RACING VARIED HISTORY OF SAFE HARBOUR

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 4

RACING VARIED HISTORY OF SAFE HARBOUR

Once Nearly Destroyed, Later Sold For 2s 6d

Once nearly destroyed because it was mistakenly thought she was blind, later sold for half a crown, now winner of three races, all at Riccarton—that, briefly, is the history of Safe Harbour, which reached open class by winning the Inglewood Hade Handicap at the North Canterbury meeting at Riccarton on Saturday. ‘ »

Safe Harbour is a duhl acceptor for the Amberley meeting next Saturday, and is m the Amberley Cup field, but if plans announced yesterday are followed, she will run against the back sprinters. "She la a lightly-framed filly, and if it had been a matter of running her with 9-5 or 9-6 we would probably start her off in open company right away,” said her trainer, A. S. Ellis, yesterday. “But with 8-13 it’s pretty certain she will run in the hack race at Amberley.” Safe Harbour was bred by Mr H. T. Prebbl e, who sold her to Mr A. Woolhouse, of Halswell. for half a crown. Her life nearly ended when she was a yearling. It was thought she was blind, and a veterinary surgeon recommended that she be destroyed, but after several weeks she recovered from what Mr Woolhouse believes was concussion. Safe Harbour showed promising speed from the time she was plaeed in training. and was third behind Roman Maid and Quite Able in her third of four races as a two-year-old. Safe Harbour won one race for Mr Woolhouse—the Yaldhurst Handicap at Riccarton last autumn. She did not win again until the recent Canterbury Jockey Club autumn meeting, and by then Mr Woolhouse had sold her. She has won her last two races in the colours of Mr G. Ferguson and his daughter. Miss J. A. Ferguson, of Christchurch, and her three starts for them have yielded two wins and one third worth £590. Her three wins have bsen worth £BOO. Safe Harbour is by Alonzo from the Finis mare Port Finis, which was bred by Mr E. E. Steele. Port Finis was a moderate race mare, and started her stud career badly by losing an Alonzo colt a year before she foaled Safe Harbour. Port Finis is a granddaughter of the imported Doratta. Palora was one of the most successful members of this family. Screen Play, another close relation of Safe Harbour, showed high promise in his early racing, but was unsound: No Business Four-figure offers have been made for Sailorman and Payout in the last few weeks, but no business has been done.

They are both trained at Riccarton by G. H. Murfitt, junr, who races Payout in

partnership with Mr R. A. White.

fairly early in the race, and that might have cost him a winning chance. William David Amiss William David, the unplaced favourite in the Okuku Hack Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday, finished the race favouring a foreleg, and he had not shaken off the trouble yesterday. It was planned to race William David at Amberley, but that is out of the question. Plans to prepare him for the hack stayers’ race at Wainiate on May 27 may also be abandoned. Squeezed Against Rails Omaha was put out of stride when squeezed against the rails early in the run home in the President’s Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday, so her fifth was meritorious.

Sailorman and Payout both won races at Riccarton at, Easter and at the recent Nelson meeting. Sailorman did not race at the North Canterbury meeting last Saturday, and may be away from racing now until the spring. He is a powerful Kurdistan gelding from Orsov®, and is a descendant of Set Sail, a good winner herself and the founder of a very successful family in Southland. Sailorman thrived on his autumn racing, making steady improvement each time out. He could not develop very good staying form next season. Payout was fourth in the Inglewood Hack Handicap, won by Safe Harbour, at Riccarton on Saturday. Galloped On Tai Hill was badly galloped on in the Ashley Maiden Handicap No. 2 at Riccarton on Saturday. He was gashed on the off hind leg Just above the coronet

She will probably race next at Ashburton next week.