VIGOROUS EIDER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 21

VIGOROUS EIDER

TATTERSALL'S GOOD DAY

*- (By "Ariki Toau")

The riding of the Awapuni horseman G. R. Tattersall has been often eulogised, .but it is doubtful if he. has :ever been seen to more advantage than he was on Old Bill, who triumph' ,ed in the Wellington Centennial Cup on Thursday. Tattersall was forced to make a quick decision as to whether to take the lead passing the five furlongs post, a move that is fraught with risk in long-distance races, but his judgment proved sound, for the horse in this way maintained the pace that had been set from the start, and thus eliminated possible danger from tested stayers back in. the crowded field. Previously Tattersall had "broken the ice" by piloting Stencil first past the post in the Fitzherbert Handicap, .in which his heady riding played no small part. It was a welcome change of luck, as Tattersail had not saluted the judge since December 11. It was not that he was in his usual form, but rather that he was experiencing one of those bad."trots" that every horseman has to go through periodically. . Tattersall has never been riding better than at present, and in a. punishing finish there are few more capable horsemen. His services are in big demand, and.he seems certain to remain well in the limelight for the rest of the season.

Tattersall first came into particular notice through his victories on the three-year-old : Martara three seasons ago. At that time he was still in his apprenticeship under the tuition of GW. New, at Awapuni, but he was securing only occasional chances. Martara made him, as one horse has often done for a jockey; but even if there had been no Martara. Tattersail would in due course have worked his way to the top of the ladder. It is interesting to recall how well Martara responded to the riding of Tattersall, who rode him in all of his successes, Tattersall won on him at Mas-

G, R. Tattersall

terton, Wellington (twice), and Rangitikei early in that season. At his next start the chestnut failed under B. H. Morris at Otaki, and, after Tattersall had missed on him in his opening engagement in the Plunket Handicap at Ellerslie, he was also beaten out of the money in the Great Northern I Derby and the Goodwood Handicap ! under W. J. Broughton and H. N. Wiggins/ respectively. Tattersall was on him for. the remainder of the term, winning the Douro Cup. W.R.C. Summer Cup, Taranaki Cup, Rangitikei Cup. and the W.R.C. Autumn Handicap, his only defeat in his last half a dozen starts before his sale to India being in the New Zealand St. Leger Stakes, when he was so decisively beaten by Wild Chase that it now seems he could hardly have been at his best on the day. ■i. In that season three years ago Tatt'ersali rode 30 winners, whereas the previous term his tally had only been 13—perhaps a lucky number, after all. Nine of the victories were gained on Martara. Two years ago, without any Martara, he was the leading apprentice with 35 wins. Last season he secured 50 successes to be third on the winning list, while to date this term he has 16 wins..