TROTTING Battle Fling Sold To Sydney Trainer

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29232, 16 June 1960, Page 4

TROTTING Battle Fling Sold To Sydney Trainer

Battle Fling, and his two-year-old half-brother, Hlflier, have been sold to the Sydney trainer, J. Caffyn. Both horses left Wellington for Sydney in the Wanganella last Friday. Battle Fling „ was bred and owned by the Templeton trainer, C. R. Berkett. Hyflier had been owned jointly by Messrs C. R. Berkett and F. P. Ryan. Battle Fling, an aged gelding by Highland Fling from Battle Elight, was raced on lease throughout the greater part of his career. He contested only 10 races in C. R. Berkett’s colours and all of those have been within the last two and a half months. During that time he has gained one win and two minor places. His latest success was as a sprinter in the Wilkin Handicap on the third day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting at Addington in April. Meantime he raced consistently for a third and a fourth in two of three starts in the main sprint races at the Wellington Trotting Club’s autumn meeting at Hutt Park.

Battle Fling did his early racing for Messrs A. and W. E. Taylor. He began racing at the age of three for the partnership until the conclusion of his five-year-old season. During that period he started 48 times for two wins and nine places worth £504.

Battle Fling is an eight-year-old now. Since he was six, until November of the current season, he raced for W. E. Taylor. During those two and a third seasons he increased his stake-earn-ings by £1765 as the result of two wins and 16 places from 62 starts.

He won one further race, the Farewell Handicap at New Brighton last September, but subsequently lost it again following the return of a positive swab. Battle Fling's total stake-win-nings to date amount to £2879.

Hyflier, a gelding by Stormyway, has raced only twice. His first race was the Golden Slipper Stakes at Waimate in December. In that event he made the early pace but weakened slightly near the end to finish fifth. He lost all chance by tangling at the start of the Rangiora Raceway Stakes the following week. Battle Flight, the dam of Battle Fling and Hyflier. is a daughter of Swordsman and the imported Trampfast mare Slapfast. Slapfast, which was foaled in the United States in 1924 and brought to the Dominion by the late Sir John McKenzie in 1926. held a mile record for a yearling of 2min 22.jsec. Slapfast’s progeny which raced with distinction in New Zealand included Prince Roydon, Great Fast, Silk Lady and Gold Flight. Battle Flight did not race. She was foaled in 1941 and began her breeding career as a four-year-old.

Stylish Petro Amiss Stylish Petro, which was narrowly beaten by Pretoria Bob in the Durbar Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton Trottine Club’s meeting and then was withdrawn from the main race at the fixture on the Queen’s Birthday, might be away from racing for some time. The Bleupietro gelding has developed a bowed tendon. The trouble came at a most unfortunate time for Stylish Petro, a noted performer under winter conditions, was in the early stages of a fresh campaign and appeared to be on the verge of winning form again. The Durbar Handicap was Stylish Petro’s third race following a period away from racing between October and May. Although the track at Ashburton was in good order for this time of the year he still managed to produce one of his best runs and was only caught in the last stride or two.

The Sydney trainer-reinsman, J. C. Caffyn, won the Harold Park drivers’ premiership this season. This is the third year in succession that Caffyn has won the premiership and the fifth time he has headed the list since night trotting was introduced in 1949. His other successful seasons were in 1949-50 and 1952-53. Caffyn drove 36 winners at Harold Park during the current; season, which concluded on June; 3. He did not drive a winner on the final night but his nearest rival, P. J. Hall, drove two and brought his tally for the season to 32 winning drives. Third on the list was A. Phillis, who drove 20 winners. Caffyn and Phillis are the only reinsmen to have completed a “hat-trick.” Phillis headed the premiership for three successive years, beginning with the 1954-55 season.