THE COLONIAL HORSE 165 



basis than that of a mere time test over courses of the same 

 length, but of different configuration and differently affected by 

 climate, soil, and state of the ground, sent over two colts to 

 compete in the English Derby of 1890. Kirkham's perform- 

 ance cannot be said to be encouraging, and it is greatly to be 

 regretted that what Australians venture to consider the idiotic 

 rule which makes an owner's nominations void after his death 

 prevents Mr. White's horses from appearing in other races for 

 which he had entered them. Inasmuch as the horses which 

 he had entered for the Derby of 1891 were, when sent over, 

 the pick of his yearling stock, he expected greater things of 

 them than of either Kirkham or Narellan. 



In the antipodes the success of Mr. White's stud at Kirk- 

 ham has been phenomenal, for during the last twelve years he 

 twice won the two great races, the Victorian Derby and the 

 Melbourne Cup, in 1887, with Chester, and in 1883 with 

 Martini-Henry. Six times he won the Victorian Derby and 

 four times the Derby of New South Wales. He owned sixty-six 

 winning horses, with which he won 252 races, of the value in 

 stakes of 121,7387. ; 137 of these races were won for him by 

 one jockey, J. Hales. His most successful horse was Abercorn, 

 by Chester out of Cinnamon, who won i2,ooo/. in stakes, and 

 beat the record against time in Australia by accomplishing a 

 mile and a quarter in two minutes and seven and a quarter 

 seconds over the Flemington course. 



It should be added that Mr. White was a native-born 

 Australian, and that he entertained a strong belief in the advan- 

 tage of breeding from his mares every alternate year. He was a 

 firm believer in the policy of importing mares from England, 

 and practised it to a large extent. 



Of the thoroughbred stallions imported into Australia, the 

 most successful stock-getter has been the recently deceased 

 Musket, who was by Touchstone out of a mare by West 

 Australian out of Brown Bess. Musket was bred by Lord 

 Glasgow in 1867, and passed with the rest of his stud to 

 General Peel and Mr. George Payne on Lord Glasgow's death. 



