BEAT GLOAMING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 581, 6 February 1929, Page 12

BEAT GLOAMING

THESPIAN SOLD ABSURD HORSE FOR AUSTRALIA Thespian, the conqueror of Gloaming in the Islington Plate, is to find a newhome in Australia, and will be shipped to Sydney on Friday next. About a year ago Mr. Hugh R. Munro. of Bingara, New South Wales, and the president of the Northern Districts Racing Clubs Association of New South Wales, when on a visit to Mr. G. M. Currie's stud farm at Koatanui, was greatly attracted by Thespian, and tried then to acquire him for his own stud at Bingara. As Mr. Currie was anxious to give Thespian every opportunity to establish himself as a sire, he would not then entertain disposing of hint. Thespian was again this season mated with some of the best of the matrons in the Koatanui stud, and it was only at the termination of the recent season that Mr. Currie was prepared to allow him to leave the Dominion. The negotiations which have been

proceeding have now been finalised and Thespian, who is certainly the best son of the great Absurd, will now find a new home in Australia. He should undoubtedly prove a success at the stud. The oldest of his stock are now in training. The two yearlings by him submitted at the recent Trentham sales were also a splendid advertisement for this young sire, and some keen judges were of the opinion that there were few more attractive colts in the sale than tlie one by Thespian from Pennon. Rich Blood Thespian is a very handsome horse himself and is imparting his good looks to his stock. He is beautifully bred and he comes from the same branch of the No. 2 family as Carbine, Voltigeur and Lord Clifden. In addition to being the best son of Absurd, who was premier sire of New Zealand on five occasions and has sired the winners of £201,927 in New Zealand and £ 68, 092 in Australia, he is out of a mare by Ayr Laddio who headed the Australian winning sires’ list in 1913, while his granddam is by Grafton, a great stud success in Australia, and a half-brother also to tlie famous English sire Polymelus. Thespian combines in his breeding some of tlie most valuable blood introduced to Australasia, and his strong Trenton and Fisherman lines are especially valuable. Thespian won ten good races in the Dominion and £7,335 in stakes. He won the following w.f.a. and set-weight races:—Great Northern Guineas, Islington Plate (in which to beat Gloaming lie ran the mile in 1.36 3-5), Wellington Stakes, North Island Challenge Stakes, the Avondale All-Age Stakes on two occasions, Manawatu Stakes and the Awapuni Gold Cup, one mile and a-quarter. Judging by the stud success of the sons of The Welkin in Australia, there is every reason to believe that this high-class son of Absurd will be equally successful. His future career in New South Wales will be watched with great interest. Tw f o Triers Two jockeys, riders of the only horses in the Farewell Handicap at Bendigo (Victoria) recently had a fight with whips just after the horses pasted the judge’s box. Speedy White, ridden by C. Cole, started favourite, but Hurlstone (C. Dobson) won the race easily. Blows were struck as the horses returned to the weighing enclosure, and the riders were separated by constables and spectators. At an inquiry opened Immediately after the race Cole told the stewards that soon after the start Dobson hit him with the whip, and also struck his mount across the head. Cole also told the stewards that he struck Dobson because the latter called him an offensive name. Dobson denied the allegations. Tlie stewards fined Cole 10s for striking Dobson, and dismissed a protest entered against Hurlstone for running inside the course.