Former Picnic Rider Now Trains Fencourt

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30601, 18 November 1964, Page 5

Former Picnic Rider Now Trains Fencourt

“The Press” Special Service

MATAMATA, Nov. 17.

An ambition to one day train a good horse has taken W. J. Hennessy from a picnic rider to a licensed trainer. The journey has proved worth it because he has Fencourt in form as a four-year-old after turning him out to be top northern horse of his age as both a two and three-year-old. At Te Aroha this morning Fencourt (Bethune) ran half a mile brilliantly with Semprini (Ganley) in 48 l-ssec, a fine gallop left-handed with the pegs out 18 feet. Fencourt has rarely looked better and has filled right out. He is often lazy in training but was right alongside his speedy companion at the end. Semprini is nearing peak condition but needed the gallop and blew hard afterwards.

W. J. Hennessy served his apprenticeship with his father, T. Hennessy, who trained successfully. Hennessy was too heavy to ride at totalisator meetings but had experience at picnic meetings and rode all the work on Nancy Lee. a Railway Handicap winner which was then in his father’s stable. Mosaic, a name reissued, was another capable galloper in the team. After completing his time, Hennessy went on to a dairy farm, milked cows and be-

came a ploughman with horse teams. He rode around the shows and was associated with horses. He served in the Middle East and returned to purchase a billiard room in Matamata from a man who then turned to training and headed the list for New Zealand—G. Cobb. Hennessy later sold the business and bought his present property at Te Aroha.