TRADUCER.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1979, 28 June 1880, Page 3

TRADUCER.

[Killed June 25th, 1880.] It is my painful duty to have to record the loss of old Traducer, who had to be destroyed at Middle Park on Friday. For some time past, his condition had been a source of anxiety, for, from the effects of old age, he had hardly a tooth loft, and latterly had lost all strength in his hindquarters, so much so that an apparatus had to bo constructed specially to support him. Last week, Messrs Hill and Brock were called in and decided, after a consultation, to kill him, which was accordingly done as above stated, and thus terminated the career of, probably, the grandest stallion that has ever been at the service of mares south of the line. Traducer was foaled in 1857, and was by The Libel out of Arethusa, by Elis out of Languid, by Cain out of Lydia, by Poulton out of Variety, by Hyaointhus out of a sister to Swordsman. And in this connection it may be remarked that Traducer was, from the fact that his sire was a failure at the stud, probably the only descendant of The Libel at the service of mares in any part of the world, though two other relatives of his, the brood mares Moonshine and Atalanta, are now the property of the Auckland Stud Company, and are, I believe, Traducer excepted, the only animals possessing a strain of Libel blood in the colonies. Traducer, who stood about 16 hands, was a brown horse, with a white blaze down his face (a peculiarity which he transmitted to so many of his descendants that the “Traducer blaze” has become proverbial), his off hind and near fore fetlocks being white. His first appearance on the turf was as a two-year-old at Ascot, where he was unplaced in the New Stakes, and at Goodwood he occupied a similar position in the Nursery Handicap. As a three-year-old he was third at Northampton in a large field for the Earl Spencer’s Plate, and in consequence of a big trial with Promised Land, was supported for the Two Thousand Guineas, in which, however, he could only get a good third to the Wizard and Eap. He next appeared at Chester, where, with 5 to 4 on him, and carrying 6at 81b, he won the Winnistay Handicap from half a dozen others, of whom Comforter, the subsequent winner of the City and Suburban, was one. His next appearance was at Ascot in the Whitley Stakes, in which, carrying 7st 71b, and ridden by Fordham.he was unplaced, and his only other performance was as a

fou year-old in a 50 sov. Piste at Ascot, where i he jumped round at the fall of the flag, and was left at the post. He shortly afterwards passed into the possession of Sir Thomas Lonnnrd, from whom ho was purchased by Mr Lancelot Walker and was shipped in January, 1862, in company with, amongst others, old Mermaid, for Lyttelton, in charge of Mr Wm. O. Webb, now of the Hush Inn, Riccarton. He was purchased on his arrival by Mr Innes, who owned him for two years, during which time he never paid expenses, and was sold in 1864, to Mr Curry for £6O, who travelled the Malvern district with him, his covering 'fee being £4. Mr Curry about the end of the year sold him for the same price, £6O, to Mr B. Duppa, who fixed his covering price at £5 in Christchurch, in addition to which ho travelled the Kaiapoi and Bangiora districts twice a week. No better success, however, attended him in the hands of his new owner; and he was eventually purchased by the late Mr J. W. Mallock for £9O, and sent by him to his station at Horsley Downs, where, being mated with such good mares as old Emma and GHtana, he laid for himself the foundation of his reputation as the champion thorough-bred stallion of New Zealand. By him Emma produced Scandal and Gitana Backbiter, no mean performers in their day. Soon after this he passed into the possession of Mr 8. Nosworthy, and Served, amongst other mares, the property of that gentleman, old Mermaid, from whom sprang Lurline, one of the finest mares ever saddled on a colonial racecourse. Mr Nosworthy kept him for two seasons, when he was sold for a good sum to Mr J. Walker, and sent to Wanganui, where ho left some of the best stock at present in the North Island. He then passed into the hands of Mr E. G. Griffith, and became lord of the harem at Spreydon Lodge, where he proved a perfect mine of wealth to his owner, who, on his departure for England, and the consequent break up of the Spreydon stud, disposed of him to the Middle Park Company for 800 guineas. He has covered mares while in their possession for fifty guineas—somewhat different to the time when his services could be obtained for £4— and has been used by them for their highlybred English brood mares, by one of whom (Idalia) he has already produced two Champagne winners. Betrayer and Sir Modred, the former of whom will, I think, through his Canterbury, Wanganui, and Timaru Cup victories, be found at the head of the list of winning horses for the season of 1879-80, when my confrere “ Pegasus ” compiles his annual returns. To enumerate the winners Traducer claims as descendants would be a lengthy task, but amongst them may be mentioned such redoubtable cracks as Lurline, Calumny Fishhook, Trump Card, Templeton, Maritane, Foul Play, Natator, Chancellor, Betrayer, and Sir Modred, ia addition to which the two highest priced yearlings ever purchased in New Zealand, Le Loup and Idalium, sprang from the loins of the old Libel horse, while Leveller, by Traducer from Waimea and the last of the wonderful old mare’s progeny, was bought when a week old by Mr Etching from Mr Redwood f. r 500 guineas, a price for a foal which has, I believe, never been exceeded, even in Australia. It may not be out of place to mention, in speaking of Producer’s descendants, that the last of his stock returned as victors on the flat were Adamant

(winner of the Dunedin Birthday Handicap) and Marie Antoinette (winner of the Waiwera Handicap at Little River), while to Grey Momus, who appropriated the Wanganui Grand Stand Steeplechase belongs the honor of being the last Traducer who was hailed a winner prior to the old horse’s death. Judging from the high average obtained by the Middle Park company for their Traducer yearlings out of English mares at the recent sale, there can bo little doubt that the youngsters by the old horse now running in their paddocks will be eagerly sought after, as, even if they never race a yard, their blood will bo worth its weight in gold. Lot me express a hope that such will be the case, and that the company will thus be in some measure recompensed for the loss they have sustained—a loss not only to them but to all New Zealand breeders, who, in years to come, when recounting the performances of many an animal whose name is historical in the annals of the New Zealand turf, will trace back its pedigree to the wonderful son of The Libel and Arethusa, who, after a chequered career, has found his last resting place in the Middle Park paddocks. Sinbad,