Drum horse of year

Press, 20 October 1981, Page 28

Drum horse of year

PA Wellington The Hastings galloper, Drum, is the 1981 Horse of the Year. Owned by Don Sellwood, Pat Donnelly, Ken Pike and his son, Wayne, Drum was named the winner of the award at the annual Wrightson Bloodstock Horse of the Year dinner at Trentham on Saturday evening. Sellwood, who also trains the horse, and Wayne, Pike received the award on behalf of the other part-owners and also collected the trophies connected with the horse’s victories in the Bergin Awards for best. stayer and best weight-for-age performer during the last season. ■ -

Wins for Drum last season were headed by the Auckland Cup. He also won. the Waikato Cup and Centennial Thames Valley Stakes when ridden by Chris McNab, and was second in the Air N.Z.

Stakes, beaten by half a head by Pays Anne. Another notable victory came Drum’s way in the Wellington Racing Club’s Harcourt Stakes, this time when ridden by Noel Harris.

The winner of over $137,000 last term, Drum is progressing well in a new campaign. “He’s better than ever,” commented Sellwood. “We couldn’t be more pleased with him.” The main mission for Drum this year is again the Auckland Cup. He will resume racing in either the Weight-for-age $14,000 Levin Cup Stakes (1400 m on November 18 or at Ellerslie in the $25,000 Great BritainNew Zealand Stakes, also at weight-for-age, but run over 1600 m on November 21.

John Corcoran, who stands Drum’s sire, War Hawk 11, at his Maranui Farm Stud' in Wanganui, said that Nevertheless, the dam of Drum, is due to foal to War Hawk II in November. He added that the mare would be mated with the stallion again this breeding season and that a sister to Drum would be going to the Sydney stable of John Page after Christmas. The two-year-old filly would be raced on lease while in Australia.