JOHNNY FAULKNER

Otago Witness, Issue 2375, 7 September 1899, Page 35

JOHNNY FAULKNER

Last week's letter from Christchurch announced the death of Johnny Faiilkner, a horse that certainly made his mark on the turf. He was bred by Mr T. W. Field, in Tasmania, in 1879, got by St. Albans out of Impudence, by Peter Wilkins from Prudence by Jersey from Black Sal, by Wanderer. This is an old-fashioned pedigree on the dam's side, but none the worse on that account; indeed, these Tasmanian pedigrees are very highly valued, and have produced some of our hardiest racers. Johnny Faulkner, though a fair horse, was not amongst the best of his class. My recollection of him is that he was not so har4y as some of the Tasmanian stock, and I think, he was somewhat difficult to train. At first he was named Albion, and is so named in the Stud Book of his native land. Mi D. O'Brien bought him as a three-year-old, and raced him first as a four-year-old in«the Free Handicap at the Ashburton Spring meeting, when ridden by Derrett at 7.10, he started favourite and finished out of a place, the race being won by White on Marchioness Neil, who paid £10 11s. That was the day on which Tasman made his celebrated record of 2min 36Isec for the mile and a-half of the Ashburton Cvp — a record that stood fo.r many years. Johnny Faulkner, disgraced, was then put by till the New Year, when, appearing in the Welter, a mile and a-half, at the C.J.C. meeting, he gave weight to a field that included Helena, Emir Bey. The Poet, and Master Agnes, and was ridden by his owner, winning a. good race by a head and paying £5 Se. That was the meeting at which Cheviot won the double. For the New Zealand Cup of the following season the son of Impudence was weighted at 8.3, and as he showed Mr O'Brien a good trial and had the services of Wally Clifford in the saddle, the nuhlic took Bto 1 about him on the day. In the race, however, he made no show. The weather was rainy and the course heavy, and of the 15 starters only one, the favourite, Vanguard, seemed able to gallop. Leonora and Ike struggled into the places astern of Vanguard, and Johhny Faulkner wae one of those that pulled up when all chance had gone. With 9.10 he finished third next day to Nelson 9.3 and Billy 8.5 in the Epsom Highweight Handicap, and with 7.10 he was unplaced in the Metropolitan won by Sou'wester at the same weight. Coming on to Dunedin, however, Johnny Faulkner effected a surprise in the St. Andrew's Handicap, a mile and a-half. Taiaroa 7 9 was winning all the way, and in the last 50 yardß Con Boyle was watching Sou'-wesfer 8.5 and Lady Evelyn 6.12, who threatened danger on the outside, but in lnokine after this pair lip left an opening on the inside, and Charlie Stratford, seeing the chance, dashed for it, and just squeezed home the fast-tiring Tasmanian. who had but a short run left in him, by a head. Johnny Faulkner, who carried 7.0, ran the mile and a-half in 2min 42sec, and paid £12 19s. Faulkner's only other race that season was in the Craven Stakes, when, carrying topweight of 9.0, he ran second to Taiaroa, thus proving better than the one on which Mr O'Brien relicd — Rubina 8.10. That was about the last of Johnny Faulkner's usefulness on the turf, and it can hardly be asserted that he proved a success at the stud, but the explanation may be that he had few chances.