THE YEARLINGS AT OTATARA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1484, 3 October 1918, Page 16

THE YEARLINGS AT OTATARA.

LEADING HAWKE’S BAY BREEDING ESTABLISHMENT.

(From Our Napier Correspondent.)

Mrs. M. A. Perry, who is carrying on the breeding industry that was such a hobby of her late father, Mr. G. P. Donnelly, and whose foresight in securing Demosthenes has borne out his prophesy that he would prove a begetter of winners, has a bunch of youngsters running on her property at Otatara, and just recently I had a run over them. As of yore, each and every one of them demonstrate that their infantile period has been of the unstinted variety as regards care and attention, for they all present a bright, lusty appearance that betokens the possession of the ruddy brand of good health. They are civilised too, their amenability to a stranger driving this feature home with force. A bay full brother to Demagogue (Demosthenes — Gold Bound) is a regular chip of his sire, for he shows that power and quality without any apparent cloddiness that marks the son of Desmond. Plenty of beam, with good depth and well turned fore and aft are the leading features of this good looking colt. Able to gallop he will prove without a doubt, and that fast, for equines of his make and shape have never failed in that respect. The rule is that which works out correctly in one case is repeated in another, however, for as they say in Ireland: “Time will tell and frost will try the praties.” I am quite sure, therefore, that I am justified in auguring a successful future for this remarkably well constructed youngster. The brown colt by Demosthenes —Lady Cilia (Gold Reef — Lady Cecilia) is framed in a generous mould, for he is well grown all round, standing good and true on a set of even wear and tear appearanced limbs. He is an attractive juvenile from which ever point the view is taken. Plenty of heart room, evenly balanced shoulders, with short cannons and great length from croup to hocks are the main attributes in his make up. He is brimful of the best bloods — his sire requires no recommendation, he has done all that for himself, while on the female line of descent he traces back to Musket through Cuirassier, who sired • his grand dam, Lady Cecilia. He also inherits a clip of the famed Yattendon blood through his great grand dam, Quida. Blood will tell, it always has done so along the records of the turf in every land, and there is no possible reason to presume that this colt will be any exception to a rule that is an established fact the world over.

A bit on the small side possibly may be said of the chestnut All Black colt, who is the first production of his dam Gold Foil (Hymettus—Gold Thread), but if he is wanting in size he makes up for it in quality. His hocks are nicely turned, with good understandings, fine open feet, shoulders poised at the correct angle, rare, strong back, and plenty of depth and beam. He is closely related to Simonides and Crenides, for his dam is a half sister to that pair, who were got by Demosthenes. When at the racing business Gold Foil proved herself no slouch, and this son of hers looks as if he is going to keep the family prestige well up in the advance line.

The brown colt by Demosthenes — Formona (Formative — Etona) is a good sized chap of the lengthy variety. He stands over a lot of ground, and his sweeping hocks give colour to the idea that he will be speedy in his movements. In the paddock he gets them well under him, and lifts along at an even clip without any suggestion of apparent effort. Well ribbed up, with heaps of heart room, and legs that appear as if they will stand the wear and tear of the testing out process successfully, the future should hold a lot of possibilities for him. As far as breeding goes, he lacks nothing, for his dam’s sire, Formative, was got by Seaton Delaval out of Formula, who was by Hotchkiss (son of Musket). This strain of blood as regards Musket again crops out in his lineage on the female descent, for his great grand dam was Lady Walmsley, the elder full sister to the mighty Carbine. A brown half brother to Sweet Tipperary (Demosthenes — Golden Ball) is a most attractive youngster. He is evenly moulded throughout, his conformation having strong propel-

ling quarters, shoulders hung in the right pose, good neck and rein, a great middle piece, with a beautiful set of legs and a back that seems to have been constructed especially for weight carrying. He will be one of the dominant sort, for his head indicates the possession of pertinacity, and when the arguments become heated the power that he evidently has in that direction is of a surety bound to pull him to the front. A real good sort is the chestnut filly by Demosthenes —Kautuku (Gold Reef — Come), and she, therefore, claims full sisterhood to Impediment and Karo. Like her relatives, she displays a great deal of power and quality, is a good size, and gives every indication that she will furnish into something of a classy grade. Lengthy and willowy, with great strong hindquarters, evenly moulded hocks, excellent legs and feet, fine second thighs and arms with a range and liberty that gives the assurance that her period on the turf will be of the productive nature from a financial point of view, to fault her would be a task, for there is not a line out of place in her make and shape. Her brainy appearanced head leads to the presumption that gameness will be one of the many strong points from which she will play when the time arrives for her to make assaults upon the stake money department.

The brown daughter of Demosthenes and Kilworth is well grown,

and promises to be the best so far that her dam has thrown. She is built on the level, with a nice fore end, well coupled, and stands over a lot of ground. Her freedom of action demonstrates that she will be able to lift herself along capably when the time arrives for her to face the barrier, her style of locomotion in the paddock illustrating that galloping to her will be no trouble, her action being so easy and uniform. The last of the bunch is the chestnut full sister to Simonides and Crenides and half sister to Gold Foil and Hythread. She is a truly nice appearanced filly, built to scale, with not a line out of the true. Her well developed quarters and strong second thighs force the conviction on one that pace will be her forte, for equines of her construction invariably are possessed of galloping powers of a high standard, while her determined looking head denotes that pluck is hers without a doubt. Her legs are of the best, clean and with good flat bone, and her shoulders are lined out in the best approved fashion. Strong and powerful, without coarseness, she certainly fills the bill as a classy youngster. Docile as it would be possible to be, she does not take after her dam, who was just one of the most restless mares that ever wore iron, and her amenability is sure to be of good service to her when the strenuous life becomes her portion. I renewed my acquaintance with the lord of the harem, Demosthenes, whom I had not seen for some considerable time. He has indeed int-

proved in the interim, and now looks the perfection of a thoroughbred. A big little horse describes him accurately. Powerful he is, without any coarseness or cloddiness in his conformation, and the amenable manner in which he submits to inspection stamps him as a horse of excellent temper, a credential in a sire that is absolutely invaluable, for the axiom that like begets like knows no better exemplification than in the breeding of the thoroughbred. Vice he has none, while attributes he possesses in plenty. The turf in the Dominion at the present time is undoubtedly much richer for h's importation.