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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 724, 21 January 1904, Page 9

Very much indeed does it appear as if the mighty Persimmon were going to be a stud failure (says the “Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette”). With the single exception of Sceptre, the Derby winner of 1896 has scarcely been credited with an animal capable of winning a selling race, and this is certainly not because his sftock leave anything to be desired on the score of good looks. During the past three years His Majesty has bred and Marsh has trained a dozen or more colts sired by the horse of whom they are so justly proud, who as yearlings showed infinite promise, and towered above youngsters of similar age. Yet without exception they have proved useless for racing purposes, and this is due, it may be feared, to some inherited trait of temper which is greatly to be regretted, “Great soft brute” is the term we heard Marsh use in speaking of one of them, and if he can only get stock of this description there will in the future be no great rush for Persimmon’s services.

There is trouble between the New South Wales Cricket Association and the Sydney Cricket Ground trustees over the proceeds of the first test match. The trustees paid the English team its share, end the association maintains they had no right to do so. The matter will be settled in the law courts, the executive committee of the association having de- , cided to issue a writ for the recovery of the amount of gate money taken during the match.