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GILPIN INVADES ENGLAND Tells of Move from Ireland to Scene of Later Triumphs. Sircnia Scores in Dnkc of York Stakes at Kempton Park Waterhcn, Another Galli-nule Mare, Scores in the Derby Cup. P. P. Gilpin, the English trainer, tells of his first experiences in trainingr horses in England after his successes in Ireland in the following article from the London Weekly Dispatch: "When I first came to the turf, races were not run through as they are today. They were generally muddled along for three parts of the journey, increasing the pace in the last quarter or so only, the result being there was nothing like the strain on the horses that there is now. Sloan, -who came here with the supreme confidence in himself, totally altered all that and certainly justified that confidence. A superlative judge of pace, he was unquestionably a wonderful jockey. He shook some of the other jockeys out of their leisurely methods and soon found others to copy his plan of taking up the running and setting a good pace from the start. Morn-ington Cannon and William Jane rode a good deal for me in those early days and were both masters of the art in their own particular styles. Though I had been successful in training in Ireland, it was not without a certain amount of trepidation that I embarked on my career in England, where there were so many who had been brought up to the sport and a number who were justly celebrated for their great achievements. But never venture never win, so I determined to try my capabilities, such as they were. KXGLISH HAY TO IKELAXD. I only introduced one novelty into racing. When in Ireland I imported English hay into that country. The Irish climate is so humid that the native hay is never quite so nutritious or well matured as it is here, and although imported English hay cost me twice as much as the home-grown variety it justified its use, as- there was little or no waste. I That it contributed largely to my success in : Irish races I feel sure. A horse which served me well in Ireland and subsequently crossed with me to England, where she early distinguished herself, was Sirenia, one of the best mares I have ever trained. Noble Johnson bred her at his place in Cork and called my attention to her when she came up for sale as a yearling at the horse show sales in Dublin. I purchased her for Col. Arthur Paget, later Sir Arthur Paget, for 25. As a two-year-old Sirenia won all her four races. It was while visiting Capt. Peter Quin at Leopardstown that I first met Col. Arthur Paget, who was one of the promoters of that meeting and always used to stay there When racing was in progress. At that time I also leased Waterhen from Fleetwood Rynd, I with the option of purchase a sound bargain, as Waterhen won several races in Ireland, including the Grand Prize at Leopardstown, one of the biggest racing events in the country. TJXDEItltATED SIItEXIA. To return to Sirenia. I did not think then that she was to become the great mare, that she ultimately proved herself to be, both on the race course and at the stud. Her first important venture was in the Duke of York Stakes, worth 0,000, at Kempton rark. Unfortunately, site was not at all as well as I could wish. I do not think she had really had time to become acclimatized. I expressed grave doubts to the owner as to her prospects and advised him not to run her till I thought site was really right. The consequence was she ran practically I unbacked. I Colonel Paget was far more hopeful of the result of the race than I, but we were both surprised to see her win that important event by a short head. While delighted to win so big a stake for her owner, I was naturally disappointed that it was a bloodless victory sc far as I was concerned. Sirenia started at the long odds of 30 to 1, beating a hot-pin in Mount Prospect, owned either by Sir Abe Bailey or Molly Clark the horse having been sold cither just before or. just after the race. I think I had only a fiver each way on Sirenia, but the connections of Mount Prospect supported their horse witli a bundle of money. There was a good deal of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth in their camp for some time atterward. Mount Prospect was a good horse, r.nd I bought him at Sir Abe Baileys sale two years later. A curious feature of the Duke of York Stakes was that the first three were all sirctl by Gallinule. While there was only a head , between the first two, four lengths separated them from the third, Bridegroom, another Irish-bred animal was fourth, and there were ten more runners behind them. It was a great race for the ring practically a skinner for the majority. riltST WIX IX ENGLAND. This was my first win as a trainer In England. My second prize was the Derby Cup, won five weeks later by Waterhen, another mare sired by Gallinule, which had also come over with me. Our second win caused again a good deal of surprise and public excitement, but, like the first, brought 1 us in no money from the bookmakers. In this race we ran Sirenia, which was now fit and expected, as well as Waterhen. both owned by Colonel Paget. Though Colonel Paget thought Waterhen had a good chance of winning. I was more keen on Sirenia. which carried most of the stable money. But events showed that the owner had again displayed the greater foresight. Sirenia started at a short price, was badly away, and did not run up to her true form, whereas Waterhen jumped off unexpectedly well, and won by a head from old Eae.r, which in turn was a head in front of Golden Bridge. Like Sirenia before the Duke of York Stakes, AVaterhen had been amiss with liver trouble until just before the day of the Derby Cup. Her astonishing form in the race was a complete surprise to the stable. Fortunately, we had saved on her at 20 to 1, though we made no profit from our investments on the race. Waterhen was a gocd-Icoking hay mare of stronger build than Sirenia, though not so well bred on the dam side. In later years they were sent to the stud, where Sirenia was a great success. Sirenia is the dam of many exceedingly good horses, including Seylla, which became the dam of that good horse Junior Siberia, which won nearly 0,000 in stakes, and which in turn was the dam of Snow Marten, winner of the War Oaks, and Electra, winner of the One Thousand Guineas and dam of Elkington, Elsdon and Salamandra. The latter subsequently sold for the record irlcc paid for a brood mare at public auction ,000. Sirenia was the dam of Moyglare, which was one of the fastest animals I have ever trained, but unfortunately broke down in training as a three-year-old about a week before Ascot; Cellini, winner of the 5,000 National Produce Stakes at Sandown Park; Courabaya, the dam of Comrade, one of the gamest and truest horses that ever stood on iron, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix de lArc de Triomphe; St. Cyr, winner of the Criterion Stakes; Tournament, third in the Middle rark Plate and second in the Two Thousand Guineas, but which broke his leg shortly afterward and had to be destroyed, and Gigaro, winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket and subsequently sold and sent to Russia. Not a bad record for a mare purchased for 25. It was unfortunate that we early lost three of her progeny in Electra, Moyglare and Siberia. As I have stated. Mount Prospect, the horse on which his connections had gambled to win them fortunes when unexpectedly beaten by Sirenia in the Duke of York Stakes, was ultimately purchased by me.
