AUSTRALIAN STUD STROLLS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2236, 2 June 1881, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN STUD STROLLS.

[SPEOIAIXT WBITrEK FOB THB " WEBEIT 1 PBBSS."] [Br Sib Launcbiot.] " You must not leave Melbourne withou . seeing St. Albans " was what all the Austra i lian racing men with whom I came in oontac I during my flying visit to Melbourne told me and, therefore, to St. Albans I determined ti i make a pilgrimage. It was a nasty, boistor i oua, windy day, with a heavy dust etorn : blowing, when I left Melbourne for Geelong but I cared not for the weather nor for thi i prospect of the forty mile journey, bul thought more of the hearty welcome at tht end of it, and of the sights vouchsafed but to the favored, and long remembered and talked of by those who have had the good fortune to be the guests of the proprietor _oi St. Albans, and for many of whom, like myself, the home life of the thoroughbred has more charms than when be is undergoing Ihis toilet amid the busy hum of the crowded saddling paddock, or Where e'r the flag encircled course, Or long bold sweep of billowy down, Inspires the deeds of man and horse. Leaving Melbourne by tne eleven o'clock train, and catching a glimpse on the way at the watering plaoe of William Blown, with its neat little racecourse, and of the Wyndham course, near the Werribee, close to which latter place, until its recent dispersal, was the stud of the Messrs Ohirnside, where Newminster underwent his sensational Derby preparation, I reached Geelong about one, and forthwith took a oab for St. Albans, whioh is between three and four miles from the little soaport town which snugly nestles on the shores of Corio Say, and after a pleasant drive the Mecca of my pilgrimage comes in sight, and I call a halt at the handsome entrance gates, which are but'a short distance from the splendid villa residence, which has a nice garden in front of it, and, presenting my card, I am ushered into the presence of Mr James Wilson, who assured me that it would be a pleasure to him to show me over his establishment, and at the same time expressed his regret that I should not then be able to see the horses in training, who were ! absent in Sydney. We first wended our way to the stables, which are quite close to the house, and whioh afford first-class accommodation for fourteen horses. I was first introduced to Spanish Lady, a two-year-old, by Lothair out of a Lord Olifden mare, a nice speedy filly, but I preferred her neighbour, Tourmaline, also two-year-old, by Fireworks ont of the Gem, and consequently own sister to First Water, who won the last Australian Cup bo easily. She is the property of Mr A. K. Finlay, and ran third in the Nursery Handicap, won by Oooreena, Darebin finishing second. The occupant of the next box was a long, low, brown three-year-old filly by Bethnal Green out of Gironde (dam of Bordeaux), while, opposite to her, I saw the first of King of the Ring's stock in the shape of Free Citizen out of Repartee. The immense power of bis hind-quarters gave me a good idea as to the great size behind, whioh I afterwards observed to be tbe leading characteristic of all King of the Ring's progeny, and though a little low in the withers he has a good back, and is excellent to follow. Glancing on the way at a bay colt by King Cole from Charade by King Alfred, who had only been in his trainer's hands a short time, and was very much in the rough, and paying our respeots in passing to the yearling sister to Free Citizen, and who closely resembles him, we pull up in the antechamber of the great First King, whose name is known throughout the length and breadth of the Australian racing world, and of whom so much has been spoken and written since that memorable New Year's Day of 1878, when Mr Wilson led him back to scale, the winner of the Champion Stakes. There he stood before me, the king of the Australian turf, and as a well known New Zealand racing man once described him in my hearing " the finest horse I ever set eyes on." He is a bay with near white hind foot, and stands 15.1 with a grand head set on to a short thick neck, let in to very long and powerful shoulders. His baok is a treat to look at, and so are his great ribs, which would at once indicate him to be a stayer, if any such proof were needed, and I need scarcely say that he has a grand set of legs, but his feet are shelly, and were always when he was in training a constant source of trouble to Mr Wilson. As a two-year-old he made bis debut at the V.R.O. Autumn Meeting of 1877 when he easily won the Ascot Yale Stakes. He was baoked for a large stake for the Y. 8.0. Derby of the same year, but the state of his feet prevented the trainer from thoroughly winding him. up, and he consequently could only get third to Chester and Pluto. But he showed his true form on New Year's Day following, when he turned the tables on his previous conqueror, Chester, in the Champion Stakes, whioh he won in smin 26sec, the fastest time it has ever been done in south of the line—in fact, Mr Wilson told me that he believed had there been anything in the race good enough to meke the pace a dooker for the last mile, the son of King of the Ring would have beaten Rataplan's famous record. At Geelong, carrying Bst 101 b, and when rather stale, he finished third in the Cup, but at the Y.R.C. autumn meeting he accomplished what the " Außtralaaian" described as the grandest handicap performance ever recorded in Australia, for with Bst 51b on his back he won the Australian Cup, beating a field of thirteen, and running the two miles and a quarter in 4min 2 isec. At the same meeting he defeated Chester in the Leger, but, carrying a penalty, snocumbed to the latter horse in the Town Plate. He was not seen again in public till, when five yeara old (at the Y.R.O. Spring meeting of 1879, he won the Melbourne Stakes (w.f.a,), and the Royal Park Stakes (w.f.a.), but was beaten by Suwarrow in the Canterbury Plate (w.f.a.). At the following New Year's Day meeting he won his sooond Champion Raoe, and at the Y.R.O. autumn meeting, the same year, won the Port Phillip Stakes (w.f.a.). Mr Wilson has only, so far, used him for a few of his mares, but there can be little doubt there is a grand career at the stud in store for the regal champion who has conclusively proved himself the best performer ever seen on the Australian turf. The last animal in the stable was Constance, a three-year-old by King of the Ring from Miss Jessie, by Maribyrnong from Musidora. Oonstanoe is a dark bay, with deep middlepiece and big powerful quarters, but is not particularly well let down, and the bad setting on of her tail rather detraots from her appearance behind, though in front Bhe is very well built. Miss Jessie, the dam of this filly, won the V.R.O. Derby of 1871, and was for some time one of the ohief pillars of the St. Albani stud, but Mr Wilson had the misfortune to lose her last season, when also he sustained a still greater loss in the death of Briseis, the winner of the Y.R.C. Derby and the Melbourne Cup of 1876, and who, he informs me, it was his great ambition to obtain a foal from by First King. Before proceeding to inspect the brood mares, I was glad to aoceptraj hoßt's invitation to lunch in his spacioui dining room, from the walls of which 100 l down piotureß of many an animal, whosi doughty deeds are recorded in thi i pages of the Australian "Turf Register.' ' most conspicuous amongst'these is Don Juan the sensational four-year-old who won the i Melbourne Cup of 1873, while facing him ari i My Dream (winner of the YR.O. Derby o: i 1869) and Gasworks (winner of theLegoi • and Australian Cup of the same year.) Her< 1 also are that wonderful pony Savanaka anc ; First King's sister Petrea, both with Tomm; , Hales in the saddle wearing the well-knowi ; black jacket and white cap, the sight of whicl - in the front rank has so often struck terror ti ) the heart of many an Australian motallician , flanked by paintings of Maid of All Worl , the Maribyrnong Plate of 1874, am i the Ascot Vale Stakes and Oaks of 1875), am > the peerless Briseis, whose dam Hußidora wit ' South Hamilton at foot, occupies a canspicuou ' position over the door. ' After we had done justice to a capita ' lunch Mr Wilson took me to his granarj I under the same roof as which are severe ) loose boxes used for stabling oolts just broke: i in, and a large covered yard with a floorinc o ' tan, which is used for exercise in wet weathei ■ and where the sale of the St. Albans year v lings is held. In this enclosure was Soutl • Hamilton, a four-year-old by King of th J Ring out of Musidora, who won the Two 3 year-old Stakes at the V.R.O. New Year' r Day meeting of 1879, but has not since die I tinguished himself. He is a big bay colt > with a nice head and fine rein and excellen J Bhoulders, grand thighs, big hocks and knees , and good legs and feet. Here also, in one o i the boxes, was a bay yearling oolt by KJD| a Cole (brother to King Lud) out of Lad; f Keith, who was only just taken up, and is 3 rather narrow youngster. In a paddock nea l at hand was the only oolt bred at St. Alban last season, got by King of the King out o

Briseis sister, Idalia. He in chiefly remarkable for his big middle piece, and forms a contrast in size to his neighbor of the same age, got by King Oole (who utands at Mr Tinley's stud at Glonormieton, and whose harem I regret I had no time to visit) out of Tiny Lye, by Saocbarometer. In an adjoining paddock were Fleur de Lis and the Gem, by Maribyrnong from Chrysolite by Stockwell. The first-named, who is the dam of "Wollomai (winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1875), has a neat but small chesnut oolt by King of the Ring. A bay colt by the same sire was running with his mother Mermaid, winner of the Sydney Cup of 1871; while Device, who won the Adelaide Leger of 1878, has also a chestnut colt by him, and has visited First King. The Gem, who had a brown colt at foot by King Cole, is also on a visit to the son of Aoe of Clubs, to whom she appears to be in foaL Mr Wilson now drove me over his training gallops, which are excelled by none south of the line. There are two gallops —one of tan 1J- miles round, and the other of turf If miles, while further afield and closer to tho river Baiwon, is another track of a mile and a half. On the course proper there is a capital straight run of about five furlongs, and in the middle of the largo paddocks round which the training ground runs there are scraping sheds surrounded by a high fence, so that the boys engaged in grooming their roipective charges are in perfect ignorance of what trials have, perchance, been run suoh a short distance from them. Every yard of stuff on these gallops has been carted on to the ground, and the amount of labour and expense involved must have been very large, but Mr Wilson possesses a grand training track, which well repays all the trouble he has devoted to it. The land round which the course runs is cut up into several paddocks, in one of which wen some of the gems of the St. Aiban's stud. A small mare with lots of quality is Pardon, by Yattendon out of Gazelle, who won the V. 8.0. Oake of 1877, and whose first foal, a bay filly by King of the Bing, was running with her. She has visited First King. Maid of All Work, a most beautiful daughter of King Alfred from First King's dam, Mischief, had at her side undoubtedly the finest foal in the paddock, in the shape of a filly by King of the King. Maid of all work herself won the Maribyrnong Plate of 1874, and the V. 8.0. Sires Produce Stakes, Ascot Yale Stakes, Oaks of 1875, and is in foal to King of the Ring, to whom she has already produced Boyal Maid. Calliope (by Angler) and Senorita (a daughter of Lord Olifden) have each colt foals by King of the Ring (whom the former mare has again visited, while the latter was sent to First King). But the oorner stone of the St. Albans' stud is Musidora (by the Premier, dam Binab, by Gratis), who was a good performer, and who has proved a mine of wealth to Mr Wilson at the stud, having never yet produced a bad one. Miss Jessie (who won the Y. 8.0. Derby) was her first foal, and her second, Belphegor, won the V.R.O. Nursery Handicap, his career being cut short by a ruptured intestine. 'Sea Spray (by the Peer) followed, and she, though rather an in-and-out lady, won the Victorian and Adelaide Legers of 1874. Musidora next visited Tim Whifflet (B), to whom she produced Briseis, the only mare that ever won a Melbourne Cup, and who also appropriated the Y. 8.0. Derby and Oaks. She has now a fine filly by King of the Ring, and is in foal to First King, as also is Repartee (by Lucifer from Badinage), a big raking maro with a nicely quartered colt by King of the Bing. Richmond Belle, a rather weedy daughter of Maribyrnong and the Fawn, and therefore own sister to Richmond, has a -filly foal by King of the Bing, and whom she has again visited, as has also Mary Gladstane (by Yattendon—Ellen Tree), the property of Mr H. Haines, the popular Melbourne bookmaker, and present owner of Mata, concerning the disqualification of which horse the recent decision of the C. J.O. gave great satisfaction both here and in Melbourne. Mary Gladstone has a bay filly by the St. Albans stallion, whom also Javelin's sister, Jessamine, a nice mare, but with very bad logs, has visited, her last season's foal, who was with her, being by Maribyrnong. The last mare I saw here was another gem. This was Sea Spray (dam of Caspian, winner of the Y.B.C. Leger last year), whom I have referred to above, and whose son, Baltic, has won several two-year -old events this season. She has a beautiful black colt by King of the Bing, to whom she has again been put. On the other side of the course were the dry mares, amongst thorn being no less a lady than Mischief, the dam of First King and Petrea 1 . She is a little, cobbylooking brown, standing barely over 14 hands on very short legs, but with a nice head and neck, thick shoulders, and as strong as a castle behind. Her first foal was Maid of All Work, whose performances I have enumerated above, her second First King, of whom Z have also written at some length, and her third that brilliant filly Petrea, who won the Ascot Yale Stakes and Y. 8.0. Oaks of 1879, and the A. J.O. Leger and Sydney Cup of 1880. She only breeds every other year, as she shows a docided aversion to any stallion while she has a foal running with her, and this season she missed to King of the Bing, but judging from her appearance I should say she is now in foal to him, and for the progeny Mr Wilson should realise a large sum, seeing that Petrea as a yearling sold for 1500 guineas. Close beside her was Idalia (sister to Briseis), by Tim Whi filer —Musidora, in foal to King of the Bing, as also is Besoue (by Warhawk— Eleanor), whose daughters Elsie, who was one of the best conditioned animals in the stud, and Fairy Scene have also visited the son of Ace of Clubs. Grazing close by was Elinor (sister to Musidora), whom Mr Wilson has pensioned off, and who has conEequontly not been served this season, neither has Yardley, who was imported from England by Mr Wilson, and is by Sterling (sire of Isonomy), and whose shipmate, a four-year-old filly by George Frederick (winner of the Derby), out of the Weatherbit mare Weatherside, has also received the same treatment. Mr Wilson now drove me down to another gallop of more recent formation, mentioned above, which is quite equal to the others, and alongside of which runs the river Barwon, whose banks opposite lave the Geelong racecourse. In a paddock here were four dry mares, namely:—Zenobia, by Pitsford, out of Amber; a three-year-old filly by Tim WhiMer, from Wollomai's dam; Fleur-de-Lis, her four-year-old sister, and Nellie. The latter, who is the property of Mr E. Leo, and deserves more than a passing notice, has only just finished her turf career, and will next season visit King of the Bing. She is by Maribyrnong out of Sir Hercules mare Sappho (dam of Kingsborough and Savanaka), and stands about 15.3, with a beautiful head and lean neck set in to good shoulders, with a strong back and drooping quarters. She has a white star in her forehead and two white hind feet, and in addition to showing heaps of quality, was a sterling performer, having won the Maribyrnong Plate and the A. J.O. Derby. This completed the number of the mares, and the only animal now left for my inspection was the lord of the harem, King of the Bing, who was running in a large enolosure near the stables. In describing First King I have also deaoribed his sire, for the champion winner bears a great resemblance to his father, who is the same color, and has the immense barrel and big thighs and quarters so noticeable in Mischief s great son. King of the Bing, who, it is almost needless to say, is by Ace of Clubs out of Rose de Florence, by Flying Dutohman, won the Asoot Yale Stakes, and ran second to Loup Garou for the V.B.C. Derby of 1872. He is a grand specimen of the thoroughbred stallion, and it is little wondor that although his fee is 40 guineas, his list is full. Bidding adieu to this fine sire, and thus concluding our inspection of the wonders of St. Albans, we returned to the house, and Mr Wilson showed me a handsome gold irophy—Briseis' Melbourne Cup of 1876, tho late Mr Jamas Blaokwood, then ono of the stewards of the Y. 8.0., having that year generously added a gold cup to the stakes given to tho great rase of Australia; and here, also, I saw other cups, mostly won by that game mare Musidora. Mr Wilson invited mo to stay the night at St. Albans, but owing to timo being precious, I was compelled to decline his kitd invitation. It was close on six o'clock, and as the train left Geelong in half an hour, the buggy was brought round to the front door, and after partaking of a cup of tea to warm me for my homeward journey I regretfully bade farewoll to my courteous cicerone, and took my scat in the buggy beside his son, W. Wilton, who piloted Don Juan to victory iu tho Melbourne Cup. We passed out of the entrance gates, on one side of which large willow trees mark the last resting places of Belphegor and Don Juan, and I said good bye to St. Albato, historic in the annals of racing, with its magnificent collection of equine treasures, and was soon once more speeding on my way to Melbourne.