Sportsman’s Luck

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 8

Sportsman’s Luck

Winnings on the Turf THE sport of kings is everything that the name implies. 1 but even his Majesty the King has failed to make his string of racehorses pay its way. Indeed, few owners have made fortunes out of the turf; it is as easy to break the bank at Monte Carlo. Horse racing demands on the part of the owner a wealth of optimism as well as one hundred per cent, of luck.

It would be very nice to start off with a horse, say, like Gloaming, and to have an astute trainer such as was responsible for the racing preparation of that wonderful galloping machine, so that on practically every occasion the horse was saddled up the owner’s banking account was swelled to the extent of hundreds, and at times by thousands. But that is the dream of every man —and woman, too—when he sets out on the alluring prospect of owning and racing a real thoroughbred. It is with the big men in racing in England, Australia and New Zealand

that this is concerned. England is recognised as the home of the thoroughbred, from which has sprung the majority of horses in the Dominion. There is big money to be won in the Old Country, as witness the amounts placed to the credit of the following during the past couple of seasons: Lord Woolavington, 33 wins. £61,872. Lord Astor, 34 wins, £59,788. Lord Derby, 63 wins, £54,766. Mr. Solly Joel, 75 wins, £51,243. H.H. the Aga Khan, 43 wins. £47,668. Sir Abe Bailey, 35 wins, £29.510. Mr. Stanley Wootton, 101 wins, £23,263. Sir John Rutherford, 7 wins, £21,268. Lord Glanely, 48 wins, £20,940. In the Dominion the racing clubs, thanks to the totalisator, provide practically all the stake money, whereas in England pay is by the subscription method which at times exceeds the amount of added money given by clubs.

The stake money in Australia and New Zealand probably exceeds that to be won in England, at any rate, in the more valuable races, as a glance at Australian owners’ winnings will serve to illustrate. Covering the two last completed seasons on the other side of the still unconquered Tasman

Sea, the New South Wales sportsmen. Messrs. J. E. and C. H. Brien won 16 races and netted £40,287 in stakes; Mr. Ben Chaffey, Victoria, had IS wins that earned for him £35,838; Mr. R. Miller, New South Wales, 25 wins, and £34,141; Mr. C. B. Kellow, Victoria, 20 wins and £20,947; while the owner of Trivalve, Mr. E. E. Clarke, has probably captured over £35.000 in two and a half years with this colt and others of his team. NEW ZEALAND WINNERS New Zealand sportsmen are often represented in Australia with striking success. For instance, Limerick, acknowledged to-day to be the champion of the Antipodes, has already won about £32,000, of which all but £4,000 was secured in Australia. When dealing with New Zealand owners, there undoubtedly stands out Sir George Clifford, who for many years has been the president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, the controlling autho.rity of the tnrf here. It is only a few weeks back since the colours of the G.O.M. of New Zealand racing were borne past the post for the thousandth time. Think of it—winner of a thousand races. Small wonder that Sir George Clifford, who races horses of bis own breeding, looms large in table of stake winnings. In the past 31 years his share of stakes won has been no less than £168,907, and he has been a constant winner season after season. Another Christchurch sportsman who has secured big money is Gloaming’s owner, Mr. G. D. Greenwood, who in 15 seasons has won £90,568, and to this has to be added his Australian winnings, which must be in the vicinity of his Dominion figures. There are many men associated with the turf in New Zealand to-day who breed and race their own horses. Probably the most successful of them all is Mr. G. M. Currie, who has done a lot in late years in the way of introducing aristocratic English blood into this country. Aucklanders have reason to remember Mr. Currie’s descent on Ellerslie at Easter, when his horses won four races, including two out of three classics, and this, with further stake money, saw the Wanganui sportsman’s stake winning account increased to the extent of £3,550 within a period of 11 days. The Dominion’s recent racing history would be incomplete without portraying the big part played by Mr. Currie. His stud farm at Koatanui, Wanganui, has turned out many brilliant performers on the turf, and in addition yearlings from this stud have realised considerable sums. During the past nine seasons Mr. Currie has captured stakes to the value of £43,277, and to this has to be added the proceeds of the sales of yearlings. Koatanui youngsters have been submitted under the hammer in both New Zealand and Australia, and in the Dominion since 1920 61 yearlings have changed hands for £34,362. Mr. Currie’s part in racing during the past decade at least has placed him in the forefront of men associated with the New Zealand turf. Another prominent figure is that of Mr. A. B. Williams, whose horses have won for him £57,553 in eight seasons, in addition to which he has been a big winner in Australia. Then there is Mr. R. A. McKenzie, who has captured £33,237 in eight years.