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j ; ; ; ! * ; , ; , „ | i * 1 e " " * NOTED ENGLISH TURFMAN HERE Sir Victor Sassoon Arrives in New York by Plane From Havana — Plans Brief Visit. 1 1 Sir Victor Sassoon, a member of one of Englands oldest families and richest banking firms, arrived in New York yesterday on a brief visit of ten days. A close friend of the Prince of Wales and, like the heir to the English throne, a confirmed bachelor, Sir Victor is reputed to be Englands wealthiest unmarried man. He came by airplane from Havana on the last leg of a pleasure tour around the world. Sir Victor Sassoon for a number of years has been keenly interested in racing -and is an extensive owner and breeder of the thoroughbred in England, and also in India, in which country his family has enormous financial interests. His peacock blue and old gold silks are immensely popular on the British turf and, if they have not met with the success most people would have wished, they have been carried prominently in many high-class races. Possibly the best horse Sir Victor has ever owned was Hot Night, bay son of Gay Crusader, from Tubbercurry, by Captivation, from Glaze Wheel, by Orby. He was runner-up in the 1927 Derby to Call Boy and finished in the same position behind Book Law in the St. Leger. Hot Night also ran fourth in the Two Thousand Guineas. He won the Stud Produce Stakes, Lingfield Park Spring Stakes, Sledmere Plate and Limekiln Stakes. Retired to the stud in 1928, Hot Night had a full subscription list. OTHER GOOD PERFORMERS. Another classic horse to carry Sir Victors silks in recent years was Gay Day, a bay son of Gay Crusader, from Silver Tag, by Sundridge, from Silver Fowl. A non-winner in four starts in his first season. Gay Day the following year finished third to Mr. Jinks and Cragadour in the Two Thousand Guineas, but failed to get close in the Derby, his one victory being in the Davis Stakes at Hurst Park that year. Other useful performers owned by this keen sportsman were Mint Master, a son of Captain Cuttle, from Peppermint, by Spearmint, that won, among other stakes, the Manchester Cup and Liverpool St. Leger, and Prestissimo, son of the St. Leger hero Caligula, from Double Quick, by Bachelors Double, which, owing to an accident, raced only as a two-year-old, to win the West Riding Produce Stakes, Lavant Stakes and Red-car Foal Plate. Like Hot Night, Mint Master and Prestissimo are now holding court at their other owners Moorland Stud, Kentford, Newmarket. It is doubtful if there is a better-bred collection of mares, some fifty in number, at any stock farm than those owned by Sir Victor Sassoon at the Eve Stud, Newmarket. No money was spared in acquiring these matrons, and it will be the irony of fate if Sir Victor does not breed a classic winner or two from the royally-bred inmates that grace his paddocks. BUYS COMEDIENNE FOR 5,000. At the dispersal sale of the late Frank Curzons stud, Sir Victor paid 5,000 for Comedienne, the dam of the Derby and Newmarket Stakes winner, Call Boy. She has this year in training a sister to the Derby hero in Call Girl, a filly that failed to win in seven outings last season but may do better this year. Comedienne, now in her twentieth year, is a daughter of Bachelors Double— Altoviscar, and cost only 50 as a yearling. Another royally-bred mare at the Eve Stud is Silver Tag, a half-sister to the Derby-Oaks heroine, Fifinella, by Sundridge, from Silver Fowl, by Wildfowler. This mare, bred by the late Sir Edward Hulton, was second in the One Thousand Guineas, third in the Oaks and won the 1915 Cambridgeshire. When Silver Tag came up for sale at the dispersal of Sir Edward Hultons stud she was purchased by her present owner for 7,500. FETE HIGH-PRICED YEARLING. Another classic-bred mare at this stud is Fete, a daughter of Tetratema — Confey, by Polymelus. She was sold as a yearling at the Doncaster sales for 0,000. Then there are Dew of June, by Polymelus; Dorsye, by Phalaris, and Dawn, an eight-year-old half-sister to the unbeaten Tiffin, that cost Sir Victor 6,000. She is by Caucer— Dawn Wind, by Sunstar. Still others are Little Cyn, a half-sister to the Kentucky Derby winner, Zev, she by Friar Rock — Miss Kearney, by Planudes; Song Bird, by Orpheus— Golden Wings, by Neil Gow, and Painted Beauty, by Gay Cru- sader or Gainsborough — Mary Machree, a Desmond mare from Vain Duchess, the granddam of the Derby-Guineas hero, Manna. Sir Victor Sassoons silks have been carried with much success in recent years in India. Star of Italy, which boasts so much Irish blood in his veins, being by the St. Leger hero, Caligula — Star Belle, by Sun-star, from Butterfly Belle, by Fariman, won, among other important stakes in the East, the coveted Viceroys Cup at Calcutta in 1930. At present Sir Victors horses in England are trained by C. Waugh at Newmarket. For the past four or five years the veteran Eng-1 lish saddle idol, Steve Donoghue, has been first jockey to the wealthy sportsman, who, despite poor fortune, carries on as exten- sively as ever.
