ROUND THE STUD FARMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 822, 7 December 1905, Page 7

ROUND THE STUD FARMS.

A VISIT TO CAMBRIA PARR.

On a recent sunny afternoon, with the pretty hawthorn hedges in fixll bloom, and the country verdant with spring everywhere, I bowled along the nice even scoria road in the direction of Cambria Park. A free moving horse in front, and' good, company in the dogcart, with many an interesting anecdote, the journey seemed .all too short when we arrived at Mr. Price’s pretty homestead at Papatoitoi.

I was much interested in the x earlings this season on account of the continued successes on the race track of others fixed here. Curiously enough, at first there seemed to exist a sort of prejudice against Cambria Park-bred ones, and it is by sheer merit alone and not by any adventitious aids that the stud is winning its way to the very front rank Cyrenian was scoffed at by some know-alls, yet his stock keep winning, as may be seen without going into ancient history by glancing at the pedigree of sufli recent stakeearners as Marisa, Cambrian, Conductor, and Lady Nannie. The stock by Soult need no mention, for all f-s get can gallop, while the beaurif.x ly-bied Eton is steadily getting his name on the winning list.

Just one refresher and we stax-ted off to see the yearlings to be sold on January 3rd next.

The first was the colt by Cyrenian from Miss Annie, in colour and marking exactly the same as his brother Cambrian, but a more robust and better-

grown colt than Cambrian at this time last year. In fact this colt has never had anything wrong with him, but all his life has gone straight ahead. He is a good-topped one, with a perfect set of legs like steel, and a rare constitution. Mr. Price thinks this is the best colt evei- produced on the estate, and there is certain to be some brisk bidding when he is led into the sale ring.

A big, raking-looking bay colt is the son of Eton—lrma,, with great substance and flat bone. This youngster appeals to one as the making of a great three-year-old. His dam has produced two very speedy ones in Cygnet and Lock, and. the present yearling holds out great promise. Probably the best-grown colt is the son of Eton and Bequest. Of great size, by a horse that has sired a Grand National winner out of a sister to Defiance, another Grand National winner, this colt should be valuable for the illegitimate game after he has played his part on the flat. _ , A very shapely dark bay is the colt by Cyrenian from the Dreadnought mare Sprite. Of nice handy size, short back, but with good quarters and shoulders, he stands over lots of ground. A good, deep-girthed colt with splendid legs and feet, * perfect temper and no fear, he is quite a gentleman. ‘ In another paddock we found the seven young ladies catalogued, and they immediately took as much interest in us as we did in them. Whilst several were receiving attention, others were endeavouring to attract notice by pulling our coats or trying to steal our hats. A dark brown filly attracted my attention on account of her resemblance to that flying filly, Solution, when a vending, and I was informed she is the daughter of Eton and Lady Agnes. This filly is very handsome and a jx’e brea one, her dam, Lady Agnes, being bv Npckersgat (sire of Dunlop, etc.) o: i cl Peradventure (dam of Perhaps) by a dvent in er (sire of Pretender, a Derby winner) out of Manganese (wi;i_ier or One Thousand Guineas). The daughter of Cyrenian and Dream land, the dam of the consist mt Landlock, is a whole bay, a nice mover, a good doer, and of a contented disposition. This filly is sure to attract buyers. Rapid, by Flintlock—Pikau, has a very attractive filly to Eton, which is her first contribution to the Stud Books. A hard bay in colour, she stands over a lot of ground and possesses sound legs, f-'eniy of tone and very sharp', clean joints. Altogether she seems a nice filly, and very fast in the paddock. Anna, one of the most successful mares in the Stud Book, and one <f Musket’s few remaining daughters, is iepresented by a very racy-looking filly by Cyienian. A bay in colour, of nice even make and fair size, she does not disgrace an illustrious family. . Guinevere, by Sir Lancelot—Orientate, is represented by his first *oal, a filly to Eton. A whole bay, showing a let of quality, a nice tempered filly and claiming near relationship to that good celt Daunt. T • j • Lute, by Sir Lancelot —Lyre Pird, is three-quarter sister to that great horse Renown, and the Cyrenian yea: ling out of her is a first foal and a very beautiful filly. She is a dark chestnut of nice size, good quarters, rare shoulders, short back, but very lengthy underneath. I pick her to be one of the best fillies for sale this season. A nice filly by Cyrenian from Anadyomene is the last of a good lot, despite her determination to attract attention by continually rubbing her head against me or pulling my coat. She is a sweettempered filly, showing considerable substance, nice medium size, a chestnut in colour, with white face and foot. She traces back on the dam side to a family producing a lot of good ones, including Stonyhurst, Natator, Malice, Lurline, Le Loup, etc. Having inspected the yearlings, we strolled round the paddocks covered with a splendid growth of feed, and made picturesque by the plantations and live hedges, all of which are kept in splendid order.

The 23 mares are all in blooming health, and what a rare lot they are, for not one animal can find room in the stud unless it has a flawless pedigree r : ght back to the beginning of the thoroughbred history, Mr. Price b-’ing a staunch believer in the Bruce Low system In the course of our stroll we came across old Windmill, dam of Air Motor and Spalpeen, heavy in foal to Soult. Although 19 years old, he is in splendid health and condition. In a model paddock of three or four acres, surrounded by live hedges and trees, with a large plantation to the south-west and an open shed, 140 ft long, to the north-east, we found the stallion Eton contentedly grazing. A massive horse of the good old Musket his substance and great bone no doubt traceable to his dam, Lady Walmsley, a sister to the great Carbine. Eton is a highspirited horse, but possesses . a splendid temper and a good constitution, and his stock show size and quality.