Two West Coast Bred Horses.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1921, Page 3

Two West Coast Bred Horses.

(Referee Correspondent), DIVORCE. The announcement that the Sensa-tion-Countess gelding Divorce has run his last race has caused some discussion as to the number of races lie has won during his lengthy career on the Turf. I have, therefore, at the request of a •number of interested sportsmen looked up his Turf record, and find that he has started on 137 occasions, .winning 39 races, being second on 35 occasions, and third 18 times, and 45 times unplaced. His first start was in the 1909-10 season, and he ran each succeeding year till this season. The following is the detailed list of his performances :

In the twelve seasons Divorce annexed a total of £2464 in stakes, made ill) as follows: £ 1909- 25 1910- 2a5 1911- 337 1912- 365 1913- 136 1914- 138 1915- 218 1916- 226 1917- 196 1918- 240 1919L20 188 1920-21 10 From the foregoing it wll ho. seen that Divorce’s best years were 1911-12 and 1912-13 in the latter of which his total reached £365. Tti his twelfth year —lie commenced his racing career as a three-year-old in 1909-10—he showed renewed vigour, capturing £240, and was then acclaimed as something out of the ordinary for a gelding of that age. He finished up his career at the Reefton Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting last month, running a good second to Samarang, and finishing like a. youngster. Tt is interesting to note that since Divorce’s dam died, leaving him to be reared bv hand, he has been fed on cow’s milk, and right up to date, and during the whole of his long racing career lie has been supplied with a bucket of fresh milk daily and thoroughly enjoys it, and has remained in the hands of his breeder, and has been trained by members of the family only. Tt is claimed for Divorce- though for the accurateness of this statement T cannot vouch—that he has won more races than any horse in the Dominion and some go as far as to say in the world. No doubt some of the numerous readers of “The Referee” can throw some light on this matter. ‘ GASOLINE.. The Hanuia —Retrolinc horse Gasoline has been compared with Divorce, and it has been wrongly stated that his winnings aggregate more than the sum won by tho Sensation gelding. This statement has no doubt been made in the belief that the stakes lie won at ißioearton were larger than they actually totalled. Gasoline raced for five seasons, commencing in 1911-12. His starts read as follows:

Totals 59 19 7 6 27 The total stake earnings of Gasoline were £llOO 10s.. made up as follows: 1911-12, fllSO; 1912-13, £356 10s.: ’91314. £325; 1914-15. £l9l : 1915-18, £9B. There is little doubt that Gasoline was brilliant—his third at R.iccarton in lin in 13sec showed this beyond doubt and it. was a misfortune for bis o’ nor that be developed unsoundness arlv in his rnoiiifi career, ns this prevented him ever being thoroughly a ouud up. Though only a small horse, Gasoline carried big weight well, and it is noteworthy that on the occasion of bis first win he carried about a stone and r half overweight through being unable to get a lighter rider. He is now doing stud duties in Westland.

Starts. 1st. 2nd. Un3rd. pl’d 1909-10 .. 10 1 1 — 8 1910-11 ... .. 16 6 5 2 3 1911'-12 ... .. 13 6 2 2 3 1912-13 ... .. 13 6 3 2 2 ,1913-1.4 ... .. 10 3 2 1 4 191445 ... .. 12 2 5' 3 2 191546 ... .. 14 4 4 1 5 1916-17 ... .. 12 2 3 4 3 1917-18 ... .. 6 3 2 — 1 A918-19 ... .. 12 4 3 3 2 1919-20 ... .. 10 2 4 — 4 1920-21 ... .. 9 - 1 — 8 Totals .. ...137 39 9 35 18 45

191.1-# 2 . Starts. .... 17 '1st. 2nd. 3 2 3rd. 3 UnDP cl 9 1912,13 . .... 17 9 2 1 0 1913-14 . 1 1 1 4 1914-15 . .... .11 1 1 — G 1915-16 . 7 2 1 1 3