| PEOPLE |
YEAR: 1976
 |
The promising pacer Speedometer was withdrawn from his engagement in the Light Brigade Stakes at Addington recently following the death earlier that day of his owner Mr W F Woolley.
A prominent owner over a number of years, Mr Woolley traced nearly all his major success back to a $80 purchase at Tattersalls bazaar in 1942 when for that sum he bought Tondeleyo offered on behalf of the Durbar Lodge Stud of Ashburton. In later years Mr Woolley recalled that he actually went to the sale primarily to buy some harness but that nobody else wanted the mare he took her on deferred payment. Tondeleyo should have commanded much more interest for she was a full sister to the champion Indianapolis, though she had been a wayward customer when tried at the racing game.
Tondeleyo proved a wonderful success at stud. For Mr Woolley she produced Ascot, the winner of six, Highland Belle dam of Astralight (8 wins) Paramount (5 wins) the dam of Goldmount (6 wins in NZ and more in the United States) and Paranova who won six here and took a 1:59.8 mark in the United States.
Another daughter of Tondeleyo to have great success for Frank Woolley was Loyal Guest the ancestress of 19 winners...one of her daughters True Guest herself won 5 races and produced at stud Speedy Guest (16 wins to date and nearly $85,000), True Forbes and Golden Guest who won 14 between them...Adio Star, another daughter of Loyal Guest left Loyal Adios (7 wins) Colonel Adios (6 wins) Bachelor Star and Main Adios two high class winners.
Another foal of Adio Star in Adio Wren is the dam of the promising Speedometer. From the same line comes the speedy In Or Out. Before Mr Woolley purchased Tondeleyo she had left Margaret Hall, owned by Harold Drewery and later for Bill Bagrie, the dam of Orbiter.
A Lyttelton fruiterer before his retirement, Mr Woolley for some years maintained a training establishment at Aylesbury. In recent years his horses have been prepared by his son-in-law Alister Kerslake at Methven or by Jack Smolenski who was once based at the Aylesbury stable.
Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 21Oct76