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PROMINENT ENGLISH TURFMEN QUIT. Duke of Westminster to Sell His Entire Breeding and Racing Establishment. I have no doubt that a great deal will be made in certain quart.-rs „f the fact that three prominent owners of race bosses are about to dispose of their animals at the forthcoming extra sale at Newmarket next month; but even if three times the number were to announce their intention of following suit, there would still be no valid reeeoa to despair of the future of the Bathwel sport. Almost every year, during normal seasons, some well-known owner or another decides to give up participation in racing and. if it be incontestable that the war has brought to a head what have been halting opinions in certain directions, this was only to be expected. With regard to two of those gentlemen whose horses are to be sold next month. I have not « far heard of any authoritative reason for the step taken. I refer to the Duke of Westminster and Mr. L. Neumann: but I suppose it was tolerably well understood that the duke has never evinced that keen interest in the sport for which his predecessor in the title was noted. The ease, in tact, is in every respect com parable with that ©f the Duke of Devonshire, of whom the lata nobleman was devoted to racing, whip the present holder of the title — now governor-general of Canada —eared so little for it that after a few years he sold off his thoroughbreds, lock. stock and barrel. Personal lik-s and dislikes of the sort must inevitably occur in eonnecti-.n with every form of sport, just as they do in other phases of the national life, and all breed-minded people understand this so thoroughly that the decision of the Duke of Westminster to withdraw his patronage of hors? racing — if that really be his intention — will be accepted in "he same regretful spirit as was felt and tapitssea1 at the time the Duke of Devonshire and Lord Howard de Walden arrived at a similar determination. So far as Mr. James Barbs— is rooci mod, however, we may rest perfectly assured that his retirement is a w.ir-tino- mtasuit only: while we have the further satisfaction of knowing that he bes n intention of parting with his food ci It Harry Om. Several of Mr. Buchanans horses, including Trinity Besjsxe and Cay I. ally and the stallions Jingling Geordie and Marten, were sold at Newmarket last week, and that his other bones in training are to be offered is due solely to the fact that his trainer. Fred Darling, and several of his stable lads are due to enter upon war si rvice shortly. Meanwhile the stallions and mares at Livington Stud remain to provide the nucleus f a future stable, in which we may hope Mr. Buchanan will find himself the possessor of many good performers. — "Augur" in London Sporting Life of December 13.
