A VISIT TO NETHERBY LODGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1421, 1 December 1886, Page 3

A VISIT TO NETHERBY LODGE

(.Lyttelton Timtt ) Everyone who knows »Dy : hing of Colonial sport knows Larry Markry, and although hfs career as an owner and breeder of racehorses has not been among the most prominent or most successful, w t may safely say that it has been marked by a genial good humor, independence and honesty of purpose which would do credit to many more pretent’ona sportsmen. Our acquaintance is of longer standing than we should like to confess, but it was not Until that wretched Mayday of ten year; ago, when'the gallant little Mousetrap, after galloping himself to a standstill in cur first Grand National, finished second, to the honest Royalty, that we numbered the ready-witted Irishman among cur friends. From that date wo have heard of most of Larry’s good things, and if the knowledge has not been very prrfi ablo hroughout, It gave ns a rca ly good start when the “ grey pony ” won the big jumping race In 1878, and the failure of one or two “ morals ” since has not lessened oar regard for the source from which out disastrous information was derived. It was therefore, with a great deal of pleasure we found ourselves, one day last week, at Netherby Lodge. Ashburton, where Larry has surrounded himself with all ho loves beat—a tidy farm, a score or so of brood mares, and • bit of stoat blood in the way of thoroughbred sires. Car welcome was none the less acceptable from the fact that onr busy host received ns in what he calls his work-day attire, a costume far tnore picturesque and comfortable than complete, and we were at once led to the adjoining paddock where the grass stands knee-deep and the stock looks as sleek and contented as stock should look under aach conditions. The first animal that came up for inspection was a nice level mare, by Presto out of Ba*tc-ifly. Butterfly by the imported horse Sleight of Hand, junior, ont of Mountain Nymph, and therefore half-sister to Miss Plat, and related to a whole host of modern cele brities. Why the mare was not raced, we omitted to enquire, but her straight, free walk—so f'all of liberty and confidence—and her true, well-set frame, suggested that she might have been something above the average, and the impression was not removed when she broke into a canter and took her foal to a corner of the paddock beyond the range of criticism, Kate O’-'hane, by Caledon, Oat of Laara, by Young F migrant, s grey xnare, bred by the late Mr hi, Studholme, was standing by, and she appeared quite conscious of the compliment paid her 'whan onr host exclaimed with enthusiasm. ,r Here’s the dam of Houser, the best 1 over bred.” A right handsome mare she Is, too, and if her yearling colt, by Python, is half as good as be looks, better things should be in store for onr host. The nicely bred Butterfly is getting up in ye* re, and is still without anything like a credit able record at the stud, but her chances have not been of the best, and Johnny Faulkner may yet help her <o fame. Malva, by Malton, out of Crniskeen bred by Mr WUlmer, is another one that only awaits a nick, and being comparatively a young mare, will yet make her mark Zephyr, by Defame’, cot of Lavender’s dam, La Vendetta, has only just commenced her career at the Bind, but her first foal, by Python, is full of promise, and may fairly be put down as an earnest of the good things to come. A full d' of the mares and a whole lot of yonng ones we bad no lime to examine, but of tie la't r a sister |o Rose and Gold and a yearling brother to Lavender struck us as looking a long way better than their relatives, and an ■ged brother to Irish King, bearing a remarkable likeness to that clever hurdle racer, will be the medium of a surprise ore of these days. Time was flying, perhaps we bad occupied more than a share in discussing what Mousetrap had done, and ■peculating what Hcmer would have done, and we hurried back to the at abbs, where we found Johnny Faulkner, who h»s supplanted Pjthon at the bead of the harem, looking the picture of blooming health. A very different animal to the one we recollect on the turf; every char ge for the better, and so full of the blood of the big stoat running-on sort we are supposed to be getting out of, that it is small wonder the son of St Albans finds favor In the eyes of his present owner. The handsome Houser occupies the next b x ; and here is a horse that wonld delight the heart of a hard riding heavy weight in the grass counties Cleanly bred, by Messenger oat of Kate O’Shane, he has the shape of a Derby winner, and the power of a dray horse Fpace will not permit ns to dwell upon this ideal of a gentlemanly hunter, but we may epitomise any description of him by spying he is good all over; just what a country sire should be, and Ashburton breeders are lucky indeed to have such a horse in their midst. We have only a moment to salute the aristocratic looking Python, the best mannered horse in the colony, and we pass on to Hibernian, whose breedirg and performances at the stnd are a great deal better than his looks. We ventured to . remark the latter fact to lis owner, and bis response reminds us of the dialogue between a Yorkshire sportsman and an eminent trainer, in which the former, referring to a Leger Candida’e, says, “ He’s not much to look at, Tom," and receives as a reply, “ Never mind that they’ll make him a rare good-looking one If he wins.” Tasmania, wonderfully filled ont and looking fresh and well, and the pony Nancy Lee, a winner at Heathoote some time ago, were the last two interviewed, and a cordial haud-ahskine and a promise to come again and have a “ good look at the borers'’ closed onr visit to Netherby Lodge.