The New York herald., 1921-02-13
SENSATIONAL PRICES
FOR ENGLISH HORSES
Tom Welsh, Veteran Traine
Says Values Not Considered
at Sales Ring.

Thomas Welsh, who recently returntc
from an extended visit abroad on beha'i
of Joseph L. Widener of PhiladelDh! !.
for whom he trains. found an extraordi-
nary condition in England and France
In connection with the breeding and rae
ing Of thorouNlbreds. Mr.. Welsh spent
much time in France prior to the wa
when Mr.. Widener maintained breeu-
ing farm and raced an extensive staofe
there. He has been a patUn OF the biz
English sales in search of desirable blocd
, stock for his employer for many yaa'
In speaking of the Newmarket saleo.
where values ran to sensational heights,
eliminating in the payment Of the record
breaking price Of 10000 guiueas for the
eiGht-ycar-old mare Salamandra. by st.
81 usquin, out of Electra by Eager, ~
dam of Orpheus, the winner of the
Champion Stakes, Mr.. Welsh said:
The bidding on the lots that were
considered desirable was sensational
Values seemed nothing when 4 certain
individual was wanted. Mares that
would In ordinary times bring a thoa-
sand guineas went for three, four and
even nNe times LllaI l5uTt 1 i.H ilai4.NL
appeared 10 be dominated by AN entirely
new element--men who had made money
during the war and were eager to estab-
lish themselves in racing. IT was q
fortunate thing that American breeders
secured so much good blood within the
past few years, as present prices are
prohibitive.
"The bidding on Salan1andra brought
into prominence once more the Russian
oil magnate. l.. A. Mantacheff. He forced
her to the record figure for brood mares
at auction in any country. Mr.. Manta-
cheff had some horses in training in
both England and France prior to the
war. Shortly after hostilties began he
disappeared. His horses were sold for
feeding and training bills. and II was
thought at one time that he was dead.
Now he is back again Operating on
larger scale than ever before.
There are lot more like him. espe-
cially in France. where the only really
old timer that Is racing a big stable is
James Hennessy who. by the way, has
good horse In Sourbier, by Gorgos.
Most of the others taking part in French
racing are newly rich. Those OF the old
regime that are left are conserving their
interests and hoping for better days. It
Is necessary that they should with the
three cents as against twenty cents T.
normal times.
Sensational values for thoroughbreds
abroad" resumed Welsh, "are not con-
fined to breeding material Horses capa-
bic Of winning races are sky high.
There are no more thousand dollar sell
ing platers. Many horses in selling
races in England during the autumn
were bid UP TO $500. Values at home
hYinrrg
up the matter OF racing programmes for
the coming season. There should be races
where an owner could run "A horse that
Is In between a handicap horse and a
cheap selling platter. Races with a top
price of $4,000. or even $4,000. would
fill and furnish good sport. There
should be some of these at all of our
tracks.
II saw frankie O'Neil, the crack
American rider, several times during my
stay In France. He Is greatly worried
over his suspension by the stewards of
the French Jockey Club for getting left
at the post on a favorite. He Is under
contract to ride for Mr.. Macomber and
Is naturally anxious to know where he
stands. He was leaving for Switzerland
for the winter the same day as / left
for the English sales. Yes. visited the
Macomber stables and saw Meddlesome
.udlu anu the OtneT members or the
string. The mare Is reckoned one of
the best stayers abroad. You know she
was bred by Mr.. Widener and | had her
In my charge as n youngster. She Is n
big mare, on the coarse order. and
stands with her hooks we'll back She
can run, though, and no route is too long
for her. Her sire Irish Lad, Is still
alive and hearty. Lam told, at Mrs.
Duryea's place in France. Because Of
the showing of Meddlesome Maid he
should be well pstronized from now on"
1t would appear that Mr.. Widener
was fortunate in having bought n num-
Der OF the best mares available in the
United States last fall. They were Sc
cured In Kentucky at prices that now
seem trivial in comparison with values
at the recent Newmarket sales. The
Philadelphia sportsman still has a num-
ber of mares in France and England
which viii be sent to the best foreign
sires. Among the stations to which
subscriptions have been booked are Ra-
belais. the sire of many fine horses
abroad. and OF his own speed marvel
Naturalist. Mares have also been booked
TO Durbar. the son of Rabelais, with
which the late Herman 3. Duryea won
the English Derby Harry OF Hereford
Is another good horse that will be pat
ronized. The bulk of Mr.. Widener's
breeding. however. will be done at his
new farm in the heart of the blue grass
region OF Kentucky.