THE HON. J. WHITE’S EPSOM DERBY CANDIDATES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 459, 2 April 1890, Page 5

THE HON. J. WHITE’S EPSOM DERBY CANDIDATES.

From the English cablegrams to band this week, it appears that Kirkham is doing the best of the Hon. J. White’s two candidates for classic honours. In a recent issue of the Manchester “ Sporting Chronicle ” appears a very interesting and favourable review of the colt? by “Snap,” an acknowledged authority on thoroughbreds. After going into detail on the breeding of the two colts, highly commending the strains of blood flowing in their veins and Mr White’s system of breeding, “ Snap ” goes on to say : “The Newmarket cognoscenti, however, hardly look upon them with such favourable eyes, many taking objection to them on account of their wa»t of quality as compared with English thoroughbreds. This has no weight with mo, for I remember the same objections weie entertained with regard to the American horses, and we know how good they proved to be. This want of the same beauty of outline as Englishbred horses possess is, I feel assured, caused by the difference of the climates of England and Australia and has no other meaning, and is not indicative of the possession of less racing powers. Nature adapts itself to the surrounding circumstances, and produces outward forms suitable for them without altering or lessening the inward goodness, and as we see the purest English blood of ascertained goodness flowing in the veins of these Australian-bred colts, prejudiced indeed would be the man who would pass them by on this account alone. ‘ Handsome is as handsome does’ is as true now as it was when it was first uttered. Far more interesting is it to know that they stand on good sound legs and feet, anti their size and substance show them to be possessed of great constitutional vigour. My opinion of the two, going only by their blood, appears to coincide with that of an Australian critic, who judged by appearances alone, and I am by no means alarmed that our opinions differ from that of the Enelish horse-watchers. But one thing strikes me very forcibly, and that is the number of good_ horses that exist this year, and many of them are inbred to the second and fourth quarters. Whether a greater number of good horses exist, or I have been more than usually careful in finding them, I am hardly at prese-nt certain, but in ordinary years I think it can be conceded that these Australians would have held their own, and probably taken the highest honours ; bub they are cast in a year of exceptional goodness, many of their contemporaries being bred upon the same lines. It becomes then a question whether, good as they are, we have nob afew better ; and, taking all things into consideration, I think we have. And the stock of Isonomy certainly will require, if no others do, putting back. The interesting struggle that has been going on for a number of years between Touchstone and Birdcatcher families with no definite result will revive additional interest this year. Whalebone, who was the common ancestor of perhaps the two most noted families in England of the present day, finds a rival in the children of Chester, of Australian birth, and who traces in the direct male line to his own brother Whisker. The struggle must bo fought out to the bitter end, but I think victory will re3t at the finish with the descendants of Whalebone, die elder brother of the two. ”