SALE RING DRAMA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 76, 16 April 1937, Page 8

SALE RING DRAMA

Iliad Colt Purchased BIDDING FROM INVAUD CHAIR SYDNEY, April 2. A sick man, sitting in a wheeled chair beside the auctioneer's rostrum at ,the Sydney thoroughbred yearling saies, paid the highest price of the series — 1800 g(uineas — for the New Zealand bred Iliad — Quadrilateral colt. He was Mr John Spencer Brunton, one of the most respected of Australian racehoree owners. Sentiment does not often enter into the racing game, but the hundreds of hardened buyers round the Randwick sale ring were obviously impressed by the pathetio sight of the eick man who could scarcely nod his head to signify his bids. Mr Brunton, member of a wealthy flour-milling family, has not spared expense during the last 40 years to obtain champions of the turf, either by breeding them himself or by spending lavishly on yearlings, both in Australia and New Zealand. His enterprise has been well-rewarded, for many good horses have carried his colours. Brother of Homer. The best of Mr Brunton' s horses was Homer, whom he bought in New Zealand for 550 g^iineas. Homer won rich prizes as a two-year-old in Sydney and iVlelbourne. He crowned his achievements by dead-heating with Allunga in the A.J.C. Derby in the spring of 1935. Five days later the fruits of that triumph turned to ashes for Mr Brunton. Homer, running in the Craven Plate, fell and broke a leg, having to be destroyed. Mr Bruntori broke down and wept when he learned of his favourite's fate. It was because of Homer that Mr Brunton yesterday paid 1800 guineas for a horse. The splendid colt who drew exclamations of admiration as he pranced into the sale-ring is Homer' s full-brother, Mr Brunton had eagerly awaited the day when a brother of his defunct champion would be o'ffered at auction, and yesterday his chance came. Sickness had intervened. He had to be helped to the ringside, and did his bidding from au armchair. CHmax of Biddlng. It was one minute to four o'clock when the colt Came into the sale ring. At four o'clock bids had reached 1100 guineas. Half a minute later the bid was 1700 guineas. At that bid, Mr Brunton was on the point of giving up. His sole opponent by then was Mr A. E. Tyson, a wealthy Victorian squatter. The ( bidding dwelt. The auctioneer looked at Mr Brunton and waited. The bent figure in the armchair slightly straightened. He cast his eyes once more over the magnificent lines of the colt in the ring, his head feebly nodded, and his 1800 guineas was the winning bid. The former New Zealander, George Price, who trained Homer, will also have charge of the full-brother