Breeding and Racing in Argentina, Daily Racing Form, 1914-03-23

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BREEDING AND RACING IN ARGENTINA. Mr. Ernest Tanner has returned to Newmarket from a six weeks visit to tlie Argentine, a country that just now is attracting more attention, perhaps than any in tlie world, excepting our own. with regard to turf matters. For that reason Mr. Tanners recent experiences are of special Interest. He lia spent half a lifetime in the country, aiid is such a keen judge or public matters that his views of the future of the Argentine should be valuable. The country generally is not going particularly well, owing to over-speculation in land: but it is enormously rich, and everything is certain to coin;. right. The temporary depression makes no difference .to racing, which is in a most nourishing state. Oji the day afterhls arrival at Buenos Aires. .Mr. Tanner went jo the Palermo race course. Palermo is the Newmarket of the country and it is the Argentine Jockey Clubs course. Racing takes place there every Thursday and Sunday throughout the season. The stakes are never less than 350 sovereigns and go as high as .8.000 sovereigns. Most of this is pro vided by the totalisator, which brings the Jockey Club a colossal income. All Thursdays profits are given to charity and tifty per-cent.. of Sundays profit goes to the government; yet it leaves more than ,000,000 for the Jockey Club. Entry fees for tlie races are only one per-cent. Tlie starting is perfect jind the starter has the power to disqualify for a month any horse that is unruly at the post, and has he ower also to line a misbehaving jockey heavily. Stands for paid stewards are erected at every corner, with telephonic communication with the stands, so that the stewards know what has happened before the horses pass the post. On a Saturday afternoon Mr. Tanner, accompanied by Mr. Paats. went to see Mr. Castells stud. Here he saw Your Majesty. looking remarkably well. Here also are twenty magnificent English mares. He was especially in love with a beautiful colt by Cyl-lene out of Lady Wislifort. On the second Sunday at Palermo Mr. Tanner saw the most beautiful lilly he thinks he has ever seen win the principal race. She is by Cyllene. After racing lie looked over the stud of Mr. Marline, de Hoz, the home of Craganour. Mr. Tanner was astonished at the marvellous change in tlie horse: his lean, shelly frame has undergone a complete transformation. Ho has now a big. muscular neck, and lias put 011 so much muscle all over that he apiiears a size bigger. The lxv who "did" him at Robinsons is still with him. and he remarked. "I should like Mr. Robinson To see him now." Craganour served fifteen mares in tlie season. He is ridden every day with just a sheepskin on his back, and with the characteristic Mexican curb bridle with one rein. He galloped rouii1 the race course in grand form just for Mr. Tanner to see. "It seems almost a sin." remarked Mr. Tan ner, "that such a horse should have retired from racing." Chili II., at the same stud, has done just as badly as Craganour lias done well: but he lias been calmed .down by giving him a lamb for companion and begins to look better. Sixty miles by motor took Mr. Tanner to the Ojo De Agua Stud, the largest in the world, where stand Cyllene and Polar Star. Cyllene Mr. Tanner describes as more like ten years old than twenty, and he looks in magnificent condition, galloping most days at exercise. Polar Star Mr. Tanner has always thought it the most perfect horse he has ever seen, but he lias been very unlucky at the stud. His two best colts died last year, hilt all his stock are noted for extraordinary soundness. There are fifty-six yearlings by Cyllene and Polar Star at the stud. Tlie crack three-year-old of the year, tlie lilly. Eruegica. by Cyllene, Mr. Tanner says is a very grand animal, but all stock grow bigger there than in England, though somewhat coarser. The stud of Mr. Martinez de Hoz is absolutely perfect, with every modern equipment. There is stabling for two hundred and tifty horses, willi live paddocks of eighty acres, and magnificent boxes for live stallions, with two acres of paddock for each to roam about in for two hours a day. "Warren Hill." in London Sporting Life.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1914032301/drf1914032301_2_9
Local Identifier: drf1914032301_2_9
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800