THE MUSKET BLOOD.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 985, 21 January 1909, Page 5

THE MUSKET BLOOD.

It is known that as a yearling Musket, who was afterwards to attain such great celebrity, looked so weedy and unpromising that his owner, a nobleman gave orders that the youngster, as well as several others in the stud at the same time, was to be destroyed. Somebody with a voice in the management of affairs in connection with the stud begged that Musket, instead of being shot there and then, should be given a trial, and fortunately—especially for the turf in Australasia —this sound advice was acted upon. It would be impossible (writes “ Sentinel” in the “Witness”) to over-esti-mate the value of the services rendered to the turf in this country by Musket. The old horse is dead long since himself, but the family he founded first in New Zealand is still very much in evidence, and it will be a great misfortune for this country if ever the blood handed down form him is allowed to die out. Other valuable strains have, through neglect, been fairly crushed out of existence, but profiting by the lessons of the past it is to be hoped that we will not fall into the same error again. If Musket had but his mighty son Carbine alone as a foundation for his reputation he would

surely then have not been spared for noth.ng. But Musket was no mere " one-horse” sire. Carbine was, of course, his greatest success. None will dispute this. But how many other great performers sprang from his loins it would be difficult to say offhand. It is certain, at all events, that no sire that ever came to this part of the globe made a greatei’ hit at the stud than he. And he had not only left racehorses behind him. He also gave us sons capable in theii’ turn of begetting great gallopers, and also daughters who. after their racing days were over, nearly one and all proved themselves at the stud. And the best of it is that there is so much real life, and vitality in the blood that it is carried through from generation to generation without losing any of its strength. Thus it is that his great equine tribe is still prominent to-day, \:t only in Australasia, but in many other parts of the world as well.- And, as we have said, it will be something like a calamity if the claims of this stout, hard-fighting, docile strain of blood is ever, even for a season, over•?ked.