Death of Koro Peter Recalls Noted Clash With First Wrack

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 172, 23 July 1941, Page 12

Death of Koro Peter Recalls Noted Clash With First Wrack

'Hie death of Koro Peter rcalls ~ time. tint teen >•«.„„ „._,„_ „.| ir|l ; |f> n)|( | ~.j |st Wlack. then both two-yea,-01,1.. „ ere reWarded as the greatest t.of.e.s of fheir age produced in Xew Zealand. In her firm start Fust Wrack atctmed wale interest by finishing third to \u , „, I ho. p.- and Connie Auduiou ~, a mile and a hall race for t, otters ol ail ..go at Asbblll ton. About, two weeks iatei Ko! o I'eter defeated a field „f „ldei horse i„ ~ mile and u half race for ti otter* at Cam- ''! "'R'"; i "" 1 * -"i ••> anxiously availed ~ c.i.-ll between the pair. Kveiiniull.v i",„. Aueklaiul Trouin < Club provided an npp, 11it> to s.-ttlj the ,|ii,v I urn by wt yiiig a race' for two-, ear-old ""Itels ovei ~ hliie and a unarl.-i. I'ri,,, |" tliH-r lace Km,, J', (e, „. lsj p„.chased I'.V a pHtIOII of J. S. Sliiw's stable at Fpsom from |, ls ~u ,„, ~,„, ,„,..;, , M| . '• W- toopoi. ol Tamaiiga, fo, X'eOO. The onl.l candidates were Ko, o I'etei and First Wl.lek. and Kor.i IVti I Won •;■ -jl.\- iii 3.34 •.'.">. Heavy i liu •11 duni,.; t',e day. sheets ~i water overed J.alls of the coui.e, a,„| seagulls Hew up in front el Hie fwo hoise* dining ihe conUst. Gelding Sold Again s ' ift'-r the rac Kind I'.'tt: was puich.ir.ed bv Mr. (J. MeMi'lau. of AuckI I. for £10W, and the gel,bug joined If M. Beri.i V slahC. Koto Peter raci d extensiv cl\ as a thue-yeai-old lur three liists. one second ami three tlinhs. At tour veins Koro Peter won the li<-»V three races h" slatted in, and during ti.at season lecordrd five firsts and a fourth. Alter his tout th ,-urcs that year he again (hanged hands. M,. I'. \V. Johnston beimj his- new owner, and it was in his colours that he won flie Sumner Handicap at the Easter meeting at Addinglon in 4.30 i'or two mile*. He had previously won over that distance in 4.32. At that tune Koro Peter promised to b- the be.-t trotter in the Dominion, but later developed a throat affliction, and in eleven starts in the next two years failed to get a place. Five Firsts In Season First Wrack did nor race again until she was six years old, and in thirteen t>tnrtx that year secured five fir.ste and one third. In six contests dut'inp the 1932-33 period she gained „ first." two seconds and three thirds, and during Che next twelve months -her record wag three firsts, two seconds and two thirds. During the 10.34-3.") racing period she failed to win. but was six times in the money. At nine years she paid her way by winning Che .Sockburn Handicap anil the Middleton Handicap- at the November carnival at Addington. In the latter race she registered 4.28 2-o and defeated a field of fifteen of the best trotters in New Zealand at that time. After a twelve months' rest the wag rocornmianioned. but in four attempts failed to add to her winnings. In 1938-39 she started five times for Mr. W. Fairburn, who purchased h(.' t'rem her breeder. Durbar Lodge, Ltd., for a modest sum. Site was then trained by G. Cameron, and ended her racing career by running third to Pilot Peter and Aristotle in the New Brighton Handicap.