Racing RACES NAMED FOR N.Z. PARTY

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31994, 22 May 1969, Page 4

Racing RACES NAMED FOR N.Z. PARTY

fSpecially written for “The Prei*” by DAVID B. CLARKSON, at praUnt On a world tOur with a party of New Zealand racing ownets. trainers and breeders) LOS ANGELES.

The New Zealand party formed part of a crowd of 47,800 at Hollywood Park on Saturday, May 10, to see. a programme which included the New Zealand Breeders’ Handicap, a race held to visit

It was a handicap race for horses aged four and over, for a purse of $15,000, and was won by Court Fool, a four-year-old grey colt by Tom Fool, out of Moulette, by Mahmoud.

The New Zealand-bred Felix Dee finished in the middle of the field.

The Hollywood Turf Club Is called “the track of the lakes and flowers” because of the picturesque lakes, shrubs and gardens in the centre oval A fantastic day it was—with the temperature in the eighties, a great crowd, a turnover for the day of s4|m. and right royal entertainment and hospitality for the New Zealand party.

Winners are decorated in the winner’s circle in front of the main grandstand and the executives of Hollywood Park asked that the winner of the New Zealand Breeders’ Handicap be decorated by three of the visitors. The names which came out of the hat were Mr and Mrs G. H. Murfitt, of Riccarton, and Mrs June House, owner of the Taringamotu Stud, at Taumaranui. Before the handshaking and congratulations the course commentator spoke over the course loudspeakers about our visit, and made special mention of the Christchurch and Taumaranui Studs belonging to the small group in the winner’s circle.

The Murfitts and Mrs House looked the part and did a great job. For part of the day we were the guests of Mr James D. Stewart, the executive and general manager of the club. Mr Stewart’s room is on top of the grandstand, looking down on the finishing line. During a race the television screen in his room provides an on-the-spot picture, and .the remarks of the stipendiary ■’ stewards to one another, as ‘ well as what is being said by the official patrol stewards on the track, are relayed direct to his room by a closed speaker system.

I had the good fortune to be with the Takanini trainer, Ray Wallace, on an extensive tour of other features of the track—to the stewards' room, on to the track with the patrol stewards, to the stables, and finally to the broadcasting box, where Harry Henson broadcasts for the Hollywood Park Turf Club and over KI E V., Los Angeles. Henson has been giving course commentaries for the last 26 years, the last 11 of them have been at Hollywood Park and Del Mar. He said he had never been able to speak to someone who could assure him that Phar Lap was a New Zealand-bred horse; so we told him to start laying the odds and get a fortune for himself.

The majority of Americans believe Phar Lap was bred in Australia.

“Greatest Horse”

Phar Lap, in Harry Henson’s opinion, was the greatest horse he has ever seen, and he told the story of the champion's win in the Agua Caliente Handicap at Santa Anita. Harry Henson was a jockey at Santa Anita the day Phar Lap amazed Americans with his matchless speed. Before the jockeys went out to mount Henson walked over to Billy Elliott, who was to ride Phar Lap, and asked him if he had any plans for the race. Elliott replied that he would let Phar Lap loaf out of the start, and let him follow the field in the middle of the track. When leaving the front stretch he would let Phar Lap go, run the field down round the outside, be in front four furlongs from the post, “and then the others would be in another race somewhere behind.”

Henson said he was amazed at Elliott's confidence, but, as it turned out, there were never any doubts; although Phar Lap was 10 lengths last with a mile to go. With four furlongs to go Phar Lap was in front Something kept at him to the home turn but when given more rein Phar Lap coasted home, nicely held.

Yes, Phar Lap is No. 1 in the mind of California’s top racing commentator.

Santa Anita

On Monday, May 12, we were the guests of Mr Bud Straub, a Los Angeles millionaire who has attended the yearling sales in New Zealand and is a friend of our tour leader, Glyn Tucker. We met Mr Straub at the famous Santa Anita race track and our first visit was to the Carleton F. Burke Memorial Library, home office of the Californian Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. Here are records of all thoroughbreds produced in the United States, and an office containing the stud books of all racing countries except New Zealand. They have never seen our stud book. The stud books kept there are sent free and given free on a reciprocal basis, and it is important that . New Zealand should act and participate in the exchange of stud books, turf registers and racing calendars. The’ next call on the programme was the scene of Phar Lap’s triumph. Frank E. Kilroe, vice-president of the club, was there to show us around, and what a lovely course it is. The car parks hold 40,000 cars, and buses cruise up and down the lanes to carry patrons to the main gates from their cars. The average attendance is 45,000 with a record of 75,000, and 700 horses are in training at the course. Racing is held from Boxing Day to April 10, Tuesday to Saturday.

Studs Visited The next stop was at one of the loveliest homes and studs one could imagine. It was the Three Rings Ranch, at Beaumont, owned by Mrs Connie Ring, widow of the founder of the Ring Oil Company. Mrs Ring is one of the

“first' ladies” of American racing. Here we saw the stallions Olympiad King, Indian Hemp (sire of the champion T. V. Lark),_Podger Blue, Hillsdale; Windy Sands, and our New Zealand-bred Rapido. Our next stop was at Ridgeley Farm, which was founded by the late Neil Curry, who founded the Californian State Hone Racing Board. The stud Is. nwr run by his son-in-law, Jim Thompson, and his wife. Here we saw Mr Consistency (by Alibi), winner of $418,000 and the hone who beat Rapido Jn the rich; Del Mar Handicap; Also here were the sires, Nagea, Neke, Ahoy, and Sullivan’s Bud. The stud extends over 60 acres, worth $3OOO an acre bare of buildings. On Tuesday, May 13, we spent our second day at tbe Hollywood Park races, and experienced another day of hospitality from the executives of the leading Californian club. Tbe seventh race on the card was, in honour of our visit, the “New Zealand Owners” for a purse of $lO,OOO. The winner was Brigadier, a six-year-old grey by Parajero. For tbe presentation the names were again taken out of the hat, and the New Zealand party was this time represented by Mr and Mrs George Austad and Glyn Tucker. The big race of the day was the seven furlongs Railbird Stakes, of $20,000, and we all got a lot of pleasure out of seeing it won by Tipping Time, a three-year-old bay filly by the New Zealandbred Commanding out of Tipping by Khaled, owned by Rex Ellsworth and trained by Robert Craft