AUSTRALIAN TURF TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1929, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN TURF TOPICS.

“SLUSHY” TO MELBOURNE CUP. CAIRNS RAPID RISE TO FAME. As was’ only to be expected, .Melbourne sporting scribes fill in many of the gaps in the remarkable life history and accomplishments of the ex-New Zealander, Hughie Cairns, whose death at Moonne Valley, the scene of many-of his greatest triumphs, occurred recently. Cairns, it appears, was a youthful cadet steward on a Maoriland coastal steamer which at times conveyed racehorses from one port to another. On one of these trips Cairns met a trainer named Carter, and, his boyish imagination being fired by tales of the glories of the turf, he forsook the sea and joined Carter’s stable. Learning to ride, he then became an apprentice to F. Higgott, and eight months later was given a rider’s license. His first win was on Hydrant in a hurdle race, and he went on to win many races over the small sticks and on the flat.

Cairns used to tell the story of his misfortunes when riding over steeplechase fences, his record being nine starts for as many falls, and he had determined that if his mount fell in the tenth he would turn up that branch of the business for ever. But his luck changed. The horse not only got round safely but won. After seven years* riding-in New Zealand he went to Sydney, where within a few weeks he won four flat races and a hurdle race. Mr. M. McGrath was responsible for Cairns

I going to Australia in the first place. Cairns returned to New Zealand for a time, but through McGrath’s instrumentality gained a position in the Melbourne stable of Mr. D. J. Price, another New Zealander who was doing welT in Victoria. Cairns quickly came to the forefront of riders over there, but mainly as a hurdle and steeplechase horseman. He won the Grand National Hurdle race on Merunqua and Clontaft, and the Australian hurdle race on Fastolf and Van Homreigh. About ten years ago Cairns relinquished riding over sticks and immediately gained greater success on the flat. On Heroic he won the Debutante stakes, Maribyrnong Plate, Ascot Vale Stakes, A.J.C. Derby, Caulfield Guineas, Newmarket Handicap, and many w.f.a. races in Sydney and Melbourne. Other good horses he steered to victory were King Carnival (A.J.C. Breeders’ Plate, V.aTt.C. Debutant Stakes, and V.R.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes); Demetrius (Caulfield Guineas); Wedge (V.A.T.C. Futurity Stakes); Purser (Moonee Valley Cup); Aides (Bagot Handicap); Tangalooma (Williamstown Cup); and Cannon (A.J.C. Champagne Stakes). Cairns was one of the very few cross-country horsemen who afterward.? made good on the flat, and in addition to the victories enumerated above he achieved the highest pinnacle of fame by winning the Melbourne Cup three -years ago° on Spearfelt, and on the same horse a few months later he won the Australian Cup. Unfortunately for Cairns, although a wealthy man, he was tempted to “mix” his riding again, taking on jumping horses as well as riding on the flat when the weights allowed, and thia

brought about his tragic ending. A great judge of pace, Cairns won races from six furlongs to three miles, and in all sporting circles he was well known and respected. He was an ardent motorist, fisherman and golfer, weilded a good cue at billiards and won many sweepstakes at pigeon matches. He was not only the most versatile jockey that New Zealand has produced, but was a good, all-round sportsman as well. In the words of a Melbourne scribe, “he had a greater public funeral than a Prime Minister could reasonably expect.”