A NOTED SIRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1142, 29 February 1912, Page 7

A NOTED SIRE.

The death of Gallinule, as full of years as of honours, removes from the British turf one of the most successful stallions of the past century. In its way his career was an extraordinary one, for on the turf, save that he won two or three races as a two-year-old, he was an arrant failure, disappointing his connections time after time. If memory does not play one

false, however, there was a reason for this state of things, for unless we are mistaken the gaudily dressed chestnut developed a habit of rupturing blood-vessels. This was scarcely a recommendation as a sire, and though his breeding—by Isonomy out of Moorhen —was beyond exception, even. Captain Greer could scarcely have imagined he would prove so brilliant a stud success as has proved to be the case. When it is mentioned that his progeny have won in stakes no less than £284,199, a record is given which speaks for itself. STAMPING HIS LIKENESS. One of Gallinule’s most remarkable attributes as a sire was his habit of stamping his likeness on his stock. His markings—a blaze and four white “stockings”—were to be met with in more or less pronounced degree in nearly the whole of his off-spring, though, curiously enough, the mostfamous of them all, Pretty Polly, albeit a chestnut, was innocent of white, ’save for a tiny star on the forehead. She, however, inherited

most of her characteristics, as, beyond doubt, also her superlative racing merit, from her maternal grandsire, Saraband, whereas ner brothers and sisters, such as Adula and Admirable Crichton, were of true Gallinule type. It would serve no good purpose to mention at length the good horses who have owned Gallinule as sire, but the list includes Wildfowler, the St. Leger winner of 1888, Slieve Gallion, who carried off the Two Thousand in 1907, and White Eagle, who, as the best-looking of all his male descendants, is by no means unlikely to perpetuate the memory of Captain Greer’s old horse at the stud. In all probability, however, it is the mares begotten by him which will do most to keep Gallinule’s memory green, and these are in the greatest request as stud matrons.

J. Cameron, the Hastings trainer, had a more than fair turn at Woodville, for a brace of his pupils were placed in the first position, the pair to get there being Merrie Lad and Seatondale and both returned good dividends.

Mr. Joe Molloy’s Surplus misbehaved himself badly, at the South Auckland meeting. In the Shorts Handicap he was very fractious at the tapes and got away from his rider. He bolted back to the paddock and was eventually left at the post altogether.