Mounting Interest In Americans’ Tour

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30668, 6 February 1965, Page 6

Mounting Interest In Americans’ Tour

America’s leading motion picture photographer of racing will film the American thoroughbred breeders* and owners’ tour of New Zealand and Australia next spring.

He is Mr J. Burnham, who has been preserving action and beauty on film, particularly racing, for more than 17 years, and turned out his first motion picture for Hollywood Park in 1947. The American party. 75strong, will arrive in Christchurch from Melbourne on November 5. Next day they will be at Riccarton for the New Zealand Cup. Later they will inspect studs and scenic spots in the North Island. Arrangements for their New Zealand tour are being prepared by Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd., and Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. On Cup day at Riccarton the Americans will be the guests of the Canterbury Jockey Club at lunch and a cocktail party. Mr Hugo Larsen, the Los Angeles tour promoter who will come to New Zealand with the party, has already found American interest in the tour “quite remarkable.” He had 20 inquiries from interested breeders before the tour was advertised last month. Last year Mr Larsen took another party of studmasters and owners to Europe. Members of the party spent 6 million dollars on thoroughbreds on that tour. Writing to “The Press” this week, Mr Larsen said he had watched the 25,000 dollar San Marcos Handicap, a race of particular interest to New Zealand, at Santa Anita last month.

“Imagine our delight,” he wrote, “when Desert Chief HI was placed first. At the age of nine, quite an achievement.

“Cadiz led all the way until the last turn when he was beaten to third place. Good show! One up for New Zealand. Let’s have more like it.”