T. H. LOWRY MAY RETIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 4

T. H. LOWRY MAY RETIRE

GREAT LOSS TO DOMINION SPLENDID RECORD IN CLASSICS. DESERT GOLD MEMORIES AGAIN.

(By

“Moturoa.”)

A Sydney cablegram received this week suggests the probability of yet another prominent and breeder, Mr. T. H. Lowry, of “Okawa,” Hawke's Bay, leaving New Zealand and taking up his residence on the other side of the Tasmr Hie departure would be a great loss to the racing game in the Dominion, and a double catastrophe to Hawke’s Bay, once the home of great gallopers and jumpers. In days gone by Mr. E. J. Watt was the “king pin” of the Bay, and of New Zealand, providing the winners of classics, big flat handicaps and jumping events. The records of the Turf show the sweeping successes achieved by bearers of the blue ami white jacket, and recall names like Bridge, Royal Scotch,' Vertura, Wimmera, Kilindini, King Billy, Sea Pink, Aborigine, Maori King, The Shannon, Palaver, Cheddar, Boomerang, Melodeon, Tatterley, Gazeley, Nobility’, etc. In later years his penchant for Australian names forecast his intention to try his luck across the Tasman, and a little over ten years ago Mr. Watt made a move. His colours are seen on most big courses in New South Wales and Victoria,- and many successes have come his way, though his winnings have not been on the same scale as when T. F. Qninlivan prepared his horses here. Death removed other prominent Hawke’s Bay sportsmen in the Hon. J. D. Ormond and Sir W. Russell, and the loss of these great patrons of the Turf has caused a slump in racing on the East Coast. Added to these losses, Mr. Lowry’s departure would be very regrettable.

Mr. Lowry will always be known in : :"’’ng circles as the breeder of the freak mare, Desert Gold, but he owned and raced many others of the highest* class, such as Bobrikoff, Balboa, Estland, Finmark, Soltano, Downfall, Egypt, Highland, etc. His chief forte was for classics, but many good handicaps also fell to his representatives.

Following is a list of the principal events won in the Dominion by Mr. Lowry’s horses:Anckland Cup.—Bobrikoff, Balboa. - .A.R.C. Railway Handicap.—Tete-a-tete.

King’s Plate. —Desert Gold (three times). A.R.C. Handicap. —Marshal McDonald. Great Northern Foal Stakes. —Soltano. Desert Gold, Gascony. Great Northern Derby.—Desert Gold, Estland. Great Northern Champagne Stakes.— Downfall, Soltano, Tete-a-tete, Bjorneborg. Finmark, Nigger Minstrel, Gasconv.

A.R.C. Roval Stakes. —Soltano, Desert Gold (2). Great Northern Guineas. —Soltano. A.R.C. . Welcome Stakes. —Finery, Chime. Great Northern Oaks. —Desert Gold. Great Northern St. Leger.—Desert Gold. Avondale Cup. —Highland. New Zealand Cup. —Downfall. C.J.C. Handicap.—Bobrikoff, Great Charter.

Metropolitan Handicap.—Bobrikoff (dead-beat with Goldfinder), Marco Bello. N.Z. Derby Stakes. —Balboa, Desert Gold. Estland. N.Z. Oaks.—Desert Gold. Stead Memorial Cup. —Bobrikoff (2), Desert Gold (2). Grand National Hurdle Race. —Cruesot. Can terbury Cup. —E.s tiand. C.J.C. Champagne Stakes. —Desert Gold. Egmout Cup.—Egypt. Egmont Stakes. -Finmark. Hawera Stakes. —Bobrikoff, Egypt, Estland. Feilding Stakes. —Egypt.

Hawke's Bay Stakes. —Bobrikoff, Desert Gold.

Hawke’s Bay Cup—Madrigal. Hastings Stakes. —Brocade. Hawke’s Bay Guineas. —-Desert Gold, Dot’ee.

Manawalu Stakes.-—Desert Gold (2), Estland. Palmerston North Stakes—Gascony. Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes.— Desert Gold, Estland, Finmark. Awapnni Gold Cup.—Desert Gold (3).

Napier Cup.—Oreum. Taranaki Stakes. —Estland, Finmark. Desert Gold.

Wanganui Guineas. —Bjorneborg, Est1 :d.. • Jackson Stakes.,- —Tete-a-tete North Island Challenge Stakes.—Desert Gold (2). Gascony. N|Z. St. Legbr.—Balboa. Wellington Stakes.—Desert Gold, Finmark. Wellington Thompson Handicap.— Highland.

Tho financial side of racing is advanced as the main incentive to owners breeding thoroughbred stock, but in the case of the late G. G. Stead, Sir Geo. Clifford, T. 11. Lowry and a host of others who have maintained the. sporting spirit in New Zealand, the b‘v? of the game has kept them going and, while they had the japital to back them up, the’money they expended in breeding the best .class of horses has enabled the Dominion to ho'l its own in the sporting world. .Brert’ng iru-t tell in the long run and since the 19]3-14 season Mr. Lowry has woai the best part of £86.900. Theso figures assume gigantic proportions on first glance, nnd though winnings in Australia would probably augment the total to the ex t int that it reaches the £l9O 000 mark in 15 years, Mr. Lowry Ts not a wit better off than when he started, but by his eonscientous efforts the breeding side of racing in New Zealand has received a decided boost, and in the decades to come owners and breeders will have reason to he "fateful to the Hawke’s Bay sportsman.

Naturally, his winnings durin" recent years is of interest and the following tabulation will show the rise and fall of the stocks of those who carried the colours which shone brightly in gold with a blue sash. In 1915. 1916 and 1917 Mr. Lowry topped the list. but. the heroine of New Zealand turf history, Desert Gohl, was the means of his fame. Tn tho 1915-16 season. Mr. Lowry accumulated £17.244 in stake monev (Desert Gold £8335. Balboa £2640. Tete-a-tete £1940 and Egypt £1765 being the chief earners), and the Alienations during lean seasons are in themselves alone interesting: 1913-14. £4651: 1914-15, £8499: 1915-16. £17.244: 1916-17. £11.029; ’917-18. £10.320: 1918-19. £17.851 1910-

20, £770; 1920,21, ; £1921-22, £2357 10s; 1922-23. £4550; 1923-24, £4670; 192425, £305; 1925-26, £1990; 1926-27, £5435, 1927-28, £3630. Over the 15 years the total reaches £74,185 10s, and this year’s tally will see the best part of £BO,OOO for that period, an average of £5OOO a year. When one considers the high cost of running a first-class stud and training and racing thoroughbreds, it is problematical whether Mr. Lowry is a penny the better- for his outlay, but the renown that he has won in the sporting world is worth a hundredfold to a man of his means.

As a sport, and a thorough sport at that, he needs no eulogistic comments and one has only to remember an incident a few years back when the meeting of his ehampion, Desert Gold ( a good sport’s ( reward), and another crack performer drew sportsmen from all parts fof the Dominion, and the subsequent scratching of the other horse. Desert Gold, of course, won her race, but when the other speedster was produced on the second day a shower of eggs and “boos” were the reward of quite a meritorious win on the part of the southern horse.