Rare Trotting Stock

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 962, 3 May 1930, Page 15

Rare Trotting Stock

F. J. SMITH’S IMPORTATIONS Walter Direct's Progeny THE ex-English light-harness enthusiast, F. J. Smith, is proving to New Zealanders that it pays to encourage the best blood. When he arrived in the Dominion some months hack he brought with him the highly-bred trottet Linnett the Great, and later imported Dan Direct. Another qualityhorse is on its way to Auckland to Smith’s order and it is possible yet another will follow on its heels.

Fred Smith since taking up his residence in this land has proved that he knows the trotting business from A to Z. His initial appearance on the racing tracks with kid gloves caused some comment, but like the Yankee reinsman, Bob Plaxied, the Englishman quickly showed that he was a genuine customer and one worthy of his opponents steel, with the gloves on or off.

The newcomer soon made friends In the land of his adoption, and it did not take him long to demonstrate that his trotter was a cut above the average. It is a well-known fact in racing circles that horses from the Old Country take some time to become acclimatised, but almost in five minutes Smith delivered the goods with the purple-blooded trotting mare Linnett the Great. She gave some fine and successful displays at Alexandra Park and helped to gain public confidence in her ownertrainer.

Linnett the Great, purchased short! after arrival by McKendrick Brother is a beautifully-bred mare, being t McGregor the Great from Linnet

Apart from her racing qualifications, she wili be a great acquisition as a brood mare. Fondness for Roans Just about the New Year F. Smith imported a handsome roan horse, which soon took the eye as ono of rare quality. Known as Dun Direct, by Wellington Direct from Dana Patcli. breeding of the world’s highest order, the pacer was purchased by Newdick Brothers. While he has not yet saluted the judge, Dan has shown such promise in his two races that a big future is predicted for him. He has not had time yet to become used to New Zealand conditions, but once he is O.K. he will find a host of friends.' Word has been received by Trainer Smith that another roan horse, a rising four-year-old son of Wellington Direct, named Mussolini, is on the wav to the Dominion. Just whether Smith will be prepared to part with the young stallion remains to he seen, but no doubt there will bo no scarcity of tempting offers made after the roan's arrival. Silver Weather In an interview with “Abaydos” this week. the former Greenford Park horseman stated he was negotiating for another classy pacer at Home, Silver Weather, which recently attracted favourable attention from the critics when he won his first race on English soil. Referring to Silver Weather the London “Trotting World and Horse Review” says:

“In recent years of the light-har-ness horse sport in this country, not so many really fast American horses have been imported to Great Britain, but Mr. Charles Smith of Blackpool

certainly appears to have a great racehorse in Silver Weather, who won on its first appearance at Audenshaw track on Monday last. This handsome stallion paced a 2.22 gait after going a very slow first half, and before the year is concluded, this stallion should be a much-talked-of horse. In America everyone interested in the trotting horse knew Silver Weather, having raced every year since a three-year-old in 1923 on both mile and halfmile tracks, always being in the money Silver Weather won for three years in succession the big events at Cherry Park in the Bay State Circuit, and in 1928 was only beaten a head by Highland Scott in 2.03£. The stallion ha® a record of 2.05 and although there nave been many faster horses in the United States, there are few that have had such a consistent career as this stallion. Silver WYather is sired by Silver Axworthy, record 2.10, a son of Axworthy, 2.15; dam Miss Weathers (dam of some good winners), whp is sired by E.P.W., a son of Oratorio. 2.13.” Another Wellington Direct That the Dominion .s to have more of the best of the American trotting blood is evidenced by a report from Christchurch, which sta.tes that A. Hendricksen, through the agency of R. B. Plaxico, has purchased in America a six-year-old pacing stallion by Napoleon Direct (1.592), which is expected to arrive in New Zealand about the middle of June. This horse has not yet raced, but Ilendricksen may elec; to start him before definitely retiring him to the stud. Napoleon Direct by Walter Direct is regarded in America as the greatest living pacing sire, and he was one of the greatest racehorses a few years ago. Ilendricksen is also negotiating fo: tho purchase of another horse, The Laurel Hall, by Peter the'Great—Babn

Bertha.. The Laurel Hall is the sire of the crack three-year-old, Walter Deai (2.23).

■Walter Direct is the sire of Jack Potts, a fine pacer and rare stamp of horse for stud purposes, and with such a collection of the world’s best strains the future of the trotting industry in this country is indeed rosy-hued.