FRESH RECORDS EXPECTED

Chronicle (Levin), 16 January 1947, Page 6

FRESH RECORDS EXPECTED

NATIONAL YEARLING SALES A busy fortnight Jies aliead for raciii^ ainl breeiliiig onthu.siasts, for apart froia the Wellington summer meeting Ihe National Saies oxtending over live days ajid commencing tomorrovv will be a big att ractiou. Tliere is a reeord eatalogue of yearlirigs. During tlie period 193S lo date some 11-18 youiigsters liave been disposed of at the saies at Trentham for an aggregate sum of -I'.rsy' lbgns., wliit-h gives a striking illustralion of wliat the In'eeding industry means to New Zealand tlie.se days. Each year an increasing numbor of studmasters has ln:en engaged in the industry, and whereas in Uh'!8 108 lots wero disposed of for an aggregate of :;:5,152gns., last January 201 of the oll'erings found new owjiers at a cost of 118,005gas. Witli the sport attraeting more and more ownors the average per head has subslaatially inereased. Nine voars ago the average per head workod out at 205gns., the top-priced youngster being sold for lloOgns. For. a period during the war there was some uncertaiuty shown as to the futuire of raeing and the average ligure a head temjiorarily retreated. Neverthele.ss, in 1040 one youngster brought the sphmdid ligure of 2U00gJis. Witli greater conlidence being displayed tlre 19-115 returns set fresh records, 157 lots being disposed of for an aggregate of oS),5!)2gus. The upward elimlj was carried still I'urthcr 12 months later \vlieji the aggregate of 1043. was almost doubled, even tliough only an additional three offerings were sold. But tliis was merely Ihe forerujiner of still better things, and two years ago 104 lots were sold for D0,8()5gns. at an average of 45(igus., whiL'h set fresh records in everv respect. Further, the top.-prieed youngster reached what was then the sensational ligure of bOOOgns. However, records are made only to be broken, and last year 261 lots were sold for 148,G05g'iis.; giving an average of 560gns. Further, for the lirst occasion -in history an oil'ering topped 4U00gns., a lilly by Coronach from Princess Ball being sold to an Australian owjier for 4750gns. Witli four days being devotcd tliis year to the juveniles fresh records will without doubt be set in respect to number sold, aggregate ligure, and average. The eatalogue -shovvs entries to the number of 464 yearlings, of whom 265 are colts and 199 are'lillies. These juveniles are* representative of 70 sires, so intending purchasers will liave a wide field from wliicli to make their selections. No sale in rtny pai't of tlie world provides such a hig'li percentage of higlielass winne; . During the past 19 years no fewer tluin 28 Derbv winner.s, ,26 St. T.eger winners, 15 Oaks wiuners; and 43 Cfuineas winners have eome

from the ranks of youngsters purcliased at the National Saies. Tt is generally recognised tliat this Dominion is a vonderful breeding ground, tlie climate, uastures, soil, and environment being .ideal for the purpose, and. it is already ;eas buyers operating at the eoming •ippareut that there will be many oversales.