Brilliant Childsplay Goes to Happy Hunting Ground

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 872, 16 January 1930, Page 12

Brilliant Childsplay Goes to Happy Hunting Ground

Attack of Poisoning Was Fatal

The Dominion has produced some very brilliant fillies in the last decade, but few sprinters in recent years have excelled the deeds of Childsplay. who, after suffering from a malady for nearly a year, has been destroyed. Childsplay’* last public appearance was in the Metropolitan Handicap at Trentham a year ago, when she scored brilliantly from Silver Paper and Lysander, and so marked was her superiority over her rivals that keen judges of race form declared that the Autumnus lilly had recovered her former brilliance, which had built up a great reputation for her as a two-year-old. Some even went so far as to say that the filly would continue her superiority in weight-for-age races up to a mile at least. But little did racing men believe that her Wellington race was to be her final appearance on the turf. She never raced again. When Childsplay returned to Riccarton after the last Trentham summer carnival she was in a bad way. It was believed that she had either struck herself while galloping or injured herself in the race, and the result was that she contracted a serious form of poisoning. Subsequently the poison worked

through the filly’s system. She became worse and then her connections held little hopes for her recovery, but Childsplay managed to linger, being a good feeder, and this helped to keep her alive, but she had fallen away to what was a mere shadow of her former self. Still, with careful treatment, she showed a slight improvement, but the progress she made was hardly noticeable. Probably her connections made an attempt to save her for stud purposes. However, a short time back it was

apparent that her cham-es r.t makim, a complete recovery were verv s h K h? and recently she was destroyed SM * Among Childsplay S most m.ticeah'. achievements were the U.J.C. Welcom! S'lakes. McLean stakes and iv Rr Wellesley Stakes, classics which Afi won as a youngster, and won with ridiculous ease. She was beaten in the Gre.t Northern Foal Stakes, a race she should have won with an ounce of luck. Slio scoied in the Metropolitan Han dicap at Trentham as a three-year! old. and ran second in such important events as the C.J.G. Stewards' Hand!, cap. Dunedin Guineas and Great Northern Foal Stakes. Had she re* muined sound, there is little doubt that she would have developed into one of the Dominions best milers with age and later she might have made a name for herself as a stud matron, for she was very stoutly bred. Her sire, Autumnus, has left several good gallopers, while her dam. Helter Skelter, was got by Antagonist from Fleetfoot. by Clan Ranald from Safeguard. by Maxim. Perhaps one of Childsplav’s greatest efforts was in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riecarton. She had galloped in rare style about 3 0 days before the meeting, but she seemed to go off colour just prior to the commencement of the carnival and was not at her best on the day. Still, she ran a great race into second plaee, but had the race been run a week earlier. Qhildsplay would most certainly have won. Following was her reoerd on thd turf: At Two Years Won McLean Stakes, carried $.o t five lengths, the race having been run in record time. AVon Wellesley Stakes. Trentham, carried 8.2, beating Prince Huihphrcy. AVon C. J. C. AVelcome Stakes, carried S.O. beating Silver Paper. S#- - oncl in Great Northern Foal Stakes, carried 8.5, won by Stag-hunter. Unplaced AVellington Stakes, carried 7.105, won by Paganelli. At Three Years Second in Dunedin Guineas, carried 5.5, won by Silver Paper. Second C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap, carried 7.11, won by Silver mine. Unplaced New Zealand Oaks, carried 8.10, won by Pride. Unplaced Members’ Handicap, Riccarton, carried S.l. won by Ited Heckle, Third in AA’ellington Stakes, carried 8.2, won by Honour. AVon Metropolitan Handicap, Trentham, carried 7.13, beating Silver Paper.