AUSTRALIAN TRIP

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN TRIP

Hillis Back

At Takanini

"The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, March 19.

The Takanini trainerrider, B. L. Hillis, who won on Blue Gum at Flemington on Saturday, was at home supervising his team again on Monday. While in Australia Hillis visited Adelaide. He spent last Sunday with H. H. Riley, a former Takanini trainer, who is doing well in Sydney.

Hillis was on Blue Gum when the gelding failed at Flemington on Monday of last week. A consequence was that he received a hostile reception from some of the crowd when he won on Saturday. One or two advised him loudly and in the strongest terms to return home as quickly as possible. Hillis said he was ait a loss to account for Blue Gum’s sudden improvement Blue Gum ran so poorly the first time that his trainer, C. Hayes, of Adelaide, was reluctant to start him again last Saturday. He did so finally mainly to allow Hillis, who trained Blue Gum in New Zealand, another ride on the horse. Hayes has invited Hillis to Adelaide for Easter so that he might ride Blue Gum again in the big South Australian cross-country race, the Great Eastern (Onkaparinga) Steeplechase. It seems unlikely, however, that Hillis will make the trip. At that time he will be busy at home with a team of jumpers which he is preparing for the winter.

The quality of the jumpers racing at Flemington was very ordinary, said Hillis. The riding over fences was also below a good New Zealand standard. Hughes Resumes

G. F. Hughes, after being inactive since he had a fall at Te Rapa on February 16, Resumed riding at Takanini this morning when he managed several horses in their fast work. Hughes has not yet received a medical clearance for race riding, but he hopes to be cleared in about a fortnight

The three-year-old, Tasman Lad, which has done good service this season for his owner, Mr R. M. Neville-White, and trainer, G. G. Cameron, is being let up in his training to be ready for a spell

Tasman Lad’s last race was in the New Zealand St Leger at Trentham last Saturday, when he finished unplaced. Another of Mr NevilleWhite’s horses. Uplands Lad, is being retired. It has only recently been found that he is partly blind, the result, it is thought, of striking his head on the starting gates. An eight-year-old gelding far Ruling Prince from Sherwyn Pal, Uplands Lad began racing when a three-year-old and he has secured 10 wins since, and £5665 in stakes. It was hoped ti»t he might beIcome a fair jumper.