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FATE OF JOHN 0 GAUNT Stallion Was Destroyed Because of Lack of Patronage. Was Twenty-three Tears .Old, but Still Healthy and Ylrile Swynford, One of His Sons, Led English Sires Last Year. BY E. E. COUSSELL. LONDON, England, Jan. 11. John o Gaunt was, by order of his owner, destroyed January 7. His death took place at the Meddler Stud, near Newmarket, where he had been located since he came into the possession of Sir George Thursby three years ago on the death of Sir John Thursby. The only reason for sentencing him to death was the fact breeders would not send mares tp him. He was in excellent health and looked well. Also he was extremely virile. In 1922 he was mated with fourteen mares that was the first year his fee had been reduced to 25. In 1923 there were eleven foals from these fourteen mares. The two previous seasons there were only two foals. He was not patronized. It is a pity that the horse was destroyed, because he would certainly have been worth using for the purpose of endeavoring to breed fillies from young mares. I think he might have been allowed to live a little longer. He was just twenty-three years old. Gallinule was three years older when he sired Tor-loisk. and Bend Or, when he sired Tladium, was much older than John o Gaunt at his death. Bred by the late Sir Tatem Sykes, John o Gaunt was a bay horse by Isinglass from La Fleche such breeding should be perfection by a Derby winner from an Oaks winner. Both his parents also won a St. Leger. JIOUGIIIT AS A YEARLING FOR 5,000. Sent to Doncastcr as a yearling John o Gaunt was bought by the late Sir John Thursby for 5,000. High hopes were entertained of the colt, and there is no doubt that he was really high class. Unfortunately toward the end of his yearling days George Thursby and Duke were worried about him owing to leg troubles, and they had to call in expert veterinary advice; John o Gaunt ran four times as a two-year-old and won his last race, the Ilurst-bourne Stakes. In each of his three previous j I races he had been heavily backed. He was favorite when beaten a head at Newmarket the first time out; second favorite when unplaced to St. Amant in the Coventry Stakes at Ascot and favorite for the British Dominion Race at Sandown Park. This was the raco in which Pretty Polly made her sensational appearance and she won it by about an eighth of a mile. After winning at Bibury in July, John o Gaunt required a rest. The trouble was, I believe, the result of strenuous work on the training ground. His first race as a three-year-old was in the Two Thousand Guineas when he was beaten by St. Amant by four lengths with Henry the First third two lengths behind him. BEATEX IX EAVMARKET STAKES. A fortnight later John o Gaunt was beaten a head by Henry the First in the Newmarket Stakes, when St. Amant came in a moderate third. Then came the Derby, the famous thunderstorm Derby. John o Gaunt was second favorite at 4 to 1 ; Henry the First third at 4 1-2 to 1, and St. Amant at 5 to 1. The last named won by three lengths from John o Gaunt. Many people I believe among them was Sir George Thursby, who rode John o Gaunt in the Derby thought but for the storm the son of Isinslass would have won. That may be. The form books show that St. Amant was the best colt of his year, and with Pretty Polly not in the Derby he ought to win it. He was a moody horse, and after the Derby he became unreliable. He was no doubt in a queer mood when he ran in the Newmarket Stakes. John o Gaunt was never seen again on a race course after the Derby. It was hoped apparently to have him sound for racing as a four-year-old, for he did not go to the stud until 190G. It is not generally known that somo time in 3905 a syndicate of Irish breeders offered ?100,000 for John o Gaunt, subject to his passing a veterinary examination. The offer was accepted. J. H. II. Peard came to England to make the examination, but he regretted he was unable to give a clean certificate, for he found that John o Gaunt had course coronets. Notwithstanding, had he recommended the horse his friends would have bought him. Ho was strongly tempted to Advise them to do so and he has many times since regretted he did not yield to temptation, for he believes John o Gaunt would have done better in Ireland than at Malton in Yorkshire, where Sir J. Thursby had his stud. The land there was unsuitable for breeding bloodstock ; the old groom in charge of John o Gaunt never gave him sufficient exercise. Notwithstanding his moderate turf record John o Gaunt made a strong appeal to breeders and his list was full for three seasons when he went to the stud. His first ci op of two-year-olds appeared in 1909. His only winner that season was Cardinal Beaufort. These two-year-olds included Swynford, which was unplaced in his only race as a youngster. He developed a thoroughpin, which prevented him from racing any more that season. The following year he won the St. Leger and other first-class races. All the world knows he was the English champion stallion in 1923. The filly Tootles was one of John o Gaunts second crop. She won several races and was good enough to finish second in the Oaks to Cherimoya. Later came Kenny-more, a good colt which won the Two Thousand Guineas and started favorite for the Derby, but was left at the post. At Don-caster he ran second in the St. Leger to Black Jester. In 1909 to 1913 John o Gaunt sired the winners of 113 races of a value reaching 42,770. His best position in the sire list was when he finished fourth in 1911. During the war his record was most moderate and in 1917 he could claim no winners at all. The fact that Sir . John Thursbay did not care whether the horse was used or not, and never made any attempt to keep his name before breeders, though it must be admitted that breeders rather regretted John o Gaunts siring a number of animals with "queer" forelegs. These two facts may ac- count for his uneven stud career. There were forty-seven individual winners by John o Gaunt twenty-one colts, thirteen geldings and thirteen fillies. The proportion of geldings is high for this country. The colts and geldings won 90 races and ?Jil2,400. Swynford and Kennymore between them accounted for almost exactly half of the winnings of all sons and daughters of John o Gaunt. If John o Gaunts daughters did little on the turf they are doing well at the stud. So far their produce have won 105 races, worth 44,795. In 1923 John o Gaunt mares were the dams of the winners of twenty-four races, worth 2,250. Among their produce are Condover, African Star, Glass Idol and Clarion. It is certain that we shall .find the blood of John o Gaunt will one day be coming out in a great winner. , t j j j I i j I , ; i i j j j 1 j ! j j J j i j I !
