Sapling retired

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 27

Sapling retired

Special correspondent i Invercargill ‘ The outstanding Southland J pacer, Sapling (Young ' Charles — Haakondahl), has c been retired and will make * liis last public appearance = when he is honoured in a 1 parade at the Gore Trotting ' Club’s meeting on Saturday. , ■ Sapling, which bows out 1 with the career record of 81 starts for 22. wins, 34 placings and $243,710, will stand at stud on a prominent .Eastern Southland property "next , spring. \ The decision to retire Sapling was made after he ran unplaced in the G. J. Barton L Memorial at Forbury Park last Saturday. I ‘.’There are probably a few more free-for-alls left in him yet, but he has begun to pull in his races and it is difficult from handicap marks with so much - travelling,” his part-owner and trainer. Lionel Given, said yesterday in announcing his retirement. Sapling, unlike many of the best Southland-bred pacers which preceded him, was never trained outside of the province. He compiled an outstanding record in feature races throughout New Zealand. At Alexandra Park, Auckland, he won the Great Northern Pacing Derby at three, the New Zealand Mes-

senger at four, and the Auckland Cup at five. At’’Addington, he won the Easter Cup, the New Brighton Cup, the Pan Am Mile, and the Canterbury Free-For-All, as well as running second and third in two New Zealand Cups and second in the 1979 Inter-Domi-nion Grand Final. Earlier in his career, he won the Southland Juvenile Championship, and the Southland Challenge. Stakes at Invercargill. The ■ Young Charles stallion set two New Zealand Records. He recorded 3min 23.2 s for a stand over 2600 m at Invercargill in 1978 and l3min 25.5 s (mile rate of !2min 2.55) for a .mobile ’ 2700 m at Invercargill the same season. That time has since been lowered by De. lightful Lady.