The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
THE NEWMARKET SALES.
a REVIEW OF THE GREAT EHeLIsR
AUCTION OF RAOB HORSES.

1 n aENIEW Or IHE 0HbAI II
AUCTION OF RACE HORSES.
-
Some High Prices and Some Great parGnins
Obtatned-Lord nosebery on RncinG and
Br~eedinE-Hunt BaIis and M~unting-spor
with the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RaoisE.
LONDON. Jan. There 10 generally q stir In
the sporting world here at this period. With
the exception Of hunting the moro serious pur-
suits OF tho horseloving fraternity are laid
aside. and festivities Of various descriptions arc
In full swing. We are not, perhaps. 80 conspic-
uously festal as a century back. II we are we
do not parade our rejoicines 80 freely. And one
may look vainly in the papers Of to-day for any
account OF such merriment as once made every
country house and all the country people bright
and festive. There are exceptions, however. and
we make much Of them. They are still hanging
around that Glmcrack dinner speech. The Earl
OF Rosebery has certainly the happy knack Of
creating interest in his words, whether 1t be n
political address or an grafton to some f1ne
sporting spirits after a Yorkshire dinner. There
10 being revived on every side the fact that q
youthful Primrose once dreamed Of being Pre-
mier and winning the Derby-a great double
event, indeed, which he achieved a few years
back, but only latter a quarter Of q century Of
~fruitlcss expectation"
The sentence which touched q sympathetic
chord. perhaps, In the breast Of his fellow
breeders was that philosopbic but somewhat
melancholy utterance. coming as It did from
the most successful racing Minister of our
time: The amusements Of tho turf do not lie
on the race course. but in tho breeding of O
horse-in that most delightful furniture Of
any park or Enclosure, tho brood marc and
the foal, and In Watching the development Of
the foal, the growth OF the horse, and his exer-
else at home" There is much truth in this. Yet
the implied encouragement from the race course
need surely not be SO great. There is a general
feeling among breeders and owners that It is
time this bad impression should be swept away,
II possible. These enterprises can be contribu.
tory to tho greater prosperity OF the turf; and
the race course can in turn contribute to their
own. This is far from being reached in anything
like perfection. But tho thin edge of the wedgs
of Improvement has been driven in over here.
and there are better prospects for all concernei
near at hand.
Among others remarklng on the position
more forcibly impressed upon us by the owner
of Mentmore-the Daily Telegraph cynioally
says: I'VE offer this as a purely conjectural
explanation of the reason why only success on
the turf, and not failure thereon, provokes the
denunciation Of the Puritan. But from the
enigma of the moral distinction between a Sec
rotary of State or a President of the Council
and a Prime Minister. considered as q patron OF
the turf, we confess that we retire discounted
and abashed. 1t is one Of those mysteries which
are best contemplated in reverential silence, OF
on which, at any rate. to quote the judicious
Hooker, it behooves US that our words should be
wary and few" Without agreeing with the
last entirely, 1 think most people agree that the
distinctions and prejudices about the turf are q
great hindrancet to better things in many Other
channels. Such nonsense ought to be discour
aged every where. 1t is the abuses alone thai
require to BIO ridiculed away.
There Is some really good hurdle racing here
ut Leicester and Plumpton. ten and a dozer
starters being quite common. Galliard, johnny
Morgan. Isobar. Cylinder, st. Michael, and Blu
chanan being among the last winning !" jumper
sires. Tho improvement OF his branch of sport will
give encouragement to many breeders Of hea vlel
stock. 1t is a lamentable fact that up to the
present time there has been no direct field o.
encouragement for this deserving class o.
breeder. Yet there is no end to the good sirel
now at the stud in England likely to beget Root
jumping stock. Taking at random the stallion
iected dozen, all worthy a trial in this line, moi
to mention at present the crack sires. nor those al
exclusive Sann Hoa ~esmcra Hth9n Bird Rol OF Freedom Blue
mason. Gonsalvo Sanfoin. Queens Counsel
Oberon. Gold. Rousseau. Bucephalus, Benburb
lack steeplechase sires. There are nfty OF prom
lbO. huHlCE uICculhk - dlStInCls Jul our InOT
oughbreds are doing good work this season.
The December sales at Newmarket. which &C
best part of a week. were remarkable in many
respects, as anticipated. As for bargains, there
WAS e Ara rare ?, lot ,.; # them h. n to 60 BY h breeding alone
perienced that 1t is not exactly sufficient to dc
So. There arc many influences. OF course, mill
mixed up with terrestrial faillibii;ty. that mos
things here below have to be judged in relation
Of them. 1t Is not worth while. listen
ing to the abor, rif bssas OF s9m!
Build their concl1slons, not upon facts
but upon tho accidents and exceptions
which % ny them. IT. Is nj perfectly leS true
turn out worthless, or very nearly SO. II thi,
were not the case, breeding blood stock would
1t is 10 those who use discernment in the right
way, though there would still be IA tremendous
the majority still breed on haphaZard theories
1t is not always the alliance Of high.soundinl
q qamss so %ntsh REG %aTe Than s%nG this. f'f BUT It IS IS still III
n speculation. not u certainty.
In these matters. Nevertheless, tho most sue
cessful over here have always been the most en-
terprising. A telegram has frequently been the
deed the produce OF u good looking marc well
mated has often been anticipate by the specu
But this is neither a safe nor common mode Of
procedure. You must assure yourself OF the
s %ilRons sis ana sh aa esst of any ,G rof ESs.niss's SpGn 1 ine
average merit of the stock at home. I might
add this is, especially desirable at q time
when bad legs are so frequently tho &C,
compartment OF fashionable" breeding
AS regards legs there has been q
good deal OF lottery about the enterprise
On tho whole, there Is none better for the pur
chaser of blood stock, perhaps. than the sale
paddock system, such as YOU find at Doncastel
and Newmarket. and where you have every
chance to ~critlcise or pick holes in your intended
purchase. This is, OF course, the general Gus
tom now everywhere; but in England the
foreign speculator has more convenience in thii
respect, as he can journey about at his ease
from one stud to another. providing he obtain
permission, and gain all information for IA good
deal. In tho States he would have TO journey
thous inds OF miles TO get near certain blood.
Notable items of the sale were the failure Of
two OF our handicap cracks to reach their reserYt
prices. Quarrel has more than once showI
remarkable speed. yet Lord RoSebery's estima
tion of him was not confirmed around the sale