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XACK OF STALLIONS IN ENGLAND. The great feature of the sales last week was the remarkable demand from Russia, no fewer than forty lots being knocked down to buyers from that country, viz.: Mr. Zvequintzoff, Mr. HaskiroIT, Mr. Stolpe, Mr. Mantecheff, and others. Two of the lots bought by Mr. Zvequintzoff were for the Russian Government, one being that good mare, Xormanie. Mr. Zvequintzoff bought Lowood for himself, and will mate her with Lascaris brother to Sailor Lad, who is getting good stock in Russia, and, of course, the breeding of Troutbeck is an obvious "pointer" to the desirability of using a Ladas horse for such a mare. It would seem clear enough that blood stock breeding in Russia is on the up line, but I understand there are not many careful and capable trainers in that country. Pure Gem was bought last December for racing purposes in Russia, and there could not have been a sounder horse, but he was started in a five-furlong race before he was ready to run, and, even so, beaten by only a head. Later on he ran in the important longer distance event, which it was hoped he would win, and was apparently coming in alone, when he broke down badly not more than one hundred yards from home. However, lie will make a nice stallion, and were he in England now might be good enough to tide over the difficulty which has been caused by the death of Isinglass. It is naturally very inconvenient to breeders who had nominations to the great sou of Isouomy to find themselves now high and dry. with all the other leading stallions full up. The Cheveley Park Stud is I know, making great efforts to secure another good horse in time for the coming season, and a cable has been sent to Mr. August Belmont asking if he will send Rock Sand to occupy Isinglasss box. Whether he will do so or not will depend, no doubt, verv much on the prospects of racing in America. It seems a pltv, in present circumstances, that Rock Sand should be in the States, where his stock can have no chance of doing him justice, and many breeders would be glad to hear of his returning to his native land. Such horses as Willonyx, Suustar, Sunder, Bay-ardo, and other debutants at the stud have had their subscriptions filled almost as soon as opened, and leallv there is a lack of good stallions in England. This is due to the sales of so many of the best in A recent years, mainly to Argentine breeders and, in u less degree, to France. A formidable list of expatriated horses can be mentioned without any special reference. Thus Galtee More. Wildfowler, Ard Patrick Flying Fox, Diamond. Jubilee, Rock Sand. Gorgos. Slievc Gallion, Doricles. Your Majesty, and Woolwinder to enumerate classic winners only and to these may be added Cylleno, Polar Star. Missel Thrush, Hay Ronald. Sundridge. and other good horses who did not themselves achieve classic distinction There is no wonder in the circumstances that many breeders are at a loss where to turn to 1 find high-class mates for their mares. Of all the great sires that have been exported only Flotsam has come back to this country, and his services arc to all intents and purposes monopolized by a syndicate. It would be a curious coincidence if Flotsams old rival. Rock Sand, were also to return to England, but, as pointed out, this may possibly happen, and, indeed, will happen if Mr. Belmont is willing. There was little to choose between Flotsam and Rock Sand when on the turf, and they are both beautifully bred, the one being by St. Frusquin out of Float, by Sheen out of Footliglit. by Cremorne out of Paraffin, and the other by Sainfoin out of Roquebrune, by St. Simon out of St. Marguerite, by Hermit out of Devotion. Rock Sands half-brother.- Roquelaure. by Ladas out of Roquebrune, is finding great favor among breeders, and his subscription lias been full for a long time. As to Isinglass, he was 22 years old, and could not Have been expected to last much longer. I read in a contemporary a suggestion that 1 there had been some neglect in letting his insurance lapse about eighteen months ago, but this would doubtless be due to the difficulty in getting underwriters to take the risk unless at some very extravagant rate. If horses could be insured like human beings at a uniform rate for life it would, of course, be absurd to allow the policy of an old horse to lapse, but horse insurance involves an absolutely fresh contract each year, and an increasing premium as the horse grows older, until there comes a time when it is next to impossible to get him insured at all, or the premium asked is so high that it would be bad business to pay it. It is not often that we come across such cases of longevity in stallions as those of Melton and Galli-nule. The former was represented by some very fine foals at the recent sales, and he was twenty-eight years old when he sired them. Galliniile is two years younger than Melton was, and he will be twenty-eight when he commences next season. Yet his two-year-olds of 1011 have been very well to the fore, and there will be few. if any. better three-year-old fillies in 1912 than Alope. Gallinule was a late maturing sire. For some years he was uncertain with his mares, and the stock was by no means of such class as he has shown us in the latter half of his career, when, too, he has proved to be one of the most prolific horses at the stud. He is, I am told, still fresh and well and quite likely to rival Melton in making a good season when he Is twenty-eight years old. There are not many Isinglass horse.? at the Stud, but John o Gaunt in himself is a tower of strength. He. however, is quite full, and his great son, Swynford, will not be available next season, unless for a few of Lord Derbys own mares. Swynford is now out of danger, so far as his leg goes, but he recently had a bad attack of colic, which caused some anxiety. No doubt such a long period of enforced idleness had upset Iilm. We may take it as certain. I should imagine, that Lord Derby will never consent to part with Swynford, who can hardly fail to prove a successful sire when the time comes. Whether Lemberg will go to the stud or not next season does not appear to have been definitely settled, but as he is doing work with the rest of the Mailton string the probability is that he will be kept in training, though he will always find Stedfast a formidable opponent. "Vigilant," in London Sportsman.
