GREENMEADOWS MELEE

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 7, 3 October 1944, Page 7

GREENMEADOWS MELEE

Fitzgerald Horses Sore And Cut About KINDERGARTEN ATTACKS TRAINER Dominion Special Service. HASTINGS. October 2. Kindergarten and Golden Souvenir were out this morning on the ' Greenmeadows track doing light exercise. The champion, who has an enlarged knee and skin abrasions, worked slightly sore and not with his usual freedom. He got off the better of the two In Sunday’s melee. Golden Souvenir suffered skin abrasions and has three inflamed legs. He was given trotting exercise and moved very sore, but when warmed up he Improved slightly. The condition of both horses is not as bad as at first feared and they may yet race at Wellington at the end of this month.

The liberation of the horses is still a mystery. The evidence now suggests that the doors of the stalls of Kindergarten, Golden Souvenir, United Nations and Sliver Coin were deliberately opened. It is assumed that a gate leading to the road was later opened after the fracas had started, and the four horses all got out. The trainer, J. Nicolson, with the aid of stable boys, rounded up the escapees at about 3.30 a.m. on Sunday. Silver Coin was savaged on the neck and throat rather badly. When sufficiently recovered she will return to Gisborne with United Nations and Little Billy. Kindergarten was greatly affected by his escapade, and On Sunday evening while having his wounds attended to he attacked his trainer, inflicting injuries to ids forehead and lower jaw which necessitated 11 stitches.

Investigations are being continued, and though nothing definite has been unearthed there are strong reasons for believing that the mystery will not remain unsolved for long. In the meantime engagements have been made for Kindergarten and Golden Souvenir at Trentham.