STOUT FOR BREAKFAST

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1932, Page 8

STOUT FOR BREAKFAST

GREAT NORTHERN WINNER COPEY AND HIS UNUSUAL DIET. A. DISCRIMINATING RACEHORSE. Racehorses as weH as human beings have fads about food, varying according to temperament and constitution. Trainers like to get the robust and contented type that does well in travelling, for, with the delicate sort, usually a shy feeder, great care has to be exercised. Copey, winner of the Great Northern - Steeplechase at Ellerslie on Saturday, is particularly exacting, and exercises a . pretty discrimination, not only as to what he will eat, but as to when he ■ will- eat. Practically . all he has for breakfast is a large bottle of Atout. While Copey eats very little during ’the day he makes up for it at night, when he tucks into his oats with zest. ‘lteally, he ia just like an old morepork,” said his owner and trainer, Mr. J. Fryer, Hawera,.'to a representative of the New Zealand Herald. The remark . applies only to Copey’s nocturnal eating habits;, it cannot be said that he < goes to sleep during the day, as his fine victory on ' Saturday convincingly proved. : UNFOUNDED MISGIVINGS.

At one stage, after arriving at Ellers- ’ lie nearly a fortnight ago, Copey took even less feed thkn usual during, the day, and this did not escape the • notice of •; other trainers located at the same stables. It caused them to have misgivings about his chances,’ for usually when a horse is not feeding well his form falls below his best standard. “I knew there was nothing to worry over when, as usual at night, Copey fairly gobbled up his feed,” Mr. Frayer said. “He always has the bottle of stout before he goes out to work on the track in the mornings, so as to give him a good start for the day.” Copey does very little galloping in his preparation for a meeting. Only Once has he evep been sent along.at top, speed in training, and then it was only over half a mile. Usually, he does a’lot of trotting and cantering on the roads' and also strong pacework on the track. During his present trip to Ellerslie he has not worked on the track every morning, but instead has been taken once or twice to One Tree Hill for .walking and trotting exercise. RECORD OF CONSISTENCY.

Bred by Mr. Arthur Copestake, of Ohinewai, Copey is a seven-year-old gelding by Marble Arch from a St. Amans mare. The fact that he is a half-Brother to Archibald, who won the Brighton Hurdles at. Ellerslie in 1926 and ran. second in the Great Northern Hurdles in ,1927, induced Mr. Fryer to lease him. He,did a season’s hunting with him and in June, 1930, he . registered his first placed performance in" a race, running second to Son o’ Mine in .the EginontWanganui Hunt Cup Copey has a remarkable record for consistency since then. .In the 1930-31 season.he started in 22 races, winning two, the Onehuiiga Steeplechase at Ellerslie and the Toko Hurdles at Stratford, and being placed in 13 others, including third, ill the Winter Steeplechase at 'Ellerslie a year ago, second in the Waikato and. Hamilton Steeplechases and third in the Wellington Steeplechaser, At Riccarton last August, after running fourth in the Grand National Steeplechase on the first day and second in the Beaufort Steeplechase on the second day, he won the, Lincoln Steeplechase on the tiiird day. OWNER’S COLOURS NOT At Hawera a month ago Copey ran second to Make Up in the Egmouf) Steeplechase and a week later won the Wanganui Steeplechase.. /His Great Northern success constitutes a wellmerited triumph for a ,very genuine stayer. . i. Mr. Fryer’s only disappointment OB Saturday was that Copey was unable-to carry his own. colours to victory. The jockey, -I. Tucker, left them at home »t Hawera and the oversight was not realised until too late. It cost Mr. Fryer a fine, of £l, and instead of the, French grey jacket, royal blue collar, cuffs and cap, the rider wore a white jacket; with red sleeves, royal blue band and cap, the colours of Mr. W. Casey, of Matamata. Tucker had a very comfortable ride. He said Copey jumped beautifully, not rapping a single fence and,’ as he was going so well, he felt confident throughout. Really, the horse ran his own race and when he took the lead from Make - Up on the hill the last time it was of his own accord and not because oi a-ny extra "urging on the part of his rider.

POSSIBLE TRIP TO MELBOURNE.. Copey is engaged ifi G lO Victoria Grand National Steeplechase, to be run at Flemington, Melbourne, on July 9, in which his weight is 9.6. Mr. Fryer has already arranged to leave for Australia •with Peter Jackson and Game Carrington after the Wellington meeting in. July and it is possible that he will now make an earlier start to enable Copey, to keep his engagement. ' Mr. Fryer has had an exceptionally good' season and is fourth’ on the list of winning trainers for New’ Zealand. He has 'been fortunate in having two classic winners, Peter Jackson and Gaine Carrington, each being one of the best of his respective age.' The former’s mission in Australia will be long-distance races, such as the Melbourne Cup, and the latter.will try to win the Derbies. Copey is the second .Great Northern Steeplechase winner trained by Mr. Fryer. Nineteen years ago he won with Bercola, owned by Mr. J. R. L.. Stanford.