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FAMOUS MARES BOUGHT FOR A SONG English turf history records any number of instances of the purchase of mares for n mere song that were destined to become dams of great winners. Tlie elder W. I. Anson founded the famous Blink Bonny Stud by the purchase for thirty sovereigns of Queen Mary after traveling all over Scotland to find her. Had he failed in his quest the English turf would never had had such celebrities as Haricot, Blink Bonny. Caller On, Breadal-bane. Broomielaw. Brinkhoolie nor Blair Athol. Another great brood mare, The Bloomer, dam of the Derby winner .George Frederick, and among others of Albert Victor which dead-heated witii King of the Forest for second place to Fnvouius in the Blue Ribbon of 1871. was once sold in her earlier days for the bagatelle of a "pony" 25. Neither of these, of course, was sold by auction, nor for that matter was Laura, for which Mr. Gosden gave Sir John Astley it "pony," and which rewarded him by producing such equine gems as Frauleiu and Petrarch, not to mention Botherhill, which Is cue of the two sires to which the paternity of St.-Gatien is described. Mr. Hammonds good colt being by Rotherhlll or Tlie Rover.
