GIVING UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 506, 8 November 1928, Page 10

GIVING UP

SIR ABE BAILEY’S PLANS TISHY’S FAILURE RECALLED After 35 j'ears’ connection with the turf in England Sir Abe Bailey, the South African diamond magnate, is to retire. Except for three favourite stallions, all his horses are to be sold, including Tourist, the favourite for the Cesarewitch, wrote a London writer a few weeks ago. News that Sir Abe Bailey has decided to retire has taken the racing world by surprise, although it has been known for some time that he has been in poor health. It is this factor which has forced him to give up the sport.

Except for his three favourite stallions, Son-in-Law, Bucks Hussar, and Son and Heir, the whole of his horses are to be sold, including Tourist, the present favourite for the Cesarewitch, though the sale will not take place until after that race. Horses in training and yearlings will be sold at Newmarket during the Cambridgeshire meeting, and the mares and foals at the Newmarket December sales. When Tishy was Last Sir Abe Bailey has been racing in England for nearly 35 years, though his connection with the sport first began some years before that in South Africa. His retirement recalls the fact that following the amazing defeat of Tishy in the Cesarewitch of 1921, in which to the utter surprise of her owner and the world in general she came in last, Sir Abe Bailey sold off all his horses and went back to South Africa. But the call of the turf was too deeply ingrained in him, and he was soon back in England again to resume his association with the game. Twice before —in 1912 and 1920 —he had announced his retirement for various reasons, only to return again the following season. This time his retirement is definite and absolute. “It is impossible for me to express adequately the great regret I feel at the severance of our long and successful association,” said Mr. Reggie Day, Sir Abe Bailey’s trainer, at Newmarket last month. “Although, of course, I was well aware that he was very seriously ill, I had no idea even a week ago that Sir Abe would be compelled to retire from the sport he loved. Irreparable Loss “His loss to the turf is almost irreparable, and it is sad to think that what I consider the finest stud of brood mares and young stock in the country has to be dispersed. “Sir Abe and I have been looking forward eagerly to the pleasure of racing the stock of Foxlaw and the other high-class stallions, and right up to the last moment I have been booking nominations to the sires, quite unconscious of the blow that was in store for me.’*

Despite lavish expenditure in bloodstock, Sir Abe Bailey has never won a classic race, though he thought that, but for an amazing error, he might have won the Derby of 1920 with Southern. But the colt, who had carried off the Gimcrack Stakes at York the previous season, was struck out of all engagements in mistake for another horse. Lex, too, disappointed him in this respect. He ran in the Derby won by Coronach, but whatever chance he had was destroyed when another horse struck into him. One of the best horses he ever owned was undoubtedly Dark Ronald, who, after bringing off a successful coup in the Royal Hunt Cup of 1909, won the Princess of Wales’ Stakes and the Doncaster Cup. One of Dark Ronald’s sons was Son-in-Law, who won the Cesarewitch. for Sir Abe in 1915, and sired, among many other successful stayers, Tourist. Brown Prince and Foxlaw Other big races Sir Abe Bailey won included the Cambridgeshire, with Brown Prince, in 1917, and the Ascot Gold Cup with Foxlaw last year, and it is probable that he derived more satifaction from the latter’s victory than he had done from any other triumph of his turf career. His most notable successes this season have been the victory of Tourist in the Princess of Wales’ Stakes at Newmarket, and of Law Suit in the Irish St. Leger recently. His colours were carried to victory in the Bentinck Fund Nursery at Newmarket last month by Anne Lovely. Sir Abe Bailey thus won this race for the third successive year, Orford having triumphed in 1926 and Lair last season. In South Africa, Sir Abe has enjoyed remarkable success, his horses having carried off the South African Derby and Oaks several times, while the valuable Johannesburg Handicap has fallen to him more often than to any other owner. WITHOUT A TOTE OHINEMURFS FIXTURE Press Association. PAEROA, Wednesday. The following handicaps have been ?u C fe reCi for Cue Ohinemuri Jockey Club s non-totuiisator .race meetin°to be hem at Paeroa on SaturdSv November 17:— *' Tnai rtanaicap, furlongs.—The Jac k Jumper, 9.0; Foxhound, 8.12; Master Aren Venus Abbey, 8.9; Unoco. Luctiius 8.6, iaumua, 8.5; Eb*in, Roller, 8.4: K.intz Leslie, Taumai, Day Aboey, 8.3; Tarrapeen, Valentino, 8.2; Violation, Swift Light, 8.1; Muskall Maid, Snow Prince gelding, Muskot » Winterbourn4 Hack Hurdles, li miles.—High Flown 11.0; Gold Rain, 10.6; King Amans, 10.5* Master Arch, 10.0; Lucilius, 9.9- Gay Comet, 9.7; Day Abbey, Ah Wera, 9 Every Day, Town Rambler, Tarrapeen' Explosion gelding, 9.0. High-Weight Handicap, 6 furlongs Takutama, 10.6; Red Day, Orchus, 9 7Bracken Abbey, 9.0; Archangel, S.iL2; Connemara, 8.10; Queen Comet, 87* Menance, Crown Arch, 8.3; Taumai, Eblin, Warguard, 8.0. Paeroa Cup, 1£ miles.—High Pitch, 9.10; Gold Rain, 8.8; Regent, 8.5; Star of the East, Eh Timi, 8.0; Hangawera, 7.7; Always, Gienstar, 7.0. Ladies’ Bracelet, 6 furlongs.—Takutama, 12.4; Gold Rain, 11.0; Bracken Abbey, 10.12; Queen Comet, King Amans, Master Lu, Lucilius, Master Arch, 10.10; Menance, 10.7; Valentino, Ever}- Day, Winterbourne gelding. Snow Prince, Town Rambler, Muskall Maid. Muskot, 10.0. Plains Handicap, 7 furlongs. — Orchus, 9.0; Red Day, 8.8; Always, 8.6; ArCi Queen, 5.5; Menance, 8.1; The Jack Jumper, Archangel, Master Lu, 8.0; King Amans, 7.10; Ah Wera, Crown Arch, Swift Light, Warguard, Muskot, 7.0. Publicans’ Purse, 6 furlongs.—High Pitch, 10.1; Takutama, 8.13; Lucy Rose, 8.7; Regent, Eh Timi, 8.0; Gay Comet, Connemara, 7.9; Venus Abbey, The Jack Jumper 7.7; Unoco, 7.5; King Leslie, Violation, Eblin, 7.0.