Looking Back

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 137, 26 June 1937, Page 15

Looking Back

"Hermit")

HORSES OF NOTE Performances Which Linger in the Memory WHISPER AND CYNISCA

(By

A series of articles dealing with pi'ominent racehorses and' noteworthy races .of the past will be published at intervals in the Herald-Tribune. The fifth nppeaxs below. They have been compiled by "Hermit," whose long experienGe trith xaeing has enabled him to gain a wealth of material that sliould mahe the articles of great interest to all keeh racing men. The veteran Hawke's Bay trainer, K. Grooseman, has been assooiated with the riding and training of many good horses in his time, but I do not think there are any who have occupied such a plaee in his memory as these two bonny blaek marea, "Whisper and Oynisca. If Hawke's Biayites at the time Whisjier was raoing were asked to name their favourite racehorse (I will not say the best) I think Whisper would have been the one seleeted. Short in the back, but beantifully modelled, the sturdy little daughter of Albany (imp.) — Tell Tale was a galloping maehine, and it was her easy, effortless action, coupled with the superb horsemanship of that prince of hoTsemen, the late Wally Olifford, which enabled her t'o win raees np to a mile and a half, a distanee which, except for Clifford's handling, would have been quite beyond herpowefs. However, it was not in Clifford's habds that she won her first liiile and a half raee, which was tho C.J.C. Metropolitan of 1889, in Which she catried 8.2 and was ridden by the late Percy (Billy) White. But Peroy White was an adept at timing a short run, which whs what Whisper required, but he had not the fine se,at and perfeet styie of riding that Clifford posssesed. Many tim.es have X watched a raue at Hastings oi' Napier Park, in whieh 0 Whisper was engaged and Was ridden by Clifford. Up to the second stand ou either cour^e it would appeai to be some othor horse's face, for Whisper would be lying about fourth or fifth, biit suddenly, like a black flash, Whisper would shoot out and gathering in her field -'in brilliant style, the judge's- verdict would be "Whisper by a head.'' Trainer, horse and rider were a great com'olnation. The only mare of recent years that I have seen with the same beautifiil maehiii64ihe . action and the same capaCity for gathering up brilliant speed in a moinent is a little mare named Cuddle, whoni no dioubt all of my readers will kttOw of aS oue of the best mares seen in this decade. Whisper's lasfc Win over a inile ahd a half was in the Egmont Cup of 1892, in which Clifford rode one of his eharaeteristic finishes and lifted the little mare first past the post by a short head. Cynisea was another mare that whs a great faVottrite with her trainer, Grooseman, and with good reason, for although her wins as a two-year-old were gained in other ownership, it was in the late Sir George Hunter 's eoloufs that she won her three Wellihgton Cups and most of he# other big wlns. Cynisea Was by Apremont (imp.) — ■ NaUtilus, a family that has given the New Zealaiid turf mahy good horses, of Which Cynisea Was one of the best. Like all 6f Apremqnt 's gets she was a vefy handsoine mare, and had ihe' hardy Apremont legs whieh stoOd ihe training and racing ias the progeny of feW other sires have done. She worf her first big race, the 0. LC. Welcome Stafces^ in the colours bf her trainer, the late Mr. Edward Cutts, but her vie. tories in the Dunedin Clhampagne Stakes ef 1889 iaiid the C.J.C. Oaks of 1889 were gained in the late Sir George Clifford's livery, aftet whieh she passed intd the possession of Mr. George Hunter, for whom her subseqtieiit vic- . tories were gaiiied. Cyriisea eommeneed her seqtieiiee of Witis in the Wellington Cup ili i890, aS a three-year-bld, when, With 7.1 and the stable jockey, Tod Sweeneyj in the saddle, she beat a good field. In the foliowing year, 1891, she was handieapped at 7.12, but Sam LindSay fode her to vietery, but a few months later she won the Hawke's Bay Cup, of i| mile, with W. Clifford id the saddle alid carrying 8.7. Id 1892 she reebrded her third win in the Wellington Cup with the good whight of 8.12 up; alid ridden by Bdb Derrett. The C.J.C, Metr6» politan of 1892 saW her again Win over a mile add d half, shoWitig tliat she was partieulafly partial to that distadce. On this occhsiOn She carried 8.9 add George COlleic) was the rider. I do not Wish tO infer that I cotisider Cynisea as a ehainpion, -bdt She WaS the best two-year^old of her year, and the best three-year-Old filly, and certaiftly there have beeft feW inareS inore consistent thfiti she, esp6cittlly id the autumn ef the year. Although she weu races in the. spring, it was in the autumn that she shoWed her best form, due pOrhaps to eaUses over which neither horSeS tior traiflets have eontrol. WhOd writing of 0ld4ime i'aCitig I have eu previous oeeasiotis pointed out that raciftg uowadays is carried od under quite differeUt conditious to the old days. Then race meetings were held with considerable intervals between. Hofses had to be got ready for the meetings they wete, engaged iu so tliat they would be fit for the first race for which they wero saddled up. The art of tlie trainer tlien was to I know just when his charges were fit. | To-day, with race meetings close to-

gether, horses may be raced iuto conditiou. They may want a gallop or two at one meeting, but that is of little consequence, for it may help to get g6t them just right for a meetiug a week or two ahead. This would have been of no use to the old-time trainer, who could not piclc and chooso the meetings he would have his horses fit for. ,