TROTTING Valcador Has Moved To W. R. Butt’s Stable

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30476, 25 June 1964, Page 4

TROTTING Valcador Has Moved To W. R. Butt’s Stable

Valcador will strengthen the ranks of Canterbury-trained New Zealand Cup class pacers next season. This Southlandowned Young Charles gelding arrived from the north last Saturday to join W. R. Butt’s Templeton stable. Altogether he earned £2040 for Mr S. J. Cochrane. . Anarca Direct, like Valcador, originally came from the north. She had already compiled a very sound record before she joined Butt's team late in the season. She gained a second and a first at Forbury Park last month—her lone starts since being Canter-bury-trained. Wildwood Chief, Waitaki Lass, Stormy Lad and the trotter El Pestre are all out for short spells. They will resume, in time for spring racing. But the youthful “star” of the team, Golden Oriole, will be out for some time. This high-class two-year-old filly will not race again until the New Zealand Cup meeting. There she will compete in the Derby and restricted age races. Golden Oriole, which had only eight starts in her first iseason of racing, won her last four in succession for her youthful owner, M. D. Butt, a son of her trainer. Her earnings to date are £2425,.

Valcador compiled a useful record in the Auckland district this season, He won twice and gained three minor placings for Mr W. B. Somerville for whom he was then trained by G. R. Grantham, at Normanby.

Both of Valcador’s wins and all his placings this season were gained at Alexandra Park. He was successful there as a two-miler in the Fergusoh Handicap last September. His other victory was in the Alexandra Park Handicap, of 13 furlongs and 96 yards, at the. Auckland Trotting Club’s February meeting. • That success did not affect Valcador’s assessment of 2-11 for sprint races but he was re-assessed at 2-10 over a distance. This is the accepted limit for the New Zealand Cup. Valcador will be one of four horses which will represent the Butt stable at the National meeting at Addington in August. The others at

present being prepared for fresh campaigns are Van Rebeck, Admit and Anarca Direct. Van Rebeck and Admit, which are 2-11 class pacers, will probably both be rivals for Valcador at the National meeting. Anarca Direct is still two wins away from this class.

Paid His Way

Admit, which has been off the scene since February, more than paid his way this season although he won only one race for Mr A. V. Kingsland. His lone success—the Canterbury Handicap at the last New Zealand Cup meeting—was worth £845. Minor placings, the most notable of which was a fourth in the Auckland Trotting Cup, brought his total up to £l3BO. Although Van Rebeck, too, had only one win on his record this season, he was one of Canterbury’s most consistent pacers. He was successful as a two-miler in the New Year Handicap at Addington in January. In addition, he gained eight minor placings of which five were seconds.

Boost For Sire Golden Oriole’s efforts have given a big boost to her colonial-bred sire, Local Light, which next season will stand at R. D. Butt’s Rolleston Stud. Although Local Light’s opportunities have been, fairly restricted, he has* sired a number of winners. Golden Oriole is the second outstanding juvenile pacer which he has sired. The other was Blue, an unbeaten two-year-old and a good classic winner. Only 11 mares were mated with Local Light last year when he stood in the South Canterbury district. But there is a much stronger demand from breeders to have their mares mated with the Light Brigade horse this year. Already he has 37 bookings, among them some well-per-formed mares. They include Excelsa, a New Zealand Cup-class pacer. Guardian Hall, the dam of Van- Rebeck, and Little Doubt, which left Wildwood Chief, one of this season’s top three-year-olds. There is also Perpetua, Golden Oriole’s dam, and Sans Souci, the dam of Black Tryax, another of this season’s very good two-year-olds.

Answer to correspondent.—

Reefton: Vanderford did win seven ■ races in succession in the South. Island; his last as a three-year-old and his first six as a four-year-old.