TROTTING CUP TO CHAMFER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 6

TROTTING CUP TO CHAMFER

OWNER’S AMBITION REALISED LONG ASSOCIATION WITH SPORT “Now that my ambition to win the gold Trotting Cup has been “hi'ved. nothing else matters, said Mr Duncan McFarlane, the owner of u chan happy after his five-year-old horse had won the New Trotting Cup. with a stake of £4875 and a cup valued at £250 to the winner, at the Addington course yesterday. As a sportsman more interested in the thoroughbreds than the light harness horses, Mr McFarlane had the greatest thriU of his racing career yesterday when Chamfer was pulled out with about 200 yards to run and, showing brilliant speed, won the Cup. Chamfer was a strong favourite, and he was vociferously cheered. To qualify for the Cup, Chamfer had to be taken to Auckland for the Labour Day week-end meetings, and by running second in the big race he received a rehandicap which placed him on the limit mark for the Cup. Other Canterbury horses in First Lord and Real Scott made the trip to Auckland to attempt to qualify and failed. “Chamfer is a good horse if he gets the run of the race," said Mr McFarlane. "He has to get the trail and then come out with a short distance to run. If he hits the front he has the habit of stopping, like the rest of the Rustic Maid family. He has always been an extra good horse, but it has been a matter of his being handled by someone who knows him. I hold that Maurice Holmes is one of the best reinsmen in the world, and the whole of Chamfer’s success is due to him and the boys in the stable.” When Chamfer was a yearling he was acquired by Mr McFarlane from his breeder, Mr George Youngson, of Riversdale, who bought Rustic Maid (Rey de Oro—Country Belle) from the estate of Mr W. J. Morland, of Riccarton. Mr McFarlane has now won three New Zealand trotting derbies. He won with Imperial Jade and then won the three-year-old classic at Addington with two Rustic Maid progeny, Scottish Lady and Free Fight. Chamfer won the Great Northern Derby for him.

Gallopers and Trotters A grain and produce merchant in Christchurch ana a man with extensive business interests in Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand, Mr McFarlane has been following and supporting the trotting Sport for 30 years. One of the best horses he owned was that great trotter, Sea Gift. He also raced Gerfalcon and Noble prince from the beginning of their career's. After Sir Julien had won the Sapling Stakes and Aidershot the New Zealand Derby, both were bought by Mr McFarlane. As the owner of gallopers, Mr McFarlane has had considerable success —but not quite the success he has hoped for. His most important wins have been the Great Autumn Handicap with Palm Bearer, by Coronach — Coconut, and the Wellington Steeplechase with Batal, which he bought from Mr W. S. Goosman. Tunneller won tne Banks Peninsula Cup for him, and Foxchase, which he purchased from the Waikato, won a big steeplechase at Riverton. Amorlad was a good winner on the flat and over hurdles for Mr McFarlane, and Night Hawk was another winner. Arctotis, whicri finished third, when at an outside price, in the Fcndalton Handicap at Riccarton on Monday, Johnny Peep, and Betula are among his gallopers in training. ‘‘Believing that I had the best reinsman, who knew Chamfer backwards, having had charge of him since he was a yearling, the only question was whether Chamfer would get a decent run in the race,” said Mr McFarlane. “Sport of the People” Making his first visit to Addington, the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg) presented the cup to Mr McFarlane, after the president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (Mr C. S. Thomas) had said his Excellency had seen that “trotting is the sport of the people of Canterbury.” Her Excellency decorated Chamfer with a garland of flowers, after which Holmes drove the cup winner along the straight.

But this was not the first trotting meeting Sir Bernard Freyberg had attended. As general commanding the 2nd N.Z.E.F., he attended the Division’s trotting meeting at Trieste. He recalled the enjoyment of that meeting and exteryied fraternal greetings to four men who drove in the events there. They were at Addington yesterday. They were Messrs Sam Townley (Tinwald), T. H. Gunning (Temuka), E. Paul (trotting editor of “New Zealand Truth”), and W. D. Scott (of the staff of the "Trotting Calendar”). t Vice-Regal Starter

For the first time on record, a Governor-General started a trotting race in New Zealand. His Excellency went across to the start of the Canterbury Handicap from the two-mile peg with the starter (Mr A. J. Hastings) and mounted the starter’s platform. An excellent dispatch was made. With Mr Hastings and the stipendiary steward (Mr J. H. Lang), Sir Bernard Freyberg watched the whole race from the platform.

The last time a Regal or Vice-Regal start of a race was made in Canterbury was at the Royal Meeting at Riccarton in honour of the visit of the Prince of Wales. In company with Mr A. Boyle and Admiral Halsey, the Prince of Wales rode a hack to the start of the weight-for-age race.