THE STORY OF A GIFT HORSE-TOOLEY STREET

Northern Advocate, 2 April 1937, Page 9

THE STORY OF A GIFT HORSE-TOOLEY STREET

The locally-owned Tooley Street, which won the big event at the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting on Easter Monday/ has a very sporting history.

Some fiye years ago Mr. E. S. Tremaine, of Ruatangata, walked into the offices of Messrs. Allan and Findlay, dairy produce merchants, of Auckland, and met there Major C. Spragg, also interested in the commercial side of the dairy- industry. Mr. Spragg put up a proposition that he would give Mr. Tremaine a thoroughbred mare, named Contrip, aged 19, as he had no further use for her.

Mr. Tremaine replied: “I think I would like to see a horse aged 19 before accepting.” Whereupon • Mr, Spragg retorted: “You wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, would you?” However, a visit was paid immediately to Remuera, where. Contrip was grazing at a fee of 3/6 per week — “More than she’s worth to me now, as a child’s pony,” as ■ Mr. Spragg commented. Accepted The Offer. Mr, Tremaine inspected the mare, and found her general appearance quite satisfactory from his point of view. He accepted the offer on the spot.

Mr. Allan t suggested at once that they should pay a visit to Mr. J. Patterson, another dairy merchant, with a vie\y to stinting the mare to his thoroughbred racehorse Surveyor. Upon the sporting conditions of the change in ownership, Mr. Patterson volunteered the free services of his stallion, conditional upon the progeny being named Tooley Street, as all the parties concerned were associated with the butter market Mr. Allan then played his parh undertaking to meet all transit costs in connection with the mare to Tauranga,. the stamping ground of Surveyor, and back to Whangarei, free of all costs to the new owner Tooley Street Appears. The foal Tooley Street appeared in due course, and on the farm at Ruatangata had a truly rural education. At three years of age, the gelding was leased unbroken to Mr. H. Rama, the successful Maori trainer, of Auckland; for a term of four years. In the first year of his racing, Tooley Street earned £759 in stake money in the South Island. He was later shipped back to Auckland, and at the end of 1936, ran second in two good events. After a spell for three months, he made himself of national fame by winning the Easter Handicap, worth to Mr. Rama last Monday. Contrip In Retirement. Contrip, still hale and hearty, continues to enjoy her retirement in the Ruatangata district. Incidentally, the mother only participated in one race meeting, and that in a maiden event. She was kept by Mr. Spragg purely 01 sh ow purposes. Although Tooley Street has been ™ ore than a good investment. reurning costless credit to his owner, an amusing sidelight upon this week’s V/in ’ is that Mr. Tremaine had only

plunged one ten shilling ticket upon his horse’s ability to succeed. . The breeding of Tooley Street, as 'provided by Mr E. S. Tremaine, is: Sire, Surveyor; dam, Contrip, born 1911, by Signor from Carrera, by fcravat, dam Mantelpiece by Manton Mantle by Goldsborough--Millionaire by Millionaire- —Caress by Indian Warrior—Sweetheart (imp.) by Red Heart—Melesina (imp.) by Harkaway. Breeder, Mr G. F. Moore, Wanganui.