AUSTRALIAN STUD STROLLS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2247, 11 May 1881, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN STUD STROLLS.

[specially wbitten fob THB " WEEKLY PEBBS. '2 [By Pib Latjnoblot.] A residence in New Zealand extending oyer a pnr'od of ton years made me long for a trip to Australia, and as I am never happier than when strolling through well grassed paddocks filled with highly brod stock, I determined during my travels to visit the principal breeding and racing establishments of Australia, with a view to furnishing an aocount of their resources and capabilities for the deleotation of the sporting read'Tß of the " Weekly Press," and also with the object of seeing the flyers of Australia by attending the Australian Jockey Club's Autumn meeting at Randwick, and thus contrasting our own methods of racing and breeding with those of. the larger colony. I therefore took my passage for Melbourne in the fine steamer Te Anau, and with the genial Captain Carey at the fore, and as gentlemanly a lot of offloers as it has ever boon my good fortune to travel with, time passed pleasantly enough till we hauled alongside the Hobart Town wharf on the third day after our departure from the Bluff. A stay of a couple of hours enabled me to interview Mr Eady, who will be re-

numbered in Christchurch as having brought over there Quamby, Oalstock, and other animals. A chat on racing with him and Mr Page (the proprietor of the Woodstook stud, situate between Hobart Town and Launceston, and where Horatio holds his Court) deadened tho sound of time's wings until the steamer's whistle warned me of the hour of departure, and we were soon on the way to Melbourne, which we reached about forty-five hours afterwards. On arrival, I at once interviewed the sporting editor of the " Australasian," (to whom I must tender my thanks for his kindness), with a view to ascertaining whioh stud was easiest of access from Melbourne, my stay in which city was very limited, as I had to be in Bydney to witness the races on Easter Monday. From him I learnt that I could most probably see Mr Gardiner, of Bundoora, at Kirk's Bazaar, where I ultimately found him, and appointed next day with him to visit BTJKDOOBA. In future years when the history of tho New Zealand turf oomes to be written, there will be no brighter records on its pages than those of the wonderful performances of Lurline and Calumny, and it was, therefore, only natural that the stud whioh contained those animals should be the first visited by me. Thus it was that I was only too well pleased to accept Mr Samuel Gardiner's invitation to have a look at the Bundoora Park Stud, and to renew my acquaintance with the two daughters of Traduoer, whose names, through their deeds, are as household words among racing men in New Zealand. Previous to my visit, however, Mr Gardiner invited me to Kirk's Bazaar to see the two yearling colls by Tubal Oain, out of Lurline and Ooquette respectively, and who, it may be remembered, were sent over to New Zealand recently for sale, but who, I regret to say returned to thoir native land without finding a buyer. They will now remain in Australia; the pair having been purohased by aoompany of Victorian gentlemen for 1000 guineas. The first I saw was the oolt out of Coquette (the dam of Progress). He is a chesnut, standing a trifle over 15 hands, with big knees and hocks, a capital back, and good barrel. He is well let down, and though not showing much quality (as I believe few of Coquette's stock do) yet, gave me the idea of developing into a thorough good stayer, and one of the " cut and come again" sort. In the adjoining box was the Lurline colt, and even had I not been told who his dam was, I should have spotted him from the resemblance he bears to Lurline herself, his hind quarters being just like his mother's. He stands 15.%, on as splendid a set of legs as the dual Canterbury Cup winner, with a fine back and deep ribs, and good to follow. Both he and his companion were in splendid oondition, and are altogether, I think, two of the finest yearlings I have ever seen, and gave me a very favorable impression as to the class of stock I would come across during my stud strolls, not only at Bundoora, but at the other great breeding establishments of Australia. The next day Mr Gardiner drove me out to his stud farm, which is pleasantly situated about ten miles from Melbourne. Driving through Fitzroy, and passing, on our way through that suburb, the Exhibition building, with its gilded dome glittering in the sunlight, we next come to the sister suburb of Colling wood and the little hamlet of Northcote, and are soon bowling along a capital road leading to tho Yan Yean reservoirs, from which Melbourne receives its water supply. After leaving Nortboote the drive is somewhat monotonous, large plantations of red gum oooupying the oountry on either side of us, and I was not sorry when we alighted at the gate of Bundoora, and my companion ushered me into his cosy parlour, on the walls of which hang a oapital painting of Lurline from the brush of Mr Wodehouse, and portraits of the erst Bundoora stallion, The Peer, and of Serenader (a very fine trotting stallion, formerly imported by Mr Gardiner, but now dead), while the sideboard is graced with two handsome racing trophies in tbe shape of the Adelaide Cups of 1875 and 1877, won by Lurline and Aldinga respectively, in addition to numerous cups and medals which have fallen to the lot of Mr Gardiner's famous short-horns. After a refresher, we commenced our inspection, and I was introduced to the lord of the harem, Tubal Oain, who is aocommodated with a paddock close to tbe house. Tubal Cain, who was bred in 1873 by Mr Gerrard, of the Rapid Bay stud, South Australia, is by Tregeagle, out of Zillah, by Stockowner (brother to Loiterer, sire of Anteros) out of Omen by Melbourne ; Tregeagle being by Wild Dayrell ont of Silverhair (dam of Silvio), by Kingston. He is closely related to the English Derby winners, Kisber and Silvio, the former being by Buccaneer (a son of Wild Dayrell), and the latter by Blair Athol out of Tregeagle's dam. He was pur - chased as a yearling by his present owner, who Dlaoed him in training as a two-year-old, but though he showed great speed in private, he never raced, and the death of The Peer leaving Mr Gardiner without a stallion, he determined to make what was, perhaps, rather a hazardous experiment, by mating his mares with an animal who, although excellently bred, was yet untried at the stud, and eould produoe no certificate of merit as a racehorse. That the experiment has been a success cannot be denied, and Mr Gardiner is entitled to praise for his pluck in opposing the old theory that a non-performer is not a desirable class of stallion. Although Tubal Cain stands a goad 16.3, you do not recognise his immense size and power until you get close up to him. He is a brown, with a white star on his forehead, and an intelligent but not pretty head, jet on to a very muscular neok, strong ihouldors, immense barrel, big knees and locks, and an excellent horse to follow, more the Btamp of Albany than any other New Zealand stallion, with the exoeption of being a taller horse than the son of Thorns an by. la an adjoining enclosure was the only one of Us stock that has yet run. This is Coriolanus, a two-year-old, out of Pauline, a daughter of lanio out of Kathleen, by Warhawk, from Granawheile, by Stockwell. This colt has nsver yet been fit when brought to the post, bit nevertheless he ran fourth in the last Maribyrnong Plate, fourth in the Normanby Stikes, fourth in the Ascot Vale Stakes, and third in the Geelong Sires Produce Stakes. SUnding 16.1, with a plain head and high on thi leg, and not particularly good to follow, he is a loose overgrown youngster that will be best served by time, and with this idea his owier threw him out of training in the middle of the season, and he will enjoy the otitm eum dig at grass until the gathering of the olans on the Hawkesbury betokens the opeiing of the turf campaign of 1881-1882. In a hundred-acre paddock close by were the marts and foals, and before proceeding to enunerate these worthies, I may state that until about three years ago the mares were quarered at Ohelsworth, another estate beloiging to Mr Gardiner, not far distant from Bundoora; the latter place, which consists af about 1600 acres of fine undulating oountry, being then devoted exclusively to short horns The first mare to cross my path was Nevada imported) by Pero Gomez (winner of the St. Liger) out of La Neva, by Monarque, a plain headed bay mare in rather poor condition, aremark, however, whioh scarcely applies to herfoal, a beautiful but rather small brown filly br Tubal Cain. Nevada's yearling, by the sane sire, was purchased by Mr Hazlett, of Duiedin, and her two-year-old daughter, Ooreem, won the Nursery Handicap at the recent V.R.O. Autumn Meeting. Close by herwaithe poorest-conditioned mare in the paddoot, but Mr Gardiner assured me that it was a ommon occurrence in her ease. This was Rejetition (by Talk of the Hill—Ordeal by Tou6stone) a roomy bay mare, with a big upßtandng brown oolt foal by Tubal Oain, rather Kgh on the leg. A very symmetrical mare, bit a bit on the small side, is Royal Heart br The Marquis (winner of the Two Thousanl and Leger), from Ace of Hearts by Ace of 31ub (sire of King of the Ring and King of Hubs), from Eloise by the The Hermit (wimer of the Two Thousand). She had a dark lay colt foal at foot by Tubal—a perfect gentleman, with a particularly good baek, and looking every inch a racer. Royal Heart's jearling oolt, by the same sire, wan purchased by Mr G. G. Stead, and from the faot that h addition to the excollsnt running blood to >e met with on both sides of this mare's peligree, she goes back to Melesina, from whoe descendants have sprung such equine kinjs of the Australian turf as Richmond, Boiworth, and The Diver, it is not hard to prdiot that her son (who.bythe-byo, has been ihristened Bayard) will, if all go well with lim, yet carry the Russley yellow and black to vietory in many a hard fought contest. A big dark bay tnare is Argosy, by Freetrader.from Belhari (dam of Oamballo), by Indian Warrior, from Blink Bonny, by Egremont. Blink Bonny, the grand-dam of this mare, von a number of races in South Australia, and was then brought to Viotoria, wiere at the Melbourne -pring meeting of .858 she carried 9»t 31b, and won the Great Ketropolitan Stakes from fifteen others, Arjosy has a nioe brown filly by

Tubal at foot, her yearling having found a home in Otago, while Messrs Mason and Vallance have Bundoora, her two-year-old ■on. I was next introduced to one of the finest mares in Australia, in the shape of Coquette (by Sir Hercules out of Vanity, by Marquis—Bessy Bedlam, by Sir Charles from Young Moonshine by Rous' Emigrant), the dam of that sterling racehorse Progress, who has proved himself to be second only to Grand Flaneur. Coquette herself, who did not seem to relish our intrusion on her privaoy, is a raking bay mare, with a whila face, good legs, and particularly strong quarters. She was a first-class performer in her day, winning the A.J.O. Sires Produce Stakes and St. Leger in 1874; and Mr Gardiner made a very lucky deal when he purchased her (with a colt foal at foot by Angler, and in foal to Piscator) for 350 guineas on the break-up of the Maribyrnong stud. The foal at foot was Progress (of whom I shall write more fully when I seo him at tho A.J.O. meeting), and the result of her union with Piscator wag Nautilus, who has been backed heavily for tho next V.R.O Darby. Her yearling son I have described above, and his younger brother, a bay colt with two white hind feet, bids fair to be as fine an animal. "I suppose you prize Coquette very much," I remarked to Mr Gardiner. "Yes," said he, " but here is the gem of the Bundoor -. Stud." And, turning round, I found myself face to face with a very old friend in tho shape of Lurline. There she stood, with the white face and drooping cast-iron quarters that New Zealand racing men so well remember, but not the fretful, nervous mare she was while in training, for sbe quietly grazed close by while Mr Gardiner recounted to mo many anecdotes of her great Australian victories; how carrying Bet lib she romped home through the mud in front of a large field for the Australian Cup of 1875, and carrying 9st ran third for tho Sydney Cup shortly afterwards; of how she won the Allaged Stakes, beating Kingaborough, and the A.J.C. Plato (3 miles w.f.0.) beating such cracks as The Diver, Melbourne and the mighty Goldssorough, and finally ran her last races at Adelaide, where Bho easily won the Cup and Queen's Hundred, and quitted the post for the paddock, with her deeds imperishably emblazoned on the pages of the Australian "Turf Register." After her viotories at Adelaide Mr Gardiner determined to put her to the stud, and mated her with The Peer, the result of the union being Motea (now 3yrs old) at present in the possession of Mr DoMestre, and whom, on the occasion of his debut at Flemington, "Augur" pronounced to be one of the finest three-year-olds ever seen there. He was, however, then rather overgrown, and though be showed a great turn of foot, ran very green, and meeting with an accident shortly afterwards, he was thrown out of training for a time. Lurline's second foal was Darebin, also by tho Peer, and to whom I shall allude on a future occasion, while her yearling son I have already oommented upon. So far Mr Gardiner has been fortunate in getting nothing but colts out of the flying daughter of. old Mermaid, but this year's foal by Tubal Cain is a superb cheßnut filly, with the quarters of her mother, and those legs of steel which Le Loup's sister transmits to all her progeny ; and if looks go for anything, and there bo any virtue in running blood, she should be able to show her heels to many a squandered field as her mother did so often in the good old times. I lingered long over this grand mare and her daughter, and in parting with them could ODly regret that they were not in New Zealand, where Lurline first appeared upon the turf, and where I yet hope some of her offspring may emulate their mother's deeds. Near her was Topaz, by Fireworks, out of The Gem, by Maribyrnong out of Chrysolite (dam of Onyx, now in the possession of the Auckland S.ud Company), by Stockwell from Juliet (dam of Sylvia, also in the Auckland Stud Company's place), by Touchstone. This mare, who is full sister to First Water (winner of the Australian Cup of 1881), is a strong built brown mare of great power, with a nice dark brown colt foal at foot by Tubal. Her yearling son (also by Tubal), was lately purchased by Messrs Mason and Vallance, while Mr R. Howie (owner of Suwarrow) has her two-year-old son, Koh-i-noor (by Piscator). Crumbs (by Maribyrnong from Sweetbread, by Flying Pieman from Cassia, by Sweetmeat) has a speedy looking brown filly foal, by Tubal Cain. Her two-year-old daughter, by the Peer, was purchased by a Canterbury gentleman, and her yearling daughter will have been submitted to auction in Christchurch Before this reaches you, Mr Gardiner having a day or two before my arrival in Melbourne despatched a batch of yearlings (amongst them being a son of Calumny) to your city for sale. Kestrel, by Misty Morn from Woodbine, by Elastio from Fairy, Queen, by Conrade—Fatima, by Gil Bias from Flora Mclvor (dam by Waimea) was in splendid condition, and had a dark bay filly at foot by Tubal Cain. Kestrel was the dam of Falcon, the winner of many races in New South Wales. One of the best backed foals in the paddock is a bay oolt by Tubal out of Seashell, by Nautilus (a son of Panic), out of Eloiae, by The Hermit (winner of the Two Thousand). Seashell's yearling son was purchased by Messrs Mason and Vallance at the same time aa the Topaz oolt. Fortress (by the Stockwell horse Citadel, out of Gemma, by Womersley, balf-brother to the Peer) is a nice-legged chesnut mare, with the white blazs of the Stockwell family, but not showiag much quality, while her foal, a chesnut colt by Tubal Cain, was in very poor condition. Fortress is the dam of La Trobe (by The Peer), who ran a dead heat for the Darling Stakes at the last V.R.O. spring meeting, while her two-year-old son, by the same sire, is in Queensland, and her yearling daughter by Tubal Cain left for Christchurch just before my arrival. One of the finest mares at Bundoora is Ace of Hearts, dam of Royal Heart, mentioned above. She is a big slashing dark bay mare, and her bay colt by Tubal Cain looks like not only going fast, but staying. Her two-year-old son was bought (if I remember rightly) by Mr Lee, in Christchurch, and her yearling son fell to the nod of a Dunedin sportsman. Lady of Linne.by Lord of Linne (imp.), from Milliner, by Millionaire (imp.) out of Caress by Indian Warrior, was purchased as a yearling by Mr Gardiner, who put her to the stud when two years old, her first foal being a filly whom I shall refer to later on. Her next foal was drowned, and sbe now has a nioe filly, but rather up in the air, by Quambone, to whom Mr Gardiner put her, in order to secure the double cross of Maribyrnong. Pauline (the clam of Coriolanus), is a big raking daughter of Panic, and has a small compact bay filly by Quambone, while her sister Psyche, who much resembles her, but is a much lower set mare, has one of the best foals in the paddock in the shape of a bay colt by Quambone, with nioe short cannon bones and big quarters and thighs, and who looks like growing into a big animal. We now crossed the Yan Yean road, and oame into another paddock of 400 acres, thiokly studded with red gums, and in which the dry mares were located, the first I saw being Loyal Peeress, a three-year-old, by The Peer, out of Loyal Devoir (imp.), by Trumpeter (sire of Mr Stead's mare Miss Laura), out of Letty West, by West Australian. Sho has only just been put to the stud, and is a picture to look at, and from her handsome appearance and excellent pedigree she should prove one of Mr Gardiner's trump cards. Silvermine (by The Peer, out of Nevada, referred to above), is a short-legged bay mare, very compact, showing lots of quality. She is full sister to Ocreona, who, as I before mentioned, won the V.R.O. Nursery Handicap, and this is her first season at the stud. I was not much impressed with Sea Girl (by Stockham, out of Mermaid, by Ferryman), nor with Solitaire, but a mare that her owner takes a justifiable pride in is Bertha (the dam of Lono Hand), a grey maro with legs like steel, a nice head and neck, big quarters and immense thighs, and locking at her one can scarcely wonder at tho size of Lone Hand nor his doughty deeds across country in tho laud of his birth. Bertha, unfortunately, missed last season to Tubal Cain, whom she has again visited, and to whom she seems to be in foal. Pride (who as a youngster, I believe, showed a good turn of foot), is by Abd-el-Kader, from Conceit (dam of Irish King), by Pyrrhuß 1., and clobo by her was her daughter Hauteur, who is now three years old, but who, owing to having hipped herself as a youngster, Mr Gardiner kept for stud purposes. From the fact th v Agnona is a descendant of Wild Dayrell (being by Horror out of Idumea), she should mate admirably with Tubal Cain, but none of the mares in this paddook could comparo with Calumny, who this season slipped her foal. Although in New Zealand Calumny generally pluyod second fiddle to Lurline, yet I know many New Zealand turfites always averrod that she was as good a mare as the daughter of Mermaid, and as to her gameness and determination there could be no question. She was purchased from Messrs Redwood and Watt by Mr Wallis, a Victorian

bookmaker, in whose colore she won the Newmarket Handioap, carrying eight stone, and beating sixteen others, the Geelong Grand Stand Stakes and Handioap, the TCyneton Handicap (carrying top weight), and greatCßt, feat of all, the Hawkeßbury Handicap, in which sbo carried 8»t 41b, aDd ran the two miles in the fastest time ithad then boen dona in Australia, 3min. 35socs., Goldsborough and Kins>fish<>r, amongst others, being behind her. Mr Gardiner then bouebt her for 450 guineas, and put her to Tho Peer, to whom she bred Venom, und was Bent to him again, the rosult of the U',ion being Spile, both of whom raced with much success. Her list foal will I trust, by the timo this appears in print;, haye fonnd a purchaser in M-iori-land, whore I would fain nope several other descendants of the daughter of Traducor and Git an a may, in years to corns, perform f.s successfully as did their mother. After looking at Promise (by Mathematician from Lady Gwendoline, by De Euyter from Lady Elizabeth's dum), we strolled into au adjoining paddock where, under the shade of the many red gums, was Caste, bred by Mr Justice Oheeke, and got by Millionaire out of Lady Jane.by Magna; her bay colt foal by Tubal Gain, who was running with her, had hurt himself, and had a big swelling on tho near fore-leg ; but, though a nioebacked youngster, he could not compare in point of quality with tho two-year-old bay .filly by Maribyrnong, out of Lady of Lynne. This filly was sent to Ohristehurch by Mr Gardiner as a yearling, but the highest bid for her being only 240 guineas, ehe returned to Australia unsold, and her owner has serious thoughts of putting her in training. She has a splendid set of legs under her, and capital middle piece and hindquarters, and if she does not turn out a thorough good goer, then there is no faith in appearances. A v.ry elegant bright chesnut mare is Minnie Warren by Stockowner, from Trioolor by the Premier, and her daughter Ernestina (by Pablo Fanque) though slightly hollow bucked, has the quality of her mother. We now retraced our steps towards the house, and on the way looked in at Quambone, who has a similar enclosure to Tubal Gain. He is full brother to Napper Tandy, being by Maribyrnong out of Gremorne by Yattendon, and is now six years old. He is a lengthy horse on good lege, with a nice head and good barrel, though he struck me as being a trifle small across the loins. He himself shows a lot of quality, a character which he seems to transmit to his stock, judging from those I saw of. Bundoora, as he has a double strain of of the great Maribyrnong and Yattendon blood. He should suit some of Mr Gardiner's mares admirably. His fee is ten guineas, and Tubal Gain's thirty, and I had almost forgotten to mention that all the mares have been put to Tubal Cain, with the exception of Kestrel, Solitaire and Hauteur, who have visited Quambone. Quambone was the last of the blood stock, and after a ramble through the shorthorns, we returned to the house and sat down to a capital dinner, with an aid to digestion in the shape of some of my host's best claret. And of what was our conversation while the twilight deopened and darkness fell upon the paddocks containing the well-bred beauties in whose company I bad wiled away the day, but of racing, past and present, and of breeding and raising the rising generation of racing youngsters. Mr Gardiner has his own theories as to inbreeding, and it only needs a short acquaintance to show you that he is a most diligent student of the " Stud Book." The evening was far advanced when, after drinking success to the Bundoora Perk stud in a farewell bumper, I turned my back on its pleasant glades, its sunny pastures, and its handsome inmates, and my generous entertainer drove me back to Melbourne, and with many thanks to him for his kindness, I parted with him, and thus terminated the first of my Australian Btud strolls.