion, and her relationship to Torowai should attract attention, especially when the fact is taken into consideration that she owes her existence to Torpedo, who may be said to have never got a bad one. The Mahaki —Whaitari filly, is a brown in colonr, a long-loined parcel, well forward, showing a great deal of power throughout her construction, and suggests that she will come to hand early.

A brown half-sister to Comfort and Vallance, by Gold Reef is a determinedlooking youngster, her head denoting that courage is not wanting in her. Splendia long, beautiful-moulded quarters and well-sprung ribs are other salient features that stand out’ in an attractive form in her construction. The brown gelding son of Mahaki and Qenzail in a stretchy young ’un with a game, bold head, a strong, powerful, wiry chap, who gives the idea that he will prove a veritable galloping machine, and certainly an admixture of the Traducer, Musket, Ingomar, and Steeppe blood would be expected to produce something of this class. He is a half-brother to Plaidie, who has proved her worth in many a hard-fought tussel on the convincing ground, while ot ; her relatives in Te Pake, Eiderdown, and Undine have shown that they could skip fast.

A strong, sturdy lot is Aio’s halfdaughter by Gold Reef. She is the spit of her dam in make and shape, and if she inherits her pace should prove a good spec for the one who secures her, for’ Aio could gallop, and stay as well. The records of the Turf prove this. TOrtulla’s full sister like her is black in colour, but unluckily she has been cast in the small mould. She is one of the lengthy sort, with rare good understandings and strength apparent throughout her structure.

A regular Torpedo is Blinvs— Crown daughter, by the Musket sire. She is a fine limbed," nice quartered, good backed sort, and the best of the female descendants of her dam that has yet appeared. She is a welcome juvenile, for her grand sire Cadogan, and granddam Titania were both imported, and on iliat score if she never raced should te valuable for breeding purposes. That one-time good mare Ua is represented by a brown gelding by Torpedo, who struck me as p the nest of the colleclection. A lengthy customer with the finest of legs, great hangsig quarter a rare game head, well set on a wiry, hard neck, and a general outlook that he will turn out a stayer.

The bay gelding by Quilt —Maude is a good sort, with the finest of understandings, and looks much more like a racer than did his chestnut brother Rehua when I saw him at the same age. This youngster can boast of aristocratic descent, for his dam was got by St. Leger out of Hilda, a daughter of Musket, while Onida, who produced Hilda, is an offspring of Yattendon. This blood allied to the Robinson Crusoe strain through Quilt ought assuredly to be psoductive of good results.

A great big angular chap is the black half-brother to Ctilcita by Gold Reef. So large is he that he could without any bother pass as a formed two-year-old. Loosely built, with a swinging action, he suggests the possession of pace, and there is no doubt if he is given a chance, for these big sorts take some time to come to hand, that he will prove remunerative property to control. His relative, Culcita, could gallop and no mistake. His dam Waiau comes from the same-family as gave, the Turf those good ones, The Brook, Brooklet, The Shannon and Co. Rather narrow is the black gelding by Mahaki odt of Basilisk, but he has a great depth, indication of plenty of heart scope, and his sire has placed his stamp upon him. for he resembles him greatly in the barrel and head. .His legs are of the hard wear and tear description, and taking one consideration with another ought to prove a good sort when his time arrives to sport the satin.

The stallions on the estate look particularly well, especially San Fran, who has grown out of recognition. Certainly I saw him just when he had only arrived at Te Mahanga, and he was then between wind and weather. The condition of the thoroughbred stock on the establishment reflects great credit on the controlling head, D. O’Meara, who took no end of pains to make my visit both instructive and enjoyable.