GIFT HORSE WINS STEEPLECHASE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27055, 2 June 1953, Page 2

GIFT HORSE WINS STEEPLECHASE

14-Length Victory At Ellerslie

80-YEAR-OLD OWNERTRAINER’S SUCCESS

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 1

The seven-year gelding Dunwold, winner of the £4OOO Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie today, was a gift to his 80-year-old owner-trainer, John D. Kemp, to “see what he could do with him.”

As a yearling, Dunwold was bought at the national sales at Trentham by ■Mr E. Montgomery, of Auckland, for 4000 guineas, the top price of the sale. However, in four seasons he failed to win a flat race. Ownership reverted to Messrs M. and W. Tims, of Te Awamutu, who bred him. They raced him for a season, during which he was once third and once fourth in 12 starts, before giving him to Mr Kemp. Put to steeplechasing in Mr Kemp’s colours, Dunwold immediately won two races at Ellerslie in successive starts. Snelling Dunwold in the late spring, Mr Kemp began to prepare him for the Great Northern Steeplechase in the mid-summer. However, after being kicked by a horse at the Pukekohe races in January, the veteran owner-trainer was sent to hospital with a fractured thigh. Mr Kemp supervised Dunwold’s training from his bed, and, later, on crutches. How thorough that was, today’s crowd saw. Dunwold outstayed his rivals over the gruelling four-mile race, with 25 fences, to win by 14 lengths. Dunwold’s victory brought loud applause and cheers, which were, in part, a tribute to Mr Kemp. So the gift horse brought £2500 to Mr Kemp, and a wonderful climax to a lifetime spent in racing. Dunwold’s earnings now amount to £4235. When he was given to Mr Kemp his total earnings were £155. Smce then in seven starts he has had three wins, three seconds, and a third.