‘The Admiral’ thrived on salt-water treatment

Press, 15 July 1982, Page 22

‘The Admiral’ thrived on salt-water treatment

Special correspondent Trentham Salt water bathing helped Admiral Blair, from Canterbury, to bring off a surprise in the Parliamentary Handicap at Trentham yesterday.

Admiral Blair, the first South Island horse to. win the historic race since Kumai's second victory in 1964, was at the Petone heach under the care of Corrie Kerkvliet on Sunday morning. An abscess was cut out of his foot last week, and salt water was the old-fashioned effective treatment to speed the recovery. Not that Kerkvliet was hopeful of success yesterday. Work missed last week and a chance to run in the Whyte Handicap on Saturday, appeared to weigh heavily against the chance of a win yesterday. But the chestnut showed great gameness to triumph in the hands of Peter Tims, who also won the Whyte Handicap on Deltello last Saturday.

Admiral Blair is a four-year-old by War Admiral, a winning son of the great

Kurdistan standing at Mr David Allin's Morwenstow Stud in Canterbury. Kurdistan is also the paternal grandsire of Grey Warbler, winner of the Wellington Steeplechase on Saturday. Kurdistan also appears on the female side of yesterday’s Parliamentary Handicap winner. He sired Egyptian Pride, the grandam of Paloma (by Greek God). War Admiral was Palomas first foal. War Admiral is raced by a syndicate of eight and was the first horse syndicated by Mr Ron Blair, of Wellington. The syndicate is made up of West Coasters and Canterbury enthusiasts. Admiral Blair seemed destined for a career as a polo hack, but Mr Blair managed

to syndicate him quite reasonably and from 26 starts he has now won six races, run four seconds, three thirds, and two fourths for $21,775, the win yesterday being by far his best success.

Two starts earlier he won the Amberley Cup. and now he will be set for the Winter Oats on Saturday. Kerkvliet trains in partnership w’ith lan Saunders at Sheffield, some 40km west of Christchurch. It was Kerkvliet's fourth visit to Trentham but his first success as a trainer on the course. His career as a race rider was limited to one win. but he had a good tutor in the late John Barr at Riccarton. Much of the work is done round Sheffield, but it is nothing for the partnership to head off for Riccarton, or Ashburton, or Rangiofa to do

fast work. As the twelfth favourite Admiral Blair's win in the Parliamentary was not expected. In winning he cut the ninth favourite, Hirelm. out of second. Peter Hurdle had kicked the mare clear, but Admiral Blair arrived fast to take first place. Admiral Blair won by a length and a half from Hirelm. with Spring Moss a satisfactory third. Trainer Jack Taylor was pleased with Spring Moss’s run. He said that Spring Moss would race next in the Taumarunui Cup at the end of the season. Melbourne remains very much in his sights for later in the year. The favourite. Flying Kazan. was fourth for Jim Cassidy, with Saddleight fifth and Merman sixth on a holding track that was nowhere near loose enough for him.