FORMER OWNER’S DEATH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 207, 2 August 1941, Page 10

FORMER OWNER’S DEATH.

MR F. R. WALLER. Recollections of one of the gamest xnaros ever seen in tiio jumping holds of isow Zealand, Aurora Boreans, aro brought back by tlio death at liiinatangi, yesterday of Mr F. R. Waller, eldest son of the late iMr Robert Waller and JUrs Waller, .of Botanical Road. lie owned sev- ; oral good performers, tho most out- | standing being Aurora Borcalis. Owing to ] her small stature this marc quickly became an ido; of racegoers and her brilliant jump ing won for her an honour which is held by very few horses. Ridden by A. -\le Donald, Aurora Borcalis won the Great Northern Steeplechase of 1930 and, on thi> third day of the meeting, the Winter Stcoplccliasc. In August ot the samo year Aurora Borcalis gave a wonderful exliibi tion of jumping to win the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton with 11. Dulieu in tho saddle, and on tho third clay of that fixture she won the Lincoln Steeplechase. Aurora Borcalis, who started _ of! hei career at a Manawatu Hunt meeting, was bred by Mr D. Buick, of Kairanga, who also bred Borcalis tho iirst horso which tho lalo Mr Wa.ler raced. A half-brother to Aurora Borcalis, Gasrangc (by Gasbag) was unsound and did very little racing lor -Mr Waller who, however, had a good deal ol success with thoso line performers Arrow head and Rangi Sarlo, this horso having" also been bred by Mr Buick. Arctic Dawn (now at Longbcach) and Aurora's Star (trained at Awapuni) still carry on th<" active participation of the family on tho track. The late Mr Waller, as with Ins brothers, was a keen and successful athlete in his oarlier days prior to his enter ing on racing pursuits and wore the Manawatu Rugby Union's representative jctrsej as a three-quarter. He was also very keenly interested in tho Manawatu Hunt Club and was a member for a number of years.