RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1927, Page 14

RACING NEWS.

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.)

FIXTURES FOK THE SEASON. June 1, 3, 4 —Dunedin J.C. June 3, 4—Otaki-Maori B.C. Jane 3, 4, B—Auckland B.C June IS—Napier Park B.C June 22—Hawke's Bay Hunt Club. June 24 25—Hawke's Bay J.C. June 25—Uamaru J.C Juiy 2—Asbburton County B.C. July 12. 14, 16—Wellington B.C July 21—Waimate Hunt Club. July 23—South Canterbury Hunt. July 28, 30—Gisborne B-C July &) —Cbxistcnurcb Hunt.

The Quin Abbey gelding, San Quin, is to be taken up again, shortly by W. Mobbetfley. Pure Gold is the name claimed for the chestnut yearling filly, by Psychology from Desert Gold. Eina Mangu has been displaying improved form in her last few track efforts at Ellerslie. R. E. Brown has the King Lupin filly looking exceptionally well at the present time. Comical suffered a slight injury to one of his forelegs during the running of the Wanganui Steeplechase, and since arriving at Ellerslie the chestnut gelding has been having an easy time. Gold Fern got cut about a good deal when being given a schooling lesson at Ellerslie en Saturday last, and the bay may not fulfil her engagements at the winter meeting next month. Sun Up was given a run over half-a-mile at Ellerslie yesterday, when the bay gelding galloped very freely, and he promises to be in good fettle for his engagements next month at headquarters. Miss Lucca was brought across to Ellerslie by R. Hall yesterday, when the sister to Llewellyn was galloped a round on the course proper. She is to compete in the Hunters' events at Ellerslie next month. Beau Cavalier has been allotted several good working gallops recently over a round of the course proper. He has gone well on each occasion, and will most likely be given some schooling during the week.

W. Tozer has been keeping Michael busy on the track, and the Mountain Knight gelding looks greatly improved. He has been sprinting rather well of late, and may show improved form when he again races in public. Gala Day is rounding up nicely, and has shown improvement in his recent track work. He has not been up a great while, and that may tell against him when he is required to contest his first race or two in public. Cawnpore is in great condition at the present time, but he requires a hard track to enable him to race at his best. With the going to suit him at the June meeting, the bay gelding would be sure to run prominently among the sprinters. Lomint has been allotted plenty of pood serviceable work during the last few weeks, and the chestnut mare is hitting out in improved style. She •> mises to strip in her best form next month, and will have to be reckoned with, in any event she is likely to contest at the winter fixture. A. Morrow has been keeping Wyoming pp to the mark, and the Lucullus gelding has now become nice and solid in condition. He has not been raced a great deal this season, but his track work points to the bay gelding being on the improve, and he should perform well in minor events at the June meeting. Alonsoa went freely over six furlongs resteTday at Efterslie, and the bay daughter of Catmint appears to have done well since arriving at headquarters. She has previously raced well when the ground has been soft, and the track conditions during the winter months will not be to her disadvantage.

E. Lewis has Clockwork looking very solid, and the bay gelding jumped witli more confidence in his last schooling task than he has previously done. Clockwork is engaged in the Hunt Club Hurdles at Ellerslie next month, and will only need to improve in his jumping to have a show among the hunters. A. Me Arthur, the Matamata trainer who has been indisposed since the Te Kapa meeting, has now recovered. His illness, however, interfered with the work of his team, and a partially arranged trip to Wellington and Christchurch with Valkon and Dobbin has been nbondonod. An unbroken two-year fullsister to Valkon (Valkyrian—Glazier) was taken over on Monday, and will be put into training at Matamata. Running on the owner's farm at Hikutaia is a four-year-old by Spalpeen—Glazier, which may be taken up later. Peter Maxwell had a nin in a flat race at the Waikato meeting, and his next appearance was at Wanganui. when he was saddled up for the big steeplechase event. He flattered his supporters for a little while, but eventually finished well back. On Saturday he was a starter in the Grandstand Steeples, and won that event, and his display was vastly superior to that on the first day. Peter Maxwell has a Grand National to his credit, and with his rapid improvement at; Wanganui he has more than a passing show in the Great Northern Steeplechase.

A correspondent to the ''Sydney Siin" has something to say concerning racing at Randwick. He remarks: "I have had 30 years' experience of horse racing, almost everywhere, bat for 'crook running , and 'jokes' I give 'Royal Randwick' first, second and third prizes. For the last four years weight-for-age races, with the 'winning in tarn* performances of the horses, hare not .been difficult, even for an inexperienced person, to'understand, but for an esperirson ' watcnin i? them handling on the different davs, was ke enriched himself it their G,erin S reversals of hanhave been seen by a large *S&V°' raCeg^rs ' b«t the steward?, W after the r> q«S a - the cetelfert * ver thue ""*>* ' ■■-, fiete alert men as stewards."

The steeplechaser Tuki has arrived at Ellerslie. Tresham has improved a great deal recently, and he should be on the winning list again ehortly. He finished third in the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui, and on that performance alone may be worth following. Shining Armour is engaged at the Otaki meeting, and it would not be surprising to see him perform prominently in the Raukawa Cup, an event which he won last year. He was well up entering the straight when the field turned for home in the Connolly Handicap. Royal Divorce finished second in the Connolly Handicap and ran a fairly good race in the Empire Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday. It should not be long before this horse gets on the winning list, for he is nearly back to his best form. Royal Mint is among those engaged in I the Cornwall Handicap, and on his showing in the Empire Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday he may be troublesome. He is worth keeping in view for engagements at Ellerslie if brought north. Day Guard ran a good race in the Empire Handicap, being close up at the finish. In the Connolly Handicap he was ridden in behind, while in the event under review he was allowed to run his own race in front. He led into the straight, but failed to go on at the business end. Matinee was a starter on both days at Wanganui, and in the, Empire Handicap on Saturday ran a very fair race. He is engaged at Otaki, and I am advised that he will be a starter there. The company he will meet will not be as strong as at Wanganui, and he may perform more prominently before that meeting concludes. The judge's box at Wanganui should be altered. It only displays three horses when the number board goes up instead of four which is the common practice. The committee can easily see what trouble would be caused if the "stipes" put out the first and second horses, or the second and third horses. It should be a rule of racing that all judges should place four horses and that the number board over the judge's box should adequately provide for four numbers being displayed. Wanganui is a metropolitan club and their arrangements regarding the judge's box are both primitive and quite inadequate.

Mr. Percy Miller, of the Kiora Stud, in New South Wales, is still adding daughters of The Welkin to his paddocks. Therefore her must be well satisfied with the results of hie enterprise in this direction, so far (says an Australian writer). Mr. Miller has invested many thousands of pounds in brood mares by The Welkin, and now there is further encouragement to continue in this line. He recently imported the Spearmint horse Spelthorne, for his stud, and the newcomer should do well with the Flying Fox blood on the other side. Two other sons of Spearmint, in Cyklon and Spearhead, have gained some success when mated with mares by The Welkin, and there is every reason to believe that Spelthorne also will prove his worth as a sire when given similar opportunities. Racegoers are to see something more of Valicare before she is retired to the stud (remarks "Fernhill"). She is to continue her efforts on the turf, and it is quite likely that by this time next year she will have regained the prestige lost through her autumn failures. Some months ago it seemed just possible that this season would see the last of Valicare on the turf, and pedigree students began to wonder if a mate had been chosen for her at the stud. That question can stand over now, for at least twelve months. When the time docs come for Valicare to go to the paddock there should not be much difficulty in choosing a suitable sire for her. If Valicare is retired to the stud at the end of next season, she will be entering her sixth year, and this will give her plenty of opportunity to produce gouu wiuneis. A fair amount of wagering is being done over the Derby to be run on June 1. There is, however, much mystification why big professional backers are standing off the early favourite, Call Boy, says a recent cable to the Sydney "Sun." Call Boy and Sickle are equal first favourites, and not far behind them is Adam's Apple. Following is the order in which the leading horses are fancied: Call Boy, Sickle, Adam's Apple, Hot Night, Money Maker, Kinkardine, Shian Mor, Tattoo, Hossan, Lone Night. Steve Donoghue, who has ridden .no fewer than six Derby winners states that he is likely to ride Eleanor Lady Torrington's Vanoc, contingent on his doing a satisfactory trial against Lone Knight and Embargo. No women owners have yet had a win in the Epsom Derby. Others of the fair sex whose candidates are considered to have a possible chance this year are Lady Nunburnbolme, Lady Penrhyii, Lady James Douglas, Lady Ciinliffe Owen, Mrs. Chester Beatty, and Mrs. R. D. Cohen. Last week Sickle, ridden by Weston, did a fast half-mile gallop at Newmarket, which pleased the touts and caused him to firm in the market.

What on earth was amiss with the committee at Rusebill on Saturday (asks a Sydney writer on May 16). L.C. after filling three minor places in succession, won. And was not disqualified! There was no report by the stewards. The committee ignored this strange and thrilling consistency. Things are surely coming to a pretty pass when a horse can be honest in hurdle races and not be rubbed out. Joking apart, though, what was the committee doing when Ransack won the Auburn Handicap? This mare was a recruit from the unregistered 'courses, where curious things occur. She brought a great and well-earned reputation with her. About a month ago when Fujisan with a welter weight was what is known in-racing parlance "in commission" at this same course every eleventh - hour whisperer was telling his friends "Whatever you do, have a saver on Ransack." Many took the advice, but the mare was amongst the "also ran" division. Later she appeared at Randwick and-did no better. Nevertheless, for some reason not readily ascertainable, she became favourite for the Auburn Handicap .on Saturday in all the double books which the ring, has developed to hasten the discomfiture of the poor punter. At golf clubs, on football grounds, knowledgable racing men on Saturday were unshakeable that "from information received" Ransack would win the sprint. And by the same occult means most patrons of Roaebill also had the "good oil" and supported the mare. She won.

'Last week a mare named Letter of Credit ran away with the Trial Stakes at BeYerley, ahput 100 miles from Perth. There was good money on the course for Letter of Credit, and she was backed "off the boards" at starting price establishments in Perth (says a Melbourne writer on May 18). Letter of Credit, who is by the New Zealand sire, Paper Money, was brought to West Australia early this year, having been purchased in New Zealand by J. W. Anderson, one of the leading Perth trainers, through Messrs. Elder, Smith and Co., from F. Earl, who raced her in New Zealand. She was started for the first time at the Beverley meeting, and ran in the name of her trainer, Anderson, and a man named Lethlean. She was given 8.10 in a £30 trial stakes, started at 3/1 and won easily. The following day a West Australian turf writer mentioned in his comments that Letter of Credit had won three races in New Zealand. And then the trouble began, for it is said that the mare had been nominated with only one minor placing to her credit in New Zealand. One Australasian record of results shows that Letter of Credit scored one third only in the Dominion, but the New Zealand Racing Calendar shows that she won three good races, on one occasion running six furlongs in 1.13 3-5. It is small wonder that she proved herself a champion among the poor lot in the race at Beverley. The handicapper announced publicly, after the news appeared in print, that had he known of Letter of Credit's performances he would have given her far more weight. Payment of the stake was withheld. The mare also was engaged at the Canning Park meeting at Perth on Saturday, but she was not allowed to start. Anderson, when invited to make a statement concerning the affair, declined, and a full inquiry will be held by the West Australian Turf Club, which was also supplied with information that Letter of Credit had never won a race in New Zealand.