SPORTING.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 73, 25 August 1874, Page 4

SPORTING.

THOROUGHBRED SIRES.

The most important season of the year for horse breeders in general is approaching, and those who more especially turn their attention to thoroughbred stock and hacks must soon be making up their minds how to mate their favorites. It may not be amiss then, for the benefit of those who are not well up in the English Stud-book, to give some account of the horses lately imported from England by Mr Griffith, that they may be aware of the real value of the blood which they have at their command: We feel sure that the breeding of first-class thoroughbred stock, whether for racing or hacks, will pay for some time to come. When you look at our large stakes, and small entries on the one hand, and the brutes that are sold for hacks on the other, we think no one will doubt the truth of this assertion. First, let every breeder remember, that whether for hacking, hunting, or racing, no sire can be too good, whereas there are a great many that are too bad ; and next, that the best blood will almost invariably produce the best animals. Breeders again are too apt to send their mares to a horse because he is in the neighborhood, or because he is cheap, ignoring every other consideration, the result usually being an animal impossible to sell and a penance to ride. If a man has a horse that is well bred, and by a fashionable sire, he does not forget to ask an extra £SO for him, and most likely the animal is worth it. Let breeders think of this, and they will make better prices, and we shall ride in greater comfort. We will not enlarge upon the points of Mr Griffith’s horses, as we should feel that to be labor thrown away; for how few of us are there who in that respect do not consider that we are quite as good judges as many of our neighbors, and better than most. We shall merely endeavor to show that the animals under consideration have as good and as racing blood running in their veins as any in England, and that is challenging the world. Giving age the preference, we will begin with Albany, by Thormanby, dam Griselda by Touchstone, Thormanby by Melbourne or Windhound. Here is a pedigree for you take it whichever way you will. Whether by Melbourne sire of Blink Bonny, West Australian, Young Melbourne, Canezou, and many such others, or by Windhound by Pantaloon, dam Phryne by Touchstone. Till you come to that afternoon at Epsom in 18(30 when the Russlcy chcsnut eclipsed all his two-year-old performances, and amidst the roar of thousands won Mr Merry his first Derby. Then you follow him to Koyal and loveable Ascot, where, as the hero on the Cup day. he is paraded in the Royal enclosure, gazed on by a thousand eyes, and praised by all, excepting by those who may have laid too much against him. Leaving the racecourse we follow him to the paddock, where further triumphs await him. The first animal that really proclaims his great success there is Plaudit, undoubtedly a good horse, if he had only a fair chance. Passing by many other horses of less note, we come at at once to the spring of 1871, when we find Tomahawk and Cashmere at Lincoln and Atlantic at Newmarket again reviving Thor - manby’s somewhat tarnished reputation. For some time his progeny have only been second class, but the three mentioned above arc all really good animals, showing rather more speed than stamina j but the winner of

a two thousand must be a racehorse. Albany’s own performances were by no means bad; going amiss just before Adonis’ Cambridgeshire, when his stable were very sanguine of success, he still managed to run fourth in a large field of thirty-two horses, and this was perhaps his best performance. (It must be stated that only the whole four were within half a length of each other) —for though a winner of many races, he never met so good a field again. Blue Boy, by Beadsman, dam Bumblekite, by Voltigeur, Beadsman, by Weatherbit, at first sight may not appear so taking a pedi gree as Albany’s, and on the dam’s side we certainly prefer Touchstone to Yoltigeur. On the' sire’s side, however, we know no horse who has transmitted so great a uniformity of merit to his children, or who during his career can claim so many winners of a really high class, and we can see no reason why this merit should not descend to the next generation. It must also be remembered that until the last two years of his life Sir Joseph Hawley kept Beadsman exclusively for his own mares, so his chances of getting racehorses were few. Beginning with Bumblekite, the mare herself has had some useful animals, notably Khedive, whoso per-j formances as a two-year-old were of no mean order. As a three-year-old Khedive l started ten times, scoring four wins, only losing the Prince of Wales’ stakes to Queen’s Messenger by a short neck, and being placed in all his other races. All Bumblekite’s stock have realised good prices, at present a two-year-old of hers by Adventurer, Perkin Warbeck, has a great home reputation, not having yet performed in public. The Voltigeurs moreover, although not so successful as some, have always been good staying animals, Vedette, Skirmisher, Sabreur, Ranger, being some of the best, and this quality is not to be despised in our colony.! Beadsman, as we said before, can claim so many first-class animals, that it will be worth while to mention the performances of a few. The Palmer, perhaps the first horse that brought him into any note, though he only ran moderately in Hermit’s Derby, was perhaps the best four-year-old in England. Then there comes a year of great triumph for the son of Weatherbit, Blue Gown, Rosicrucian, and Greensleeve. Blue Gown beginning by winning at Ascot Spring, and the two latter by running first and second for the Middle Park Plate. In her three-year-old year, Greensleeve went amiss, and did nothing, but Blue Gown as every one knows won the Derby really in a canter, besides many other good races, and Rosi, though he never was really right in his three-year-old year, has amply vindicated his honor since, as he has met the best horses at all distances successfully, and though speed was said to bo his forte, he could still win the Ascot Stakes, and Alexandra Plate, Then we have Morna and Pero Gomez, the latter perhaps really the best horse of the lot. Morna was certainly beaten in the Oaks by Brigantine, but then she was a small mare, and it was up to their hocks in mud. Moreover, the winner was an extraordinary animal, and to be defeated by her was no disgrace. Pero Gomez won the Middle Park Plate in a canter ; he then ran one of the finest races ever seen with Pretender for the Derby, the latter winning by a short head. Those who saw that remarkable struggle could hardly realize that the cherry jacket was defeated, and the backers of Sir Joseph’s favorite rubbed their eyes when they saw Pretender’s number go up to be quite sure that they had not made a mistake. Pretender had just won the Two Thousand very cleverly, so Pero though beaten was not disgraced, as his subsequently winning the Leger fully proved. Besides these Beadsman was sire of Bethnal Green, Jesuit, Arapeile, and other useful animals, and this year Chaplet’s own sister Rosicrucian bids fair to be at the top of the tree. We think, however, we have said enough to show that the Beadsman blood is not only fashionable but successful, and that if he has transmitted one tithe of his good qualities to Blue Boy he will be a very useful horse to us. Blue Boy’s own racing career was not long; he only ran six times, winning once, and although this does not show first-class form, it is more than many racehorses ever accomplish, but it is on his breeding, not his performances, that our hopes hang. There is one thing of which we feel quite sure, that the blood from which Albany and Blue Boy is descended will be famous as long as England can boast a turf. Let us hope it may be the same in New Zealand. They combine the blood of winner producers to an extraordinary degree on both sides. They must therefore be considered very safe horses to breed from. They arc like the valiant De Boots, they have got the blood, but unlike that worthy, their blood in this colony is worth untold gold.