RACING Owner Refuses $50,000 For Proud Chief

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31773, 2 September 1968, Page 4

RACING Owner Refuses $50,000 For Proud Chief

"The Preu" Special Service

AUCKLAND.

The owner, Mr H. Q. Gregory, of Howick, turned down an offer of $50,000 for Proud Chief at Avondale on Saturday and that was before his four-year-old ran out an easy winner in the $7500 Avondale Cup.

The approach to buy Proud Chief was made by Mr W. L. Paterson, a bloodstock representative of Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd, acting for Mr K. F. Cox, a visiting committeeman of the Victoria Racing Club which stages the Melbourne Cup.

The latest prize brought Proud Chief’s stake earnings to almost $16,000, every cent of which has been gathered during the last 12 months. The first time he made his owner any sort of return was when fie won at Stratford in October last year.

His wins, meanwhile, besides the Avondale Cup, have included the Great Northern St Leger and the Winter Oats Handicap at Trentham. Mr Gregory got him for $250 as an early two-year-old so he has already proved a real bargain.

Proud Chief is so wellknown as a mudlark that when heavy rain started on Friday be became one of the favourites for the Avondale Cup. In the finish he was the best backed for both a win and a place and a verypopular fancy as well on doubles.

From seventh and eighth | over the first six of the Hi furlongs. Proud Chief came up strongly behind Gay Mari-, lyn, Honourbright, Schoolmate and Lu Filou as they approached the home straight In another furlong he was well clear through a gap on the inside. His rider, D. J. Wyatt, kept him up to it and he held a three lengths lead on Honourbright until the post Pell Mell came third. Master Brynn fourth, and Old and Bold fifth. But they were too strung out for their performances to hold much merit 11 lengths separated first and fifth. For ail that, Pell Mell did better than anyone expected i because he is nowhere near his best when the going is very heavy. Honourbright, a five-year-old gelding, was having his biggest test since

he cleared intermediate company recently and his placing was notable on that account Red Crest and Midnight Kiss were the main disappointments. When a heavy track became certain Roganne, an early favourite, lost most of his admirers and his performance for eighth was no worse than had seemed likely in the conditions. Red Crest and Midnight Kiss were never much closer than at the middle of the 17 runners. In the finish they were sixth (Midnight Kiss) and ninth (Red Crest). Terrific, which is in the Melbourne Cup with Proud Chief and

Red Crest, came eleventh. Understandably, because of the atrocious conditions on Saturday, the displays of Terrific and Red Crest have not for a moment cancelled the possibility of their being in Melbourne this spring. All going well he will race next at Ellerslie during the Auckland spring meeting early next month. Red Crest might be let up for a bit to freshen.

Bright Chief, one of the best stayers and another foremost entry for the Melbourne Cup, was no less impressive than Proud Chief even though only second in the open mile, the Borough Handicap.

In his first race over such a short course for a long while and his first start for almost three months, Bright Chief took a little time to gather speed and finished stronelv to get within three-

quarters of a length of the winner, Wonderbar, Bright Chief was weighted with 9st 21b, but with his rider, I. G. Rowe, claiming an apprentice allowance this amount was reduced to fist 91b.

Bright Chief looked bright and very well after his spell. He is expected to return to a middle distance in the Coronation Handicap next Saturday. The Auckland spring meeting next month should afford him further opportunities. Claroch, fourteenth out of 16 the time before in a sprint at Matamata, looked a different horse when he won the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the Sheriff Handicap. He showed great dash to put a break on the others once in the straight and held off Ginza and Bostock by a length and a quarter.