SPORTING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 16 May 1925, Page 5

SPORTING.

A RACING PERSONALITY.

MR GEORGE PRICE. A well-known personality of the Australian racing world, but who is equally well known to New Zealand followers of the sport—Mr George Price—was on a visit to Palmerston North jesterday. In his younger days Mr Price wai. one of New Zealand’s foremost horsemen and on retiring from the saddle was mentor of tho Ilighden stable, but later dicided to try his fortune in Australia where he set up a training establishment at Randwick, Sydney. Fortune has smiled kindly on Mr Price and the past _ season has brought many successes to his stable. In conversation with the visitor yesterday, a “Standard” represents tive was informed that, at present, Mi Price was favoured with trie patronage of eight owners, and of the 16 horses which had been actively engaged during: the season three were such well-known jierformers as Windbag, Stony and Collaroi. The firstnamed, which is owned by Mr R. Miller, had proved the largest stake earner during the season, having won no lesn than £BOOO. His career had, in many reflects, been a remarkable one, for Windbag had, suffered an injury as a two-year-old which had thrown him out of work after he had placed two successes to his credit. As a three-year-old, he had, howsver, secured principal prize money on fve occasions, twice taken second money, while he had been unplaced only once. The latter occasion was when the well-known New Zealand performer. The Hawk, had gained the honours. Figuring in the events Windbag had annexed were suih important races as The Leger, Cumbf rland Stakes and the A.J.C. Plate. Stovy had also proved a most consistent performer but had been most unlucky in, his engagements, and. strangely enough, another New Zealander in Te Kara had robbed him of first stake money in one race. Twice this animal had had to fill second place in the important Sydney Cup, while he had figured in a similar role in tho City Tattersall on two occasions, once ir each of the Tattersall’3 Cup and Carrington Cup, and a third in the Villiers Stakes. Another high-class animal which Mr I’rice had had under his charge wae Tho Cypher, but unfortunately this animal had broken down and had been sold to go to Eerth for stud duties.

AUSTRALIAN RACING CONDITIONS. Commenting on the amount of racing provided in and around Sydney, Mr Price stated that an owner was offered a full season’s engagements withou, the tedious travelling necessitated in New Zealand and, while some of the suburban clubs did not offer perhaps as large stake money as the suburban clubs in this country a. practically continuous series was available. The A.J.C. and; Warwick Farm meetings, however, offered rich stakes, the Sydney _ Cup alone being over £SOOO in value to the winner.

“The importation of A.ufetralian-bred stock into New Zealand is becoming increasingly popular,” remarked Mr Price, “and the success .which has attended various owners’ enterprise has, in the majority of cases, shown that euch was fully justifiable.” That the practice was by no means a new one wae evidenced by Mr Price quoting the importations years ago when such animals a.i Ghoorka, a Dunedin and Wanganui Cup winner, Achillea, Exmoor and Lady Medallist had been brought to this country with excellent results. Many New Zealand owners had, he continued, gone to Australia for yearlings in recent years, a though there was a good deal of luck as to what return would be forthcoming. Some of the highpriced animals have proved d smal failures, while the comparatively cheap animals have been highly profitable. Two outstanding instances, added Ah' Price, were the two horses which had been in the forefront in New Zealand’s racing history, Gloaming and Biplane, which as yearlings were both reasonably priced animals, while his own charge, Windbag, only cost. £l2O as'< a yearling. Whether it wan the different conditions prevailing in Now Zealand, Air Price qotild nbt say, for c 1 (hough Aus-tralian-bred horses reaped a big harvest over here, New Zealand hors is had proved that they could do likewise in Australia. He had under his charge al present four yearlings, one of which was by Absurd — Margethe. and which had lieen imported from New Zealand by Colonel Murdoch at a cost of £1760.

Some experimenting was nt present being undertaken in the nutter of transferring youngsters to New Zealand for a period to give them an opportunity to develop under New Zealand conditions, for it appeared that the grass, etc., in this country was benefioial to a greater extent than in Australia.

Air Price was, he explained, a believer in the benefits to be thus obtained and at the present time he had in :ho Wairarapa four yearlings which had been shipped over and would be fed and built up prior to their being returned to Sydney about Christmas time.

Mr Price yesterday went south to Wellington where he will spend a few days prior to returning to Sydney.