TRAINER’S DEATH

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29855, 22 June 1962, Page 5

TRAINER’S DEATH

Mr F. Smith (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 21. Mr F. Smith, a Takanini horse trainer, died recently after a short illness. He was 82. In six weeks he would have completed his thirtysixth season as a public trainer. Mr Smith was renowned throughout New Zealand and Australia as a judge of yearling thoroughbreds. Horses trained by Mr Smith won stakes of £411.941. In all he saddled 596 winners. Mr Smith’s best season as a trainer was in 1948-49 when horses in his stable won stakes of £36.280. His best individual winner was Passive which in 10 wins and three seconds earned £14.915 in 1956-57.

During his career Mr Smith's horses won nearly every major race in the Ellerslie calendar Two of his horses won Auckland Cups, Lord Chancellor, in 1943, and Balgowan, in 1947, after a stewards’ inquiry This cup was the first £lO,OOO stake race in New Zealand.

Mr Smith began as a private trainer for the Alison family, of Takapuna, training his stable on the Takapuna beach He later shifted to the Oranga stud. One Tree Hill, and in the thirties bought Glenora Park. Takanini, from the late Mr J. T Jamieson. Since 1951, he trained in partnership with a son. Mr G. W Smith He is survived by two sons and three daughters.