RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 12

RACING NEWS.

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.)

SEASON'S FIXTURES

February I—Tapanul R.C. t ebruary t. 2-I'ahiatua R.C. February 2, 4—Burnout K.C. February 2. 4—Oisborne R.C. February 4—Matamata K.C. February 9. 31 — Dunediu J.C. February ». ll—Taruuaki J.C. February 9, 11—Poverty Bay Turf Club February 11. 13-Kotorua K.C. February 13 — Clifdeu K.C. February l(j—Xologa Bay J.C. February 1(5. la—Waugauui J.C. February 18 —Canterbury J.C. February 22, 2M —Core K.C. February "ii, 23—Nelson J.C. February -4, 23—Woodville District J.C. February 23—Waiapu R.C.

R. E. Thompson will ride Lord Star, Berinthia, Ripon Abbey and Day Abbey at Matamata.

High Finance was saddled up for the Stewards' Handicap at Takapuna on the first day, and after leading for the best part of the journey was beaten into third place. She does not stay on too well over six furlongs, though she has a great burst of speed for five.

Macroom was started on a couple of occasions at Takapuna, the distance being seven furlongs. Tlie company, however, was a bit too good for her, though she ran well on each occasion. In the Anniversary Handicap yesterday she finished third, after being in the picture all the way.

Tea Time is a good sprinter. In the Stewards' Handicap on the first day of the Takapuna meeting he drew the inside position, and commencing well held a handy position all the way, to come through in the straight and win by half a length. Yesterday he was the leader till the straight was reached, but was beaten into third place.

Judge's Box was tried over nine furlongs at Takapuna and won well on the first day. She had never previously succeeded further than a mile, and it was thought the extra furlong might be just beyond her. However, she stayed on well, to score by a length. Yesterday the extra weight found her out and she was well back when the post was reached.

J. T. Jamieson usually turns out some winners at Takapuna and at the meeting which has just concluded he won five races. He annexed the Cup with Eden Hall, both two-year-old races with Mithra, the Zealandia Handicap with Titree and the Anniversary Handicap with The Immigrant. There is no doubt that this trainer turns out his charges well and, furthermore, knows how to place them.

Speechless was sent out a warm favourite in the two races that she contested at Takapuna. After getting anything but a good run in the Ferry Handicap on the first day, she did well to finish second to Winsome Boy. On that form she appeared to have an excellent chance in the Devonport Handicap yesterday, and was made a very decided favourite, but she never looked to have a winning show.

Ti-tree seems to like the Takapuna course, and he has run some of his best races there. At the spring meeting he was unlucky in the Takapuna Plate, for instead of dead-heating with Macroom he should have won. He sl/>wed this by winning the Ngatari _ i Handicap on the second day. On Saturday he won the Zealand : a Handicap in hollow fashion, the official margin being five lengths, the time being 1.27.

The Immigrant has not race., a great deal, but there is no doubt that he is a great galloper, -it -ne last Takapuna meeting he annexed the first division of the Melross Maiden Stakes, and at the recent Auckland meeting annexed the County Handicap, seven furlongs. Yesterday he made his next appearance in the Anniversary Handicap, and was backed as though the race was all over. He proved the good thing anticipated, for he* was in front five furlongs from home, and stayed there.

Eden Hall was placed in the Auckland, Whangarei and Alison Cups, while he was fourth in the Auckland Cup, and on that showing he appeared to have a great chance in the Takapuna Cup. However, though he won, one is inclined to the belief that he was lucky, for if Transformer had not made his run so early he would have been very. much harder to dispose of. When tackled by Eden Hall in the straight he had nothing left in reserve. On the second day Eden Hall made a good bid for the Takapuna Handicap and after getting anything but the best of passages he got up in time to dead-heat with Transformer for second place.

Transformer had bad luck at the Takapuna meeting and if he had been ridden a little more judiciously he would have earned considerably more for his owner. On the first day he was made too much use of and was unable to withstand a challenge by Eden Hall at the finish. Yesterday, when going out of the straight, he was about last and tried to go through on the inside, with the result that Desert Glow, who was just in front of him, came in too, and Transformer got on the heels of Desert Glow and was nearly down. He lost ground, but made it up along the back. However, he was up third when the top was reached. Desert Glow beat him comfortably at the finish, and Eden Hall got up in time to dead-heat with him for second placc.

Mitlira is a good two-year-old, and there was no fluke about her victories at Takapuna. She first made her appearance in the Sylvia Handicap at Ellerslie on January 3, and ran third to Raasay and Maurieana. On Saturday she accounted for the Calliope Handicap, five furlongs, in good style, and taking her Ellerslie performance into consideration, she looked a good thing for the Hobson Handicap yesterday, and the public thought so too. She was second into the straight and then came away to score comfortably. Mithra, who is by Australian Sun (the sire of In-the Shade), is owned by Mr. Colin Anderson, who has recently entered the ranks of owners, and it was very pleasing to se;e' t his colours successful. Mithra cost ,275gns as a-yeajrling, and has now won £700 in stakes in three starts, so that ,1?® on *>ght side of the ledger

At the opening day of the Egmont Racing Club's summer meeting on Thursday next a number of horses from the Auckland province will be seen in action and they include:—Town Bird, Ned Kelly, Upoko, Royal Flight, Restaurant, Sleepy Sol, Wenday, and Aiwa vs.

Though badly drawn at the barrier in the Zealandia Handicap on the first day at Takapuna, Branson ran a fine race to eventually finish second. He has been paid up for in the Matamata Cup of one and a-quart-er miles to be decided next Saturday, and the Greyspear gelding should be quite capable of seeing out the distance.

Mint Leaf ran a solid race in the Takapuna Cup in which event he finished third. He was not raced on the second day of the meeting, but will contest the Egmont Cup to be decided on Thursday next The Catmint gelding is very weil at the present time, and his prospects of picking up a stake during the Taranaki meetings appear excellent.

Footpad, a two-year-old by Kilbronev fiom Pussyfoot, owned by Mr. C G Maeindoe and trained by J. T. Jamieson! was a starter in the Hobson Handicap at Takapuna yesterday, and made the p , ace . "earing the entrance to the straight, where he faded out and finished I , , Ho shows every promise of W ,'nto a useful sort and more should be heard of him

f i, l l "" lea " a raced very consistently a lifj ■ Si® B " mmer meetin i?' finisiin In So o * he . Nursery Handicap, secon " ®, Criterion Handicap and second i nnnos J V * a Handicap. She, therefon appeared to have a good chance of annex ing a race at Takapuna. On the firs day she was drawn wide out, and afte fourth V P f the / unnin S> finishei ourth. Yesterday she again went wel int ° third plaCe at th The Takapuna Jockey Club's summe heW for Tf ° D ?- 0f the 11,081 gu «cesafu held for a long time. The weather wa splendid and the course in excellen 01 J cr ' though a bit on the hard side lon» °n y ex P Rcted after th< IZI J 7 SpelL The totalisator receipt, showed an increase of £8384 10/. am nuT!t, WaS no * an inquiry held through £ the meeting. Much of the credit ii -aa rSK* 4every,i,i,ig -