TALES TRAINERS TELL

NZ Truth, Issue 1052, 21 January 1926, Page 11

TALES TRAINERS TELL

From Yearling Sale to Auckland Cup

GUIDE TO BUDDING OWNERS

(From "Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

It was on the final day of the Auckland Cup fixture that a well-known owner, whose colors had suffered more than one defeat during the carnival, entertained a few friends with his re. miniscences.

"Racing is all right if you are lucky," he said, "but m any case you get your moneys worth, and certainly gain more experience owning and racing horses and mixing with racing folk generally than by making a tour of the world. I have experienced both. Tes, racing is a great game!" This is how you make your debut as an owner: You chance to be lounging about the thoroughbred sales, and though you really have no idea of becoming any more than a looker-on you actually leave that sale-ring the possessor of a thoroughbred with hopes of gaining all the racing honors m the land. It happens this way: You are overheard remarking that one of the yearlings put up for sale looks a' likely sort, and before you fully realize what you are doing someone who has handled them before gets you so interested m the youngster that you are really nodding your head to the auctioneer, and finally the baby is knocked down to you. .Then along comes a trainer who explains why your purchase is "sure to come early." He is built . that >way. And the thoroughbred is-handled and cared for with the two-year-old Avondale Stakes m view. . It shows endugh pace to give out hope that it will win, but when the race arrives runs a bjt green. Though you are doing some cash up to date you are quite content to wait another twelve months and give it the time the trainer thinks necessary, and you look forward to the three-year-old classic Avondale Guineas. Everything has gone along lovely m the meantime. The colt has furnished nicely, has met with no interruptions m his preparation, and he has run the best mile working gallop ever known. . So you set yourself for a big punt on him m the Avondale Guineas, m which he is finishing on, but is only third.

Then your trainer emphasizes the, point that he is a stayer, and would do well m a race like the . Auckland Cup. , You fall m with the idea and set th« , Auckland Cup as a four-year-Qld and back- him to win a small Cup day arrives and you are full of hopes of seeing your, colors carried to -victory m the greatest handicap m the land. They are. really prominent throughout, but yet are outside the money, though, up close enough to the firstbunch for you to listen once again to the trainer and decide " that your thoroughbred showed enough' pace m the Auckland Cup to win over hurdles. In fact, you hope to capture the Great Northern double. Then" the horse is schooled ar>d gives such promise that he is backed to win the. G.N. Hurdles and the G.N. Steeples frr. all the money that can be "set." - Despite prior disappointments you still have hopes of bringing off the greatest coup m turf history. You motor out to Ellerslie on Hurdles day only to see your' idol defeated once again. .■-.,. "He jumped too high," says your trainer, "but will be. different m the steeplechase." ' And different he . is, for he topples over at the water-jump, which your trainer explains as being due to him not getting a clear view of the obstacle owing to some other competitor, rushing across him. -'..,' Thus are all your hopes of earning fame as a prominent dw.ner : dashed to the ground. "vYou end by giving your "faithful ' steed away and finally learn' that heMs . earning something towards his *up- . keep by taking a milk-cart round the city. . '■.:'■ ■ "Yes, owning horses is a great experience. . \ '"I have been through it, but will con-f *.? tinue to have my colors carried with* ■' hopes that my dreams of owning a real good. one will eventually cpme'truV