THE MASTER OF YALDHURST

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 54

THE MASTER OF YALDHURST

It is expected that the well-known, trainer Mr R. J. Mason, one of the most successful equine mentors that Australasia has known, and who is on the eve of taking his departure to England on a lengthy holiday, will arrive in Dunedin on Saturday morning en loute to Melbourne. He will probably attend the concluding day of the Cup meeting, and it is somewhat of a coincidence tliat Mr Mdeon leaves these 6hores during our Cup week, as he played a very prominent part at the first Cud meeting held in Dunedin. In fact, Mr Mason has had not a little to do in the making of Dunedin Cup history, ac in addition to piloting Lurline, who won the first Cup (run in 1874), he also trained Vanguard when the son of Traducer won in 1885. In 1887 Mr Mason won with Spade Guinea, and the following year tiained Gipsy Kine; for Mr G. G. Stead, ivhco colours the son of Gitana carried in the race. Orloff jrave Mr Mason another success for the yellow and black in 1903, but since then the Master of Yaldhurst ha« not visited Wingatui. The fii->f Dunedin Cup was a handicap viorth 300-ovs, with a 10so\s sweepstake and it was run over two miles and a distance— a ioumey generally identified with the race, but which was subsequently cut down to one mile and a-half. The race of 1874 attracted a field of and Lmline, a four- Year-old, carried 9.9. With Mafon up she beat Templeton, 3\ rs, 6 12, by two lengths. Atlas 8.2. ridden by S. Waddell, was third and the balance of the runners consisted of Tambourina 9.2 (R. Reav). Gossip 7.9 (Richards). Earl of Lynne 6 8 (Malone), and Parawhenua 7.6 (8. Giford). Not being content with winning rhe Cup, Lurline was saddled for the St. Kilda Stakes, one mile and a distance, which was the following race on the card, and she won from three others. On the second day of the meet-

ing, Lurline again ran in two consecutive races, the D..7.C Handicap, on© mile- and three-quarters, and tbe Stewards' Puree, one mile and a-half. In the first ehc beat Tamfcounna, Atlas, and Templeton easily, but ran second to Calumny in the Purse, \ihieh the late Mr Redwood declared to win with tho daughter of Traducer and (iitana — not, by the way. the dam of Gipsy Kuiu. On the concluding day of th» uathcring. Mr Kodwood declared to win Iho Town Plato, two males and a-quarter, with Lurliuo, whe^e only opponent was her stable companion Calumny, and after they canici'i'd o\ev tho cou'sg tho -Cup winner showed the way past the pcet. Calumny was made fa\miritc for the following race (i'orbuiv Harchcap, one mile and a-half). but finished out of a place behind Templeton, who also won the following race on the card. When Lurhnc won the St. Kilda Stakes Mason rode 3.11, including 4£lb> ovcrweioht; and it is eafo to say that he makes this trip with a hundredweight of good wishes from his many friends and acquaintances for a pleasant journc*.