NEW PRESIDENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 179, 1 August 1940, Page 9

NEW PRESIDENT

Wanganui Jockey Club Pilot MR. RUSSELL GRACE ELECTED ,MR. H. M. SPEED RETIRES A new president was declared elected at the annual meeting oi the Wanganui Jockey Club night, Mr. Russell Grace, vice-president for the past two years, being the oniy candidate lor the office rendered vacant by the retirement of Mr. H. M. Speed, who has held the reins since the annual meeting of 1938. Some weeks age Mr. Speed announced that he would not be seeking re-election as he felt that the state of his heailn did not permit him to give tne time required for such an important position.

Mr. Speed has had a long and distinguished career both as owner anc as committeeman on the Wanganui Jockey Club, and as a committee member his sendees have been available for a longer period than any other member save Mr. Russell Grace. II was well before the Great War that Mr. Speed was elected to the committee, and after his absence on active service he was re-elected in 1923. He was elected an active life member m 1929, and in 1938 he succeeded Mr. C. G. Russell as president alter having served as vice-president since the death of Mr. Ewen Campbell. Career of Civility It was as the owner of that great little mare Civility that Mr. speec was best known since the Great Wai After the Elysian—Civilisation mart had proved a good money-spinner fci Mr. H. L. Russell, she was acquired by Mr. Speed and Mr. C. G. Russeii in partnership, and was raced under Mr. Speed s colours. As a three-year-old Civility won the Nikau Hack al Feilding, the Telegraph Hack al Woodville, the Railway and Telegraph Handicaps at Marton, the City Handicap at Trenlham, the Denoign Handicap at the Feilding Easier meeting, and the Borough Handicap at the Wanganui winter meeting. The iollowhig season she won tne Stewards Handicap and the Suburban Handicaps at Takapuna, the Stewards Handicap at New Plymouth, the Farewell Handicap at Wanganui, was beaten oniy oy her stablemate, Siaosi. in the Great _E.cU.ter at Riccartcn, and then registered a win in the Templeton Handicap on the concluding day of the C.J.C autumn meeting. Acquired by Mr. Speed, Civility scored two wins as a five-year-old She ran second, with 7.13, to Lady Cavendish in the second division oi the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie when Lady Cavendish’s stablemate Reremoana won the first division, and was beaten a head by Cavvnpore m the Newmarket Handicap at the same meeting. In the autumn she won the Farewell Handicap at Wanganui foi the second time, and later scored in the Telegraph Handicap at Awapuni, being beaten a neck, with 9.7, by Merry Jest (7.13) in the Borougt Handicap on the second day of tne Awapuni autumn meeting, t hat hei earlier racing hed not impaired hei brilliance Civility proved at six years old. for she won six races. She wa: second, with 10.1, to Le Choucas (9.5 1 in the Winter Cup at Riccarton. coming back to Wanganui to win the Marangai Handicap and run second tc Reremoana in tiie New Zealant Eclipse Stakes. At the summer meeting at Awapuni she won the I Handicap (nine furlongs) with B.l'J. At Wanganui in the autumn she won the Flying Handicap, beating Eenzora, The Hawk, Tamatete, Tukia, Shirley, De luge and Oration—a brilliant field Civility then went on to Ellerslie tc win tne Easter Handicap, which carried a stake of £2OOO and a sweepstake of £lO each for the 22 starters. Cn the second day of the meeting she carried 9.2 to beat Lady Cavendish (8.2) and Oration (7.3) in the Huia Handicap. It was at Wanganui that Civility registered her linai victory carrying y.o to win the Empire Handicap, over a mile and a distance. Civility's successes under Mr. Speeds career were in themselves a tAumph for trainer F. Lind Mr. Speed considers that D'Nil was one of the best horses he has ever owned, and others to carry his colours were Kew, Delamere and Springbok. He also raced Ostiak, winner of the 1902 Thompson Handicap, in the latter stages of the Stepniak geldings career. D'Nil was a chestnut gelding by Stepniak from Satellite and h< raced just ever 30 years ago, doing particularly well over hurdles in the latter years of his career. Kew was a Sylvia Park—Helen gelding winraced in the immediate pre-war years, and later carried the colours oi Mr. J. Hennah, of present-day Padishah fame. Delamare raced between 190 j and 1907. She was a brown mare by Sylvia Park from Toltie, and a fullsister, Volume, was sold av a high price to go to India. At the Wanganui spring meeting in 1906 Delamare won the Flying Handicap and th Owen Handicap, the big sprint double It may be remarked that othei “double ’ winners at the meeting included Exmoor (who won two hurdle races), Polycaste, and The Lark, the last-named carrying the colours of the late Mr. F. Tilley, of Fordell fame. Brilliant Classic Winners Mr. Russell Grace, who will have the task of piloting the Wanganu Jockey Club through what appear; likely to be a difficult period, is well known as the owner of some sterling performers over the last decade Among horses to carry his colour: were Smoke Screen, one of New Zea land’s most brilliant milers, whose classic wins included the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, the Grea Northern Guineas, the Great North ern Champagne Stakes, the Kingi Plate and the Taranaki Stakes Mother Superior won the A.R.C. Wei come Stakes, the Great Northerr Foals Stakes and the Taranak Stakes; View Halloo won the Avon dale Guineas, and Russian Ballet th) Great Northern Champagne Stake; and the Wanganui Guineas.