HANDICAPPER’S FINE RECORD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20696, 8 April 1937, Page 13

HANDICAPPER’S FINE RECORD

RETIREMENT FORESHADOWED Special to ‘‘The Timaru Herald." CHRISTCHURCH, April 7. To-night's “Star-Sun” says that it is understood that the well-known handicapper, Mr J. E. Henrys, has thoughts of restricting his activities in future, as his health has not been good for some time past, and that he contemplates relinquishing his position as handicapper to clubs in the South Island. On May 25 he will have completed forty-six years as the Canterbury Jockey Club’s weight adjuster. He is, in fact, the only handicapper the club has had, for before his appointment a committee of three stewards did the handicapping. His first work as a handicapper was done for the Feilding Jockey Club. He quickly built up a reputation for his accurate summing up of form, being a very capable judge of horses and racing and for years past he has been recognised as New Zealand’s premier handicapper. His capable work soon attracted wide attention, with the result that he gradually built up a wide connection as a handicapper.

The greatest tribute to his ability was the long list of racing clubs for which he acted. At an early period of his career clubs he handicapped for included Feilding, Manawatu, Rangitikei, Egmont, Nelson, Marlborough. Marton, Woodville, Patea, WaverleyWaitotara, Ashhurst, Otaki, TaratahiCarterton, and Pahiatua, in addition to others that have disappeared from the calendar.

As time went on, many clubs in the South Island claimed his services, and he has done handicapping for nearly every racing club and for all the hunt clubs in Canterbury, while he has acted also for a number of Otago clubs and the Nelson and Marlborough clubs. On various occasions he refused handicapping positions in the Dominion, which would have conflicted with his work at Riccarton. It is also well known that he turned down an appointment that was offered him by one of the two leading clubs in Australia. A few years ago he made a trip to England, but except for that period of leave of absence he has never missed seeing a day’s racing by the Canterbury Jockey Club since he was appointed the club’s handicapper.