VETERAN HANDICAPPER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23159, 8 April 1937, Page 17

VETERAN HANDICAPPER

MR J. E. HENRYS’S ACTIVITIES (Special ro Dailt Times) CHRISTCHURCH, April 7. The veteran racing handicapper, Mr J, E. Henrys, has thoughts of restricting his activities in future, as his health has not been good for some time past, and it is probable that before long he will relinquish his position as handicapper to the Canterbury Jockey Club On May 25 he will have completed 4C years as the Canterbury Jockey Club’s weight adjuster. He is, in fact, the only handicapper the club has had, for before his appointment a committee of three stewards did the handicapping. At the time of his appointment Mr Henrys was a very young man. His first work as handicapper was done for the Feilding Jockey Club, for which club he also acted as steward for a number of years. He quickly built up a reputation for his accurate summing up of form, being a very capable judge of horses and racing, even as a young man. For years past he has been recognised as New Zealand’s premier handicapper. His capable work soon attracted wide attention, with the result that he gradually built up a wide connection as a handicapper. The greatest tribute to his ability was the long list of racing clubs for which he acted at an early period of his career. The clubs he handicapped for included Feilding, Manawatu, Rangitikei, Egmont, Nelson, Marlborough, Marton, Woodville, Patea, Waverley-Waitotara, Ashhurst, Otaki, Taratahi-Carterton, and Pahiatua, in addition to others that have disappeared from the calendar. As time went on many clubs in the South Island , claimed his services, and for many years he has done the handicapping for nearly every racing club and for all the hunt clubs in Canterbury, while he has acted also for a number of Otago clubs. His loyalty to the Canterbury Jockey Club was proverbial, and on various occasions he refused handicapping positions in* the Dominion which would have conflicted with his work at Riccarton. It is also well known that some years ago he turned down an appointment that was offered him by one of the leading clubs in Australia. He has a wonderful record so far as Riccarton is concerned. A few vears ago he made a trip to England, but, except for that period of absence, he has never missed seeing a day’s racing by the Canterbury Jockey Club since he was appointed the club's handicapper. RESIGNATION RECEIVED (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH. April 7. The resignation of Mr J. E. Henrys as handicapper to the Canterbury Jockey Club has been received.