TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 269, 10 November 1923, Page 21

TURF NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.)

It is the intention of William Griggs, who was for many years first jockey for Sir Robert Jaidine, to set up as a trainer, and he is taking Hackness Villa, Newmarket, and the stabling attached. William Griggs is a brother of Walter Griggs, who has been training at headquarters for some years. Prices of yearlings at the sales in Ire land are always on the low side and there are very often good bargains Mrs. J. Bancroft gave 120gns for a grey out of Queeuie by Charles O'Malley and as Purple Shade he registered his fourth successive win in the Palatine Nursery Handicap at Manchester and sc far has earned £3707. The fact that Golden Hero has only one eye no doubt has much to do with his being a very difficult horse to ride and a jockey not so physically strong at Carslake might not have woa the Fit* william Selling Stakes on the horse at Doncaster on September llth, so badly did Golden Hero hang. Carslake brought his mount to the stand side when finishing, and put in good work in the last furlong, to get up and run Blue Sol out of it after Sir Abe Bailey's three-year-old had looked all over a winner. Prince Aga Khan is getting a better return than many men who have given a high price for yearlings. He got an exceptional filly when he paid OlOOgns for Mumtaz Mahal, and though she elid not' run in the Middle Park Plate at Newmarket, he had a first-class colt in Diophon to take her place. Short odds were laid on Diophon in a field of eleven, and he justified his price by winning nicely. Diophon, who was breel by Lord D'Abernon, and is by Grand Parade (son of Orby) from Donnetta, cost his present owner 4000gns. This win may make Diophon one of the Winter favourites for the Derby, a race his sire won in 1907. It was "a great win for Yorkshire generally when Tranquil sailed home with the St. Leger honours. The mare's jockey, T. Weston, is a Yorkshire boy, and the locals "stood" Lord Derby's maro with their customary enthusiasm to shake hands with themselves metaphorically, on their good judgement. She was quite one of the most attractive animals in the paddock, and appeared to i have improved considerably since her defeat in the Oaks, but, on the other hand, Papyrus was so splendidly fit that he could not have failed to appeal to the admiration of everyone who viewed him. Many English sporting papers carry columns of advertisements from professional tipsters. Evidently some of these and a few owners have been working together for their mutual advantage The matter was referred to by Lord Jersey at a meeting of the English Jockey Club recently. He said that in order tc deal with the matter it was proposed to make a new rule which declared thai any owner who by advertisement, circular, letter, or other means, offered information concerning his own or other horses, or connived at such practice, should be liable to disqualification. At its twelve days' meeting, which commenced at Pimlico recently, the | American racing body, the Maryland I Jockey Club, presented the trainer !of the winner of each race with 50 ! dollars (£10). As the average number lof races each" day at Pimlico is seven, 'this means £S4O in premiums for train- | ers. Sydney trainers, says an Austraj lian writer, would appreciate something similar at proprietary meetings, as, with stakes rather on the small side, even the 10 per cent allowed on winnings by specially liberal owners does not amount to a great deal. The American owner, Mr. A. K. Macomber, who has a big racing establishment in Fiance, has been having luck in important races during the post few weeks. Parth, for whom he gave a big price, only managed to run fourth in the St. Leger, for which he was second favourite, but he subsequently won a big race in Paris. Recently that owner's horse, Rose Palatine, a four-year-old by Prince Palatine from Eglantine, won the Cesarewitch, 2J- miles, from Aga Khan's Teresina, who ran third in the St. Leger. As Rose Palatine started at a good price, it is apparent he did not appeal to English backers. With Papyrus beaten by Zev in America, and the 1 Cesarewitch won by a French horse, it is certain we shall now have pessimists ! eleploring the supposed deterioration of the English thoroughbred. R. Jones rode his first winner for the King when be steered Eondon Cry to victory in the Prince Edward Handicap at Manchester on September 8. He must also be given the credit of riding a very I confident and steady race, as he kept his mount well on the heels of his opponents, and though he was last of the field to turn into the straight Jones never once became the least flurried. He just tapped the four-year-old once when finding him running a little lazily. but the Egerton House horse answered so readily to this that in a very few strides he had moved up and taken the lead from Mizzen Mast, and once in the lead ho sailed home in such smooth fashion that cheering started a long way from home. The cheers were repeated when the band Btruck up the "National Anthem." When tho American crack Zev won the Lawrence Realisation Stakes, 1 mile 5 furlongs, for three-year-olds, at Belmont Park (New last month, he was favourite in a field of four. The filly I,'ntidy, who was in receipt of 31b from Zev, did the pacemaking and wasted no time, seeing she ran the three furlongs in 35 2-5, half-mile in 47 2-5. five furlongs in 59 3-5, six furlongs in 1.12 3-5, mile in 1.37 3-5, and mile and a quarter in 2.3 3-5. It was not until the commencement of the last furlong that Zev headed her. anel ho came home distinctly tired in 2.44 3-5 for the full distance. Zev, who carried 0.0 beat Untidy three lengths, and the value of the race to the winner's owner was £4825. It was in this race that Zev injured one of his feet, but not severely. Untidy, who made such a good showing, is j in the same stable as the three-year-old Cherry Pie. who in September put up the new American record of 1.35 2-5 for a mile in a race. Roainer has a record in America of 1.34 4-5, but that was against time, and with the assistance of a pacemaker.

Sandbee can still gallop a bit, notwithstanding she is eight years old. She won four races at Goulburn last week, and was ridden by L. A. Walker, who does very little riding in the Metropolitan area* nowadays. Sandbee has lasted well, her starts for the last two seasons alone totalling 50. i Miss A. L. Ault. who is the daughter ■of a well-known Derby tradesman, re- ! corded her first win as an owner when His Lorship defeated Knud and others in the Gorleston Nursery at Yarmouth. The lady named has had a few horses in training for some time. Charity Land had made the long jour•nev from Tfambledon Hills, in North I Yorkshire to win the Tare Selling Handicap at Yarmouth on September 20th. He had top weight, but the money poured into the ring for him, and evidently a big coup was landed. The horse never looked like suffering defeat, and in order to retain him 500gs 'had'to be bid. so that the executive, on I surplus, reaped more than the stakes Iliad cost them. • .Sir Abe Bailey had quite a good 'time on the first two days of the Don- ' carter Meeting. He began by running 'second in the first two races and won the Yorkshire Handicap with Apron by Son-in-Law— Aprille, her first victory He then won the last two races on the second day, the Tattersalls Sale Stakes with Colesburg by Son-in-Law —Slip a colt that cost him 480gns, and the Rufford Abbey Handicap with Cevlonesc by Willonyx-Excehta. The stakes were worth £2,24< and as the winners all started at remunerative | pi-ices the stable would have had a I good time. ->ow-ffi""rf Notwithstanding S. Donoghiie commenced the current season m England, badly, and was a long way down the list of winning jockeys at the conclusion of the first four months, he had worked to the top on September 5, his total bains 66 to the 64 of C. Elliott, who followed him. However, Donoghue Had ridden in, about 120 more races than any other jockey, and his wins only averaged about two in fifteen mounts. He has not paid to follow, as most of his wins have been on short-priced horses. Donoghue visited America to ride Papyrus, and his absence from England for about four weeks will probably cost him first place in this season's winning jockeys' list, a ' position he has held for many years. • Last season the progeny of Woorak won ■ over £21,000 in stakes, and placed their - sire fourth in the list of winning sires, i says an Australian exchange- Woorak I has made a splendid beginning this season, and must now be at the head of the list. Already two of his progeny have won important races, as Sir Andrew scored in the Metropolitan last week, and on Craven Plate day at Randwiek 5 the Gimcrack Stakes was won by his ' daughter Periwoo. Sandringham, Whit- !- tier and Accarak have also won races this " season, and there are indications of other '" big stakes falling to the sons and 5 daughters of Woorak during the next few 1 weeks. It is gratifying to find an Aust tralian-bred sire doing well. So few of - them really get a chance that it comes hs - a pleasant surprise to find one well up in r the winning sires' list. Tranquil's success in the St. Leaer on Septemlier 12 was very popular with the l enormous crowd that assembled at Donj caster, for Lord Derby's colours are well [ known on the Northern courses, and his - jockey, Weston, has a very big following ) in Yorkshire. But, in addition to all r those things, a Yorkshire crowd dearly loves to see the best animal win, and there can be no question that the best animal in the race won, says an English writer. Tranquil is by Swynford, who ' himself won this great race- She was 1 a very good two-year-old, and this 1 spring, after a fine win at Newbury, won 7 the One Thousand Guineas in a most im- " pressive manner. She then lost her form. She failed in the Oaks and later at Ascot. She was sent to be prepared - for the St. Leger to Mr. Jack Joel's - trainer, C. Morton. The change of air l and general surroundings did for her tr what they have done for many other c; horses, and she showed in the St. Leger a that she was back once again in her ; 1 spring form. a ' Any doubt as to Easingwold's splendid - calibre as a racehorse was settled by his !, gallant effort to lead almost throughout i the Caulfield Cup with 9.1. He proved c himself a great horse by beating all ext cept the winner, Wynette, to whom he t conceded 301b. It was only the very - vast difference in their weights that c enabled Wynette to draw away from fc Easingwold in the last half-furlong. J. s Holt has effected a wonderful improvef ment in Easingwold since he first got him, and the horse is displaying far better staying ability. Holt was fairly c confident about Easingwold's chance, and ° | his confidence was fully justified. H. P Cairns rode a particularly well-judged ' race in front on Easingwold, who fought v out the finish very gamely. Though he t won with Eurythmic three years ago, 1 the Caulfield Cup has not been a lucky 1 race for Holt, as he also provided the s runner-up to Whitticr last year in '• Tangalooma. who started favourite the f preceding year and missed a place, and ; was third in Eurvthmic's Cup. (I _ t ,v c Very costly to the ring was Wynette, c winner of the Caulfield Cup. It is h estimated that the connections of the g mare anil followers of the stable won ;- about £25,000 over the success ot c Wynette. most of which waa obtained at a comparatively small outlay. Her owner, Mr. S. Ton", won only £500 n apart from the stake. He is not a 0 betting man. Before Wynette exposed .- her form by winning at Caulfield in c August very long odds were laid c against her for the Cup. nnd even h after her Stirling win in tlic Heatherlie 1 'Handicap in September she figured ar, a c! remunerative price. From tlmt time i, jslie gradually gained popularity, and ii I firmed, though until after Guineas Day d she was still at a double figure quotail lion. One of the best winners over it Wynette was a patron of C. T. Godby's a stable, and he coupled lic-r with a horse \in the Melbourne Cup for a sum ret presenting just on six figures. Wynette f besides I>eiiig a bad loser for the bookmakers straight-out, has also been ,- laid for large sums with the mos.t . popular Melbourne Cup candidates, notably Bitalli, Heir Apparent, Back 1 wood, David, nnd Rapine. Probably ; Wuittier or The Cypher would have i been more expensive to the bookmaker--1 than Wynette was. and a lot of money t' was lost by early backers over The . I Hawk, All Sunshine, Sandringiraiu, and ' several others.