TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1926, Page 25

TURF NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.)

There is yet no thought of retiring Heroic from the turf, but sooner or later he must get to the end of his service on the racecourse, when a place will have to be found for him at the stud (says "Fernhill"). There should be no difficulty about that, despite that the demand for Australian-bred sires la not keen just now. A horse of Heroic's breeding and turf record in England would readily command a substantial fee at the stud, but it is quite different in this country, where there is almost a craze for imported stallions. It may lie taken as assured that when the proper time comes Heroic's owner, Mr. C. B. Kellow, will see to it that the chestnut gets a proper chance as a sire. Mr. Kellow has plenty of country available, and it seems at least possible that he will found a stud of his own, and in this way Heroic would be given the opportunities he is entitled to, considering his pedigree and his merit as a racehorse.

Last year Mr. C. L. Macdonald sold his colt by Valais from Wakeful'a Daughter as a yearling, but evidently he intend* to retain the present yearling colt of the same breeding to carry his own colours. The youngster is now being broken in by 11. Myers, and later will join 11. McCahnan's stable (remarks '"The Globe"). As McCalman also will have charge of the brother to Manfred, which topped the autumn sales in Melbourne, he will have a fair share of Valais blood to operate upon. The Wakeful's Daughter colt so far has not given any trouble in his first lessons, and it is hoped that he will be found to possess a sensible disposition. By the way, the filly Flying Start, by Roseworthy from Wakeful, the last foal of the famous old mare, has yet to win a race, but even if she never does much on the turf she should represent good money as a brood mare. Flying Start probably will do some more racing before retiring to the stud. Frank Huxley, the Australian who has been riding in England and India for a number of years, is on a visit to Australia. Huxley is a son of Ernest Huxley, who was a noted rider and afterwards a trainer in Australia. W. Huxley, another son, gained much sue-

cess in England, where Frank served his apprenticeship to the Hon. George Lambton. In 1921 Frank Huxley went to India, where he has been near the top of the tree ever since. Riding for the Indian sportsman who races as "R.R.5.," Huxley won some big races last season. These included the Colava Cup on Greenfinch and the Flying Plate and Ganeskhind Plate on Joy Girl. Huxley had not been in Australia since 1914. He is a cousin of Bailey Payten, the successful Sydney trainer, who has charge of Valicare, and he is a nephew of R. W. Barry, an owner-trainer in Sydney.

In the old days it was nothing for a two-year-old to have a couple of outings in one day, but that practice ha 3 fallen into disuse since the introduction of the rule which prevents two-year-olds from running off a dead-heat. However, there was a taste of the olden times at the Burra (S.A.) meeting a fortnight ago (says an Australian exchange), when the Passing By youngster Jalumba won a double, each time displaying good pace. Jalumba won his double under adverse conditions, as the races which he scored were run against a gale of wind of more than 30 mile 3an hour, and such an effort says something for his stamina and pace. Jalumba won the Xovice Handicap by eight lengths, and an hour or so later ran away with the Trial Stakes, defeating a field of 15. He was purchased cheaply as a yearling, and after hie efforts of last week he is likely to go on and win more races. It is more than ten years since a two-year-old won a double in one day in South Australia. It is one of the mysteries of horseracing that while on the flat a horse is generally at his best when he ig at four or five years of age and deteriorates afterwards, a steeplechaser rarely develops his full powers until he is nine or ten. One would think that the strain of frequent race 3 over course 3 of three or four miles, with many difficult obstacles to jump over on the way, would speedily knock up a middle-aged horse, but as a matter of fact, if he is good enough, the years do not seem to handicap him unduly till he hae reached his teens (says an English writer). The two classes of horses are, of course, bred on different lines, but thi3 of itself does not explain why the racing life of a steeplechaser should be about twice as long as that of a flatracer. Perhap 3 the real reason is that it is the pace that kills and that the flat racer loses his form more quickly than his brother, just as a fast bowler " goes off" much sooner than a slow. The recent Liverpool Grand National was won by the nine-year-old Jack Homer, which was carrying a light weight, but the real hero of the rare was Old Tay Bridge, three years iii.-? senior and carrying nearly two «tono more. The veteran was leading thtultimate winner over the last fence, but in the short run over level ground to t!ie winning-post, he was outpaced and -o. for the second year in succession. jij't missed winning the greatest steeplfcha -<! and, with the exception of the Dcrhv , . the most famous race in the world. One satisfactory feature of the day wag the absence of any 9eriou_s mishaps to horses or riders, and another was the large proportion of the field that completed the gruelling course —14 out of 30.

Lives of jockeys nnd horses misht have been endangered at Moonce Valley racecourse recently (says "The Australasian") through a malicious or thoughtless act by person, vhoiu the Moonee Valley Racing Chili and the police would like to find. Oil the ilay before the rnres several s-isall holes were dug on the racing tni-k near the five-furlongg post. These holes were shallow, but they were sufficiently deep to havo brought about a serious accident if a horse had trodden in one of them. However, the Moonee Valley track is always closely inspected on race mornings, and the damage was repaired in a few minutes. When The Night Patrol retires to the stud, it is just possible that daughters of Woorak will be mated with him, with the object mainly of producing superspeed (says a Melbourne writer i. The result would be highly interesting, for such alliances would place Chelandry on both sides of the pedigree. The Night Patrol's dam. Dark Flight, is a daughter of that famous mare, and Traquair, sire of Woorak. comes from the same source. More daring experiments are being tried to-day, and we may be quite prepared to hear of some success of a sort attending this method of inbreeding if it 13 practised. Several years ago Fortune smiled on two young Adelaide men, l>. S. Yann and K. E. Ambler. They were fortunate enough to strike first prize in a wellknown inter-State consultation, and with their newly-found fortune they decided to blossom out as racehorse owners. They did not enter into the new fields in the headlong fashion of some people, but were content to start with one horse, Cosmos. Luck remained loyal to them, and it was not long before Cosmos won his first race for them, and as he went on the colt eventually landed the S.A. Derby. It was an auspicious beginning, but it did not turn the heads of the young men. Cosmos finished his racing career, and then they had a horse or two until Rakette came along, and the}' leased him. Rakette won the rich Christmas Handicap while he was on lease. When the lease expired, Messrs. Yarn and Ambler took Rakette over themselves and trained him. Recently they have won two races with him. Messrs. Yann and Ambler are said to be practically non-bettora, but nevertheless they must have found the racing game a payable proposition.

When we consider the enormous interest taken in the flat racing season, it is rather odd that we do not know more about the origin of horse racing in this country (says an exchange). Old traditions declared that Severua raced his Arabs at Wetherby in Yorkshire during the Roman occupation, but the tradition lacks weight. There may be a little more to be said for the story that Hugh Capet, while courting King Athelstan'a daughter, sent the King a present of "German running horses," which seems to be the first mention of racers, though no one knows what the German horses were like. At a later date races became a regular part of English sporte. There were races at Chester as early as 1540, and, in the reign of Charles 1., there were complaints th,at too many horsea were bred for racing and that there was a consequent lack of "strong horses." In any case it is certain that racing was very different then from now. Our ancestors went in for long-distance events, matching their horses over courses of from four to eight miles. Authorities have held that the old racehorses would have very little chance against the modprn breed. That competent, if dogmatic, champion of racing Admiral Rous declared that the great Eclipee might, in the nineteenth century, "pull through in a £50 plate, winner to be sold for £200. This may be a strong opinion; it is founded on the fact that whereas, 150 years ago, the Eastern horses and their first cross were the fanest in England, at this day a second-cla=3 racehorse can give five stone to the best Arabian or Barb, and beat him from one to twenty miles."

Heroic still holde the record for the amount won by any Australian two-year-old,, and his total'of £11.801 is likely to stand for some time {say§ "Cardigan")- Rampion. of course, would have easily passed it had he jumped away with the rest of the field in the Sirr>3' Produce Stakes, but, of course, it is only fair to add that Heroics figures would have been considerably larger had he also left the post in that race in 1924. Rampion has won £10, IK."), which includes the premiums paid t<. his breeders (who are al.-o his owner?) for his wins. Rarnpion only started five times, and has won four times, and it is really a shame that he has not an unbeaten record. He is such a well-grown colt that it will be strange if he does not do well as a three-year-old. He has the speed and his Champagne Stakes win demonstrated that he has grit and the ability to overcome obstacles. In that race he was interfered with at a critical stage of the race, and it was only by sheer gameness and superiority over his opponents that he pulled through successfully. I am very keen on Rampion as like to develop into a great three-year-old. If he wins the Derbies, the Cup should not be beyond him, as a good three yearold is always to be feared in that He is a trifle highly strung, but with agi and racing that may leave him. and it can be taken for granted that his trainer, F. Williams, will give him a preparation that a prospective Derby and Cup winner needs. Williams is not a believer in " flash " gallops, but favours long striding work rm the ii!*'al Derby preparation, with a brush homu the last three f:irlones. or perhaps the last half mile. It iva- in thi* way that he trained Salitros, which won both Derhies. Ralitcoa wa-> not jpriously considered as a Derby candidate, as IIH two-year-old form was only moderate, and he was by a sire (Limi'.ijrlitj which had nt that time y*»t to pp'Vo hi- abi'.i-y to sire useful horse.*. ffow"f\ T, Williams was imhued wifli tlifl i ■U- 1 r:iat Salitroa was 'he ■ f a good Stayer, and he -■:. aVvr. giving that hnr'sfi pvory opportunity t> be fit to run the Derby journ-y. Quite n. number of in who e a-.r Saiitros' Derby preparation had a little on him in the .'. ~-;, r-,- became we actually thought ho woud win hut we were satised could stay, and he ran u>> J- f SL€,M t r.rxTJ' the journey right out.