£20,000 For Golden Oriole

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 7

£20,000 For Golden Oriole

Negotiations for the sale of Mr M. A. Butt’s Local Light mare, Golden Oriole, to an American for £20,000 have been completed.

“We are waiting for the money to arrive but have been assured that it is on the way,” said Golden Oriole’s trainer, W. R. Butt, who prepares the mare for his son.

The successful American trainer find reinsman, E. Cobb, handled the £20,000 deal for a client of his stable. Cobb, who was in New Zealand last week and returned to the United States on Mon-

day, has informed the Butt family that Golden Oriole passed all tests to the satisfaction of his client.

Golden Oriole, a five-year-old daughter of Local Light and Petulus, was a bargain buy for her young owner. He raced her first on lease from her breeder, the West Melton trainer, J. S. Dalgety, and exercised his right to purchase for 450 guineas after she had won her first race. Since then Golden Oriole has won nine races and gained numerous placings for almost £9OOO in stakes. W. R. Butt said yesterday that the new owner would decide whether to race Golden

Oriole at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting. Club’s Easter meeting. But It seemed likely she would race because she was not expected to leave for the United States until April. , When Golden Oriole was foaled Dalgety had her dam on lease. Petulus has since had four further foals for her Oamaru owner, Mrs N. J. Ormandy. Two have gone to Australia and the third, a half-brother by Garrison Hanover to Golden Oriole, will be offered at the Standardbred Yearling Sales next month. Mrs Ormandy also has a colt foal out of Petulus. This

brother to Golden Oriole was sent south a few days ago. Dalgety owns Society Maid, a sister to Petulus. She lost twin foals to Bachelor Hanover this season. FLYING STEP SOLD Miss Step, a five-year-old daughter of False Step and Interlace, has been sold by her joint owners, Messrs H. E. Cook, J. Smyth and R. J. Jones, to a client of Del Cameron’s stable in North Carolina. Miss Step, a 2:18 class pacer which was trained by Jones at Ashburton, will leave Auckland for the United States next Wednesday on the Crusader.