PROUD RECORD

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 262, 3 August 1939, Page 13

PROUD RECORD

F. Tilley’s Achievement TRAINED 700 WINNERS F. W. Tilley, whose death occurred this week and to whose career brief reference has been made, was one of the most successful trainers New Zealand has known. A perusal of his story should give heart to young and struggling members of the profession, for it reveals Hint he experienced lean times in his early davs and in his first season horses trained by him won only £4-00. Yet, before his retirement, he had the proud record of having trained the winners of sums aggregating more than £150,000. Tilley's association with racehorses began at Riccarton in 1879. He made his start with T. Lyford, once well known as a rider and latterly living in Waitara. He was with Sam Higgott and D. Jones, the latter then Mr. G. G. I Stead’s trainer. When R. Ray trained for “Ready Money” Robinson, Tilley was associated with him. Vanguard, Nonsense, Grip, Natator and Oudeis were members of the strong team under Ray s care. Vanguard, of course, is a famous name in our turf history, but Tilley says Oudeis was an exceptionally good horse. He could sprint and stay, and won a C.J.C. Welcome Stakes and a New Zealand Derby. . Tilley came to the North Island in 1887. He was with Keith for a while and then went to Fordell with E. Chapman. In 1889 he went to Melbourne, and two years, later returned to Fordell. A Modest Start. The first horse he had was Commotion, with whom he won a number of hurdle races, W. Higgins doing the riding. The horse that gave him a real start was Return, by The Prodigal—Tallngalla. At about the same time he won races along the West Coast of the North Island with Surrey, and did well at Wanganui with Bona Fide. Another was Bunyan, who won the Wanganui Guineas aud broke down after winning four races. Bunyan went to the stud and one of the horses he sired was Bedford, winner of the Winter Cun, in 191 S. The long association with the Duncan family began' in 1902, when Tilley began to train for the gentleman who raced as Mr. Wiri Tokeno. The first horse to carry the Tokeno livery was Otairi, called after its owner’s station. Subsequently Client, Ararat, Tamatete, Tukia. Glenross, and others carried the colours with notable success. Client won two \\anganui Cups and was successful at Trentham ; and Tamatete was one of the best sprinters of his day. For Messrs. Bcntson and Bennett luley trained Asteroid; for Mr. S. J. Gibbons, St. Joe, Apn, Frisco, Equitas, and Oratress; for Mr. T. A. Duncan, Enthusiasm, Laughing Prince, Consent, Cadland, Cashier and Kinsem; for Mrs. Blackmore, Mandane; for Mr. R. Grace, High Faintin’; for Mr. F. S. Easton, Amythas; and for Mr. J. McGovern, Polycaste. There were, of course, other horses and other owners. Three New Zealand Cup winners were turned out by the stable —’Frisco, Lady Lucy, and Oratress. Lady Lucy ran in Tilley’s name. She was the granddam of Star Stranger. Tilley rated Client highly despite failures in the New Zealand Cup, but thought that of all the horses which went through his hands at r orde.il, Enthusiasm was the best. Some Good Years. From the modest beginning in 1887-BS, when he won, t.wo races and stake money totalling £4O, Tilley gradually became a force to 'be reok , on , ed with. Fordell 9 big" year in stake win'nih’g when -the total ran -bo £13,545. Good

Tire greatest number of winners turned out from the stable in one season was 33 in 1903-04, but, though there were 15 seconds as well, the stakes totalled only £2351. Big seasons a.s regards the number of winners were:— No.

The success of the Fordell stable at Wanganui meetings was remarkable. Up to the time of Tilley’s temporary retirement in 1930 it ran to 138, and subsequently was increased. Eloquent Figures. In all Tilley turned out about 700 winners of more than £150,000 in stakes. From 1887 to the time of hie temporary retirement in 1930 the record was: —

The total is given in round figures, as the winnings for the 1898-99 season are approximate. Developed Fine Horsemen. One of the horses trained by Tilley was Stilts, who was killed at Bulls when contesting a hurdle race. The rider was Nelson Mcßae, who was fatally injured. The Fordell stable was a good school for jockeys. Riders who passed through Tilley’s hands in their young days were W. Price (the starter of today), George Price (Sydney's leading trainer), C. Price (now a hotelkeeper at Bulls), W. Young (who became one of the greatest allround riders New Zealand has had), R. Young, Harold Young. George Young and Maurice McCarten (Sydney's champion horseman). When Tilley temporarily retired from training to take a trip to England in 1930 the Wanganui Jockey Club expressed the esteem in which he was held by conferring life membership upon him. He resumed training after returning, but not for long. He had met with an accident while travelling, and that and a subsequent illness hastened his permanent retirement. He was a lino type. His excellent record will long be cited as a tribute to his ability and integrity.

years were: —* £ 1O19-°O - ....... 8025 >1920-21 8345 4921-22 192'2-23 1923-24 . 19*24-25 ...... 13,545 ....... 8375 6100 192-5-2(5 ........ 8647 1920-27 4927-28 7020 1928-29 ....... 9365 1 CkQOJtO 3345

Year. 1902-3 of winners. 32 3 903-4 1904-5 31. 10.05-0 26 t<w..T . . ............... 26 1907-S . .. 20 1911-12 20 11)12-13 32 4913-14 20 11)14-15 28 ' 1915-16 20 1917-1S 21 191.9-20 2ft 1928-29 26

Stakes Tear Wins 2nds. 3rds 1887-88 . *> —— — — 40 1891-92 . 12 3 455 1897-98 . 19 7 — 1570 1897-9S . 19 —— 1570 1898-99 . 10 — —— 1815 1899-00 . 10 9 1087 1902-03 . 32 19 ——■ 2220 1903-04 . 33 15 2351 190-1-05 . 31 10 3 3240 1905-00 . 20 12 7 3337} 1900-07 . 20 14 7 3332} 1907-08 . 20 12 4005 190S-09 . 17 10 3 2320 1909-10 . 15 Fl 1 3905 1910-11 . 11 9 5 1075 1911-12 , 20 10 12 2575 1912-13 . 32 0 0 4055 1913-14 . . 20 17 s 4293 1914-15 . . 28 17 13 5503 1915-10 . . 20 19 12 3370 1910-17 . . 19 IS 11 4535 1917-18 . . 21 14 7 4885 1918-19 . . 12 17 11 4010 1919-20 . . 20 14 11 8025 1920-21 . . 14 14 5 8345 1921-22 . . 18 15 0 7080 1922-23 . 18 17 8 13,545 1923-24 . IS 9 11 8375 1924-25 . 15 14 11 0100 1925-20 . 18 17 12 8047 . 14 15 13 4755 1927-28 . 10 13 11 7020 1928-29 . 20 23 9 9305 1929-30 . 14 11 9 3345 Total . 000 420 213 150,000