G. JONES’ TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT AT GREENMEADOWS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1519, 5 June 1919, Page 16

G. JONES’ TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT AT GREENMEADOWS.

([•Tom Our Napier Correspondent.) It lias rarely fallen to the lot of an individual trainer to have under control such a choice bunch of equines as at the present time are located at G. Jones’ stables at Greenmeadows, and the following review of his team will bear out my contention and dispel the idea that it is pipe talk. Though young in years by comparison with other mentors, Jones is possessed of the gift of getting his charges in tip-top condition and keeping them up to concert pitch during months of strenuous exertions. Sasanof’s recent triumphs have beyond doubt proved this assertion up to the hilt, and that his employers have not missed this fact is proved by the numerous bunch of horses that they have entrusted him with. Nothing succeeds like success, is an adage as true as it is ancient, but brains and application have to dominate to make good in the initial stages of the success department, and turf history discloses this reality in the case of the above referred to trainer. When I paid a visit to the establishment just recently, as usual I found the educator of Sasanof and co. ready to afford me a view of his string, and give me many interesting detail matters in connections with his pupils, but a tour of the quarters was not allowed until I had partaken of the hospitality of his home. The first to come up for inspection was Spanner, and though I had heard a lot in favour of this recent purchase of Mr. W. Richmond, I was delighted to make the acquaintance of such a swell. The son of The Nut and Dudu exceeded all my preconceived ideas of him. He is just some horse, no matter at what angle or position from which he is viewed. He stands good in front and has a sweepy range in the rear. He carries himself well, and that brainy-appearanced head of his denotes courage of high order, powerful and strong, without an atom of coarseness. In addition to his handsome outlook he comes from royal blood, for his sire, The Nut, was got by Amphion (son of Speculum) from Miss Hoyden, by Galliard (son of Galopin) from Miss Elma. On the female line his dam Dudu’s pedigree reads as follows: By Wolf’s Craig

(son of Barcaldine) from Cythera, by Cellene (Cyllene) from Stolen Love, by Buccaneer. Following on Spanner came the two-year-old of the season, Surveyor, this production of Pedometer to the English-bred sire Nassau, heading the poll of winning two-year-olds for the 1918-19 season with 3050sovs. in winnings. He is an exceptionally eventurned youngster, who is sure to thicken and broaden out with age. Good in the leg department, well ribbed, range and liberty are the long suit from which he plays. Tracing through his pedigree on the male descent occurs the name of Stolen Love, for Nassau was one of her productions to William the Third, and it can also be noticed that back in the pedigree of Spanner occurs the name of Stolen Love and Barcaldine, and this latter sire’s name figures in the family tree of Surveyor. Thus it will be noted that some of the same strains of blood permeate Surveyor and Spanner. Taunahu presents an attractive appearance. This handsome son of Demosthenes and Mangaroa shows conclusively that his recent exertions have not in the least had a detrimental effect upon him, for the bloom on his coat and the brightness of his eye demonstrate that good health is his portion. Like all his sire’s gets, he displays heaps of quality and power. One of the finest stamps of a two-year-old that I have reviewed for some time is Golden Bubble, the golden chestnut son of imported Absurd and Catchfly. He is a nobleman in looks, possessed of great size, without any degree of cartiness so often apparent in a big edition of the thoroughbred. He is well endowed with legs of the type that are emblematical of great endurance. He has great depth, broad in the beam, and perfectly proportioned, not a line being out of place from forehead to fetlock. Those swingy quarters of his give evidence of propulsion powers of a very high grade, and the style in which his shoulders are hung could not be faulted by the most captious. Well ribbed up, with good barrel, his brainy head, well poised on a neck of the best, completes the picture. G'olden Bubble is a regular picture horse, and calls to my mind some of the photographs I have seen of the best English thoroughbreds. That Golden Bubble has come the

right way there is no gainsaying, for his sire, Absurd, is a son of that successful English stallion Sundridge, by Amphion—Absurdity, the latter mare being by one of England’s best in the way - of horseflesh, while through his lineage can be observed Hermit (twice), Wenlock, Scottish Chief, Lord Ronald, Stockwell and Sterling. Catchfly, who produced the colt under notice, was by Cuirassier (full-brother to Trenton) from Cobweb, by Ingomar—Titania, both of whom were imported from the Old Land. Sasanof. the doughty, was running in a paddock, and when his cover was removed it could be seen that there was nothing amiss with his condition, for he looked in great fig. This son of Martian is deceptive appearanced without doubt, for had it not been known that he was Sasanof he would have easily been passed by. “Handsome is as handsome does,” and there is no getting away from the solid reality that Sasanof has performed in his turf career all along the route up to the brimful of the quotation. His holiday and period of rest will extend until the end of next month, when he will again be put to the strenuous life to fit him for his invasion of the other colonies, where there is good money for him to secure. Lady Ball, like Sasanof, is leading the easy life, and the speedy daughter of Demosthenes and Sunlight gives every indication that the let-up has benefited her, for she seems to be more robust now than when I last saw her. The coming two-year-old filly by Demosthenes —Bon Espoir is a nicely - set-up youngster, with great. driving power, for her strong quarters give indication that she will be able to lift herself along at a merry gait. She stands good and solid on legs of the host possible type, for they are flatboned and free from blemish or flaw, and her fore end is moulded on lines of the best, being topped off by a fine intelligent head. She has just been ridden, and in her pottering about comports herself amenably. Cashmere, the rising three-year-old son • of Feramorz and Ringdove, has just been unsexed, and consequently was not seen at his best. He is a shapely gelding, of even conformation, with good range and liberty, and on breeding should have more than

fair to medium prospects in the future. Opiate, the two-year-old half-bro-ther, by All Black, to Bon Reve, is a lengthy chap, who so far does not show a deal of substance, but probably will be served with time, for he strikes one as a growing sort, and this class of horse takes considerable time to develop. Lady Ball’s coming two-year-old full-sister is a rare cut of a filly, endowed with a set of sweeping, strong developed hindquarters, has plenty of length from croup to hock, is short in the cannon, and exceptionally well found in the back and rib department. She stands /over a lot of ground on understandings which appear as if they would successfully cope with the most severe tension. Her shoulders are hung at the correct angle, displaying no overloading, and her beautiful, aristocratic head is set on a lithsome, willowy neck. A nice filly truly, and if she does not gallop, and that fast, well, no estimate can be gauged of ability from the observation of make and shape. A bay filly by Demosthenes —Lily White is constructed on good lines with a rare good set of legs, and nice open feet. She has depth and breadth, and is just as attractive to view from the front as she is from the rear. Right throughout her conformation every line is constructed to scale. Bred as she is, for her dam is a daughter of Martian out of that great mare Cruciform, the future seems to hold great possibilities for her, for students of the turf hold that blood will tell, and this filly has enough of the best of bloods coursing through ber veins to make her presence felt in the severest struggles for supremacy. The remaining member of the team is the coming two-year-old full-bro-ther to Almoner (Boniform —Cassock). He has just been broken in and is not so forward as some of his comrades as regards polish. That does not. however, detract from his excellent construction. He is well found in legs and feet. He has forcible hindquarters, beautifully-moulded hocks, and a set of shoulders hung at the best approved angles. Fore and aft he is brimful of quality in his contour, and that determined head of his denotes that he will not be lacking in courage when the crucial test is applied to him.