Mr L. F. Berkett Was Prominent Trainer

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30107, 16 April 1963, Page 6

Mr L. F. Berkett Was Prominent Trainer

Mr L. F. Berkett, who gained world-wide fame as the trainer of Highland Fling, died yesterday. Mr Berkett trained at Templeton for about 20 years, but before that he was a farmer in the Nelson district.

Mr Berkett began training horses about 1920, being particularly successful with cast* offsrfrom other trainers and with horses which had become unruly. He was recognised as a great judge of a horse and was a consistently successful trainer and driver.

Mr Berkett' made a sensational start in trotting. He exchanged with a local clergyman a quiet hack for a grey mare, which it was intended to use for farm work.

However, Mr Berkett began to train her and the grey mare, known as Wairoa Bell, was started at a Nelson meeting. She failed at her first

appearance, but won on the second day—paying the record New Zealand dividend of £1033 ss.

Imprint, which won the National Cup at Addington in 192”, brought Mr Berkett to the fore. Imprint reached New Zealand Cup company, as did Dilworth, which was rated the best three-year-old filly of her season. Unorthodox Methods Mr Beckett’s methods of training were regarded as unorthodox by many. Most of his horses were yoked to farm implements from time to time, and he was a great believer in galloping exercise for pacers and trotters. His methods certainly brought results and he W’as the leading trainer and driver for the 1946-47 season. Mr Berkett travelled his teams extensively and until recent years he was a staunch supporter of meetings in Nelson, Blenheim, the West Coast and the lower part of the North Island. Seldom did he return home without winning a number of races.

Highland Fling, the winner of two New Zealand Cups—the second from 60 yards in the then-record time of 4tnin

10 3-ssec—was by far the greatest horse trained by Mr Berkett. He established a record of Im in 57 4-ssec for one mile. Highland Fling won 25 races and was 13 times placed from 70 starts for £32,920 in stakes.

Nyallo Scott was another outstanding winner for Mr Berkett, while Snowflake was one of the most brilliant fillies raced in New Zealand. Her record of 4min Iftsec for two miles still stands.

Nicoya, which he purchased for 4igns, developed outstanding form, as did Douglas McElwyn, which cost him very little. Stop Press and Karangi, which cost £lO, were other cheap horses which developed fine winning form.

Tough ay. Keen Blade, Sandyshoire. Excellenza and Serenelli were some of the best trotters he trained. He won the New Zealand Trotting Stakes with Aerial Scott and Temple Star. Mr Berkett finished race driving at the end of the 1952-53 season and since then he reduced his team in size. His most recent winner was Det Nutt, which showed useful form last season. Two of Mr Berkett’s sons, C. R. and N. L. Berkett, have been prominent trainers and drivers in Canterbury for the last 16 years. C. R. Berkett drove Highland Fling in his first New Zealand Cup win, and he trained and drove Loyal Nurse to win the race in 1949. N. L. Berkett trained and drove Mobile Globe to win the race in 1952.