STUD AND STABLE Irish Luck May Speed Mannix On His Way

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 4

STUD AND STABLE Irish Luck May Speed Mannix On His Way

With just a dash of Irish luck to back his obvious talent, Mannix should win the Wellington Guineas at Trentham on Saturday,

The colt, bred from a mare called Eireann, named after a famous Irish-born, Australian churchman by his Irish-born breeder-owner, Mr H. McCarvill, trained by a Riordan and ridden by another Riordan, looks outstanding in every way.

The Wellington Guineas could be a rewarding step on the path to a splendid second - season programme. Mannix’s owner is one of racing’s most colourful characters. He had half-a-crown to his name when he arrived in Taranaki from Ireland many years ago, but a farming partnership with a brother prospered, and he now lives in retirement in Matamata. Mr Hugh McCarvill raced several horses in partnership with his brother. One of the very good ones was Bridie, a half-sister by Beau Le Havre to Mannix. Beat Passive

Bridie was one of the top mares in her three and four-year-old racing. She established her class when she beat the brilliant Passive in a Foxbridge Plate. That same season—when she was four—Bridie also won the Hawke’s Bay Lowry Memorial, the Awapuni Gold Cup, the Wellington Watkins Handicap, and the Feilding Cup with 9-1.

She struck a great patch of form, also, as an autumn three-year-old to win a double including the Hawke’s Bay Cup at Hastings, and the Feilding Cup. Earlier she had won the Manawatu club's Eulogy Stakes. Eireann, the dam of Mannix and Bridie, was got by Te Hero from Mahaina by Posterity from Burnish, by Pombal from Episode, by Limond from Homage by Absurd from the famous imported mare Eulogy. Eulogy had 14 foals, 13 of them winners. Homage had 12 foals, 11 winners. Mr McCarvill did a great stroke buying into a family

that is still having such a marked influence on New Zealand racing. Top Ranking Mannix was top-weight with 9-8 in last season’s Two- . Year-Old Handicap. He . earned top ranking by recording six wins, a second, ’ and a third in eight starts. ■ His major successes were 1 the A.R.C. Eclipse Stakes, Breeders’ Plate, and Great ' Northern Champagne Stakes 1 and the Manawatu Sires’ Pro--1 duce Stakes. High Delight beat him in I the Auckland Racing Club’s 1 Wills Championship Stakes, ; seven furlongs, on April 1. 1 But a week later Mannix 1 turned the tables on Mr and Mrs A. E. Preston’s swift Knight’s Romance filly in the fifty-ninth Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Mannix gave High Delight 31b and beat her by threequarters of a length in the Awapuni feature race, also run over seven furlongs.

Winning Form

High Delight has started her three-year-old racing brilliantly with two wins, both in open sprints at Otaki, and now her first tussle of the present season with Mannix is commanding wide interest. At a mile the powerful Mannix may be too strong for High Delight and all the others. But he may have to come up with a very fast gallop to win one of the top prestige races of the spring.

Mannix’s trainer, Des Riordan, was one of the top lads for J. L. McDonald when that stable housed the brilliant Mainbrace in the early 19505. G. F. Hughes was Mainbrace’s regular rider, but Riordan did well on Keith, another member of the team and a contemporary of the chestnut champion. Mainbrace was owned by Dr T. C. Fraser, but the Fraser tartan, which the colt carried with wonderful success, almost had to take second place in the colour scheme on March 17, 1951. St Patrick’s day that year was also New Zealand St Leger day at Trentham, and a smiling “lad” with kneelength green ribbons paraded a Mainbrace bedecked with

green rosettes. Besides, the trainer had ordered a new green suit for the occasion. Dr Fraser lodged a goodhumoured protest After all, he said, it was a Scotsman’s horse. But he' was outnumbered by the Kiwi-Irish from the stable, and was assured that this would be Mainbrace's easiest win ever. The Admiral’s Luck colt then went out to win the classic by 10 lengths with a re-cord-breaking gallop of 2min 56|sec. i.

N.Z. Jockey In England

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON.

G. A. Walters, a 23-year-old New Zealand jockey, will make his English debut at Ascot Heath today. He will ride Whitebridge in the Binfield Juvenile Hurdles. Walters, who has ridden 60 winners in New Zealand, arrived in London a month ago. He has been riding work for several trainers in Lambourn, Berkshire.

Rehandicap

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. The following rehandicap for the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting was announced today: Heretaunga Handicap: Honourbright, 61b to 8-5.