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ROSTRIEVER HANOVER

The 1988 New Zealand Messenger Championship winner, Rostriever Hanover passed away on Ian Munro's 700-acre block in Otematata earlier this month. He was 29.

The son of Plat Du Jour and Rostriever Lady also won a New Zealand Junior Free-For-All, an Ashburton Cup, a DB Superstars Final, and a New Brighton Cup. All Up Rostriever Hanover won 17 of his 46 starts and placed six times for $342,895. He experienced his most successful year as a 4-year-old winning eight of his 15 starts and placing four times for $237,495.

He was owned by North Otago (Otematata) horseman and sheep farmer, Ian Munro. His late mother Lexie, who bred the talented bay gelding, also had a share in him.

Munro said Rostriever Hanover was the best race-horse that he had raced. He did the breaking in and training early on before handing over the reins to Patrick O'Reilly Junior in November 1986, when the horse was three. "Yes he's the best I've had and I'll never forget him. He was a tough old bugger but never had much luck with injuries. We did breed Waitaki Hanover as well. He was a pretty nice sort of a horse but we sold him as a 2-year-old to Fred Smith for 6,000 pounds."

Munro said after Rostriever Hanover won the New Brighton Cup he injured a knee but recovered to win the New Zealand Junior Free-For-All exactly a year later.
"He was a very nice horse but he could have been better had he not copped so many injuries throughout his career. Bad luck followed him around a bit. A week before the messenger he beat Luxury Liner, also at Alexandra Park," Munro said.

He said he tried to retrieve his pride and joy from his retirement paddock just a few days before his death but there was no way the old boy was going to let Munro catch him. "I couldn't get near him no matter how hard I tried. He loved his retirement roaming our paddocks. he was very happy in his retirement years. It's quite sad to think he'll no longer be around. "We buried him close to our house Munro said.



Credit: Duane Ranger writing in HarnessLnk