A TOUGH OLD-TIMER

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 8

A TOUGH OLD-TIMER

BLAZER AND; HIS RECORD

The Wellington Racing Club'b Telegiaph Handicap, the pnncipal spunt at tl'o bummer Meeting, and won this year by the lightweight WhcuWb, hab a histoiy d.it Jug back to ISflO, ami the lecoid weight earned to eucce*6 in it is 10.4, which w.u> the impost that that tough old-timei Blazer lumped to mtory in winnur,j the rtue the third successive lime in 1902 The race was then mn at Hutt PuU, and the weight lecoid on the 'lientham tiack is held by Tamatete, who scoied under 9 8 in 1923 Ihe Blazei who achieved-such lenown thirty odd yenis ago has, been the subject of an inteiesting aiticle in a southern exchange, lie commenced his lacing as a two-year old in 1896, and without mteiruptioa earned onl till he was ten jears old. Horses ceitainly do not appeal io have been ta\ed much m those dajs, .and BWer did as much racing in one season as some hoises now adays do in all their caieei, Bla/er is said, neveitheless, to have been ot a delicate con6tituti6n, and the big job with him always was to get him. to eat enough to ht him for his races'. ' AUSPICIOUS FIRST SEASON. , Blazei's first start in a. lace was m the Selling Two-year old Plate, .i lace on the second* day of the Canteibuiy, Jockey Club'ts Spring Meeting in 1896. His connections at that time had some idea that he was at least iibetul, for his price was given as £200, while no other horse in the lace was advertised ~to be sold for moie than £150. Owned by Mr. S. J Mercer" and ridden by Whitakei, he lan unplaced, but in the Spring ' Niuseiy Handicap on the third day he won nicely fiom Sir Lancelot, lunning the half-mile m 49 4-ssec. Some notable hoises competed at that meeting. Lady Zetland won the New Zealand Cup aud Cautcrbuiy Cup, the lunner-up- in each case being Emodydon; Multifoim won the .WelcoMe Stakeo, Juvenile Plate, and, Electric Plate; and Uniform won the Deiby. In the iitectuc Plate Blazer was second to Multifomi, after which he won the Duncdin istaLeo, was second to Multifoim m the Muhselburgh Handicap, and thud behind the dead-heaters. Multiform and' St. Clements, in the Glasgow Plate. He was unplaced in. the D.J.C. Champagne Stakes, but won the Railway Plate. Threa wins, two seconds, and a third in eight starts was his record .for his fiist season. 11 At three years Blazer won five laces, including" the Electric Plate in 46 2-asec, Gold .Medallist being second, the D.J.C. Musselburgh. Elate, Gold -Medallist again, second, the C.J.C. Flying Handicap under 9.l,'the D.J.C. Railway Plate and Hopeful Stakes Handicap under 9.7, and. the Q.J.C. Templeton. Handicap under 9.tAs a fo'.ir-year-old Blazer lan unplaced in the Stewaids' Handicap under 9.13, but he won the D J.C. Musselburgh 'Plate "under '8 11 and the Glasgow Plato under; 8.11. Eot a short peuod he raced in •■the nomination of Mr. J. Lloyd, but was soon transferred to Mr. &." Solomon. Carrying 9.4 he was beaten by a neck by 'Cherrjstone (6 8) in the Ciaven Plate at Kiccarton, rbut he won the Champion Plate rather easily, and the DJ.p. Railway Plate. With a 6.7 limit, he carried 10.0 m the Great Easter Handicap. , At five jeais Blazer's performances ■were as follows-—Dead heat under 9 9 with. Vanilla 7 10 in D.J.C. Electric Handicap; unplaced Stewaids' Handicap, 9.19; won Electuc ®Plate, 812; i\on D.J.C. Salisbury Plate,' '8.12,' and Glasgow Plate, J)5; won Wellington Telegraph Handicap, 9.8, "and Electric Handicap, 10.11; second O.J.C. Champion Plate, won by--Screw -Gun; won DJC. Railway Plate, 'ls.ll; and Wingatui Stakes, 9 11. great' weight-carrier. 11 'As" -2 six-yeai-old Bla/cr perfoimed as follows:—Unplaced titewardb' Handicap, W3; won Ashley Handicap, 9.13, and Raudblph vHandicap, 10.9; won Wellington Tejegiapll Handicap, 9.12, and Metropolitan Handicap,' 1011; unplaced C.J.C. Champion, Plate. i SA,t seven,"yeais: Steivaids' Handicap, 10 2; ivou Electnc Plate, 8.12, Royal Aibllery 8 2 second; won DJC. Salisbiuy Plate, 8.12, Goldspur second; second Stephensou Memoual, 85; won Wellinßton Telegraph Handicap, 10.4, in lmm 15 3-ssec. At eight year* Blazer appeared to lose form, for in 11 staits he was second in the D J.C. Publicans' Handicap, won by St. Denis, 95, and second in the C.J.C. Templeton Handicap, 80. His loss of toim resulted in his being diopped in the handicaps, but he was by no means a spent light, and at nine years he won the CJC. Ashley Handicap, 80; Southland Handicap, 1 mile and a distance, 8 5; Forbury Handicap, 8.13; Goie Cup, 1% miles, 8.10; and D.J.C. Anniversary Handicap, T.S. As was only to be expected, the St. Clair gelding was beginning to feel the strain of racing, but at 10 yeais he was started 13 times, and he won the Hawke't. Bay October , Handicap, under 86, the Wellington Wainui Handicap, 9.3, and the Hutt Park Handicap, 810. Blazer's last start was i m the Fare well Handicap at the 1904 Manawatu Summer Meeting. The old fellow had had nine, < seasons.' racing and fully dcseived retirement. Until he was eight years old he was recognised as a sprinter pure and simple, but later he won races up to a ■ mile- and a quarter. .His was a varied experience, and he finished his racing after au extended tour of; the Noith Island, where he raced in the nomination of his early rider, H. Jackson. He first raced in the nomination of S. J. Mercer, and was then passed pn to J. Lloyd, S. Solomfcn, and H. Jackison an turn, A number' of different jockeys enjoyed success on him, the number including J. Whitaker, W Blown, A. Kmgan, A. McDonald, H. Jaikson, R. Wilson, L H. Hewitt, J. Sceats, D Moragha'n, A. Godfrey, R. King, D. King, G. Gpwer, and V. Cotton Not many horses have so many uders in a lifetime. Blazer staited in 92 laces in all, winning 37, a remarkably fine record for a hoise of delicate constitution.