Racing Recollections

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 547, 27 December 1928, Page 12

Racing Recollections

A GRAND NATIONAL WINNER Tim Doolan. a neat little chestnut horse I purchased through the agency of Joe Chadwick from Mr. Jack Hodgson, of Auckland, caused me quite a lot of fun in bets. Mr. G. N. McLean, of Amberley. whom I thought a good judge of a jumper, was going north for the June meeting at Ellerslie, and I asked him to purchase me a good sort of a horse, if he saw one. On his return he told me there were two horses racing at .Ellerslie, one called Tim Doolan, who would win plenty of prizes in jumpers' classes at the show, the other would win steeplechases. The latter I could not get under offer—a good thing, too, as he broke his neck at the next Gisborne meeting —but Tim Doolan I purchased for £ 150. He arrived south in the middle of June, and there was a race meeting at Rangiora in about a fortnight’s time. I nominated him for the Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase and the Hunt Cup. He bruised his foot very badly a week prior to the meeting, but with the aid of Jock Munro, stock inspector at Amberley, who cut the whole of the sole of his foot away and shod him with leather, I got him to the post for the Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase. The bookmakers were licensed on the course in those days, and they laid me 10 to 1 in two places and I took 200 to 20. As he was the only horse to finish, I had my horse for nothing. Against the advice of my friends, I started him again in the Hunt Cup, and the same books laid me eights again. 160 to 20. Tim Doolan duly won again from a solitary opponent to finish. TRAINED AT HOME I might mention that this horse practically never saw the Yaldhurst track during his racing career, but was trained by me at my property, Brackenfield. Amberley, where there was no track at all—only hills and paddocks. After Tim’s successes at Rangiora I took him to Wellington for the Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase, and again put Snowy Patterson, my apprentice, on him. He duly won again from the minimum weight, 9st 71b, paying £l4 odd, and as I put £SO on him, his total in three races was £BSO in bets alone. This was the first time I had met Jack Hodgson, his previous owner, since we were at Wanganui College together. His smile on finding Tim had paid £l4 was even in excess of that seen on his face when “over the road” from his office. It is. quite a “central” position. I again started him in the second Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase the second day, he having been raised 71b for his win. but by putting up my apprentice Patterson, and claiming liis 71b allowance, which the rules permitted. Tim Doolan was only carrying the same weight as when he won two days previously. The late Mr. Pollock, the handicapper, said prior to the race: “Had I known Patterson was an apprentice, I certainly would have given Tim Doolan more than 10.0.,” APPRENTICES’ ALLOWANCES Incidentally, since then the rules prohibit apprentices claiming an allowance in jumping races. This is, I think, a most unfair and thoughtless rule to be passed by any body of racing men. Were the rule to read that whe. any apprentice’s body weight exceeds 8.7, he can claim the same allowance as provided for in flat races, there would be given many an opportunity for a “flower that is born to bloom unseen” to flourish on the racecourse. Take Patterson as an example. His body weight was 8.7, and he would never have got any riding at all, only the 71b allowance used to tempt owners, with the result, after his few wins he had on Tim Doolan, he got quite a lot of riding, until unfortunately a bad fall from a horse called The Pole prevented him from following this occupation. Some boys when apprenticed run to beef very quickly, perhaps before they have had a ride on the flat; why not give them equal chances over the fences as their lighter framed brothers have? Referring back to the betting pro-

Former Owner Recalls Turf Experiences MK. G. L. STEAD, owner of many good horses in Ins dav writes some of his recollections for readers of The Sun IV.

position. I had two very lucky nr* sentiments in backing Tim Doolan. Th first was in the race mentioned abov«f when he carried the same weight that with which lie had won on th* first day. If ever a horse looked i racecourse certainty. Tim Doolandia but something prevented me from fni lowing up his three successive wins and I let him run for the stake What a bit of luck for me. as he only ran third! Tim's next appearance was in the Enfield Steeplechase, which he dulv won with plenty to spare. Again rid den by Patterson, he only paid a small price. 1 A BIG SIDE WAGER That night the proverbial argument arose as to the merits of horses, and t said Tim Doolan was a better ho?a£ than Glenmore, owned by Mr. Coleman Glenmore, I might state, was consiri ered unbeatable in the Beaufow Steeplechase of 2i\miles. I made a side wager of £SOO that Tim Doolan would finish in front of Glenmorein that particular race. Sentiment pre vented me from taking Patterson off Tim Doolan, although I realised there were plenty of more experienced horsemen than Patterson at level weights. However, neither won, as Glenmore waited on Tim Doolan too long, and could not catch the leader, so only ran second to Tim Doolan's third. That was my horse's last appearance that season, he having struck himself on the front shin very badly, and it filled with fluid. After several attempts at getting rid of the fluid, but failing, Mr. Kyle (again returned this year as member for Riccarton, even though only by 11 votes; congratulations, Kyle!) put Tim Doolan under chloroform and raised the skin from the knee to the fetlock joint, and painted it Inside with iodine. The result was perfect, but Tim Doolan was still runn'ag in the paddock up till three months and four days of the next National meeting. I had a bad doer in work at Brackenfield, so I told Snowy to get Tim in and use him for a hack to lead the other horse on. Old Tim seemed to enjoy himselr and in a week I turned the other brute into the hack and put Tim in proper work. Bar one race at Rangiora, which he woi and two at Wellington, when he was beaten, Tim Doolan never saw a race track until ten days prior to the National Steeplechase. On mornings of strong fast work, in the paddocks or schooling, he did nothing in the afternoon, but on off days I used to send him out on to a steep face I had at the back of my stable to walk. By the time he had walked up and dov*a this face for half an hour, clipped and rugs off, the sweat would pour off him. As I have said previously, after thre* months and four days’ work, he easily won the National Steeplechase at Riccarton, in the second fastest time up to that date, 1914. About that time 1 had been elected a committeeman (beating Mr. G. D. Greenwood) of the Canterbury Jockey Club, hence my resolution not to bet “off the course;” but two of my best friends at my advice threw in for a good win on the double that year—2,ooo to 22 J, Tim Doolan and Royal Arms. The next year I took Tim Doolan over to Melbourne with two other horses, namely, Sauci and The Pole. r i im, ostensibly to win the F.emington National, and at the same time to have a punt that would more than retrieve my past losses on Vice Admiral. Everything in the garden kept looking lovely, and -when being persuaded by that great judge, Mr. Eric Connolly, I refrained from taking the plunge and let Tim Doolan run for the honour and glory. A bit of luck I did, as he only ran second, but I think most people will agree with me, let alone good old Alf. McFlinn. who rode him, that Tim Doolan should have won nine out of ten Nationals. Not through any fault of his own. but bad jumping by other horses in front of him, lost him half lengths at nearly every fence. I finally gave Tim Doolan away to a Pr>-i inp r named Casey, who, I believe, in turn raffled him at a Catholic bazaar, but I do not know what has become of him since. G. L. STEAD. (To be continued.)