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HOW LAURA WAS SOLD FOR 125 125Famous Famous Brood Mare Went for a Song anil Her Produce Won a Fortune There are those who maintain that there is no such thing as luck in racing writes Rapier in this Illustrated Snorting and Dramatic News How else would you describe the fact that Mr Gosden this miller of Midhurst hapwned to be in Drewitts stable at Lewes when Sir John Astley had gone down to look at his mare Laura One afternoon Sir John Astley was looking at Laura despondingly Her head was hanging down between her knees she she would not eat and he was convinced that she would never be worth a row of pins either for racing or for the stud He told Drewitt that he could give her to any of his farmer friends who might think her wortli acceptance Mr Gosden as just remarked was in the stable yard Dont do that he said Ill give you a pony for her Sir John thought he had made quite a good bargain Mr Gosden yas convinced that the advantage might be on his side and with reason for Laura bred him thirteen or fourteen foals five that came consecutively being ProtoMartyr Kratiltjiii Lem nos Rothcrhill and Petrarch Fraulein was sold to Mr Sterling Crawford for 20000 Petrarch was sold to Lord Dnpiilin for 50000 an absurdly cheap horse The 125 mare produced a half dozen colts and fillies which won between them 144285 to which total Petrarch contributed eight races worth 91300 including the Middle Park Plate Oie Two Thousand Guineas the Prince of Wales Stakes at Ascot the St Leger the Gold Cup and the Rons Memorial This is one of the romances of racing and it need hardly be said that Petrarch when he went to the stud became the sire of Busybody The Bard Miss Tummy Cereza Florentine and Throstle among others
