view raw text
AMERICAN BROODMARES IN ENGLAND. An Expert View of Their Value and Their v Success When Properly Mated. "When the statistics have to bo made up at the end of the current .season It will be found that American broodmares have played ;m Important part in the history of Its racing, and. further, it will be seen for the most part they trace back to English blood," says Vigilant In the London Sportsman. "Iihoda B., the property of Mr. Richard Crokcr, will stand out conspicuously as the dam of Orby, the winner of the Derby, and of the smart filly, Rhodora, which surprised every one hut her trainer, Dr. McCabe, by the ease with which she ran away from her opponents in the Dewhurst Plate after having but a fortnight before been to all Intents and purposes tailed off behind Lesbia in the Middle Park Plate. Such inconsistencies in form have become all too common since the introduction of the present Impossible system of starting horses from a standstill, for whereas they may get off all right one day, they arc as likely as not to he left the next, and it is only on rare occasions that we see a perfect start such as was that effected by Mr. Willoughby for the Cambridgeshire. Orby and Rhodora are of purely English breeding on the sires side, tho one being by Orme and the other by St. Frusquin; but Rhoda B. is more American, being by Hanover out of Margerine, by Algerinc out of Sweet Songstress, a daughter of Doncaster and Melodious. Whether Mr. Crokers anticipation that Orby will stand training again next year will be realized remains to bo seen, but everyone who admires a good horse will sincerely hope so. As regards Rhodora, which shows all the beautiful quality of her sire, and is really a grand specimen of the thoroughbred mare, there should be a great career in front of her, for though her performances have varied between good and moderate, her last was irreproachable, dimmed only by the close proximity of Little Goose, which finished within three lengths of her. Between them was his majestys fine colt, Perrier, a colt of great promise by Persimmon out of Amphora, which was making his first appearance in public, but is yet so backward and unfurnished that it was surprising to see the stoutness with which he ran on and finished second. All things considered, it was a highly meritorious debut, and, all continuing well with him through the long winter recess, Perrier should develop into a first-class horse next year, good enough, perhaps, to follow In the successful footsteps of his father, Persimmon, and his uncle, Diamond Jubilee. The colts of the season are certainly not top-sawyers, unless exception be made in favor of Prospector, which is not bred to go on, being by Pioneer, added to which a certain amount of doubt must attach to him until it is known whether or not his serious illness has left him affected by any constitutional weakness, as has so often been the case in similar circumstances. "To return to American mares, it was a remarkable day in December seven years ago when at Newmarket the late Lord William Beresford disposed of Jiffy II., Chinook, Sibola, Myakka, Slloah and Lutetla. The first-named daughter of that sensational Cambridgeshire winner, The Sailor Prince, out of Joy, by Duke of Montrose, took the fancy of Mr. Leonard Brassey at ,050, but her several alliances with Cyllene, Matchmaker and Bay Ronald were for the most part failures, and she was in foal to the last-named when, twelve months ago, she was sold for ,000 to Signor Tesio, and left this country for service in Italy. Siloah, by Pontiac out of Saluda, by Mortemer out of Perfection, by Leamington; was sold to Mr. J. Musker for ,130, but she did not bring any new fame to the Westerham Hill Stud, and, having been covered by Orion, was in 190-1 sold for the modest sum of a pony to Mr. Van do Water, and sent to France. Myakka, by Sensation, out of Magnetic, by 111 Used, out of Magnetism, which was sold to Sir Daniel Cooper for ?2,000, produced Hyacinth to Orme in 1903, and Seminole to Flotsam in 1900, subsequent to a dead foal by Merman In her previous season, so that she cannot be described as a stud success, any more than the two mares above referred to. "Major Eustace Loder was more fortunate in his dealings at the same sale, for he bought Chinook for ,250, Sibola for ,750, and Lutetia for 57,730, and they were forthwith sent to his famous stud in Ireland. Chinook produced first La BIse to Laveno, then Chewink to Gallinule, and anon Weathercock to the same sire. Next a brown filly by Laveno, but she was sold as a yearling last summer to Sir Ernest CasscI for ,750, and, although beaten in her only two essays this year, may be safely relied on to recover the purchase money with compound interest, being as yet backward and capable of much improvement from two to three years old. Chinooks yearling is a filly by Gallinule. Next we come to Sibola, by The Sallor Prince, her dam, Saluda, by Mortemer. Foaled in 1S9C, she was tho victim of cruel luck when beaten by Musa in the Oaks, after having run away with the One Thousand Guineas, and for once in a way the great little Sloan did not shine. At the stud her first mate was Count Schomberg, by which she produced Gripenburg, which, however, is a had horse, and, having as a two-year-old run seven times unsuccessfully for Major Loder, was passed to Colonel R. Chaloner Knox, for whom he has won two paltry races in sixteen attempts, all in Ireland. Sibolas next produce was Baltinglass, which in spite of his Cesarewitch failure, was second for the St. Leger and has won since. Moreover, he is thought to bo well above average class by his trainer, and much is expected of him next year. Her filly by Gallinule, which followed, is dead, but I believe she has a good-looking yearling colt by the same sire called Morillon. Lutetia, which could use her feet to a merry tune during her active service on the turf, is now nine years old, and is by Pontiac, her dam, Luella B., by Onondaga out of Kelp, by Strachino, out of Kelpie, by Bonnie Scotland. Her first foal, Gay Paris, by Laveno, is a commoner, though a winner, and his own sister, Parisicnne, is still a maiden. But with the service changed to Gallinule came French Partridge, a dual winner at Newmarket, and, unless my reckoning is far wide of the mark, a very smart filly. She is a big un, capable of more than ordinary improvement with time, and when she has fined down will not unlikely hold her own against all the so-called champions of her age and sex, for the way in which she cut down her opponents first in the Criterion Stakes and then in the Moulton Stakes, was a treat to witness. Last year Lutetia was unfortunately barren to Wildfowler, but there may yet be great stud fame in store for her."
