FORTUNES IN HORSEFLESH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 193, 18 September 1909, Page 4

FORTUNES IN HORSEFLESH.

£50.000 OFFERED FOR A SINGLE ANIMAL. Yet another record has been added to the long prices paid for racing stock (says a Home paper). The other day 15,000 guineas was realised at Newmarket for the celebrated brown marc Flair, the property of the late Sir Daniel Cooper. This is no less than 2400 guineas in excess of the amount paid for La Flechc by Sir Tatton Sykes some years ago, 12,000 guineas being the. best previous price ever paid for a mare for breeding purposes at the Newmarket sales.

The 15,000 guineas for Flair, however, is by no means the highest price paid for a racehorse. M. Blanc paid no less than 37,500 guineas for Flying Fox, yet he proved one of the cheapest horses that ever went through a. sale ring, for his stock won the purchase-price several times over.

FAMOUS MONEY-MAKERS. Which reminds one that Eclipse, perhaps the most famous thoroughbred that was ever foaled, although purchased in the first instance for 75 guineas, earned, with its progeny, over £200,000. Another record money-maker was St. Simon, who died last year at the age of twenty-seven, and whose sire, Ga opin, the Derby winner of 1575, lived to the same ripe old age. St. Simon belonged to the Duke of Portland, and was bought for the comparatively .small sum of 1000 guineas. He was never beaten, and at one lime was bringing the Duke a revenue of £IO.OOO a year. Altogether he earned over £500,000. FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND ENGLISH RACEHORSES.

This, however, by the way. Amongst other amazing prices paid for famous racehorses of the past niiirht he mentioned the 30,00" guineas given for Dia,nio;nl Jubilee, while it is generally believed that an ambitious breeder endeavored to acquire the King's horse Persimmon lor the sum of £50,000. He was told that Persimmon was not t'i-r sale. When Velocity won the Doncastor Cup three years ago, 20,000 guineas was offered for the winner by a foreign Government, but it was refused. Foreign countries have always been very anxious to acquire English horseflesh. The Argentine Republic, for instance, bought the late Duke of Westminster's Ormonde for £12,000, and last year secured Mr. liass's thirteen-year-old Cyllone for no less than £25,000. Two years ago Slieve Gallion was sold to an Austrian sportsman for £.15,000; while Galtee More, the winner of the Derby of 1897, was sold by Mr. Gubbins to the Russian Government for £25,000.

ROMANCE OF ORMONDE. ' The mention of the sale of Ormon.le reminds the writer that this horse, after going to the Argentine Republic, wr.s resold for more than twice the price given for it liy that country. After the horse had been shipped to Argentina, several English turfmen, displeased with the loss of the splendid animal, raised between them £20.000 for the purpose of restoring it to the English Turf. A young American, getting wind of this, hurried to Arsrentina and offered £25,000 for the animal. The offer was about to be accepted, when a millionaire secured the horse for £30,000. Few owners were more lucky in their purchase of racehorses'than the hl'.e Duke of Westminster. Doncaster was bought by him for £15,000. This animal is Ihe son of Persimmon, and has: already won over £20,000 and stands a chance of winning £30,000 more. Amongst the racing winners of recent years, of cuiirse, Sceptre, which Mr.' Sievier sold to Mr. Bass for £25,000. holds a promient place, and Rock Sand realised a similar price.