Obituary Mr F. A. Roberts Was Successful Trainer

Press, Volume C, Issue 29620, 16 September 1961, Page 4

Obituary Mr F. A. Roberts Was Successful Trainer

Mr F. A. Roberts, one of Riccarton's most successful trainer* until ilia retirement a few seasons ago, died in Christchurch yesterday after a short illness.

It was as a trainer of gallopers that Mr Roberts was best known but his introduc-

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON. Sept. 18. The Poverty Bav Hunt Club will hold its annual meeting at Gisborne on Saturday. The TA B. double is on the Fraser Memorial and Opou Hack Handicap. Fair weather and a soft track are forecast. Selections:— 11 am.—Awapuni Hack Hurdles: Fly Home. Sir David. Gay Deceiver. 11.45 a.m.—Tanglhanga Novice No. 1: Ilmunah. Triple Counteas. Danalan. 13.30 p.m.—Ferguson Steeplechase: Big Talk. Marvo. Squadron Leader. 1.15 p.m.—Tanglhanga Novice No. 2: Friendly Trio. Coeur Volant, Monoceros. 2 p.m.—Fraser Memorial Handicap: Golden Candidate. The Answer, Tamil. 2.45 p.m.—Hunters’ Bracelet: Dionosaur. Don’t Know. Lord Cristo 3.30 p.m.—Opou Hack Handicap: Jaydon, News Flash. Waitaria. 4.15 p.m.—Bushmere - Hack Handicap; Master Luca, Red View, Gentana.

AWAPUNI HACK HURDLES, of £330; about one mile and a half.—Fly Home (5) 11-4; Count Gooch (6) 9-7; Sir David (4) 9-4; Gold Kilt (9), Potera (7) 9-2; Gay Deceiver (3) 9-1; Punchinello (1), Someo Pa! (10). Sunny Pal (2). Talleyrand (8) 9-0. Bracket: Sunny Pal and Talleyrand. Scratched: Count Gooch.

TANGIHANGA NOVICE STAKES. NO. 1. of £200; six furlongs.—llmunah (9) 8-10; Belle Oman (10), Danalan (6), Emsie (11). Honey's Moon (12), Lovely Tour (1). Major Yurt (2), Melodious (4), Old Gold (BL, Sea Battle (5). Sir Bon (3), Tanekaha (7). Triple Countess (13) 8-0.

12.30 p.m.— FERGUSON GOLD CUP HUNT CLUB STEEPLECHASE, of £400; about two miles and a half.—Marvo (5) 9-12; Big Talk (9) 9-9; Santa Keda (6) 9-6: Sea Glee (1). Squadron Leader (8). Tamatekapua (7). Vai’s Hope (4) 9-2; Queen's Redoubt (3). Starways (10). Tere (2) 9-0. Scratched: Santa Keda.

TANGIHANGA NOVICE STAKES. NO. 2. of £200; six furlongs.—Friendly Trio (7) 8-10; Allnta (14), Brenda Dale (5). Charcoal (4) Coeur Volant (2). Fiery Lad (9). Forest Hunter (10), Monoceros (6), My Mistake (12), Paper Sister (8), Potency <3). Red Returns (13), Regal Contact (11), Silver Tax (1) 8-0. FIRST LEG OF DOUBLE THOS. FRASER MEMORIAL HANDICAP, Of £400; seven furlongs.

HUNTERS’ BRACELET HANDICAP, of £250; about one mile and a quarter.—Don’t Know (10) Lord Christo (3) 11-2; Lady Eva (4) 11-0; Sea Glee (6) 10-12; Dionosaur (7) 10-9; Cultivate (1). Squadron Leader (2). Tamatekapua (5) 10-8; Globemaster (9L Pippa (11). Potera (8) 10-7. Bracket: Don’t Know and Lord Christo Scratched; Lady Eva. SECOND LEG OF DOUBLE OPOU HACK HANDICAP, Of £300: one mile and a

Scratched: Master Luca, Golden Glow.

BUSHMERE HACK HANDICAP, of £300; six furlongs.— Royal WUlonyx (5) 9-0: Master Luca (10) 8-11; Count Gooch (17) 8-7; Gentana (4) 8-6: Red View (13). Royal Ransom (1). The Raider (7) 8-3; Belle Song (3), Star Countess (18) 8-2: Conference (6) 8-1; Mum’s Sai (8) 8-0; Belle Oman (9). Flnoti (16). Old Gold (14), Sea Miss (11), Tanekaha (12). Unarmed (16). Wai Ware (2) 7-13 Scratched: Count Gooch.

tioa into racing wag under the direction of Mr W J Tomtanson, a highly aucces - Jul trainer of p*cers and trotters.

In 1031. Mr Roberta went to work in Mr J. S. Shaw's trotting stable at Addington A veer later he transferred to Mr Shaw's galloping estab Mshment at Riccarton. He was promoted to head lad by Mr Shaw when R. Drinkwater relinquished that position.

In 1938, Mr Shaw was appointed a atipendiai y steward by the New Zealand Trotting Conference and Mr Roberts leased his stable and took over all the horses except those which Mr Shaw had trained for Mr Levin, of

Wellington. With the exception of R. Wilson, who had been in charge of Mr Shaw's trotting team, all the employees remained with Mr Roberts.

Later Mr Roberts set up as a public trainer on his own account.

Of all the horses trained by Mr Roberta the best was probably Defaulter, which raced only at two, three and four.

Defaulter was among the horses Mr Roberts took over from Mr Shaw and his race career began a month after the. change-over became effective. In his first season Defaulter won at eight of his 12 starts and was placed in one of the others.

The next season he set up one of the greatest three-year-old records in the history of New Zealand racing. After beginning the season by running second in a sprint at Wingatui, Defaulter went on to win in succession the Dunedin Guineas. Treutham Stakes, Harcourt Stakes, New Zealand Derby, Canterbury Cup. ARC. Christmas Handicap, Great Northern Derby and Wellington Cup with 8-11.

Taken to Australia, Defaulter won the Chipping Norton Plate at Warwick Farm and the A.J.C. Autumn Plate before finishing unplaced in the Sydney Cup. He won again at his only other start for the season, the A.J.C. Plate. At the stud Defaulter has been one of the most successful colonial-bred sires. Other Good Horses Other good horses trained by Mr Roberts included Blue Trout, Irish Note, Citril and Kartikeya. Blue Trout is the co-holder with Todrnan and Pastel of the New Zealand and Australian record for five furlongs, set at Riccarton in 1945 when she wdn the Welcome Stakes by four lengths in 57 4-ssec.

Irish Note is another track record-holder at Riccarton. He set his record on the same day as Blue Trout, when he sprinted over the Stewards’ Handicap six furlongs in Imin 9sec.

Kartikeya’s wins included the Dunedin Guineas, W. R, C. Pearce and Anniversary Handicaps, Oamaru Winter Cup, and Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton. Citril, which won £10.345 in the Roberts’ colours, later became the dam of the winners, Adaris, Sarcelle, Ruve and Auriette.

Among the other winners Mr Roberts prepared were Not Out, Grisle, Salutation, Lady Athena, Waitaka, Shirred Ribbon, Calypso, Lady Derby, Helolse, Mercenary, Moonraker, Pennywhtatle. Mungatoon, Arustra, Capricious, Liane, John Gay and Dhofar.

Mr Roberts, who was in his fifty-fourth year, is survived by his wife and one daughter

st. lb 3557 Tamil (5) 9 0 0403 Golden Candidate (3) 8 12 2424 The Answer (2) 8 10 4665 Bookful (6) 8 3 0702 Sir David (4) 8 3 0000 Balzac (7) 8 2 8966 Otakirl Girl (1) .. 8 2 0076 Sunny Pal (S) Scratched: Dalveen. 8 2

quarter. st. lb 4091 Royal Willonyx (16) 9 0 8564 Waitaria (10) 8 13 4551 News Flash (12) 8 11 2163 Jaydon (15) Red Ella (9) 8 9 0021 8 9 (XXX) Acquital (17) 8 6 0340 Annigoni (3) 8 3 9994 Determined (1) 8 2 00 Fire Escape (14) 8 2 3038 Kapal Gunner (13) .. 8 2 0045 Nuala (2) 8 2 0057 Opechee (18) 8 2 9906 Quaint Souvenir (11) 8 2 0509 Sinecure (4) 8 2 7260 Sir Bon (7) 8 2 66 Talleyrand (8) 8 2