RACING IDENTITY PASSES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 87, 9 October 1935, Page 8

RACING IDENTITY PASSES

■Sportsmen'of tlie last twor'generations will regret to learn of the death of Mr, "Tom" Walker,-who for nearly 50 .' years controlled the sporting column of the Dunedin "Evening Star,"' says a Dunedin message. He reported race meetings and track work in ,the days, when this -, work was not as easy as today,.and when owners and trainers were'not, so frank about the doings- of 'their horses.: But Mr Walker had that wonderful gift of gaming . the : confidence ; of all ' with whom he came in contact, and thus gathered much information that would hdvebeeh quite impossible for'others to obtain.

A natural eye for a good horse and excellent judgment of the running of a race gave the late "Mr. Walker advantages that enabled him to write interestingly on the thoroughbred, and a most retentive, memory made his writings of early racing in Otago and New Zealand, under the pen-name of VOld Identity/.' authentic,and interesting. But the greatest, charm about "Tom" Walker was his willingness to help. his fellow-workers, and many younger reporters have often been deeply indebted to him for sound advice and help in their work In Conjunction with Mr. F. G. Whetham he compiled and published the first volume of the "New Zealand Turf Record," covering the- details of the 1883-84 racing season.