view raw text
END OF BLANKNEY STUD. One of the most famous breeding establishments of the world is marked for a place among the things that have been. Through a long succession of years the yearling from the Blahk-ney Stud brought phenomenally extravagant prices and such sires as Hermit and Galopin made it the leading stud of England. The present owners have decided to go ont of business and part of the horses have already been auctioned off. London Field says of coitain features in its history: "The Duke of Westminsters filly, Shotover, who won the Derby, was bred at Blankney, and was sold for 1,400 guineas in 1879; while in the following year another of Hermits daughters, Qneen Adelaide, realized no less than 3,600 guineas, and Evangeline and St. Mary were bought, the one for 3,000 guineas and the other for 3,900 guineas, by the late Mr. Abington, and the two betwean them won only 1,600. In Queen Adelaides year fourteen yearlings sold realized 14,200 gnineas, which was, up to that time, the largest average on record. Galopin, too, was, of course, a tower of strength to the stud, and at one time the putting up of the Blankney yearlings was ono of the features of the Newmarket July week. A colt by Galopin out of Lightning, bought by Mr, Gerard at 2,100 gnineas, was afterwards named I Keraunos, but he only contributed 1,307 in : winnings. Then Penitent, by Hermit out of Stray Shot, co3t Mr. C. W. Lea 3,0j0 guineas but Won nothing; while Hazeldell. by Hermit out of Hazeldoan, for which Mr. Abington gave 2,300 guineas, also won nothing. In 1884 no fewer ; than five lots realized between 1,600 and 2.1C0 guineas each. In these columns lifts are sometimes given of the high-priced yearlings and the money won by them, and it very often turns out that some of the moat fashionably-bred and promising youngsters scarcely win the price of their corn. Luckily, however, for buyers, there is another side to the picture, and Treasure Trove who won the Lincolnshire Handicap in 1866, is a striking oxample. Mr. Gilby, the owner, , went to buy the mare and foul bat when he saw ! what a wretched little thing the latter was he re- fnBed to take the lot. At last however he consented to buy the mare, at ths same time advising the farmer to knock the foal on the head. The seller objected that the foal would fret on the departure of its dam, and asked Mr. Gilby to name his own price, bnt the latter thought so little of the foal that he said a glass of brandy and water was the most he would give, an offer which was accepted by the farmer upon the assurance that if ever he won the sellor should have a ten-pound note. This unpromising youngster as a two-year-old ran third to Tor-m ntor at Liverpool, and then, when Mr. Benjamin Ellam was hoard to declare that he had the winner of the Oaks in bis stable, not a few people stood Treasuro Trove to win the Lincoln shire Handicap of 1866. He then carried 5 stone 7 pounds, and was one of the very few three-year-olds that have taken that race. At Blankney, however, if there have been some failures, many good winners have gone forth, and one cannot help regretting that a stud eo long carried on by eo good a sportsman should now have been broken up."
