| HORSES |
YEAR: 1977
 |
Local Light, one of the best NZ-bred stallions to stand at stud for many years, died at the age of 26 on Friday.
The sire of nine 2:00 performers, Local Light left such top performers as the Auckland Cup winners Leading Light (1:59.8) and Captain Harcourt (1:58.5), the NZ Derby winner Leroy (1:59.4), Intrepid (1:57), Lightsey (1:58.8), Game Lad (1:58.6), Local Product (1:59.7), the NZ Oaks winner Local Lie, Valencia, Golden Oriole, Partisan, Castle Derg, Goodlight, Costa Light (1:59), Local Rose, Dieppe and the champion Blue, the world yearling record holder (2:09.2) and undefeated at two.
Local Light had been in perfect health up until the time of his death from a cerebral haemorrhage. He died on the property of his owners, Geoff and Jackie Hill, of Ellesmere, and was buried there.
Local Light was represented by only one yearling at last week's National Standardbred Sale in Christchurch, but it was a measure of his standing as a stallion that the filly, Mia Mocca, a full-sister to Golden Oriole, was passed in at $14,000. Had she been sold, it would have been a record price for a filly at the sales.
Local Light, who won nine races and took a mark of 2:00.2, was by Light Brigade from Local Gold, herself the winner of nine races and the dam of eight individual winners, including Arania (1:57) and Golcourt. Local Gold was by Gold Bar out of Lottie Location, by Jack Potts from Location, by Rey De Oro from Locality.
Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotguide 16Feb77