MIDNIGHT GALLOP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22928, 5 January 1938, Page 10

MIDNIGHT GALLOP

HORSES' ESCAPAIii* BREAK FROM RACEC6^^H| FIORD FRACTURES A FOftEl® 1 HOURS STANDING: IN [by telegraph—own corresponds^?' CHRISTCHURCH, The Riccarton-trained racehorse Fiord broke a foreleg in an escape# at Greymouth last night, and whe'Hvfa,' covered from the Omoto Creek thi# morning was destroyed. Behind bare facts lies a story of splendid effort/' ' 1 by men stationed at the Omoto race, course to save the horse. The work of J an apprentice, C. Masters, and thu / Riccarton owner-trainer, Mr. F. HAj'jiil was highly commendable. Fiord broke out of a box at tb si course about midnight, and his mate, Paper Note, who heard him gaj,« i loping, also broke out of the paddoc!: ? and followed him. They galloped dowi.,4, > the railway line for half a mile and } to a railway bridge near Kaiata. HerisC: | they were found by a search Masters, who is an expert ting the neigh of a horati, calied,^and : - ti Paper Note came right up to hi/n. || Fiord, who was some 20yds. on bridge, turned to gallop back, but. i when nearly off twisted a front leg:, . between the sleepers and fell 12ft. over a bank and rolled into thrift creek, where he swam to the other'" side, some 50yds. away. As it was impossible to get the holdout, the party returned to the course, . but set out again at daylight thu morning. Fiord was found standing in ' the water with only a part of his back showing. Mr. Hall then stripped and swam across and fastened a, rope round the horse's neck. After coaxing, Fiord gradually left the water; but one of his front legs was found to be in two places, and he was Fiord was owned by the estate of thill late Mr. W. Gardiner, of Oamaru, and was raced in partnership with Mr. 3/V B. Pearson, who trained the horse, Riccarton. L ' ' :