GLOAMING AND HIS TRAINER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20552, 21 May 1932, Page 18

GLOAMING AND HIS TRAINER.

, TO THE EDITOR OF TH& PRESS. Sir,- -T feel I liave l>een too long in thanking those sympathetic friends who have expressed such kindly feeling to mo in my misfortune. In losing Gloaming, I have realised what an outstanding favourite the old horse was to everybody who know him. Mason and I worshipped him, and discussed him daily. For more than 20 years the connexion between R. J. Mason and mvself was one of the happiest in my 'life. Not a vestige of unpleasantness marred it, and during our Australian racing we generally managed to spend one or two months in each year together. These I look upon as some of the happiest times of my existence. Mrs Mason, lam glad to' say, has been well looked after, and she appreciates, as I do, the condolences which have been showered upon us by our racing friends. There is one regret 1 have: poor old Gloaming for the last two or three weeks had not been very well, and his appearance had somewhat suffered. I therefore found it necessarv only to secure his four hoofs, whereas the intention previously had been to preserve a great deal more. He will, however, not be forgotten, because a remembrance of him will be erected at Teviotdale, in what form I have not ret - decided; but my friends, I am f»re, will appreciate the fact that he is not forgotten by bis owner, and never will he.

During the-period R. >T. Mason and myself were together, we entered our horses principally in classic races, and it is only right to inform my friends tliat we decided to race them unbacked. Therefore. as we never troubled about betting, we had still more time to pay attention to the wants of our team. In running over a list of the horses trained by Mason during the years we were together, it is astonishing to find so many really good thoroughbreds passing through one man's hands. Looking over my accounts, I find that horses pxirchased by me from George Cur'rie amounted in ' price to 'the sum of £16,000, and even at that exorbitant figure there was no loss on the transaction. Mason and I only raced ouce in tho Victorian capital, and on that occasion it was on account of an invitation by the president of tho Victorian Racing Ciub that wo tooT? Gloaming down to Melbourne to give the Victorians a chance of seeing the old champion in action. During the three or four weeks we were in Melbourne there was a continuous stream of admirers from all parts of the State who called to see Gloaming. Tt is safe to say that'no horse had so. much adoration as Gloaming in all the racing centres we frequented.

It is really a pity that, the last races the old fellow ran in, the course was certainly not in a fit condition tor two champions to compete, but it would have been a dire disappointment to tho racing public if I had not allowed the contest to take place. But I can assure my friends that had \ had any idea of the roughness • of, the track at the time I should at ,flli costs have declined to start the horse. The match was a purely friendly one, because Gloaming and The Hawk were quartered in the same building, and as a matter of fact were in adjoining stalls, and had a small division taken out so that they could talk to each other during the training. ,T. M. Cameron and myself had been personal friends for many, many yearß, so it was more or less a friendly competition, to se© which was the better horse. On liehalf of Mrs Mason, let me thank all the friends who have so unsparingly shown their appreciation of her sportsman husband. It was a fitting termination to a happy married life, and during the greater part of it Mrs Mason assisted her husband to such an extent that she did a great part of the btvokkeeping for us both. A happier combination has never been found in tho racing world of New Zealand, or a more successful one, presided oyer as it was by a man who carries with him to the grave the admiration, and respect of the whole racing community, especially your obedient servant. As a last paragraph, -allow me to thank all those friends who have come forward to offer their sympathy, because my loss has not only been Gloaming", but Honour, a very promising young stallion, and the sire of a few of my yearlings. Perhaps I may add my gratitude to ■ one who has greatly helped me in I my racing career, Mrs Greenwood, the writer of ""that interesting book on Gloaming's life. She was as, devoted to the -old bay as I was. Hoping I shall be spared for some time longer to enjoy the friendship of those who Have been so sympathetic to me. — Yours, etc., G. ■]•). GREENWOOD. Tevintdale. Amberlev. May 19th. 1932.

OTAUTAU R.C.

TOr DAY'S PROGRAMME. The Otautau Racing Club's extra Meeting will be held to-day. The programme 5s as follows: — 11.45 i.m.-^ TRIAL HANDICAP, Of 40 sovs. Six furlongs; st. lb. st. lb. Royal Emblem 9 * 0 Miss Winston 8 6 Glenham Lark 8 13 Huida, .. 8-6 Clatter .. 8 6 French Singer 8 6 Jovial Friar 8 6 Lady Topsy 8 6 12.30 p.m.— , OTAUTAU TEOT, In harness. Of 50 sovs. 3min 4'Jsec class. One mile and a half. Margaret Bell scr Rollicking Wave scr Gold Era . scr Sungod colt scr Peter Mitchell scr Chiming Wave 12 Nelson Adonis scr Vologda .. 12 Sadie Bingen scr Sergeant Dallas 12 Fair Noreen scr Nellie Osborne 24 1.15 p.m.— PRESIDENT'S HANDICAP. Of 85 sovs. *One mile and a quarter. st. >lb. st. lb. The Smuggler 9 0 .Cough . - 7 4 King Balboa 8 ' 6 Nigat Maid 7 4 First Money 8 o Night Rose 7 2 Leading Boy 7 4 Toreador .. 7 O Totolomai . . 7 4 2 p.m.— WALLACE HACK HANDICAP, Of 40 sovs. Five furlongs. at. lb. st. lb. Thornton .. 9 0 Remindful 7. 12 Insolvency 8 7 Milliner . . 7 9 | Miss Redowa 8 4 Glenham Lark 7 S \ Palada . . SI Lady Topsy 7 7 1 Rioter ..80 Olatter ~ 7 7 Bioughsha-ne T 12 Hiss Winston f. 7

2.45 p.m.— _.«» *£» BIBCHWOOB vgOf 65 sovs. About two mile. ««*£ t -i, !*■*' ' it. lb. ' j"< ' Squatter .. HIO Calham •-. , Tunamoe .. 9 8 To. T.ua .. .' , Nylotis ..9 8 Mawani . r 3.30 pjtt.— _„»• -_-.' i" APAJUMA SADDM TBOT, -^ Of 48 sovs. 3min 2seo clan- , and a quarter. Margaret Bell scr Weary Voy»*V Chiming Ware ser Sunfla"* " „ Vologda .. S « «**•? *gt'|l ' Ozanum .. «* •' Manrico Leo .. scr Grey G>« ', - , Sadie Bingen scr ' . . i . 4.15 p.m.— „„,»» " ORAWAI HACK HANDICA* , Of 40 sovs. SU £uriom»-- .-, st. lb. . T K Steeton ..90 BrougnikW*- £ , Thornton .. 8 11 M™ l "* •". » I , Coniono .. 810 Jorial ?«»* , f Insolvency 8 4 Som. Mud Young Sentinel 8 1 JJACATOAT MEMOMAI. ' Of 60 sot*. Om mil*«t> it. lb. j • Inevitable 9 0 >'»Sbt H»"» ? , .Bed Boa .. 8 10 Bam Door t First Money 8 8 Eoyal Ettß»» , , Crubenmore 8 2 Jack a »■?■*■ T » Leading Boy 7 7 Sailing HoB» T , . Totolomai 7 7 The B«eW* '

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