ILLUMINATE’S DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1935, Page 4

ILLUMINATE’S DEATH

MOST PROMISING JUMPER. OUTLINE OF HIS CAREER. (By “Hurry On.”) . The New Plymouth sportsman, Mr. A. Lile, will have the sympathy of all race followers in losing the services of Illuminate, who on the New Plymouth track yesterday met with an accident and was destroyed. After a rather disappointing career on the flat Illuminate was leased last autumn by Mr. Lile and handed to the New Plymouth trainer, J. O’Neill, to be turned into a jumper. His initial efforts were not very encouraging but after - H. Dulieu schooled him he showed a big improvement. In his first essay over fences at Dannevirke last July he fell, and his subsequent showings at Trentham. were not very impressive. However, in September he beat a good field of hurdlers pointless at Wanganui and did not run a bad race afterwards. He won at Trentham and Takapuna and then on the strength of a great trial over seven furlongs he was supported to win the Duke of Gloucester Cup at Trentham in December. There, however, he was severely kicked at the post and had to be eased in his work. He made a quick recovery and contested two hurdle events at Ellerslie during the summer meeting, running second on the second occasion. Under big weights he. filled the bill of runner-up both days in the hurdle events at New Plymouth in February, but coming out a second time on the final day he defeated the open sprinters in the Urenui Handicap. He competed unsuccessfully on the flat at Trentham last month, but taken on to Awapuni he followed a third in the Prince of Wales Handicap on the first day by winning the hurdles in easy fashion on the second. Since his return home he Had been working in a most attractive manner and was being given a chance in the Ngahuru Handicap at New Plymouth on Saturday. Illuminate was a wonderfully proficient fencer and good judges expected him to play a prominent part in the big hurdle events during the. winter. Mr. Lile dearly loves a jumper, and he is very unfortunate in losing such a promising horse so early in his career. Illuminate’s record is 11 firsts, 10 seconds, eight thirds, and 25 times unplaced. In stakes Illuminate has won £l3OB, three-quarters of which he collected this season.

By Illumination from the Maniapoto mare Huipoto, Illuminate was bred by the Stratforcb sportsman, Mr. A. S. Cleland, who raced him at three, four and five years. Last season Mr. J. N. Bell leased the gelding, who subsequently passed on to Mr. Lile after winning races at Opunake. and Hawera.