£15,980 IN STAKES

Chronicle (Levin), 10 July 1946, Page 6

£15,980 IN STAKES

Kindergartens Fine Record NOT LIKELY TO RACE AGAIN

Kindergarten, winner of £15,980 in stakes, is not likely to race again and will probably go into retirement. Glamour hoi'se of New Zealand during the war years, he was one of the rhost picturesque gallopers ever seen. Bred by his owner, Mr. E. N. Fitz- | gerald, Kindergarten is the son of I Kincardine, who was a distinguish- | ed galloper himself . He first car- ! ried his owner's colours as a twoi year-old in the Avondale Stakes, i when he ran unplaced. On the ! second day of the meeting he was again unplaced in the Nursery : Stakes. He returned from the meeting practically unnoticed, no ; one thinking that one day he | would be a cliampion. | G. R. Tattersall was the jockey I who first rode Kindergarten to vici tory in the Hastings Stakes. The j 1 field was not a strong one, so that I he received very little credit for his j effort. However, on tne second ! day of the Poverty Bay spring mee'ting he took the Juvenile Siakes from Kentyne and at the next meeting on this course he won the Oman Memorial Stakes, a two horse event. His last race of that '.season was a two-year-old event at f Ohinemuri, where he ran unplaced. In the 1940-41 season Kindergarten developed into a fine, muscular three-year-old colt, and began : racing at the Avondale spring ! meeting, where' he secured a third, j behind Monce Cristo and Chain ! Acre. He repeated this perform1 ance, this time to Calcula Bay on j . the second day. At the A.R.C. i .

spring meeting he filled second place to Duavach. From this stage | on he gained supporters, who Ibacked him at every start. It was jalso at this time that Kindergarten began his career as a champion, for his next ten starts he received ten victories. He began this record at Ellerslie in the Normanby Handicap, of one mile, which he won from Venture and Rey Lu. He scored in the Alison Cup with 8st. 41b., defeating Anita Foe by a head. The A.R.C. Christmas Handicap next came Kindergarten's way. followed by a win in the Great Northern Derby from Lou Rosa and Beau Leon. His next mission was the Wellington Cup, which he won carrying 8st. 61b. He defeated Sir Beau and Foreign Coin in the Great Northern Challenge Stakes. and took the Awapuni Gold Cup from Sir Crusoe and Belle Cane. The Easter Handicap at Ellerslie and the Great Northern St. Leger came liis way. During that season he won £7,336 in stakes. Kinder garten started only twice in tho 1941-42 season, and won botr times. His victories in the Great Northern Challenge Stakes at Trentham, and the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie were just a matter; of routine to him, and he won each ' event decisively. In the beginning of the 1942-43 season Kindergarten met his first downfall, in the Flying Handicap

at the Ifawke's Bay Jockey Club spring meeting, when ne lost to Black Majesty, who had an advantage of 351bs., but he made amends for this lapse by winning the Harcourt Stakes. He collected the Canterbury Cup from Gladynev and Sally Lun, these being tAe only starters. Then came Kindergarten's greatest triumph. Burdened with lOst. 21b., he romped home in the Auckland Cup, five lengths clear of Lou Rosa and Foxola. He won the Taranaki Stakes from Clarice and then at Wellington won the North Island Challenge Stakes from Glenfalloch. In the 1934-44 season Kindergarten started only four times, for three wins. The W.R.C. Ha, court Stakes, the C.J.C. Canterbury Cup, and A.R.C. Clifford Plate, fell to him in easy style. He failed to fill a place in the Wellington Cup, which was won by Don Quex. After this race he pulled up lame. Kindergarten's only two starts this season rewarded him with two victories, the W.R.C. Harcourt Stakes and the James Hazlett Cup, which he won in January, 1945. i This was the last time the champion was seen on the course. , Altogether Kindergarten started ; 33 times for 25 wins, three seconds and one third. His total stakes j were £15,980. He was taken to j Australia in the spring of 1941, but ; ran third to High Castle in his . only start. 2 , i