Redcraze Dies At Age Of 16

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 4

Redcraze Dies At Age Of 16

"The Press’* Special Service WANGANUI.

The champion Redcraze, which died suddenly at Marton on Saturday, had lived in retirement at Mrs F. M. Morrison’s Porewa property for the last eight years. The champion’s death was sudden. He was sick with an attack of colic late last week and died two days later. Redcraze was aged 16. Until last week the big chestnut had been a “ball of muscle,” according to Mrs Morrison. He was always active and was regularly ridden around the Morrison property. Not surprisingly the Morrisons felt the champion’s loss. “We feel as though we’ve lost one of the family,” she said yesterday. Redcraze won 32 races and more than £70,000.

He was developed by the Woodville trainer, S. A.

Brown, but it was after he left Brown’s stable to join the Sydney team of T. J. Smith that he reached the peak of his greatness. Redcraze contested three Melbourne Cups, none of which he won. His nearest miss was in 1956, when he carried 10-3 and ran Evening Peal to half a neck. Evening Peal carried 8-0.

Redcraze that year won the Caulfield Cup and the bulk of the £43,000 he earned in Australia. Redcraze was a chestnut by Red Mars from Myarion, by Myosotis from Miss Martama, by Martarma from Lady Desmond, by the great Limond. The late Mr J. B. Bradley, of Feilding, bred Redcraze, but did not see him race. Mr Bradley suffered a stroke when Redcraze was a yearling and was confined to his home till his death in 1957.