SIRES OF THE SEASON

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 859, 23 August 1906, Page 7

SIRES OF THE SEASON

THE CAMBRIA PARK STALLIONS. Obligado is the latest stallion to be brought to Auckland, and his pedigree will be found to compare very favourably with any which have preceded him, which is indeed saying much. It was considered advisable to have another stallion at Cambria Park, and when Obligado was secured the choice must be regarded as a very happy one. On glancing through his pedigree the most prominent fact which comes under notice is the really remarkable number of classic winners appearing in the list of ancestors. Looking first on the sire’s side, Orvlle was by the unbeaten Ormonde, “the horse of the century,” winner of the 2000 Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger, from Shotover, winner of the 2000 Guineas and Derby. Ormonde’s sire, Bend Or, was a Derby winner, and Bend Or’s sire, Doncaster, in his turn captured the Blue Ribbon. Then again, Shotover was got by another Derby winner in Hermit from Strayshot by Toxophilite, the sire of Musket. Obligade’s dam, The Flirt, was got by that good horse Trappist, from Frivolity, by the Dermy winner Macaroni, from Miss Agnes, which makes her a three-quarter sister to the famous Lily Agnes, the dam of Ormonde. It will thus be seen that the Cambria Park stallion gets this great strain of running blood on both sides of his family. It is interesting to note that Obligado is a grandson of Ormonde, as is Flying Fox, the most successful stallion in the world to-day. Tracing back Obligado’s pedigree it is possible to count in it no less than thirteen winners of the English Derby, as well as numerous victors in the Two Thousand Guineas, St. Leger and Oaks. So far Obligado has been given very poor opportunities, but he has already got a few good winners, notably Zetland, who captured six events last season, Cathron, with four races to his credit last season, and Rosebloom, who earned seven winning brackets. Obligado is a very massive specimen of the thoroughbred, standing just over 16 hands, with a good girth and immense power. He should nick splendidly with the Cambria Park mares, and especially with those with St. Simeon blood in their veins. He will serve a limited number of approved mares at ten guineas, a fee which it is safe to assert will be much higher later on.

Eton, the other stallion at the Park, has already shown his ability to get winners, which fact indeed is not to be wondered at; he was got by Castor from Carbine’s sister Lady. Walmsley, by Musket from Mersey, the most noted of all the colonial strains. He is a very nicelymade horse, and the young stock sired by hm are full of promise. In addition to getting gallopers on the flat his progeny also have shown considerable jumping ability, as is shown in the case of Irish, who has a long list of “lepping” races to his credit, which indeed might have been added to at Riccarton recently if he had not been badly cut about during the running of the Grand National Steeplechase, his good second being a remarkable showing under the circumstances. The success of Spearmint, and others of the Carbine blood in England will induce breeders to stick to this proved stock. Eton being out of a full sister to Carbine, makes him one of the best of th? line yet remaining in the district, and at a subscription of ten guineas he shoulrd be in strong demand.