144 RACEHORSES IN AUSTRALIA 



out their share of winners. The first-named property no longer goes in for 

 thoroughbred breeding, but Mr. H. S. Barnes has a very elegant son of Bridge 

 of Canny in the imported horse Canzone at Dyraaba as well as another English- 

 bred horse in Repartee, by Melton, and is breeding some very useful horses. 



Of the studs near Sydney, the famous old Hobartville comes easily first; 

 a beautiful old home surrounded by the most magnificent trees and situated 

 just outside the historic town of Richmond. Now owned by Mr. Percy 

 Reynolds, it still keeps up its reputation for producing high-class winners, and 

 in his English stallions Bernard, a son of Robert le Diable, and Bardolph, by 

 Bay Ronald, Mr. Reynolds has two most valuable sires whose progeny for 

 the most part know how to stay. Here it was that the Ascot Gold Cup winner 

 Merman first saw the light of day, as well as the countless good horses bred 

 by Andrew Town, Messrs. Long and Hill, and other breeders who owned 

 the property in bygone times. 



Another historic property not far from Sydney is the Camden Park 

 Estate, owned by the Macarthur Onslow family, whose ancestor, Captain 

 Macarthur, brought out the first Merino sheep to Australia. A beautifully bred 

 horse in imported Polycrates, by Polymelus, is in use at Camden Park, as well 

 as another importation in the Desmond horse Flying King. 



This about completes the itinerary of the Thoroughbred Homes of New 

 South Wales, and most of these mentioned send drafts of yearlings regularly 

 to the Sydney sales held every Easter at Randwick by the bloodstock firms 

 of Messrs. H. Chisholm and Co. and William Inglis and Son. About 500 

 yearlings are offered each year, and most of the breeders get a satisfactory 

 return. In 1920, 572 yearlings realized £107,233, averaging £187/15/-; in 

 1921, 512 brought £104,891, averaging slightly over £204; while last year 

 the 524 sold aggregated £101,669, averaging £194. The sales have grown 

 steadily in importance each year, and buyers attend from all parts of Australia 

 and New Zealand to satisfy their wants. The possibility of buying an embryo 

 Breeders' Plate or Derby winner cheaply is the magnet which lures the bids 

 from the buyers at the ringsides. There is a fascination in buying a yearling 

 which does not enter into the purchase of a horse whose galloping pow^ers have 

 been tested, and nearly every buyer at the sales thinks, until disillusioned, that 

 he has the winner of the next Derby in his newly acquired equine baby. 

 When one pauses to consider that the average number of runners in a Derby 

 field is about ten, it will be seen what disappointments the yearling lucky dip 

 holds. It is good that racing men, one and all, are more or less always cheer- 

 fully optimistic, and the compensation of a yearling purchase turning out 

 well makes up for a lot of disappointments. 



Victoria has, after many years of stagnation, taken on a new lease of 

 life as a stud centre, and, w^ith such successful stallions as Comedy King, The 

 Welkin and Woorak, all located south of the Murray, New South Wales will 

 have to look to her laurels. 



The valley of the Goulburn has become the happy hunting-ground of 

 the Victorian breeder, and mostly all the principal studs are now located in 

 this rich strip of country, which extends from Seymour along the banks of the 

 river for many miles. 



At Wahring, about 87 miles distant from Melbourne, Mr. Norman 

 Falkiner has established his Noorilim Stud, whose rich and highly improved 

 paddocks shelter the best collection of mares owned by any one man in 

 Australia. Here, too, is that most perfect horse Comedy King (imp.), a 

 splendid son of Persimmon, and one of the outstanding stud successes of 



