Mr T. C. Lowry was notable figure in thoroughbred world

Press, 22 July 1976, Page 20

Mr T. C. Lowry was notable figure in thoroughbred world

i New Zealand racing and the thoroughbred industry lost one of its towering figures with the death on Tuesday of Mr Thomas Ccleman Low'rv.

He celebrated his seventveighth birthday on February 117, the day his flying fil'y, Mop, won the Waikato Racking Club’s Thibenzole Inter 'national Sprint at Te Rapa ' “I couldn’t think of a nicer [birthday present” Mr Lowry !remarked that afternoon at Te Rapa as the Australian [jockey, Pat Trotter, brought 'the Taipan II filly back to [scale after her victory.

Mop never recaptured her I best New Zealand form when campaigned later in Australia [but her deeds in New Zealland earlier in the season [earned for her the Marlboro [Filly of the Year Award, iwhich goes to the three-year-old female with the best record over a selected number of races.

Mr Lowry was presented with the Marlboro Trophy at a function in Hastings on June 26.

In partnership with his wife, Mr Lowry raced Game, one of the most spectacular and colourful top-ranking performers of his time. Game ran many of his best races out in front and he assembled a formidable list of important victories in the late 1960’s and early 1970’5. He won three Ormond Gold Cups, the 1966 Wanganui Guineas, the 1968 Manawatu Challenge Stakes, the 1971 Canterbury Cup, the 1971 Awapuni Gold Cup and thei 1971 Harcourt Stakes. And he lost little stature in defeat when, at eight years, he ran second, a neck from Sailing Home, in the New Zealand International Invitation Stakes at Te Rapa in 1972. Lester Piggott rode Sailing Home. Game was in the skilful hands of Australia’s Roy Higgins, who told Mr Lowry after the race that he would

have given anything to have ridden the Faux Tirage gelding when he had been a younger horse.

HIGH-CLASS FILLIES Earlier Mr Lowry won the St Legers double with Rover, and two of his best fillies before Mop were Key and Lilt.

Key won the 1962 Awapuni Gold Cup, the 1963 Hawke’s Bay Cup and the 1963 North Island Challenge Stakes. One of her victories at four years was in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Royal meeting, attended by the Queen, in February, 1963. Mr Lowry’s historic Okawa Stud was the birthplace of champions and [high-class performers. It produced the famous Desert Gold, the winner for 'Mr T. C. Lowry’s father, Mr T. H. Lowry, of 36 races from 59 starts. She still shares with her contemporary Gloaming, the dis-

rtinction of winning 19 races ‘in succession. Mr T. C. Lowry made an important step in the more recent success of Okawa when, in 1949, he imported Faux Tirage, a son of Big Game and Commotion. Faux Tirage had outstanding success as sire of all-purpose horses — top stayers, successful jumpers, and "flyers” like Hush Money. In 1972 Mr Lowrv imported and onered a limited number of shares for syndication in Reindeer (by Santa Claus), winner of six races including the Irish St Leger. Mr Lowry was a foundation member of the New Zealand Thoroughbred ers’ Association, and did valuable work in lifting the standard of the National Yearling Sales at Trentham.

At the 50th sale at Trentham last January he secured top price of 575.000 for the Oncidium colt he jbred at Okawa from the New Zealand Derby winner, Jazz.