WHEN ROMANTIC FELL IN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 6

WHEN ROMANTIC FELL IN

HIGHLY-PRICED COLT HAS CHEQUERED CAREER ERE HE WINS TLX E was the daddy of the lot in the ring, and the popular Auckland sportsman was determined to outbid the opposition. He did, but had to go to 700 guineas. Two years later the colt was sold—for 35 guineas. That was the preliminary leading: up to this story of the romance of Romantic, of whom only half the iale has been written by other writers. Three and a-half years ago the Romeo-Orvieta colt was paraded in the ring at Messrs. Buckland’s stables, and he was the cynosure of all eyes, for on appearances he was easily the pick of the basket. Mr. Hugo Friedlander was so taken with the colt that he was not slow in going to 700gns., and the brown youngster was his. The Auckland sportsman might have imagined that he had secured another champion, such as Gloaming, but it was not long before he was disillusioned. UNKNOWN FUTURE How was the colt’s new owner to know that his purchase would bring him in a paltry £100? Fortunately, owners, like trainers and backers, cannot foresee what the future of the racing game holds for them. Just as

well, otherwise there would be no flying geegees, to the dismay of the anti-racing fraternity. At two years, Romantic ran second to Hyde Park in the Musket Stakes at Avondale, and this is where the £IOO came from to pay the food bill to date. After that gallant effort Romantic failed to see the other side of his romance, and failed to get into a place for the rest of his two-year-old career. In the following season he had but one race, and then out he went. A BARGAIN Back into the ring at Messrs. Bucklands came Romantic, two years and one month after he was bought for 700 guineas. Budding owners did not exactly fall over themselves to get him, and nobody was reported as having been killed in the rush. Finally 35 guineas was offered, and at that" Romantic packed up his traps ancl wound up in Hawera, the property of Mr. James Fredric. This cheque was soon made up, when Seatown returned £l5O for a second and a third in two-year-old races at Ellerslie about the same time for Mr. Fredric. His new owner was not to find in Romantic a budding champion. Far from it. Here comes the most interesting part of' the story, as related to the writer by Mr. Fredric in a letter received from him a few days ago. IN THE WELL Pride usually comes before a fd.ll, but in this instance it had nothing to do with it, for Romantic’s career gave him no cause to be proud of his deeds on the turf. The simple truth of the matter was that Romantic fell in properly. In fact, he fell down a well, and it was thought then and there that the romance had .come to a sudden end. For company at the bottom of the well Romantic had plenty of disused tins, glass, and other refuse that usually finds its way down these places. W. Pine, his trainer, at the time was away with a string at the Taranaki meeting, so the situation was, to put it mildly, most interesting. When he came back to terra firma Romantic presented anything but a romantic figure. WELL BRANDED One could scarcely place a finger on him but that it would touch a cut. Plis condition was really bad, but his owner persevered with him, and after getting him well on the road to recovery Mr. Fredric presented the wellmarked horse to Mr. David Jackson, of Waverley, near Wanganui. The latter was at Ellerslie last month with the hunter Lupineel. Romantic's new owner spent £7 on veterinary attention, and as a result he was soon able to be sent along with a little pace on. The only condition appertaining to the presentation was £SO out of the first win for Mr. Fredric, and it was obvious at Wanganui six weeks ago, when Romantic ran third in a fairly good hack field, that this would not be long forthcoming. THE WINNING TROT Romantic’s new owner spent £7 on

where he ran a first, second and third, ,nd he followed this up with two wins .t Hastings more recently. So that iy this time the amount out of the

first win has been duly handed over, and Mr. Jackson has had enough and to spare to pay the vet. The Romeo gelding has not done winning yet, and before long he should be heard of again. He is engaged in the Trial Plate at Trentham to-morrow, and even if he does not score against the big field there is any amount of time for him to still further come good. As Mr. Fredric hopes, the romance of Romantic is not by any means finished. But the horse will beware of wells and doubtful-looking rubbish receptacles in future.