IRISH-BRED HORSES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 721, 31 December 1903, Page 10

IRISH-BRED HORSES.

At times one is inclined to pause and wonder (writes a leading authority in the Old Country) whether Ireland may not be destined to come to the rescue and restore to us our once famous breed of English racehorse. It is becoming more and more noticeable that in proportion to the numbers bred the average is vastly in favour of the country of the limestone soil for giving us good racehorses. This, too, is the ease without the aid of high fees for their sires, or the giving absurd prices for the mares from which they breed. The Irish breeder is for the most part a thoroughly practical follower of the pursuit, and altogether divested of fads and fancies which lead so many “ amateurs ” astray, who believe that the cheque-book surpasses all other aids to success.

Here is really the rock upon which we are just now splitting. The worship of the golden calf is an all-round mischief to the Turf at the present time. Both prices and prizes have helped to bring matters to the present pass of a flourishing Turf with an indifferent breed of racehorses. Too many follow racing for fashion’s sake and for its gambling attractions, neither of which can be said to be of much help to the “ improvement of the breed.”

It is pretty certain that if we ignore—as some modern writers try to do—the undoubted decadence in our breed of horses as regards their stamina and general robustness, we shall presently bring the prestige of the Turf down to the level of present-day steeplechasing. It is only when our best animals appear, such as Rock Sand, Sceptre, Pretty Polly, etc., that genuine enthusiasm can be felt. The ‘ ■ race • horses ” now running each day by the hundred in nurseries and the ordinary handicaps are but “instruments” brought to the rescue from a commercial point. They are necessary for this purpose, but for no other; yet, unfortunately, they are the sires and dams of our future stock, since our few top-sawyers are mostly sold to benefit other countries, or barred by impossible fees

It has been shown very clearly that the land which produced a Sir Hercules, a Birdcatcher, a Baron, a Harkaway, and an army of others of the true brand, may yet be relied on to give us more like them. Breeders generally are at length beginning to realise that the Irish soil does certainly possess virtues superior to most to be found elsewhere, and intend forthwith taking advantage of this.

That more Pretty Pollies will therefore be given us may be expected, and should this filly carry all before her, the fact of a Galtee More, an Ard Patrick, a Wild fowler and a Pretty Polly taking classics within half-a-dozen years is bound to be somewhat of a ‘‘ staggerer.” With so many brilliant two-year-olds, especially fillies, recently going wrong in their second season, one must not be too sanguine over the Pretty one, however promising she may now be. A sister and a half-brother to Polly are each spoken of as quite out of the common in appearance and general promise. That Mr Gilpin may have the best of luck with the entire family, all having an eye to the future of the Turf must wish. With high-class sires standing at low fees, and studs of brood mares crossing over for long or short periods to this favoured spot, we may certainly hope for the result which they who deserve success usually meet with. That Sceptre and Ard Patrick are as near as ’ possible the same animal in form may certainly be taken for granted. It is never altogether satisfactory for our crack champion of the year to have done his best in private and not in public. JThis was the case with Flying Fox. To know how good he was we have to ask Porter, since he was never fairly tested in public races he ran, the fields he met being so indifferent. This is surely the case with Rock Sand if we bar the Eclipse Stakes, when he did not certainly show himself a really grand *• triple event ” winner. Fortunately, the owners of both Sceptre and Reck Sand are unlikely to be tempted to part wi h their animals either to foreign government or millionaires: so we may not see a repetition of’the loss to us of the sire of a Pocahontas, and a Queen Mary, a Formosa, and the dam of a Galopin Ard Patrick’s fee is to be £5O ! That of Flying Fox was £4OO.