RACING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 437, 7 February 1912, Page 3

RACING.

Te Kuiti race meeting which is to be held on the local course to-morrow promises to be a record gathering. Already a large contingent of visitors has arrived, and many more are expected by the special trains which arrive from North and South to-mor-row. The acceptances for the various events are exceptionlly large and big fields are assured. For the first time the totalisator is to be used at the meeting as the medium of investment, and the result of the meeting from a financial point of view is awaited with a considerable degree of interest. The committee oE the club has used every endeavour to make the inaugural totalisator meeting attractive to both race followers and the genera! public. An exceptionally good running track has been laid down, grandstand and outbuildings erected and everything possible for the convenience of the public has been thoroughly attended to. This, in addition to the great natural attractions of the locality should render a record attendance a certainty. The first race is booked to start at 12.30 p.m., by which time visitors by the excursion trains will have arrived at the course.

A cable from Melbourne a few days ago announced the death of the wellknown trainer William S. Cox, and papers to hand give some interesting particulars of his career. He was son of the late Mr t/V. S. Cox, the founder of the Moonee Valley racecourse. When only thirteen years old he rode his father's horse, The King, in the Melbourne Cup, won by Calamia, in 1878. His first mount over fences was on Slapbang, at Kensington, in 1878. He was much better known as a rider of jumpers, and his name will always be associated with the triumphs of Redleap. Redleap ran as a four-year-old for the first time in a steeplechase at Caulfield, ridden by Orr, but he fell, and on the strength of that form he got into the Grand National Hurdle Race, a few months later, with only 81b over the minimum. Cox rod Redleap, and. although he ran very "green," he landed him an easy winner from Corythus. whom Scobie regarded as unbeatable that day. Redleap did not run again until three years later, when he won both the Grand National Steeplechase at Flemington and the Caulfield Grand National (now Australian) Steeplechase. In the Caulfield race he carried 13.12 and Cox, who could ride well under 9st at the time, had to put up over sst dead weight. By this time. Cox had established himself as one of the best amateur riders Victoria had produced, and he continued winning races for several years after Redleap's successes, although he had joined the ranks of professional riders. The last ride he had was on Springfield, at Moonee Valley, in 1903. He had a vary bad fall, and, in addition to breaking several ribs, his jaw was fractured. His friends prevailed upon him to give up riding, and to devote himself to training. The best horse he turned out was Realm. His son is a well-known rider.

Polynices, who fell and broke a leg at the Gisborne meeting and was subsequently destroyed, was a six-year-old chestnut gelding by San Fran, from Ismene. He was bred by Mr E. J. Watt, and was a half-brother to those two well-known performers Tumut and Laius, and full-brother to Osiris.

The Birkenhead filly Our Queen put up an attractive performance in the Flying Handicap at Gisborne, when she ran the six furlongs in 3.14 4-5. The half sister to those fine gallopers King Billy, Aborigine, and Maori King has shown the possession of a rare turn of speed before now. Mumura, who pulled off the big event at the C.J.C. meeting last week, is a brown horse by St. Ambrose —Flame, by Phaeton —■ Catherine Wheel, by Maxim, and was bred by Mr H. A. Knight, of Racecourse Hill, Canterbury. A vicrory in the Oamaru Cup last season was his best performance up previously.