HIGH-PRICED YEARLINGS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24913, 28 June 1946, Page 4

HIGH-PRICED YEARLINGS

RACING

FAILURES FEWER THAN REALISED

1944 SALES REVIEWED

In repent years many people have marvelled at the prices'* yearling thoroughbreds have brought in the sale ring at Trentham. Prices have soared in the last few years, and each year an increasing number of yearlings has reached the 1000guinea mark. Many must doubt the wisdom of those who ' “gamble” in highpriced yearlings, but a review of their careers reveals that it is not necessarily such a gamble as would appear for a well-bred young horse showing promise is a tangible asset irrespective of the times.

The merits of a high-priced yearling cannot be truly assessed until the end of its three-year-old season, as a horse must be given time to prove itself before criticism is made. Therefore it is proposed to review the high-priced yearlings of the 1944 sales at Trentham, which are now rising .four-year-olds.

At the 1944 sales 17 yearlings were sold for 1000 guineas or more. The top-priced lot was a colt by Foxbridge from Administration, the dam of the Auckland Cup winner Lord Chancellor, which was bought on behalf of a Melbourne buyer for 2000 guineas. This colt did not win in Australia as a two-year-old, and nothing has been heard of his winning this year; but complete records of Victorian racing for this season are not available, so his record cannot be commented upon. The next highest price was made by a colt by Robin Goodfellow from Dresden China, which • now races as Palissy, and which was sold to Mr T. Fisher, of Upper Hutt, for 1850 guineas. When he won a two-year-old race at the Wellington auttunn meeting last season, Palissy showed great promise, and looked a Derby possibility. However, this season he has not been sound, but he has ability and should yet compensate his owner.

The best return to date is shown by Al-Sirat, which was sold for 1600 guineas. With three wins as a two-year-old, including the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes and the Great Northern Foal Stakes, Al-Sirat won £2220 in his first season. This season his wins include the New Zealand Derby, and his stakes total £3058, so to date he has shown a return of £5270 on his owner’s outlay. Another colt to make 1600 guineas was Brown Derby, by Robin Goodfellow from Sunny Maid. Brown Derby showed promise of ability well above, the average, but he became practically unmanageable in a race, running off the course in the two races he contested; and he may not appear again for some time.

The Robin Goodfellow—Falcon colt now known as King’s Pride made 1500 guineas, but he has yet to return that amount. He won as a two-year-old, and this season he was second in the Great Northern Guineas and fourth in the Great Northern Derby, besides being placed twice in open handicaps. His winnings to date amount to £B5O, but his form suggests that he should be capable of increasing that total. The ill-fated colt Majestic, by Ringmaster from Submission, made the same figure. He started off in good style as a two-year-old by winning three races and £1075 in stakes. Later, when his owner, Mr M. J. Moodabe, disposed of his team, Majestic was purchased at a good figure by Mr E. B. Rawlings, but unfortunately he developed a most unusual ailment, from which he died.

Two colts made 1400 guineas, and they now race as Balmore and Yasda. Balmore is by Coronach from the imported mare Canvasser, and he showed very promising form as a two-year-old Mvhen he won the Avondale Stakes and the Midsummer Handicap at Auckland. He was purchased by Mr F. W. Hughes, of Sydney, and was shipped to Australia after the Auckland meeting. His winnings in New Zealand totalled £915, and he bas won in Australia this season also, so the chances are that he has now won more than his purchase money. Yasda is by Coronach from Lady Phroso, and was purchased for the Indian owner Mr F. H. Mehta. He did not win as a two-year-old, but he has won twice and been placed twice this season, his winnings totalling £615, a total he should improve on as a four-year-old.

Mr W. S. Goosman has been a consistent buyer of high-priced lots, and one of his purchases that year was Batal, which is by Battle Song ’irom Alma, and cost 1300gns. Batal showed no form as a two-year-old, but this season he had his first win when he won the Avondale Guineas. That win put him in open company, and he did not win again until just recently when he- won the Franklin Jockey Club’s President’s Handicap. With £960 to his credit, Batal is still on the debit side; but he can handle winter Ruling Spi'-colt now'knuyvn as Ruling Master looked O sold-, as hfe did not possess much size. He has taken time to develop, but he is now looked upon as a horse with ,a good future. So far he has won £975, and is naw in ..open company. As a yearling Balgowan looked just a shade light in the bone, but he sold well, making 1200gns, Mr Goosman being the purchaser. By Coronach from Legality, a mare /that had produced mainly sprinters previously, Balgowan has shown himself to possess more than average stamina. He was placed once as a two-year-old, biA this season he has made amazing strides and has won £3900 in stakes. He has, in addition to finishing a close second in the Great Northern Derby and winning the Great Northern St. Leger. won two provincial cups against good class handicap horses. His successes have been some compensation for the failtires of Kathshara, by Bulandshar from Kathbella, which his owner purchased for 1150gns. Kathshara has not once been placed in 17 starts, and he looks one of the few real failures among the highpriced lots. The disqualification in India of his owner, Mr A. Higgins, of Bombay, deprived the Battle Song—Martial Lady colt Battle Lord, of showing what ability he possessed. He cost 1200gns as a yearling, and was placed once as a two-year-old, and this season ran third. On breeding he should have stayed, and if he is able to race again may be heard of in the future.

At llOOgns Master Robin, by Robin Goodfellow from Lady Fox, has proved a bargain for Mr P. Louis. Altogether be has won £3446, of which £420 was won as a two-year-old. Master Robin was unlucky in the three-year-old classics, dead-heating in the Wellington Guineas and finishing second in the New Zealand Derby and the Avondale Guineas, but h.e had some compensation when he won the King George Handicap, of £l5OO, at Ellerslie on the King’s Birthday. He, too, can handle winter going, and he should prove an even more profitable horse next season. The Foxbridge—Lalla Quex colt Competitor also made llOOgns, but so far he has not shown himself to be possessed of a racing temperament. When he won the Dunedin Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old, he looked to have great possibilities. He has since disappointed his connexions, but there is time for him to come right yet. The Foxbridge—Gay Blonde filly which was purchased by Mr J. Hayes, of Melbourne, for 1050 guineas, was the only one of her sex to exceed the 1000-guinea mark at the 1944 sales. Her stud value was obvious. So far nothing has been heard of her; but a filly with her stud value may not have been set many serious tasks.

■ The Battle Song—Lady Burleigh colt, since named Jung Bahadur, and a halfbrother to the A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap winner Nightbeam, brought 1000 guineas, being purchased on behalf of an Indian owner. He had one start in New Zealand as a two-year-old, but nothing more has been heard of him since.

Altogether, 10 of the 15 high-priced yearlings that have raced in New Zealand have won. One of those was subsequently disqualified, and another is destined for India, so the percentage of winners among them is extraordinarily high. Some of those that have not won may do so yet. and may improve a record that can be equalled by few sale rings in the world. Although some of the winners have not won in stakes the equivalent erf their purchase money, that is not to say that they are still showing a loss to their owners, as some of them may have profited handsomely by backing their horses.

Another outstanding feature is that all those yearlings that remained in New Zealand survived the hazards of break-ing-in and training. There are frequent reports of high-priced yearlings in other countries that fail to reach the racecourse; but in New Zealand, over the years, they have been few. There may be luck in buying yearlings: but a lot of sound judgment is also necessary.