AFTER HIS "CENTURY"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 119, 22 May 1931, Page 6

AFTER HIS "CENTURY"

HECTOR GRAYS HISTORY

With 90' successes already to his credit this season, the Dominion's premier horseman, H,, Gray, has exceeded the* previous best for Jfew Zealand by ten, and to-day he was -to have made another attempt to "hoist the century," ns they ha\c it hi cricketing circles. After riding Banbridge at Wanganni last Saturday, Gray had four chances of 'rumuug into treble figures, ibui" the day's racing closed -without the,feat having been accomplished. He hait i good ,mounts, three of which wew favourites' and- one second favourite; yet he. could.,not closs the line, being held up ou ■ the .very _ .threshold of the desired bourne," as so often also happens with ciicketcrs. - His first ride to-day was on ■the,novice, -plaster of Arts,'a horse never previously placed in a race. ■' The remarkable manner in which Gray retains ( his skill, as -a horseman is one of the principal topics of conversation among .racing men in the Dominion, and also in. Australia, at the present time, for- without a doubt he is riding better ,tlia!ii ho .ever did previously, comments the "Argus.", - ' ( r At the "same time, there are a few critics _ wlio allege" that the ' standard of race ridirfg" iii New Zealand has deteriorated dining the last few jears. Be it ns it may, Gray Ins more Hun held- his own when he has gone overseas, to Australia, England, Fiance, and BelgiunV and he was no less successful in New Zealand over t\\ enly years ago, when ne was opposed to such artists of the pigskin as C. Jenkins, L. H. Hewitt, J. Buchanan, A. Oliver, E. E. Hatch, H. Deelcy, H. Cauns,. S. Ke.id, and several othersif^At-'about that time'the" standard of;,rice, riding, jn,, New Zealand was'considered >jtb' be; thejequaUof.the best in. the' •world., ./.-'i'J.'tf:^ . :'"* Vr, ';;* tf^RIDE.IN "1902. Gv'ajv'Jiad'; his -first ride!'in a 'ra<)e in. ,1902; on.'a', horse riame'd King Edwardi owned, br Dr. -TM., Paget,- at Vangaimi. brace tnat,.time he hag-ridden in thousands of; rj»ceir,:.and ;he.-h'as',Jißnaied :hundreds" of, Rafters. 'His fir'6t\trip oversew wes in WlWhipn -he went to;;AustraKa to ride 5J. r-.'«\ 1)- Greenwood's. horse*, '.including vice-Admiral and.'Peirene.iThe trip* ended disastrously,' for th,e team did"" not Viu a race,,and Gray was lei^behirid.in Sydney in a; private" hospital, su&ering from rheumatic fever. Ho,>ent bacfe to Australia in 1914, rinder engagement ta-rido Wallalo jnj'tno Australian Cup'in Melbourne, which he duly won. Going on to Sydney, to ride the same horse, he came under the displeasure of the stewards, and .Was placed under the ban for two years , in 1921 Gray went to England, under an engagement>to ride Sir Cuuliffe Owen's horses, and he remained there for two seasoffirwith a good deal of success-. His hrst ride in. England -was a winning oue, -on? &t Cunhffe "Owen's Spcaiwort 'in.the •Ascot Stakes." \Among the many, horses ■ono.wftitn-ho won while in' England was -ffuntiriK-Song/.'yßp'at^the piesent time .is. a jsuecefesfnl.-l9ire-in> New> Zealand."" ;! -V -,!,GRAYIAS HURDLER." '■ . : jGjra/'a'ftcJ rotle over the hurdles -wliile m Jingland. His one and only ride over tne tfbsta'cles in New Zealand resulted >n- a victory-on -Jljrax in the Gisborne ilui-dlesvat Gisborne on 20th July, W4 At-thabj meeting he was attempting "to overtake C. Emerson and 11. M'Carten for the riding premiership, but the hurdles tw^'d" WaS tbe Only win ho hacl in tlle -Of the hundveds-of good ho^es that S^t™ Tldu e?l' he, Slves the palm to hasartof, as being the truest racehorse, tor .he.-says-that that horse Aias one of .those,rai'e exeepUous, a bom stayer and afso -a ,buHiant sprinter ; When Gray went to England, he was accompanied by his'son, J. L. ("Joe") wW health was believed at the time to be, the reason-for the early return to New atei in- the -Dominion; bnt he subsequent b became too heavy. n 0 is now fiimlv .established as a trainer at Takanini, where a number ot Auckland trainers h,n e their hc-ndquarters. With the champion two' VwlvV I 0"*? Lag c'" also H"vering and hM? 'l i 6 has bee" very successful a nlmn d h% Beolns ou the to make a name as a trainer.