A. HOLMES' BIG DAY AT NEW PLYMOUTH

Chronicle (Levin), 17 April 1946, Page 6

A. HOLMES' BIG DAY AT NEW PLYMOUTH

Alan Holmes, well-known trotting trainer and driver, brought three horses from Christchurch to the Taranaki Trotting Club's meeting at New Plymouth on Saturday, and he will not re turn empty-handed. He won three races and had three second places with the trio. Holmes had two representatives in the Taranaki Cup, Renown 's Pride and Task Force, but under the rules he could not start eitlier unless one won , the Urenui Handicap, which was the raeebefore the Cup. The pair rau first and second in the Urenui Handicap, and Renown 's Pride, the winner, qualified'fov the Taranaki Trotting Cup. Public Surprised Most' of tho.se present were- surpriseu when Holmes paradcd with Renown 's Pride for the Cup raee after g'iving his liorse a spell of only about 10 minutes. However, his coiifidenee induced plenty of support on the totalisator for Renown 's Pride. Tliose who had backeu him were not happy when he lost ground at the start and soon had only the liack marke.r, Svpland, liehind him. It seemed impossible that a horse who had jufit won the prevjous raee could give most of his rivals a start aud then win. Nevertlieless, Holmes and Re nown 's Pride proved equal to the task. Holmes had 110 horses engaged in the fiftli raee, the Inglewood Handicap, but Ln the six'th, the Moturoa Handicap, he produced .Shepherd 's Hiook, who was the backAiihrker on 48yds. Bhepherd's Brook iiiade. a gallant attempt, but was beaten into. second pla.ee by .L 'A-mour. Shepherd's Brook Again Not discouraged, Holmes brought Bheplierd 's Brook out again in the next raee, the Okato Handicap, and this time he won. In the last raee Holmes started Task Force again, but after .taking cliarge a furlong from home the horsc was beaten by Dainty Jewel. Holmes is a well-known figure in the trotting world as ihe owner, trainer and driver of Ihe ehampion Gold Bar, the winner of the last £7500 New Zealand Trotting Cup, aud considcred by many to be the fastest trotling horse in the world today. Holmes has a private training establishment nea.r •Christchurch. This is the well-known Yaldhurst, where the late R. J. Mason traiued Mr. G. G. Stead's horses for so many years. Horses from Yaldhurst won nearly all the principal races in botli New Zealand and Australia. Lochiel, tV^artiaii, Cruciform, Noctuiform, IMachine Gun and Siege Gun are only a few of the famous names of the horses trained at Yaldhurst by Mason for Mr. Stead.