SLEEPY FOX ACCLAIMED

Chronicle (Levin), 27 April 1946, Page 6

SLEEPY FOX ACCLAIMED

Sleepy Fox 's performance in winning the A.K.C. Easter ' Handicap for the thircl year in succession at Ellerslie, on ' Saturday was acclaimed by, a iarge Vcrowd, the gallant Foxbridge J$^loj)er being heartily applauded froni tlife tiyie he went past the winning ppst tuiti! his joekey ( J. Winder) dismouriiea In the birdcage. The reception was reminiseent of the day Kindergarten made his record-breaking run to win the Auckland Cup, and it was no less descrved. t Xever before in the history of the race — it was inaugurated in 187-1 — liad auy h orsc won the event three tiipes, lct alone in succession, but Sleepy Fox carried 8.0 to victory in 191-1, 9.5- in 19-15 and 10.2 on Saturday, the last weiglit being just 11b. less # than th,e rpcord/wliich is held by Kindergarten, whQ/%Sn with 10.3 in 1912. No "small ainount of credit for The suc'ke-ss of Sleepy Fox is due to his Trainer, 'T. F. Verner, who once again turned liiin out in superb condition — and that after he liad received liim back from Australia in poor condition only a few weeks ago, and following a somewhat protracted sea voyage. - • Sleepy Fox has won his three Easter Haudicitps in the same nianner — with a lightning-like dash just at the bottoin of the honie ' stretch — and tlic three successful riders, J. Williamson, 1. Galvin and J. Winder, have had easy rides Ihrough following instructions. Sleepy. Fox opened his career as a two-yeiir-old wlien he started seven tititea for a win in a diviaion .of the Tamahere Stakes at Waikato and in. the sqebiid xlivision of the Onslow StakeS-'At Ellerslie, wliile he also . obtained a' second and a third placing. At. three ,-ye.arp .he started 11 times t\>r „Mir|e p'ihs. aild* a second. Froni eight; starts at four -years he secured two wins, and last vear he had three wius aird a fourthiffom ten starts. His. reeord in New Zealand to date is: —

Starts Wins 2nds 3rds Stks £ 'IVo-. years 7; 2 1 — 130 Th ree " year's 11: 3 1 — 800 Four years 8 2 2 2 2S95 Five years 10 2 — — 3050 Six. years 1 1 — — 2000 Totals 10 11 1 2 9235