SALE OF BLENHEIM

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 31, 5 August 1936, Page 15

SALE OF BLENHEIM

'THE AGA KHAN IN REPLY

Further developments in the. Blenheim controversy have followed the recent criticism of the sale by leading bloodstock interests and breeders. A special meeting of the council of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, of which Lord Rosebcry is president was called for an early date,, and when notified of this decision the Aga Kh£m made the loUowing state . ment from Deauville (France):— "Referring to recent statements in the *£**£** f le^Blenheim O f the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association is being convened to consider the. question, I think that the criticisms for the most part are uncalled fer aQd unfair - In £ ommon with the practice of several owners of stallions —famous, too—l made it an express condition when accepting nominationg to Blenheim that l the accep tance was sub j ect to lhe horse remaining in the same ownership, "I have made the same condition Wlth regard to nominations to most Qt my s^^ staUions except Bahram> whom I decided never to sell. Blen-

heim, ,to the certain knowledge of most well-known breeders, has been for sale for some years past, and some of them, 6r their managers, have paid visits to France with veterinary surgeons to examine him with a view to purchase. "Breeders, : therefore; who sent in nominations knew the risk there was. As it happens, the -purchasers of Blenheim wished the horse sent to America. To provide a condition that the. purchasers should- leave the stallion in France or some other place more convenient to England ' than America for either the next one, two, or • three years would have rendered impossibly the sale I desired to effect. "It so happens that the stallion going' to America will cause inconvenience to those breeders who have booked nominations) but I do not share the views expressed by some writers to the Press that they cannot now obtain bookings to. first-class stallions in 1937 and Derby winners, too. ' "Incidentally, Blandford, one of' the greatest stallions, was not a Derby winner. There are several, very good stallions not fully booked up ior next season. "Famous stallions in the past, have been sold to go.abroad.. No such sales would ever have been possible if the vender had to insist on a condition such as it is suggested I should have imposed. The condition expressed in the acceptance that it is subject to the stallion remaining in the same owner;1 ship is not a term of my invention, but, I am informed, existed for years before I became interested in racing and breeding. It was obviously introduced to meet such a case as my sale of Blenheim, otherwise an owner could never sell a stallion, to go abroad, I have done only what everyone who contracted with'me knew I'had a perfect right to do. | "I claim that no one is a • greater or .more loyal supporter of British bloodstock and racing, arid all that it means. In the circumstances these unpleasant articles in the Press are, I'feel, unwarranted-." Further particulars of the sale reveal that the United States syndicate who bought the. stallion for about £50,000 is composed of Mr. William Dupont, Mrs. Somerville, Mr. Arthur Hancock, Mr. John Hay Whitney, Mr. John Hertz, Mr. Warren Wright, and Mr.' R. A. Fairbairn. On arrival in the United States Blenheim will be sent to Mr. Hancock's Ellerslie Stud Farm at Paris, Kentucky.