WINGATUI TRACK WORK

Southland Times, Issue 23406, 13 January 1938, Page 10

WINGATUI TRACK WORK

VINCENT CANDIDATES GALLOP The outside of the course proper at Wingatui was open for fast work on Tuesday morning, and, after the recent rain, provided excellent going. Several horses engaged at the Vincent Jockey Club’s meeting were sent along in their work, reports The Otago Daily Times. Gipsy Fair jumped away at the nmefurlong post and ran five furlongs in lmin 7 2-ssec—the first four in 52sec. Valmarch and Song Boy began at the five, and covered the in lmin 7 2-ssec. The five up the rise is a more difficult gallop than along the hack stretch. Pink Robe and Oliver travelled over six furlongs in' lmin 25sec, the former drawing away over the final furlong. Oliver is big in condition and went well for about four furlongs. McHeath drew away from Noble Maiden at the end of half a mile in 53sec. Noble Maiden, about whose age doubts were raised at the Wingatui summer meeting, is now in F. Shaw’s stable. Gusterina was staying on better than Nies Kid at the end of five furlongs in lmin Bsec, and Last Link acted in the same manner at the end of four furlongs with Scotsman in 54sec. Scotsman has just been taken up after a spell, during which he built up in condition. Alma and Valarth, both under light weights, broke away at the six-furlong post and kept together until turning for home. Alma went wide out and Valarth finished near the trestles, but Alma led him home in lmin 18 2-ssec, one of the best gallops ever recorded over the distance at Wingatui. Adina left six furlongs behind in lmin 21sec. Counterflight ran over four furlongs in 54sec. Others worked during the morning included Janet Gaynor, Hanlon, Lord Nuffield, Slayer, Grand Finale, Natty, Lumiere, Delrain and several others, including Ortyx, who worked on the inside grass and looks remarkably well.

TE HERO’S BREEDING TRAINER FROM SOUTHLAND (By SIR MODRED) Easily beating the two-yenr-olds of his own age and beating elder horses on special weight terms, Te Hero is now the most discussed youthful racehorse in the North Island, if not in the whole of the Dominion, because of his latest success gained at the Auckland Racing Club’s summer fixture. Described as a colt likely to train on and of robust conformation, he is expected to develop into a valuable three-year-old after valuable first season events yet to be decided. This two-year-old crack performer, by the way, is prepared at Te Awamutu, by A. Cook, who learned his business with the retired Riverton trainer, A. D. Mclvor, who subsequently became known as one of the cleverest starters in New Zealand, but who has for some time past elected to be a spectator. Cook is looked upon as one of the leading trainers in the North Island and this reputation was built up by many horses from his establishment, winning valuable stakes. His brilliant student, Te Hero, claims as his dam the Auckland-owned mare Prodice, who was sent across the Tasman Sea to be mated with Heroic, Australia’s leading sire of several past seasons and a representative in sire line of the famous Illuminata-Paraffin maternal family, to a branch of which the dead Southland mare Simper belonged. Some par-

ticulars of the colt’s parentage are of interest, as follows:— Te Hero’s sire, Heroic, is a son of Valais (imp. and by Cicero, son of Cyllene, from Lily of the Valley, by Martagon, sire of Martian). His dam was Chersonese (imp.), by Cylgad (son of Cyllene) from Chelandry (halfsister to Ladas, Derby winner, and Gas, dam of Cicero), by Goldfinch (son of Ormonde) from Illuminata. The mare Chelandry was also the granddam of Simper, who has left many

descendants at Mr W. T. Hazlett’s southern thoroughbred nursery property, known as the Chelandry Stud. On the maternal side of his family pedigree, Te Hero’s dam was the Auckland mare Prodice (sister to Phaola, and half-sister to Ammon Ra, by Limond), by Catmint (imp., and son of Spearmint, by Carbine) from Haydes, by Hymettus (imp. and son of Cyllene) from Straga, by Birkenhead (imp. and son of Orme, by Ormonde) from Witchet by Sir Lancelot (trac-

ing in maternal line to Idalia, imp., from whom several Southland stud . mares are descended) from Elflock, by Nordenfeldt (son of Musket) from Elfin, by Musket from Sylvia, by Fisheri man from Juliet (imp. and a famous | Australian brood mare). The number ! of strains of the very successful Eng- ; lish sire Cyllene contained in the make up of Te Hero presents interest, but the incestuous blending of Musket blood in the back lines of his dam, Prodice, is even more remarkable.