“Buyers Follow The Winners”

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 4

“Buyers Follow The Winners”

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The leading Sydney racing trainer, T. J. Smith, believes Light Fingers’ 1965 Melbourne Cup victory will lead to unprecedented Australian interest in the progeny of the leading New Zealand sire, Le Filou, at the National Yearling Sales which open at Trentham on Friday week.

Smith, who flew into Auckland on Tuesday with his wife, inspected two of Le Filou’s stock—a filly from Trent Bridge and a colt from Flying Florence —at Jack Macky’s Pirongia Stud yesterday. Between now and the sales he will visit other studs, but the main reason for his early arrival in New Zealand is to

get a break from the tension of running Australia’s most successful stable.

“I’ve promised myself a week in Rotorua doing nothing,” he said. A great admirer of New Zealand bloodstock, Smith has been a regular buyer at the Trentham sales since 1945 when he bought 10 lots. He has averaged about 12 every year since.

His great bargain buy was Tulloch and he has had to admit to very few failures. “Most have managed to win enough to at least pay for themselves and while they keep on winning I'll keep on coming back to buy,” he said. Smith is of the opinion, however, that the great influx of top quality staying stallions to the Commonwealth could have a serious affect on Australian interest in future New Zealand sales.

“People are a bit like sheep and buyers always follow the winners. If Australian-bred horses start winning the stayers races then everybody will want an Australian-bred horse.”

First Win In 11 Starts SYDNEY. The New Zealand gelding Final Call won his first race in 11 starts since coming to Australia, when he took the seven furlong Flying Handicap at Hawkesbury on Tuesday.

Final Call, a four-year-old by Final Court out of Omanett, started 2/1 favourite and won by half a length from Miss Hiliers (7/2) with Jarnbo Boy (6/1) one and a quarter lengths away third.