LOSS TO RACING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26451, 3 May 1947, Page 5

LOSS TO RACING

PASSING OF WELL-KNOWN FIGURE MR W. T. HAZLETT’S DEATH Special to the Daily Times INVERCARGILL. May 2. The death occurred to-day of Mr W. T. Hazlett, who had a lifetime association with Southland. He was in his eighthieth year. Mr Hazlett was one of the bestknown figures in the racing world in the Dominion. His business associations were also extensive, and included a partnership in the firm of Mackerras and Hazlett, and the ownership of the Wallacetown Hotel and Wain’s Hotel. Dunedin. It was, however, as a racing owner, breeder and administrator that Mr Hazlett was best known. He was president of the Southland Racing Club for 39 years, a member of the Southland District Committee, a member of the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Racing Conference for many years, and president of the New

Zealand Racing Conference on several occasions. He was the oldest member of the Southland Racing Club, to which he was elected in August, 1899. As an authority on the breeding of the thoroughbred, his opinions were widely sought. For many years he judged thoroughbred stock and jumping competitions at shows. Successful Partnership Mr Hazlett’s father, the late Mr James Hazlett, in partnership with the late Mr John Stephenson (founder of the firm of Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., was among the pioneers of racing in Otago. The early records show that the partnership, which had a commodious range of boxes close to the Forbury Park racecourse, raced many fine winners. Gipsy Grand, one of the greatest racehorses of his time, was probably the best horse who represented the Hazlett and Stephenson partnership. Mr James Hazlett’s name is perpetuated by the Hazlett Gold Cup, a feature event on the Dunedin Jockey Club’s programme. As a young man. Mr Hazlett raced in partnership with his brother, Mr L. C Hazlett, of the Taieri, president of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and a member of the New Zealand Racing Conference executive. The partnership produced many good class winners, including Valdimir (Stewards’ Handicap). . Mr Hazlett came to Invercargill in 1899 to open the Invercargill branch of Mackerras and Hazlett. He took up residence at Gladstone and quickly gathered a team of thoroughbreds and trotters. He was actively engaged in the training of his own horses and drove his trotting horses in their races. Ultimately he gave up the trotter and engaged a private trainer to take over his thoroughbred team. Many highclass winners were trained from Gladstone Lodge. On his retirement from active management of business. Mr Hazlett set about the foundation of a stud farm, and with this end in view he purchased the Taramoa property on which he founded the Chelandry Stud. In 1910 he attended Mr Rupert Morrison’s stud dispersal sale and purchased for 110 guineas—a high figure in those days—the imported brood mare Simper, who eventually proved the greatest bloodstock bargain in Mr Hazlett’s extensive racing interests. Daughters and granddaughters of the foundation mares have bred on with great success, and the original blood of the Chelandry stud is much in evidence to-day. Flight, the greatest race mare in Australia at the present time, is out of a grand-daughter of Simper. About 12 years ago, Mr Hazlett set up an establishment at Caulfield, Victoria.

Interest in Other Sports

One of Mr Hazlett’s ambitions was to win the Grand National Steeplechase. Although he bred and raced steeplechasers of the calibre of Frenchman, Parish and Apache, it was left to his sons, Mr W. E. Hazlett and the late Mr J. S. Hazlett, to win a Grand National Steeplechase—m 1941 with Astral Flame, and again in 1943 with Anglo French. Both winners were products of the Chelandry stud. In his younger days, Mr Hazlett was an active member of the Dunedin Football Club. He also hunted with the Otago Hounds, and was an amateur cross-country rider. He was for some years chairman of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, the Invercargill Importers’ Association and the Invercargill Sporting League. His wife died some 12 years ago, and he is survived by two sons and two daughters, Mr W. E. Hazlett (Invercargill). Mr J. L. Hazlett (Oreti), Mrs W. L. Cunningham (Dipton) and Mrs E. C. Tapley (Christchurch). His eldest son, Lieutenant J. S. Hazlett. was killed in action in Italy. Messrs Edgar Hazlett and L. C. Hazlett, of Dunedin, are brothers.