DEATH OF HAPPY VOYAGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 14 July 1936, Page 10

DEATH OF HAPPY VOYAGE.

1 HELD MILE CRASS RECORD. VERSATILE PERFORMER. Happy Voyage died' at his owner's farm, Oreti, Southland, on Jri'e 29. lie was foaled in 1903. The son of Direct Voyage and Honest Meg was bred by Mr W. K. Bassett, Victoria. and was brought to New Zealand bv the, late W Tomkinson in 1922. He was thin 14 years oi age. Happy Voyage did all bis early racing in Australia, winning good contests as a trotter before . lie . was changed over to the pacing guit. As a. pacer ho wus.at the topi of his class,, and. after willing icverbl race# in New Zealand, he otstab-

lished a new grass track record by covering the mile at New Brighton in 2.4 3-5. Happy Voyage possessed exceptional speed. During cue November mo ■dug at Addington he paced the last furlong of his assignment in 13 4-ss. On that trial lie. looked a certain wiiner for an important race at the Now Zealand Metropolitan' Trotting Club’s spring mooting, but be met with an accident in the eve of the race. He was one of the most versatile horses seen on a racetrack. After making his debut as a trotter and winning many races at that gait, lie was put .'nto hopples.. He wore, them only three times before lie won bis first race as a pacer. J bat was the Melbourne Thousand, in which ho raced in saddle. Ho was so far in front of his field at the turn for home that his. rider puiled him up to nearly a walk, ;nd then he was still 60 yards clear of the second horse when lie reached the winn ng pest. He ran second in a Sydney Tliousnid, alter dragging a bady damaged sulky wheel for three parts of the journey, and on one occasion, at Epping, lie trotted a mile in 2.8. Since being retired to the stud lie had sired many speedy horses, including Rocks Ahead, Embark, Happy Knight, Homeward, Journey’s End, King’s Voyage, Sea Mark, and Weary i Voyage.