LATE SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 January 1938, Page 7

LATE SPORTING

SOUTHLAND—SECOND DAY

JANET GAYNOR WINS SHORTS [per press association.] INVERCARGILL, January 4. The Southland Racing Club’s second day opened in warm sultry weather, with a strong wind making conditions difficult. Results: — GLADSTONE HURDLES, IB miles. 1- SUPEREX (W. Hogan) .. .. 1 3-3 MASTER ANOMALY . . . . 2 2- BURWOOD 3 Scr.: Fireguard, Smoko. A head; three-quarters of a length. Time 2.46. MAKAREWA TROT, 3.43 class, 1| miles. | 1-1 SYDNEY GRAND (Thomas) 1 = 8-8 GOLD STREAK 2 ‘ 12-12 ABEL 3 All started. Half a length; four lengfhs. Time 3.35 1-5. SHORTS HANDICAP, 6 furlongs. JANET GAYNOR 1 DOUBLE GIFT . . • • . . .. 2 PALMYRA 3 SUMMER HANDICAP, 1 mile. COUNTERFLIGHT 1 PALADINO 21 BARLEY ALMOND 3 FIORD DESTROYED. AFTER BREAKING A LEG.

The five-year-old gelding, Fiord, was destroyed at Oinoto, this morning, after suffering a. broken leg. The horse was placed in his box on the racecourse some time after the meeting concluded last evening, but the door was apparently not bolted, with the result that some time after midnight, he escaped from the box, and with Paper Note, a stable-mate, who had been left in the yard near the box, wandered out of the racecourse on to the railways track. The lights from a car arriving at the course frightened the horses, and they raced away up the line towards Kaiata. M. B. Edwards’s Samoan apprentice jockey, C. Masters, who was in the car, and who was brought to the Coast by J. B. Pearson, caught Paper Note, but Fiord galloped on, and apparently caught his off foreleg between the sleepers on a railway bridge near Kaiata. The leg was badly smashed at the knee, and the horse toppled over into the creek. At daybreak, this morning, Mr. F. Hall, owner of Rebel Chief, swam out into the creek, and placed a rope round Fiord’s neck, and the horse was thus pulled to the shore by willing helpers. It was then seen that the

leg was badly broken, and the horse in a bad way. He was shot by the course caretaker, Mr. Robertson. The racecourse gates were closed by the caretaker’s wife about 11 p.m., but later arrivals, among the large number of boys quartered at the course, apparently left the gates open. Fiord was jointly owned by Mrs. Baden and Mr. Arthur Gardiner, of Oamaru, and Mr. J. B. Pearson, the

Riccarton trainer. A five-year-old by Valkyrian from Corn Queen, Fiord started racing in the 1934-35 season, when he had five starts for a first and two thirds. In the 1935-36 season he started on seven occasions for two victories, and one second, and last season had six wins, two seconds and two thirds in 21 starts. This season, the gelding had started on 13 occasions for two second and three thirds. He ran a good third in the Greymouth Cup on .Saturday, and was third 'again in tho principal event yesterday. In all, Fiord has started on 48 occasions, for nine victories, five seconds and seven thirds. He is a serious loss to his owners.

ARROWROSE INJURED

Arrowrose was not produced at Omoto, yesterday, owing to having struck her near hind leg on Saturday. There is a possibility that she will have recovered in time to race at Reefton.

WESTRALIAN RESULT

(Received January 4, 1.30 p.m.) PERTH, January 4

At the West Australian Turf Club’s meeting, the Imperial Stakes resulted as follows: —• First Consul (by Chief Ruler), 8.9 (Treffone) . . .. . . 1 Game Pie, 7.0 (Dixey) . . '.. 2 Dark David, 7.10 (Hutchinson) .. 3 Eight started. Two lengths; half a length. Time 2.35.