RACING McKenzie Form Horse For Waikato Hurdles

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 4

RACING McKenzie Form Horse For Waikato Hurdles

McKenzie, winner of the high-weight at Te Rapa on Saturday, is pretty certain to have strong local backing in the Waikato Hurdles this week.

There was no more consistent performer than this Revelation gelding over the jumping carnival at Riccarton last year.

McKenzie had four races on the course for four seconds.

Three times he was beaten by Golden Defaulter, and his other conqueror was Bailiff. Golden Defaulter beat him decisively in the Christchurch Hunt's Longbeach Hack Hurdles. But there was only half a head between them in the Trial Hack Hurdles on the opening day of the Grand National meeting On form McKenzie looked a certainty in the hack hurdles on Grand National Hurdles day, but Bailiff outstayed him. That was to become even more puzzling when Golden Defaulter won the Grand National Hurdles later that dav.

Golden Defaulter’s superior stamina was evident when he met McKenzie again in the Sydenham Hurdles on the last day of the Grand National meeting. Golden Defaulter gave the Hastings gelding 171 b and beat him by two lengths.

McKenzie was in front from the half mile to the last jump, but was clearly outstaved. Being one of the younger jvmners in the top grade. McKen’ie can be expected to strengthen and improve with another year on him.

He Is bred to stay As well as being by Revelation, he is from a mare sired by Contact, which has been represented by some good stayers, and was a top-flight stayer himself Moving South Riccarton will lose one of Its trainers this week. R W Bromby will go to Waikouaiti where he will take charge of the racecourse. and will prepare several horses. Bromby will vacate a Riccarton stable which will be taken over by R. J. Bain who will train for Mr A. J McLaughlin.

Bromby came to Riccarton from the North Island a few years ago. Gaytana has been the most successful campaigner for his stable, and this Sabaean mare will be a member of

the team to be taken to Waikouaiti next week-end. Bromby will also continue to train the two-year-old Donna Gola. which won the Juvenile Handicap on the first day of the Marlborough meeting last month. Bromby will train several horses for Mr J. O Douglas, president of the Waikouaiti club. One of them is Captain Hunt, a winner at the recent Beaumont meeting. Mr Douglas was an active buyer at the national yearling sales at Trentham last January, and these youngsters will be in Bromby’s charge. R. J. Bain has been at Riccarton since early in April. He finished his association as trainer of the New Zealand Cup winner Oreka after that

stayer ran unplaced in the Sydney Cup on Easter Monday. Bain, who started his association with racing as an apprentice at Wingatui. trained Oreka at HaWera.

Oreka won the Islington Handicap on his first campaign at Riccarton last year. In between that race and his New Zealand Cup victory Oreka won the Watkins Handicap at Trentham.

Trentham was the scene of one of Oreka’s most memorable victories. He was still a hack when in January of last year he established a New Zealand and Australian record of 2min 14isec for 11 furlongs in winning the Wellington Racing Club’s Ruapehu Handicap.