TROTTING Tactile To Stand At Stud In U.S.

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 5

TROTTING Tactile To Stand At Stud In U.S.

A decision to stand a New Zealand standardbred sire at a leading stud in the United States is a major break-through for New Zealand stock.

Last week-end it was announced that the former New Zealand pacer, Tactile, was to stand at the White Devon Farm, one of America’s leading studs, where the top sire, Thorpe Hanover (1:58 2-5), and several others are established.

Tactile is the only horse in the world, either standardbred or thoroughbred, to have won five His three-year-old record included wins in the New Zealand Derby and Great Northern Derby then on a campaign in Australia he took the honours in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Tactile was established as a top-class youngster early in

his first season. He had eight starts as a two-year-old, won

the first six of them and finished second in the other two. Tactile raced for five seasons in New Zealand. He had 34 starts for 10 wins and 12

minor placings worth $21,380. His three campaigns in Australia yielded another $27,670 in stakes. Half-way through his six-year-old season Tactile went to the United States. There he took a record of train 59 3-ssec and earned about $lOO,OOO in stakes. Best Performed Tactile is the best performed stallion by the Souths land-based Hal Tryax, sire also of Cardigan Bay, Robin Dundee, Holy Hal, Blue Prince, and many others. Several of Hal Tryax’s sons are now firmly established as sires and many of them have made a successful start in this role.

tTwo of Tactile’s halfbrothers, Adroit, by Johnny Globe, and Tactus, by Garrison Hanover, are now at the stud in Australia. Other good performers left by Tactile’s dam, Tactics, include Deft, Guile, Tactena and Greek March. Tactics is a daughter of Light Brigade and Nell Grat- . tan, a grand race mare by I Grattan Loyal from the noted “ foundation mare, First Water, the dam of 12 winners. The First Water family is widely represented today. One of her sons, First Lord, byDillon Hall, is the sire of Cardinal King, winner of last year’s international series at Yonkers Raceway in New York. First Lord is now at the stud in Australia. Another member of this family at the stud in New Zealand is Quiet Water, a U Scott horse which was represented by his first winner, I John James, at the Winton . meeting last Saturday week.

Extra Facilities Inadequate totalisator facilities at Hutt Park Raceway caused some problems for the crow-d of about 10,000 on Wellington Cup night last year. This year patrons will find that betting facilities have been extended and several other steps have been taken by the club’s committee to ensure there is no repetition of the problem. There will be an additional 10 selling windows 62 against ,52 last year. There will also be more pay-out windows and provision has been made for the payment of

late dividends in the new public stand. Instead of running the oncourse double on the first and third races, as has been the practice previously, this double will now be run on the first and second races. The first race, as usual, will start at 6.45 p.m. but the second will not start till 7.25 p.m. to allow extra time for the exchange of tickets. The early running of the on-course double will give patrons at least an hour to purchase tickets on the main double, the first leg of which starts at 8.30 p.m. each night. There will also be limited provision for the selling of tickets on the main double from 6 p.m. onwards. First-up Wiu Miles Gentry gained a firstup success in the United States in a $15,000 mile event at Yonkers Raceway, New York, last Saturday night. News of the former Auckland pacer’s victory was received on Sunday by Mr H. S. Barry, of Papatoetoe, who races the five-year-old in partnership with Dr T. Siciliano, of New York. Dr Siciliano was a member of the syndicate which raced Cardigan Bay. Dr Siciliano told Mr Barry during their telephone conversation that Miles Gentry had won easily and his trainer, S. Dancer, was very pleased with him.