DEATH OF A GREAT SPRINTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1036, 13 January 1910, Page 7

DEATH OF A GREAT SPRINTER.

The “Canterbury Times” gives the following particulars concerning the career of Blazer, who died at Feilding a couple of weeks ago.—He was bred by Sir George M’Lean at the Warrington stud in 1894, and was by St. Clair —Mountain Lily, by Totara from a Traducer mare. He was a very plain-looking yearling, and for this reason, added to the fact that his dam was one of the least thought of mares in the stud, he was knocked down at auction for 41gns., being secured on behalf of Mr. S. Solomon, the well-known D'unedin barrister. He made his first appearance as a two-year-old at Riccarton in a selling race, in which he finished out of a place. On the following day he defeated Sir Launcelot ( who had dead-heated with Multiform in the Welcome Stakes) in a handicap, and he repeated the performance in the Electric Plate, but Multiform was in front of them both. Later in the season he won the Dunedin Stakes and ran Multiform to a neck in the Musselburgh Plate. His only other win that season was in the Railway Plate at Dunedin. As a three-year-old he finished third in the Stewards’ Handicap, but later in the meeting won the Electric Plate. He had five more wins this season, the last being in the Templeton Handicap at Riccarton, with 9st 71b on his back. He was awarded 9st 131 b in the Stewards’ Handicap, but finished out of a place. His first win was in the Musselburgh Plate at Dunedin. Among his other three wins that season was the Champion Plate at Riccarton. He was at his best as a five-year-old, at which age he won nine races out of eleven starts. Among them were the Wellington Telegraph Handicap, with 9st. 81b; Wellington Electric Handicap, with lOst. 111 b; and Canterbury Craven Plate, with lOst. 21b. At six years he was set to carry 9st. 131 b. in the Stewards’ Handicap. At this meeting, however, he won the Ashley Handicap, with 9st. 131 b, and the Randolph Handicap, with lOst. 91b. Going on to Wellington, he won the Telegraph Handicap, with 9st. 121 b, and the Metropolitan Handicap, with lOst 111 b. As a seven-year-old his six wins included the Wellington Wainui Handicap, with 9st. 31b, and Hutt Park Handicap, with Bst; 101 b. At eight years he won three races. One of the most notable events of his career was to defeat Royal Artillery, then a champion three-year-old, in the Electric Plate at Riccarton. His record works out as follows: —76 starts, 35 wins, 9 seconds, 5 thirds and 27 unplaced performances, the value of the stakes won being £4432. In the early part of his career Blazer was trained by S. J. Mercer, and later on by H. Jackson,, to whom he was presented when Mr. Solomon retired from racing. Over short courses Blazer was one of the most brilliant and consistent ever graced.the