BLOODSTOCK FOR JAPAN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 4

BLOODSTOCK FOR JAPAN

£20,000 Shipment From Tauranga

(New Zealand Press Association) TAURANGA, July 31. Twenty thousand pounds worth of bloodstock—the most valuable single consignment ever to be sent from the port of Tauranga—will sail for Japan from Mount Maunganui tonight on board the Japanese log ship Tokuwa Maru.

The horses, comprising five brood mares due to foal in six weeks and a stallion. Pride of Kildare, were bought some weeks ago by a Japanese, Mr H. Sotome, for a member of the Japanese legislature, Mr S. Tanaka. Pride of Kildare, said to be worth £12,000, is the sire of several winners, including Prince Lea, a Caulfield Guineas winner in Australia, High Jinx, a winner of the Hawke’s Bay Cup, and Winnipeg, a recent winner at Rahdwick. Pride of Kildare, together with four of the five brood mares, comes from Mr L. S. Otway’s Trelawney Stud, Cambridge. The fifth mare is from Mr W. Fisher’s Ra Ora Stud. Auckland. The loading of the horses, which will travel in stalls on the ship's deck, went smoothly yesterday afternoon under the direction of the agents, Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd. Special precautions were taken with the stallion, but he caused little trouble. One of the men helping with yesterday’s loading was Mr Brian Faint, of Heretaunga, a groom employed by Wright. Stephenson and Company, who will travel with the horses on the journey, expected to take almost three weeks. Mr Faint heard only a week ago that he was to sail for Japan. His main worry is that one of the mares may foal before time. The four Trelawney Stud mares are: Donna Fox, by Foxbridge, in foal to Marco Polo II; Pinocle, in foal to Marco Polo II; Heatherbrae. in foal to Marco Polo II; Trelawney, by Foxbridge, in foal to Pride of Kildare. The fifth brood mare, Sandoa, by Red Mars, in foal to Gabador, is from the Ra Ora Stud.