SIGNAL OFFICER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25362, 9 December 1947, Page 4

SIGNAL OFFICER

RACING

FINE RACE RECORD

STAKE WINNINGS NOW TOTAL £10,915

After his sensational defeat of the champion Beau Le Havre in the Canterbury Cup last Saturday, there will be few who will not have to admit that Signal Officer is a far better horse than was generally realised. In the four seasons he has raced. Signal Officer has registered some outstanding performances in handicaps, and last Saturday was only the second occasion on which he has contested a weight -for age race. The first occasion was at the last Auckland Cup meeting, when he ran unplaced in the Clifford Plate, of one mile and a quarter, Won by Foxwyn. Signal Officer has done all his racing in the interests of his breeder, Mr A. F. Speight, and ranks as one of the best horses ever to have been bred in Southland. a province that in recent years has made more progress as a nursery of thoroughbreds than any other centre in New Zealand. Although not eligible for the Stud Book, Signal Officer comes from a family that is undoubtedly of thoroughbred origin, tracing to Miss Stent, a mare that has established a good winning family in Southland, of which Signal Officer is the outstanding member. Signal Officer also ranks as the best horse sired by Salmagundi, a sire that has probably done more to improve the standard of horses in Southland than any other sire that has ever stood in the province. Before he went to Southland Salmagundi was at the stud in Australia, where with limited opportunities he met with fair success. From the time his first crop of two-year-olds sired in Southland raced it was apparent that Salmagundi was definitely going to be a success. His death' through an accident was a big loss to breeders. Early Winner at Riccarton Signal Officer had his first race as a three-year-old. and though he won his first race at Invercargill, it was at Riccarton that Signal Officer first showed that he had ability above the average. The occasion was the second day of the New Zealand Cup meeting jp 1944, when Signal Officer won the Seymour Handicap. He was last away in a field of 20, and then went round the field to win comfortably by two lengths. Signal Officer was beaten by Benbecula in the President's Hack Handicap, of one mile and three furlongs, at his next start, and that was his last appearance in hack company. His next appearance was in the Wyndham Cup, of one mile and a quarter, which he won by a head from Royal Chorus, He followed that performance With a fourth in the Invercargill Cup. After being unplaced at his next two starts, Signal Officer, carrying 7-8, then dead-heated with Royal Flight (8-11) in the Riverton Cup and on the second day ©f the meeting, with 8-1, won the Easter Handicap, of one mile and a quarter, by three lengths from Sister Sal and Royal Flight. He came to Riccarton for the Great Autumn Handicap, but was unplaced and he finished his first season Winning £2005. As a four-year-old. Signal Officer was successful at his third start, winning the President’s Handicap, of one mile and a quarter, at Gore, with 8-11, and at his next start won the Stewards’ Purse Handicap, of six furlongs, at Winton, with 9-2. That was the final race in his preparation for the New Zealand Cup, but at Riccarton Signal Officer went amiss and could not start. He was off the scene until March 30, and after being unplaced at the Birchwood Hunt meeting, won the Members’ Handicap, of one mile and a quarter, at Gore, with 9-0. He then came to Riccarton for the Great Autumn meeting, where he ran second to Al-Sirat in the Sockburn Handicap, with 8-10; won the Dominion Handicap, of one mile and a quarter with 9-2, Beating Catterick Bridge and Royal Victor, and with 8-12 L ai L tc *. Bruc ®. Royal Victor, and Catterick Bridge in the Great Autumn Handicap. His final appearance for the season was in the Ashburton Handicap, also over a mile and a quarter, in which he carried 9-5 and beat Amorlad (8-7) and Foxhaven (9-1) in the good time of 2mm 4 2-ssec. His total winnings for the season were £2550. Failed in N.Z. Cup With the New Zealand Cup as his mission, Signal Officer commenced last season with a fourth in the Grandstand Handicap at the Dunedin spring meeting, coming home well under 9-10. after being slow away. His next race was the Members Handicap, of one mile and a , Gore, which he won with * thls L beln g his final race before contesting the New. Zealand Cup, in which he was unplaced after not being too well served in the running. On the second day of the meeting, he scored the most important success of his career when he won the Metropolitan Handicap for the first time with 8-13, after covering a good deal of extra ground in the running. The Auckland Cup was Signal Officer’s next race, and he ran unplaced. He ran with 9-1, in the Auckland Racing Club Handicap, won by Te Hinemoa, but £f 11 ? iied ° ut of a P lace in the Clifford Vv e £ eve rse way of going at Ellerslie diet not seem to suit Signal Officer. Brought back to Trenthnm for the Wellington Cup, Signal Officer ran unplaced, but he gave a taste <sf his qualities when he came from a long way back and ran ■Golden Souvenir to a head in the WelClub Handicap, carrying 8-12. The honours were with Golden Souvenir which carried 10-0, whereas Signal Officer had 8-12, but his was a , t_^ ss P erf °rmance all the same. Sigas Very short when he contested the Summer Handicap on the last cay of the meeting, and he raced badly. 3 He had WO “

Came Up Better Than Ever Signal Officer came up from his spell •i’/ 1 ? h X er 111311 ever ’ and hls trainer, R. E. McLellan, said earlier in the season that he considered the gelding would be a better horse than ever, and his performances have certainly proved him so. He looked very unlucky not to have disputed the issue in the New Zealand Cup, but his ill-luck in taking charge of his rider x u race was partially compensated for by his success in the Metropolitan Handicap. Signal Officer has always been a powerful finisher, and this was never more amply illustrated than by the manner in which he responded to C. T. Wilson s urgings in the Canterbury Cup. Only a most courageous horse could produce such an effort. Throughout his career. Signal Officer has been trained by R. E. McLellan, who has • remarkable record with the members of the same family. With the progeny of Signal Officer’s dam, Morse Signal, McLellan has won over £17,000, the princlbeing Signal Officer Waitoru (£2360), Doubleack (£2310), and Trebleack (£1412). He also trained Morse Signal. From “Halfbred” Mare Signal Officer’s dam, Morse Signal, was by Vice Admiral (son of Multiform, winner of the 1911 New Zealand Cup) from Miss Signal, by Signalman, a Clanranald horse and brother to Canute Chiel, which sired Winning Way, the dam of Winning Hit. Miss Signal was out of Miss Stent, which was sired by an Australian-bred horse. Randwick, by Barbarian (brother to the Melbourne Cup winner, The Barb) from Gipsy Girl, by Kingston from Black Bess, by Little John, and tracing to an English mare whose pedigree was lost. Families not admissible to the Stud Book such as that founded by Miss Stent are officially designated as “halfbred,” but many champions have carried this stigma —Sleepy Fox and Beaulivre are two to come to mind, and it has proved no bar to success. *

The family to which Signal Officer belongs was founded by Miss Stent, a mare brought from Australia by Mr S. H. Gollan. This well-known sportsman had a Stud at Mangatarata, and it seems strange that he should have imported a mare Hot in the Australian Stud Book. In 1910 the stud was dispersed and a large number of lots were knocked down at bargain prices, among them being a dozen yearlings by the Clanranald horse Signalman. The principal buyer is recorded as “Mr Oakleigh,” whose numerous purchases included Miss Stent (in foal to Ahei), and her yearling daughter by Signalman. Miss Stent’s price was sgns and that of the yearling (later named Miss Signal). 15gns. Actually the buyer was P. T. Hogan, who had gone to the North Island in charge of a consignment of draughts. He shipped the draft to Invercargill, and sold the lot to the highest bidders at a substantial profit. An idea S revails that Miss Signal was bred in outhland, but her birthplace was Hawke’s Bay. Sold Cheaply Miss Stent cost the late Mr F. A. Price <of Rorke’s Drift fame) 43gns when she came under the hammer, and at the stud She has founded a fine winning family in Southland. The family of Miss Stent has produced winners of almost £40,000 in stakes, and this total is likely to be considerably increased. Besides Signal Officer, Morse Signal produced others in Doubleack (Dunedin Cup), Trebleack, Totolomai, Waitoru. Ackemma and Navua. Miss Fleetham, a daughter ©f Miss Signal, was the dam of ths Great Autumn Handicap winner, The Smuggler (£3464 in stakes), and granddam of Spendthrift, Judy O’Grady and Inscrutable. Miss Signal’s produce also include Flag Lieutenant, Spanish Maid (the dam of Spanish Main), Flag Signal and Signaller. Morse Signal was a useful winner in her day while her progeny have won more than £lB,OOO in stakes, a total which rates her highly on the brood-mare list. The female line of the Miss Stent family is not extensively represented, air though Totolomai and Ackemma and daughters of the Paper Money mare Fleet X*ady (the dam of Spendthrift and Inscrutable), at the Chelandry Stud, should do it further justice. Date For Kumara Meeting Changed The Kumara Racing Club has received permission from the Minister of Internal Affairs to change the date of its annual race meeting at Kumara from Saturday, February 7, to Wednesday, January 7. The elub made representations for the change to the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, during his recent visit to the West Coast. The club is offering £991 in stakes for hDUday