view raw text
r t 1 , i j : j i 1 1 1 i : : MACOMBER S PURCHASE OF ENGLISH BROOD MARES The raid Mr. Macomber made on brood mares at Newmarket last Monday was naturally regarded with satisfaction by vendors. He bought thirteen lots at a cost of 16,090 gs. in addition he bid for a few more that finally went to other buyers. One way and another Mr. Macombers operations were most helpful to the sellers. Some of his purchases were good ones from his point of view, but others may turn out less satisfactorily. This must always be the case when a buyer is in a hurry, as Mr. Macomber appeared to be. Caution can, no doubt, be carried too far. A buyer of brood mares or, for that matter, any other class of bloodstock, who is never willing to take risks is bound to miss some fine bargains. But in the case of mares there are certain considerations which cannot wisely be overlooked. Mr. Macomber is a Califoraian, but for many years he has been racing on a big scale in France. In September, 1920, he bought the racing stable and breeding stud of the late W. K. Vanderbilt, who in his will had directed that both establishments were to be sold after his death. Mr. Macomber paid 2,000,000 francs for them. At the normal rate of exchange that sum was equivalent to 4S0,000, but actually it was about 200,000, because Mr. Macomber would be converting dollars into francs. Anyway, it was a stupendous deal the biggest of its land ever recorded. As a result of it Mr. Macomber found himself owner of 125 thoroughbreds, in addition to the big batch he already possessed. Mr. Vanderbilts horses in training numbered fifty-five, and the stallions that passed with them were Maintenon, Sea Sick, McKinley and Oversight. How many of the remaining lot were brood mares I cannot say, but they must have made a tidy "parcel." I imagine that very few of Mr. Vanderbilts mares were bred in the British Isles, for I have no recollection of his buying over here. Nor, until now, has Mr. Macomber bought at our sales, though it will be remembered that during the war he year after year relieved J. B. Joel of his yearlings, and so acquired many good fillies that will have gone to the stud. Edward Moorhouse in London Sporting Life.
