THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1391, 18 March 1912, Page 6

THE TURF.

RACECOURSE FATALITY. , LEADING JOCKEY KILLED. 0)7 TelecraDh.-fresi A«sonUUon.l Auckland, March 17. An accident which ended fatally occur' red nt tho Ohincmuri Jockey Club's meeting. Mnnuwcra fell in the Nethertou Welter and brought down Sliplink. Both jockeys were rendered unconscious. \Vhitiiker sustained severe concussion of tho brain. M'Flynn recovered consciousness, but Whitakor died at Paeroa railaar station while wailing for an express to go to tho Thames Hospital. Tho telegram apparently refers to the well-known Auckland jockey, A. R, Whitaker, who was a single man about 21 years of age, and was engaged to be married. Ho was born in North Auckland, and served his apprenticeship with hie uncle, Chas..Coleman, tho well-known El- ■ lerslio trainer. In recent years ho came to the front as a light-weight jockey in Auckland, and Inst season rode with euch. remarkable success at the country mcot. ings in the Auckland province that ha finished second to Gray in tho jockey premiership with 77 wins. At tho Huntly meeting two seasons ago ho established a record by winning all of the seven races on tho programme, for which he was presented with a valuable gold medal by the ... club. Whitaker has mado several trips to Australia, the first about four years ago, when he rode the pony Mighty Atom in. Wren's Thousand, won by Balgonie. He also went to Sydney last spring to rideMessrs. Stead Bros.' horses, and when--11. Gray was incapacitated through ill- . ness, A\ hitnker was given the mount on Vice-Adminil in the Metropolitan Hnndi- ■• cap. Although he had been riding for some years, ho could still go to scale at about 7st, 71b., and was always sure of a ■ large percentage of riding at mectings'in the north. His mother resides in tho Coromandel district. Much sympathy will be felt for his relatives in their bereavement, ... .