A VISIT TO THE SPLEYDON STUD.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 402, 25 September 1875, Page 3

A VISIT TO THE SPLEYDON STUD.

Do thoroughbred stock pay here? I fancy they will. That they (or it, which, I wonder, is correct) do it in Australia, there can be little doubt. We read accounts of sales of blood stock in the Australasian, and one envies the breeders, .not to say the purchasers. We run down the lists of nominations for Victorian races, let us say up-country ones, where the fields are as three to one in comparison with our own Metropolitan Meeting, and we wish that our nominations would fill as well. The fact is that, though perhaps no country in the world is better adapted for horse breeding than New Zealand, it has not been considered hitherto a very payable concern, and though speaking of Canterbury alone, we have plenty of men who like breeding a right 'uu for the love of sport, there are not so many who could afford to breed racehorses as a pastime. It remains to be proved whether a stud fprm for the breeding of blood stock alone will not pay. As I said above, I think it will. Mr Nosworthy's stud, the majority of which are now sold here, there, and everywhere, paid very fairly I should say, and Mr Nosworthy deserved as much ;*but he had to race his blood stock into public favor, which it seems to me is scarcely the object of a breeder. Mr Griffith has now commenced breeding in the right way, and I fancy the time is not far distant, when racing men will attend a yearly sale of the Spreydon youngsters, and pay a good price for what they consider a good article. It may perhaps be considered tall talk to say that we can breed them as well here as in Australia, but I think we can, and as Mr Redwood and Mr Griffith are the only two breeders ("except Mr Dodson, of Dunedin, who is just starting) in New Zealand, they will have a monopoly for the time being, and one can only hope that purchasers will shortly be more numerous, owners of race horses more common, and our nominations both at up-country and metropolitan meetings better filled. I recently paid Mr Griffith a visit, and after a pleasant drive reached Spreydon in good time. On first arriving we saw a range of loose boxes, and old Traducer's white blazed face looking out of one of them, was a fair tip that the entires were located there. Notwithstanding his eighteen years, the old horse looks as well and fresh as paint, and in spite of a soupeon of a drooping back, which we must expect to see increase year by year, he would in point of looks and soundness (for his wind seems as good as ever it was) shame many a four-year-old that we have seen in Canterbury. Looking the old horse over one is naturally reminded of his stock and their performances ; of Lurline's Australian and Adelaide Cup wins, and of Calumny's recent six successive victories, of Backbiter's and Scandal's running in the old days, of Envy's Derby and Maiden win some few years back, when people began first to think that Traducer was not such a bad horse after all, and to consider whether they had better not tell their friends at once that they had always said so. Templeton again, although a little 'tin, has shown plenty of foot and undoubted gameness, and won a pot of money all round New Zealand at all distances, and Castaway's performances when fit and well have been quite good enough to induce the belief that he will be a bad horse for the Australians to have on the wrong, side of the book in the coming campaign. Up to last season the only " A marc " Traducer ever had was Mermaid and Lurline and Castaway, were the result, but I shall look forward to the progeny of Brunette, Id alia, Hammock, Maria Theresa, Aurifera, and Mountain Nymph, to add fresh laurels to the old horse. I see by advertisement that 50 guineas is the price that his owner has put upon his services for the. forthcoming season. In spite of the high figure, I do not doubt that his list will fill and leave some of the dilatory ones in the lurch, for I happen to know that owners in three other provinces in New Zealand have engaged the services of the horse. In the next box is Albany (by Thormanby, out of Grizelda, by Touchstone) and j>a very gay mover ho is. Perhaps as plain a horse as I ever saw, but a most difficult one to pull to pieces. In fact, the more you look at him the less you have to say against him, except that he is certainly very plain. I see but little difference in him since last year, except that owing to his good wintering his coat does not show those marks of inequality which last season, owing to his recent voyage from England, were so perceptible. Blueboy (by Beadsman out of Bumblekite) we visited next. In point of good looks he is certainly a great contrast to Albany, being as handsome a horse as one would wish to see, He has furnished a good deal since last year, having not only grown in height but thickened considerably. Of the two, Albany and Blueboj, owners of studmares are of course the best judges as to which horse will best suit their own marcs. I should say that Albany will probably get the greater number of winners during his career ; but that if Blueboy gets a mare that will suit him, a clinker will be the result. For instance, the progeny of Malice and Spritsail by Blueboy ought to be very much above the common. I may add that the recent English successes of Blueboy's relative, Perkin Warbeck, will no doubt attract breeders' attention to him. The condition of all the three horses was uncommonly good. They looked healthy and well, without that grossness which so many owners here seem to consider a necessity in their stallions at this time of the year. In the first paddock were three enclosures, and in one of them was the imported mare Brunette, by Tadmor—dam by Hetman Platoff, out of Birthday, and the dam of our Tadmor and Daniel O'Rourke. She, like her shipmate Traducer, is getting on in years, but she looked a very blooming matron, and the foal which she will shortly drop to Traducer ought to be uncommonly good. In the paddock adjoining were the other imported mares. Maria Theresa, by Rataplan, out of Marie Louise, by Gunboat, one would scarcely take to be such a well bred mare, as she is very big boned, and scarcely shows so much quality as the rest. Hammock, by Oreste, out of Mother Ncasham by Buccaneer, has greatly improved since I last saw her, and it is to be regretted that she, as well as Maria Theresa, havenot turned out to be in foal to Wild Moor, whom they visited before leaving England, the more so as Mr Griffith deserved a good set off for the loss of the imported Nerissa, by Lord Clifden, out of Audrey, a very line mare, and who was actually in foal to Siderolite. Aurifera, the powerful chestnut mare, by

Diophantes, out of Melbourina, and the winner of the Cork Steeplechase, was always fiom her first arrival a particular favorite of mine. She has wonderfully improved, and goes this year to Traducer. Idalia is as fur as looks go, as near perfection as possible. Her breeding is unexceptionable, being by Cambusctn, out of Dulcibella, by Voltigenr. It will be seen that she is a near relative of Camballo, the winner of the Two Thousand, for both are by Uambusoah and both the dams have Voltigeur bloo 1 in them. Idalia goes also to Traducer. In the next paddock, and very well grassed and sheltered all the paddocks are by the wwy, are several matrons well known to most of us. Gossip, own sister to Calumny, shortly to foul to Albany, ought to produce some thing «ood for the long popular black and gold j icket to carry. Lady Ravensworth, better perhaps known as Paringa, never distinguished herself on the turf here, but her breeding is good enough. She is by Kavensworth, out of Countess, by the Peer, out of Phoebe. She will shortly foal to Traducer. Gilda, belonging to the same owner, will also visit Traducer this season. We all remember the high price this aristocratic daughter of Ravensworth and Mermaid brought at Mr Noswoithy's sale, and we could have wished phc could have scored a win or two for her owner before deserting the post for the paddock ; but though she showed a great turn of foot in training, she was, as I fancy from the effects of the strangles, so uncertain that it was thought advisable to send her to the stud. Gitana, the dam of Calumny and Gossip, is now, like her daughter Gossip, the property of Mr Mallock. She was looking very well, and will shortly foal to Traducer. May the foal be a second Calumny. Mr Mallock has another mare in Mr Griffith's paddocks—viz, Fancy, a daughter of Emmeline's by Tom King. She is a low, lengthy mare, who, it may be remembered, was in Mr Webb's stable for a time ; but she was found wanting in pace, and was sent to the stud. Her relatives out of the same dam by Traducer were good enough—viz, Hatred, who, in my opinion, was one or' the best mares that ever looked through a bridle, and Detractor and Defamer, both of whom were fair horses as times go. Fancy ought to have been fast, but she wasn't ; however, we may see a good foal from her by the old horse. Eenga, a daughter of Waimea's by Dioroedes, and now belonging to Mr Watt of Auckland, has wintered here. She visited Traducer last year, and goes this season to Blueboy. Her last year's foal is a very promising one. In the same paddock are Virginia (once the sprint mare of her time), and three other well-bred ladies from Otago, all on Traducer's list, the youngsters are all in another paddock, the one I fancied most being a chesnut filly by Traducer, out of Miss Mettle. Miss Mettle is Tasmanian bred, and is by Touchit out of Magic. The foal is good all over, and I fancy Mr Griffith must now almost regret having sold her when a few months old to Mr Dodson, of Dunedin, who, by the way will soon, judging from his recent purchases, have a goodly array of thoroughbred youngsters of his own breeding. The foal out of Eenga I have already spoken of as promising, but I'm not sure that I do not prefer the one out of Virginia, by Stormbird. Both show a lot of quality, bat in this case I think I should pick the Virginia filly. In the same paddock are a grey filly by Traducer, out of Lady Jane Grey, with a rare good back and very muscular quarters, aud a mealy chesnut, by Elawick, out of Lady Ellen. The latter shows size and strength, but is very plain, and scarcely looks like making a racehorse. After visiting the babies we had a look at the new range of loose boxes Mr Griffith has recently erected for the use of the stud mares. The stalls are roomy and well built. I came away wishing Mr Griffith all success in his speculation, and I think most of your readers will say ditto. Sinbad.