MR G. G. STEAD 179 



was one of them. She was of the Sunshine family and 

 covered by Martagon, to whom she produced, in New 

 Zealand, the great race-horse and stallion Martian, the 

 most successful winning sire that has ever stood there. 

 Mr Stead was a somewhat pompous gentleman, but a 

 good sort when you got to know him. 



Naturally the war played havoc with the business 

 of exporting horses so far as Australasia, though we 

 managed to get Night Hawk shipped as a special 

 favour on one of the Government boats to Mr E. R. 

 White. He landed safely at Sydney, and whatever 

 may be thought of his class among St Leger winners, 

 there is every reason to hope that he will make a 

 really good stallion. 



It must not be thought that all importations to England 

 from the antipodes have been successful, and, curiously 

 enough, I have had many disappointments from New 

 Zealand, which is always considered more like England 

 as regards climate than is Australia. Two of the best 

 horses ever bred in New Zealand in comparatively 

 recent times were Multiform and his son Noctuiform. 

 Both belonged to G. G. Stead, who had no desire 

 whatever to sell. The successes of Merman and others, 

 however, had made the demand for such horses great, 

 and I succeeded in buying Multiform for the present 

 Lord D'Abernon for 5000 guineas, subject to his being 

 allowed to run for two or three engagements in New 

 Zealand, winning them and passing sound afterwards. 



These conditions were fulfilled, and Multiform made 

 the voyage by Cape Horn. It was a bad voyage and 

 he suffered seriously from colic, insomuch that he was 

 consigned to Mr E. H. Leach's veterinary establishment 

 when he arrived at Newmarket. 



