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5 r 1 , 1 I I [ . : : ■ I • ; , • : to, , I . " . j J t 1 [ I 1 | , • l , , • I t ] 1 | j . 1 I | j f I , i l I I r | . ! TALES OF MASTER ROBERT How the Grand National Winner r Was Chased by Railroad Train o Ills Hrecdin Was Accidental as Dams 1 Owner Had Decided to Mate Her With a lyilesdale. By K. K. COUSSELIO LONDON, Kngliind. April 21.— Some tar- . tber romantic history concerning the Grand 1 National winner Master Robert has just been ! revealed by Robert MeKmley, who bred I him. ,at his first attempt f breeding thoroughbreds. Indeed it was ■» very near thing r lie was ever bred at all. His dam, Dodds. Foaled in Scotland, was as a foal sent to Ireland to be wintered in , County Donegal. She almost suceumbed on , the journey and was sin-h a wretchedly weak animal that for days she could not stand j on her feet. As a yearling she developed a deformity • in one of her hind legs which caused Mr. Dodd. who bred her. to give her away to • the late Robert Paterson. who had been 1 keeping the animals belonging to Mr. Dodd. Ultimately Paterson bred several foals. all fillies, from Dodd:. They were small 1 and useless looking so they were sold as 1 troopers to the army. Paterson was tired I of breeding thoroughbreds from Dodds and in 19U wished to mate the mare with a 1 Clydesdale horse owned by Robert AIcK-in-li - y. The latter was most persuasive in 1 endeavoring to induce Paterson to use a 1 thoroughbred stallion. His efforts were in 1 vain. After considerable argument McKin-lt-y . eventually agreed to lend the mare to his friend for breeding purposes. She was ; at once mated with Moorsjde II.. then in 1 his first season at the stud. The result was i Master Robert. PATERSON MAKES A OFFER. When the National winner was about three . months old Paterson offered to give Dodds I to McKinley if the latter would give him the colt foal. McKinley refused for three reasons — two of them particularly Irish in char-i acter. Firstly, because the colt was foaled I on McKinl-ys birthday ; secondly, because he was the first foal sired by Moorside II. The real reason, of course, was that Mc-! Kinley liked his cult too well to part with him. A monetary inducement was refused. Finally, after looking around McKinW-s other horses. Paterson fancied a Clydesdale , colt foal and offered to exchange Dodds for this foal, which offer McKinley accepted. Thus the mare became his property. Master Robert was an enormous size when he was born. As his breeder tells "almost twice" the size of an ordinary foal. He grew like a mushroom and as a vearling was leggy indeed. As a two-year-old Master Robert was sent to be trained by Maurice Reidv at the Iurragh. He returned the colt to his* breeder as he considered the son of Moorside II too big and overgrown as well as not quick enough in his stride to .compete with smarter youngsters. Reidys advice was to turn the horse out till five or six years old and make a steeplechaser of him. Master R..l»ert at llie Plough. when he arrived home Mr. McKinley had Master Robert gelded. His son at that time was with the British army in France Having no one to exercise the horse or look after him properly, McKinley thought a little plough work would be good for Master Robert and help to keep him right. Accordingly he proceeded to earn his keep in this useful manner, though naturally he iraa not distressed with overwork. At the end of 1919. Master Robert went 1 into the stable of the late "Algy" Anthony who was then preparing Trovtown for the Grand National of 1»», which he won Master Robert did the "donkev work" to such purpose that when the National was , over and the horse returned to his breeder • as no good, he was so soured that he even , refused to do farm work. Some time during L92t Master Robert wis OOM for USB. The buyer was Mr Elliott who owned Moorside II. Elliott kept the gelding about six weeks before he was glad to pass him on at a small profit and felt be was fortunate to be abb- to do so Whil, JBUiott owned him. Master Robert spent most if not all his time at grass in a big fteld alongside the Donegal railway tracB. One day wlien a train which are somewhat few and far betwten was passing. Master Robert t.,,k fright. He jumped tie gate-, got on the line and galloped along ! t.ie track in front of the engine for about two miles, until he came t, a bridge across , the River Finn. It was a trestle bridge so Master Robert could net cross it as he bad no footing. He therefore quietly jumped into a mr 1- •low at a place where the railway track is far above the adjoining lands. How Master Robert escaped breaking his neck or 1 leg : or why the train d!d not cut him to pieces will ever remain a mystery. 1 Such are the further details of the career of a National winner, whose history must lie about the most romantic in the annals ] of the world-famous steeplechase. Had Bu- 1 pel-nan not gave way in training Mattel j Robert would never have started at 1 iver-pooi. It was only the most skillful veterin- , ary treatment which kept him on his feet for sufficient time to enable him to triumph m the Grand National, which is practically certain to prove his last race
