Winter Hurdles Victor

NZ Truth, Issue 1078, 22 July 1926, Page 13

Winter Hurdles Victor

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(From "Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) John Paterson j m whose colors Zircon won the Winter Hurdles at Trentham, has his fair share successes as an owner.

HE deserves them, too, if for no other reason that he is prepared to give | his cash a spin, and because he is not afraid to travel his horses away from home if the prospects look, reasonable. ' . • v He has been distinctly fortunate i at Trentham, where Surveyor' ; credited him .with a Wellington ; Cup and Champion -Plate, while . Pelham also won a Douro Cup for : him on the same course. » The story of "J. P." purchasing-Sur-veyor at a little over a £100 is already old history. Also the fact that Surveyor won thousands of pounds for Mr. "J.P." There was also an element of luck about John Paterson securing Zircon. As is well-known, Zircon was not regarded as a truly reliable customer when racing m Hi M. Campbell's color« on the flat. ■■'■''..■ It was decided to quit the son of Merry Moment by auction at Ellerslif; during last winter, when at 250 guineas the chestnut was knocked down to a patron of Bert Rae's stable at Ellerslie. . . > ; ; However, the patron concerned did

not complete the deal, arid Bill Patterson (private trainer for John Paterson), who had been bidding for Zircon, ■was communicated with by the auctioneer. • • -. ' ' The result was that Mrs. Patterson (wife of the trainer) bought Zircon, but on being approached by John Paterson the lady m question was quite prepared to transfer the ownership of Zircon to John Paterson. And so Surveyor's owner became possessed of Zircon, who besides scoring minor placings on the flat and over hurdles, got third money m the Great Northern Hurdles; won a. minor jumping event at the same meeting, and then came on to Trentham .to have his name enrolled as a winner of the Winter Hurdles. Zircon, which has earned somewhere about £1500 m John Patersoh's colors; returned to Ellerslie after his Trentham success. And he will probably be taken South for competition at the' Grand National meeting. At least, "Truth". was informed ' by the right people that such was the intention.