From Mitcham News & Mercury
21st April 1972

MITCHAM BAKER KEN TURNER wondered why his new horse Sally was putting on weight. He thought it was either the good food she gets at the bakery or children slipping her the odd cake when she was out on her delivery round.

Then last Saturday morning when he went down to her stable he found out. There was Sally and a newly born foal. Said Mr Turner: “I was stunned — she was out doing her round only the day before and seemed perfectly all right. It was a wonderful surprise and we are calling him Lucky.”

Sally, a four year old Kent Cob was bought from a dealer just before Christmas and pulls Mr Turner’s delivery van to keep going a family tradition, which started in 1792 when the bakery opened in Mitcham.

Mr Turner began to suspect that she was in foal and a vet confirmed that this was likely.

“But he assured us that there was plenty of time and she could go on working for a while. So I was really surprised when I looked in the Stable on Saturday morning.”

“It’s a bit of a bonus. When I bought her I never expected another animal as well. When the foal is old enough it is going down to a stud at Ockley. Meanwhile I have borrowed another horse to keep the round going.” he said.

Mr Turner and the dealer he bought Sally from are still mystified as to how she got pregnant.

“She must have er . . . . running loose in the field,” he added.