RACING South Island Earnings At G.N. Meeting

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 4

RACING South Island Earnings At G.N. Meeting

The 1962 Grand National meeting produced one fairly uncommon result South Island horses earned more in stake money than their northern rivals. The victory of the Gore-trained Vamoose in the Grand National Hurdles made the difference in the north-south earnings records.

The Canterbury Jockey Club offered £22,650 in stakes over three days, and £11,740 was won by South Island horses against the northerners’ total of £10,910. The South Island horses heavily outnumbered the northerners and won 14 of the 24 races. But the north horses more than broke even, and took all the rich prizes on the first and most valuable day of the meeting. their combined efforts producing five wins, four seconds, four thirds, two fourths and £6060 of the £B5OO stakes offered

Grand National Steeplechase, Winter Cup. Paparua Handicap, Jumpers’ Flat, and Enfield Steeplechase honours on the first day all fell to northern horses. South Island horses managed to win six of the eight races and £4900 of the £7200 offered in stakes on the second day of the meeting. For a change a Grand National Hurdles victory went to the south and Vamoose’s win, worth £l3OO, swung the stake earnings' balance against the north. Clean Sweep Northern horses were heavily outnumbered last Saturday, and did not contest some races. But they had the Lincoln Steeples to themselves and No Offence’s win

brought in £lOOO of. the £2550 earned for the North Island on the programme. South Island horses won five races and earned £4400. Golden Defaulter earned £2lOO with his win in the Grand National, which was his only race at the meeting That placed him well ahead of any of the others on the list of stake earners. Vamoose earned £1370, and could have headed Golden Defaulter only if he had won the Jumpers’ Flat and the Sydenham Hurdles as well as the Grand National Hurdles. As it was he was fourth in both the Jumpers' Flat and the Sydenham Hurdles

The most successful trainer, for money earned, was Golden Defaulter’s partowner, R. T. Cotter. Two minor placings by Daysun, the other member of the Cotter team, advanced the stake earnings on the trip to £2620. Good Record J. P. Carter did well with three of four horses he brought south from Awapuni. With Lombard he won the Beaufort and ran second in the Grand National Steeplechase. No Offence won the Lincoln Steeples and Bhie Rock earned two minor prizes. The combined earnings of Lombard (£1250), No Offence f£1000) and Blue Rock < £220) on the campaign were £2470. Carter was only one of three trainers to saddle winners of more than one race. The others were E. Ropiha. from Woodville, and V. D. Clutterbuck, of Riccarton. Nafanua won twice for the Ropiha stable, and Canadians and Yosemite were winners in the Clutterbuck colours. Versatile Only one jockey managed to ride more than two winners. He was the versatile North Island jockey, B. J Langford, who won over country on Sir Totara (Enfield Steeples), over hurdles on Montgomery (Sydenham) and on the fiat on Tutton iWoolston Handicap). Langford, a former Southlander. is an elder brother of Button's Waimate trainer. R P Langford. The Otaki horseman is at nresent holidaying in the South Island and will ride at the Otago Hunt meeting next Saturday. Jockeys with two wins were J. H Hely (Golden Defaulter. Mighty Fella', A. J. Stokes (Top Rank. Omaha). F. H. Skelton (Canadians. Brandy Gold), and B. Waerea (Nafanua, twice).