SUPER SHOULD BE OUTSTANDING SIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1949, Page 7

SUPER SHOULD BE OUTSTANDING SIRE

In his short racing career in New Zealand the imported horse, Super, eave ample proof of his outstanding galloping ability, and his future as a sire will be followed with great interest. There is little doubt that Super would have taken, high ranking had he been raced again this season, but his owner, Mr A Chisholm, decided to retire him to his Glentruin Stud, Otautau, and already he has been fully booked for his first stud season at the Southland record fee of .125gns. Super who was imported, to New Zealand’ by Mr Chisholm, is a five-year-old brown horse by the unbeaten Nearco from Superbe, by Bosworth from Surbine, by Bachelor’s Double from Datine, by Rio Herode from Cyrilla, by Cyllene from Wenonah, by Galopin from Esa, by Uncas from Fleda, by Hermit. . Super’s dam. Superbe, won the Irish Oaks and was second in the English Oaks, while her sire, Bosworth, is a half-brother to Selene, dam of Hyperion, five times leading sire in Engsire of Super, is an Italianbred son of Pharos and wits unbeaten in 14 starts. He won 13 races in Italy, including all the classics, and went to France, where he easily won the Grand Prix de Paris. He beat 17 others, including the Derby winner, Bois Rousseff, Cillas (French Derby), and Furie. Following this success Nearco was sold by his breeder, Signor F. Tesio, for £60,000 to Mr Martin H. Benson. He began his stud career in 1939, and he has twice headed the winning sires’ list. Among his progeny are the Derby winners Dante and Nimbus. When in racing condition, Super was an outstanding specimen. He had size, powerful hind quarters and shoulders, affd well-developed body, and goo-d bone. He should mature into an impressive stalli.on, and, with his rich blood, he should do much to improve the standard of horses bred in Otago and Southland. In his first season he will be mated with several high-class mares, and the appearance on the race track of his progeny will be awaited with keen interest by all students of breeding. WON TWO~EVENTS IN SUCCESSIVE STARTS The feat of the Sydney galloper Aqua. Regis in scoring a double at Rand wick recently—he won the second, and fourth events—marked the first occasion in 22 years that such a performance had been accomplished on the course. Such incidents are not unknown in the Dominion, and Aucklanders will recall the occasion when Superior Guard completed a duoble at Avondale in April, 1938—and it came in successive races. At his first start the Spear Dance gelding scored an easy win in the second race, the Dominion Handicap, and immediately following he deadheated with Dragon Moth for first in the Waitakere Handicap, both being six-furlong contests. In the Dominion Handicap Superior Guard, who was a six-year-old chestnut gelding by Spear Dance from Wee Rose, carried 9.0 and was ridden by H. Stokes. On the second occasion he carried 7.5, including a 51b rehandicap, and was ridden by J. Mclnally. Superior Guard was raced by the wellknown racing enthusiast. Mr W. Alexander. It is not unusual for horses to complete double wins in the one day, but this rarely happens at a metropolitan meeting. One of the best performances in this respect was credited to the hardy mare Hearth, who, at Riccarton in March, 1940, won the fourth race, the Gimcrack Handicap, and four races later scored in the Addington Handicap. The first event was run over six furlongs but on the second occasion the Paladin filly, then a three-year-old, had to cover an extra three furlongs. On both occasions she was ridden by A. E. Ellis. Her feat presaged her toughness, for she went on racing for her owner-breeder, Dave Wilson, for several seasons and notched many wins and places. These feats also recall the doings of an old-time galloper, Fusilier, who, back in 1885, started three times in the one afternoon. The meeting was at Egmont and Mr P. Butler’s colt ran third with 8.9 in the Flying Handicap, the winner being a three-year-old filly, Awatea. who had only 6.0. After an interval of a race. Fusilier, 8.3, came out again and ran second to Buzzard, 7.0, in the Egmont Handicap. In the next race, the Maiden Plate, li miles, he beat three others—a rather unusual day for a three-year-old. SECRET OF GORDON RICHARDS’S SUCCESS Twenty years ago I sat in the grandstand on a Saturday afternoon at Alexandra -Park with the late “Brownie” Carsjake (writes “Ajax" in the London Evening Standard). He was one of the most knowledgeable jockeys of his time. During our conversation Gordon Richards cantered to the starting post. “Brownie,” I said, “I have been trying to puzzle out this new champion jockey of ours for some time, but I cannot get to the bottom of it. What has he got that the others have not? There does not seem to be the same artistic touch that Steve Donoghue has. He seems to do everything against the book, but he keeps getting them first past the post. I have to do my riding from the stands. You ride against him often enough. What do you think?” Carslake replied: “Like you, I was puzzled. So much so that I began to try to weigh it all up. I have come to the conclusion there is only one word to describe Gordon’s success and it is balance.

“He balances himself so perfectly in the saddle that he gets a horse first out of the gate on the right leg. That is very important. Jump them off on the wrong leg and you have to get them to change their legs before you have the horse balanced.

“Gordon has the knack of doing the right thing every time. His perfect balance helps him to stick close to the rails on a round course, and when he throws the reins at a horse in a driving finish the balance keeps the horse straight. “Make no mistake about it. No other jockey could copy Gordon Richards. He is a law unto himself. If any of us tried throwing the reins at a horse the way Gordon does, the horse would veer all over the place. Forthcoming Fixtures GALLOPING November 12.—Southland R.C. November 12, 19.—Waikato R.C. November 12, 19.—Napier Park R.C. November 12, 19.—Feilding J.C. November 19.—Wairio J.C. (at Invercargill) ." November 19, 26, December 3. —Canterbury J.C.

TROTTING November 11. 12.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 19. 26. —Wellington T.C. December 3. —Reefton T.C. December 10.—New Brighton T.C.