POPULARITY OF GREENSEA

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 16, 18 July 1936, Page 22

POPULARITY OF GREENSEA

Greensea, who collapsed and died at the end of a gallop on the Randwick tracks last week, was one of the greatest weight-carriers seen on New South Wales courses for many years and one of the most popular hurdlers who have ever raced in Sydney. His .final gallop was a half-mile spin with his stablemate Earl Sun, and it was the fastest of the morning. His rider. A. Caffyn, stated afterwards that he felt the gelding's hindquarters go from under him about 20 yards from the post. ■■••.'

Greensea was raced by Mrs. F. T. Cush and trained by F. T. Cush. who expressed his keep regret at the loss of the gelding, whom he regarded more favourably than any other .horse he had ever prepared. It was, he stated, some consolation to know that Greensea died in harness. "He suffei-ed no pain, and: it. was a grand way for him to go." .. - ■ ■ ■■ ' ■ .. '■ ■

: Cush intended to retire Greensea at the end of the winter, and he had had many offers from friends and comparative strangers of good homes for the old campaigner. To Cush Greensea was,something of Which he was inordinately ■: proud. He was the stable mascot, and his place will be hard to fill..- ~ ;' ■.- ..■■-.-...

•.Cush considered Greensea to be better before his, sudden death than at any previous stage of his career. After his run in the A.J.C. Hurdle Race at Randwick on June 27; Greensea returned'to the'stable,'and. to show that his effort with 13st 41b had not upset him, cleaned out'his manger and looked for more. An idea; of the; popularity of Greensea > may be. gauged from Cush's statement that from the time the death of the' horse became known he received-many expressions of re.gret, many messages- coming from country towns. . Greensea would have-been .11 years of. age on. August I. He had raced through eight seasons for. 25 wins, 14 seconds,- and six thirds. In his early days he did well over sprint distances under the welter senile, carrying huge, burdens at Randwick. After a long spell he w&s purchased at auction for Mrs. Cush in 1932 for 375 guineas. Almost immediately he was put to brush hurdling, and no better hurdler was ever seen in Sydney. He possessed plenty of pace, but it was his perfect style and faultless jumping that enabled him to carry large weights and beat his fields.

Almost twelve months ago, July 24, 1935, Greensea established a record by carry 13.12 over the "brushes at Rosehill and winning in 2miri 43sec for the mile and a half. He recorded several other weight-carrying feats,' and at Randwick was successful with. 13.8, only lib less than the Randwick weightcarrying record of Jack Rice.