BETTERMAN DIES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4341, 9 October 1950, Page 5

BETTERMAN DIES

HARDY QLD CAMPAIGNER VERSATILE RACE HORSE TRAVELLED ALL OVER N.Z. That hardy old campaigner so wellknown to New Zealand race-goers, Betterman, has died at Waitawheta, advised his owner, Mr Harvey Evans, of Paeroa. Betterman was a - twelVe-yeac-old son of the English-bred Bambury and Betterment, who was a daughter of the imported horses Catmint and Lady Bede. Betterment was originally purchased from Papatoetoe by Messrs C. Short and H. I. Spinks, of Paeroa, who, however, did not race her. After some years she was purchased by Mr Evans who later- sold a half interest to Mr Alan Kay of Orakau, Te Awamutu.

Betterman was bred at Te Awamutu by Mr A. R. Kay and is closely related on his maternal side to the good winners Beau Leon, Galilee, Nepeta and Brantome. He was acquired as a yearling by the Paeroa ownertrainer Mr H. Evans, who did not lose mluch time in getting his young horse ready for .racing. On November 18, 1940, Betterman, then a two-year-old, had his initial race experience in the Ruakura Stakes of four furlongs. Ridden by J. Williamson, he was at long odds and finished near the rear of the field. He faced the starter on 10 occasions during that season to fill a minor place twice and earn £45 in stakes.

He opened his winning account when having his second outing as a three-year-old, being first home in the Trial Handicap at the Poverty Bay meeting ridden by C. G. Goulsboro. In his 15 outings that term Betterman won three races and finished in the minor money on four occasions to credit his owner-trainer with £757 in stake money.

Racing as a four-year-old Betterman was tried over a mile distance on several occasions. Facing the starter during that season on 27 occasions, jhe was again successful in three races and was placed by the judge on eight occasions and his stake earm’ngs for that term were £735.

Betterman started to go places as a five-year-old. Starting on 29 occasions during that term, he raced on most courses in the North Island and finished the season winning £1240 in stakes, the result of two out-right wins and 12 minor placings. The highlight of Betterman’s raejng performances that season was his surprise winning effort in the Visitors’ Handicap of six furlongs, where he defeated Bonny Pay and Tiger Tan at Ellersjie.

What would have been a strenuous season for most horses was only a comparatively light one for Betterman as he was only asked to race on 24 occasions as a six-year-old. His one win and H 1 placings that term earned the stake reward of £625.

When the next season opened Mr Evans really put Betterman to work. He won the opening race of the new season when he defeated Peach King and a smart field of hurdlers in the Otane Hack and Hunters’ Hurdles at Hastings on August 4. Later in the day he was unplaced in the Tikokino Handicap, an open class event of seven furlongs. The following week Betterman arrived at Riccarton to lead the field in the Grand National Hurdles for the major part of the jouiney to finish a handy fourth.

On September 1 Taranaki racegoers saw Betterman defeated into third place in the Halcombe Memorial at the Combined Hunts meeting ' The following week he was unplaced in the Avondale 'Cup at Ellerslie. He failed to reach the money in the President’s Handicap at the Thames meeting held on his home track at Paeroa on September 22,'but returned to the winning list when he won the Poland Cup on the same course the following w j ek. The gallant gelding lost his form after that race and in his next 20 outingls he failed to earn any stake money, but that did not stop his owner from travelling him.

During his lapse of form. Betterman was raced all* over the North Island. On May 25 he started to show an improvement finishing third to Foxstar and Patu Ra in the Maumga Hurdles at Te Rapa. Continuing to improve he won the Panmure Hurdles at Ellerslie, and finished a close second to Khadim in the Orakei Hurdles on the final day of the Great Northern meeting. He won the Papakura Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase at the Franklin meeting at Pukekohe. At the end of the season, Bettermian had raced on 40 occasions, won five events and finished in the minor money 12 times for the useful sum of £lB3O. During his six seasons on the turf he started in 145 races, 14 of