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REMARKABLE MANTON SALE Late Sportsmans Mares Sold at Newmarket December Auctions. Brought Much Higher Trices Than Had Been Expected Analysis of Auctions Reflects Healthy Condition of the Market. - . BY E. E. COUSSELL. LONDON, England, Jan. 1. The story of the Newmarket December sales is a fascinating one. In particular the sale of the late Lord Alantons marcs and foals was astonishing. It will be remembered that the late peer died in the hunting field in March last year. In 1919 Alec Taylor bought him nine yearlings at a cost of 25,000. One of these was Lemonora, which won the Grand Prix de Paris, and another. Love in Idleness, which won the Oaks. Nine yearlings were bought in 1920 and they turned out extremely well. After Lord Mantons death six of the fillies were leased to Somerville Tattersall for one season. Five of them won races worth 10,-000. Love in Idleness was not kept in training, but went to the stud. Last September came the announcement that the late Lord Mantons second son. Robert Watson, was in poor health and would be compelled to spend the winter abroad. The trustees were not willing to take the responsibility of carrying on the stud. Lemonora was offered for sale in October and bought by Robert Watson. The yearlings had been sold in July. HEMAIXDEIl OF MATO STOCK. Now in the December sales came the rest of the bloodstock, fifteen mares and seven fcals. Among the mares were the fillies Mr. Tattersall raced so successfully last year; most of them were in foal to Lemonora. That they would make big prices was certain, but how big no one could say. Last-September, on behalf of an American breeder, I offered 50,000 for the six best mares, which offer was refused. I learned in December that another offer of S0,000 from the owner of the famous Sledmere Stud had also been refused. The six mares that would have been selected made 46,500 in the sales. Bought as yearlings they cost 4,500. For the late Lord Manton or his family they won 40,000 after deducting Mr. Tat-tersalls share of last years winnings. The original outlay of 5,000 produced a return of 85,000 in four years. So far as I have been able to trace, Lord Manton spent about 25,000 on thoroughbreds, which animals one way and another gave . a return of 95,000. I imagine there has never been a parallel to this extraordinary success in so short a time. It is evident that Lord Manton did not dispose of his good luck when he sold his industrial interests. STARS OF THE LOT. The following mares were the mares from his stud which made the biggest prices: Price. Tctrabazzia 191S, bay marc winner of 4,175, by The Tctrarch Azzazia, by Isinglass and tracing to Miss Middle-wick, sister to Violet Melrose, the dam of Melton. Bought by Sir Alec Black, who owiied The Panther 5,000 Lady Juror 1919, bay marc winner of 0,285, by Son-in-Law Lady Josephine dam of Mumtaz Mahal, by Sun-dridge. Bought by Lord Dewar 43,000 Sister-in-Law 1919, bay mare winner of 1,285, by Lcmbcrg Own Sister sister to Son-in-Law, by Dark Ronald. Bought by Sir Alec Black .... 42,500 Two Step 1919, brown mare winner of 1,395, by Bachelors Double Dancing Dora, by Louviers. Bought for B. B. Jones ot.U. S. A 41, COO Love In Idleness 1918, bay mare winner of nine races and ,S05, including the Oaks, by Bachelors Double Cornfield, by Isinglass. This marc was last season covered by Phalaris, but is believed to be barren. Bought by Lord Dewar 3S.C00 Blue Lady 1918, chestnut mare winner of 5,745, by Tracery Miss Cobalt, by Tride. Bought by Lord Woolavington. . . 37,000 The fifteen mares from the Offchurch Stud produced a total of 18,700. The seven foals made 1,800. The grand total was, therefore, 50,500. The highest priced foal was the colt by Gay Crusader, from Love in Idleness. He was sold to Lord Glanely for ,500. All the mares, except Two Step, were bought by English breeders. Two Step was bought by Basil Jarvis for B. B. Jones. Jarvis tells me her mate for 1924 has not been settled, but if Papyrus does not go to the stud until 1925 she will be mated with him that season. LORD DERBYS OFFERINGS. Lord Derby entered two mares. Venetia is in foal to Phalaris. She is a sister to Selene, which won sixteen races and 1,500 and half sister to Tranquil, which in 1923 won the One Thousand Guineas and St. Leger. Lord Woolavington bought her for 0,000. Lord Derby also received 3,000 from Sir Gilbert Greenall the breeder of Love in Idleness, for whom lie was the under bidder for the six-year-old mare Verbena, by Spearmint, from Wife of Bath sister to Chaucer. She is in foal to Phalaris. Few mares of this family come into the sale ring, and when they do English breeders witli long purses are on the lookout for them. It is extremely difficult to buy them to go out of the country. A transaction that caused a sensation was the sale of the filly foal by Percival Keene, from Lady Cynosure sister to Polymelus. This foal made 2,500. She is a sister to a colt which was included in P. T. Chinns sale at Saratoga last August. Percival Keene is a half brother to Corcyra. He was a fast horse, but so far has not done a great deal at the stud, though he is still quite young. HIGH PRICES FOR MANY. Of the mares offered at Newmarket, no fewer than forty-two realized ,000. Further, fifteen of them sold for 5,000 or over. This is a substantial fact to contemplate, especially when we remember that last year only five mares made S15.000 or over. . About thirty lots were bought to go to France ; quite a number for Baron Maurice de Rothschild, for whom his relative, James de Rothschild, was acting. Other French breeders were busy in a modest way, but with the present depreciated rate of exchange, we wonder that French breeders can come in the market at all. It is obvious that if American breeders contemplate raiding the British thoroughbred market, they will have to be prepared to give some long prices for the high class, well bred animals. At the same time there is no certainty that these animals will breed any better stock than many other good-looking mares of not such prominent families. This is, and has ever been, the fascinating part of bloodstock breeding. Quite a number of well-bred young mares and fillies were bought for breeders in the United States, and it is quite certain that they will exercise great influence on the future of breeding in America. Tliey were all shipped on the Mississippi, which left the London docks two days before Christmas.
