TURF NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9079, 1 May 1908, Page 6

TURF NOTES.

(By "Zetland.")

By the death of Mr G. G. Stea-\ of Christchurch, New Zealand loses one of its foremost racing men, and one who will long be remembered by the sporting public of the Dominion as a man who has done splendid and lasting service in improving the breed of the thoroughrbed horses of the country. He was ever known as one of the "straightest" sportsmen that has raced in New Zealand, and the loss to the sport will be a very severe one. Mr Stead arrived in New Zealand in 1866, and soon after his arrival in the dominion' he identified himself with racing, and in 1868 handicapped for the Amuri Racing Club with marked success. For some time he furnished racing reports to the "Lyttelton Times." In 1872 he became a member of the Canterbury Jockey Club, was elected Honorary Treasurer, which position he continuously occupied ever since. In 1875 Mr Stead purchased the imported mare Conceit, a brown colt Tasso, and a filly named Equation. These he palced in the hands of Mr W. C. Webb, for racing purposes. About this time he purchased half share in Mr Henry Redwood's racing stud, the leading one of the dominion at that time. The horses were placed in the capable charge of Mr E. Cutts, and the results were highly successful, as before the partnership terminated they won, amongst other races, the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap, and Canterbury Cup, with Guy Fawkes; the C.J.C. Handicap and Dunedin Cup with Matu; the C.J.C. Derby with Songster; the Champagne Stakes with Natator, and the Autumn Handicap with Bribery. A number of big events were won by Le Loup and Trump Card, owned by the Hon Lancelot Walker and Mr Stead. Taken over to Australia Le Loup won the Victoria Racing Club Handicap, and on his return to the dominion won the trebel at Chrischurch, the C.J.C. Handicap, Canterbury Cup and Christchurch Plate. While still pursuing racing, Mr Stead was not idle in another direction, and had decided upon importing fresh racing material in the shape of some mares and a stallion from England, and, in 1878 he landed the Caterer horse Leobinus, and the brood mares Miss Laura Petroleuse, L'Orient, and Titania, the five costing 3,000 guineas. The following year he imported Pulchra, the grand dam of that great horse Multiform. Later on he purchased in England Cadogan and Crinoline, and in New Zealand paid good prices for Lure, Naiad, Louis D'Or, and Carlton, as yearlings. In 1881 he re-visited England and imported Apremont, and the "brood mares Nellie Moore, Steppe, Florence McCarthy, Falryland.JJ Sweet Cicely, Leila, Lady Ravenaworth, and Deviation, also a yearling colt named Splendour. Other notable purchases made by Mr Stead from time to time were Trenton, Maxim, Machine Gun, Lochiel, Russ- | ley, Gipsy King, Bere3ford, Scots Grey, Rose Argent, Lebel, Retina, Sierra, Field Battery, Medallion, Clanranald, Stepniak, Strowan, Benzoin, Obligado, Royal Artillery, Men. schikoff, Field Rose, San Kemo, Martian, Grand Rapids, and Bluefire Among the other horses, most of which wore bred by him, and which did good service on the racing tracks, were Ich Dien, Reflector, | Searchlight, Bloodshot, Romanoff, Musketry, Mannlicher, Mauser, Epaulet, Uniform, "Bombshell, Bellicent, Motto, Firefly, Gold Medallist, Multiform, Altair, Conqueror, Tolstoi, Screw Gun, Courtier, St. Cyr, Formosan, Sant Illaro, Isrnene, Cruicform, Leda, Skobeloff, Delaware, Lady Lyonors, Malakoff, Bagpipes, Evelyn Wood, King Log, Silkworm, De la Rey, Golden Lily, Rubia, Nightfall, Golden Knight, Munjeet, Sungod, Cruiform Savoury, Boniform, Armlet, and Golden Slipper. The best of these won nearly all the leading races in the dominion. It will thus be seen that Mr Stead was a real "pillar of the turf," and it may be many years before we find another sportsman taking up such a strong position in racing matters generally. Mr Stead made a thorough study of matters pertaining to the sport, and it was to a great extent due to his able advocacy that the totafisator was introudced into New Zealand. Many columns of interesting matter could be written relative to the doings of Mr Stead's best performers, but

enough has been written to emphasise the fact that he was for many years New Zealand's leading sportsman, and one of the most upright of those who race for the love of pure sport. He was, however, not only a thorough sportsman, but a most useful man in commercial circles, holding as he did positions of Chairman of Directors of numerous large companies, and for many years filled the position of President of several very useful institutions.