RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 13

RACING NEWS.

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES. - , (By WHALEBONE.) SEASON'S FIXTURES. February 9,11 —Dunedin Jockey Club. February 9, 11—Taranaki Jockey Club. February 9. 11—Poverty Bay Turf Club. February 11, 13—Rotorua Racing Club. February 15—Cllfden Racing Club. February 16—Tolaga Bay Jockey Club. February 16, 18—Wanganui Jockey Club. February 18—Canterbury Jockey Club. February 22, 23—Gore Racing Club. February 123, 25—Nelson Jockey Club. February 24, 25—Woodville District J.C. February 23—Waiapu Racing Club. February 25, 27—Te Aroha Jockey Club. Feb 29, March I—Dannevirke Racing Club. Marcb 1, 3—Marlborough Racing Club. March 3—Banks Peninsula Racing Club. March 3, s—Te Kuiti Racing Club. March 7—Opotiki Jockey Club. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. P.Me. (Waihi). —The two-mile record is held by Warstep, who, at trentham in 1915, carrying 8.12, won the Trentham Gold Cup in 3.24. The Australasian is conjointly held by Kennaquhair (Randwick) and Windbag (when he won the Melbourne Cup), 3.22f. Satrap has been galloping well on the Riecarton tracks of late, and the black three-year-old should perform well in the Dunedin Cup on Thursday next. He has already shown his ability to run out a mile and a-half journey, and has a nice handy weight. A. Julian will shortly receive an addition to his team—the two-year-old Bulolo —by Bisogne from Footstep. Bulolo hails from the Hawke's Bay district, and is statea to be a splendidlooking juvenile, who traces back to the well-known Peeress family. Paul Lucerne still continues to go on winning hack events around the Taranaki district and is evidently a useful sort. He ia by that one-time good sprinter Tree Lucerne and his present form indicates that he will soon win his way out of the hack class. Mervette was kept well back for the greater portion of the distance in the Matamata Cup, but finished very fast. This is her first start over a mile and a-quarter, and if she had been ridden a bit better she would have been much Soger thao third. Mervette should be on the winning list again before long. The Nolan Cup winner, Blimp, has notw won his way out of hack company and, judging by his last two performances, he will have to be reckoned with among the open class horses. Blimp, who is a three-year-old son of Gasbag and Marfaux, should develop into a good handicap performer during the autumn.

W. Donaldson, the Thames trainer, TO rewarded with a win at the Gisborne meeting when Takutama accdutoted for the Juvenile Handicap in easy style on Saturday last. The Quin Abbey gelding, who is only a three-year-old, looks like' making a useful sort with a little more racing experience, for he has plenty of pace.

Stormy will be seen in action among the sprinters at the Dunedin meeting which opens on Thursday next. Recent racing over distances up to one and a quarter miles may have affected his beginning powers, while several of those opposed to him are particularly fast out of the barrier, and are likely to have him doing his best throughout the journey.

Luminant, a three-year-old filly by Thurnham from Sunglow, is among the field engaged in the President's Handicap, of one and a-quarter miles, to be decided at Dunedin on Thursday. She has already won over a mile during the present season, and has not been out of a place in her last four starts, her record being two firsts, one second and a third.

Epistle has been a most consistent stake-earner for his lady owner, Mrs. J. Hickey. At the Gisborne meeting on Saturday of last week he added the Bright Memorial Handicap to his credit, which made his sixth win for the season. Epistle was in great form during the holiday meetings, winning four races and running two seconds out of six starts during that period.

When Cohesion finished second in the Avondale Cup in September last he was considered to have excellent prospects of winning a good handicap, but he has not yet succeeded in doing so. In his last two starts at the Gisborne meeting the chestnut gelding could only manage to register a third in very moderate company and will require to improve if he is to pay his way in the future.

Te Koroke finished fourth in the Anniversary Handicap on the last day of the Takapuna meeting. That was a seven furlong event, and on that performance he was thought to have a good chance m his engagements at Matamata on Saturday. He was saddled up for both tn® opening and concluding events and won_ each of them. He is a well-bred B?Wing, being by Humbug from Tigrim IM#'° WOD the Eailway " Handi cap

Branson was a warm favourite for the Matamata Cup on Saturday, and was never further away than second. He went to the front when the straight was reached, but Rarakau, who had been patiently ridden, came through on tho rails to beat him by a neck. He was giving Rarakau the best part of a stone and just failed to see it out. His racing has been confined mostly to shorter distance events, but he can be expected to ao better over a mile and a-quarcer before long.

The Immigrant, who has shown winning ability at Ellerslie and Takapuna recently, and has now been sent South for the Taranaki and Wanganui meetings, has had more than his share of operations, and it is due to the skill and ability of Dr. W. Ring, combined with tne care and attention bestowed on him »jr his trainer, J. T. Jamieson, that The Immigrant is now able to reproduce the •peed that he has been credited with possessing. After being added to the list ne developed trouble to his nose, wind, leg and hip at different times, which prevented him racing, and each required »n operation. He apparently is quite sound again now, and if he stands up to nig training he should win other good races. ®

Siaosi looked well when sent out to contest the Matamata Cup on Saturday, but the nearest he got at any stage was fourth and he finished there. Berinthia was a starter in the Walton Handicap at Matamata on Saturday, and after flattering her supporters till well into the straight faded out and finished last. King Merv made his appearance after several months at the Matamata meeting on Saturday. He was saddled for the Highweight Handicap and finished fourth after being prominent for most of the way. When right King Merv has to be reckoned with. Red Comet was meeting a much better class in the Matamata Cup than he did in the Highweight Handicap at Takapuna, but all the same he ran a good race, being the leader till the straight was reached. He finished fourth and his effort was very creditable. Bright Day is coming into form again, and it should not be a great while before he catches the judge's «ye. He was started in the Highweight Handicap at Matamata on Saturday, and after being well back till the straight was reached he put in a great run and just failed to get Te Koroke. A few more and he was the winner. Ladies' Boy, who scored at Matamata on Saturday, is a four-year-old by Some Boy from Lady Potoa, and he appears to be the makings of a very useful sort. He was soon in front in the Putaruru Stakes, and though Venus Abbey appeared to have his measure half-way down the straight he came again and scored by a short neck. Ladies' Boy is trained by C. J. Carmont, sen., at Te Aroha. When Orazone finished third to Bright Glow and Mint Leaf in the Stratford Cup she gave evidence of being on the improve and was picked out as one likely to win a good handicap during the season. By winning the Tonks Stakes at the Egmont meeting on Saturday last the Bisogne mare justified the good opinion formed of her earlier in the season and further successes are likely to come her way. Vast Acre, who annexed the Waimate Handicap at Hawera on Saturday last has proved herself a most capable sprinter during the present season. The daughter of Acre has contested eleven races and her record of five firsts, four seconds and two thirds is something to be proud of. She appears to be staying on better than she previously did and should add to her total before the present season is concluded.

Friends of the Fordell trainer, F. Tilley, and the racing world in general will be grieved to hear that he lost his wife on Saturday following upon a very brief illness. The late Mrs. Tilley left Wellington after spending a visit to relatives only on Wednesday last, and although she complained of not feeling well, the announcement of her sudden death came as a big shock. Her husband is left with two small children, and he will have the sympathy of the whole of the racing community.

Ripon Abbey showed at Takapuna that it would not be long before he saluted the judge, ana he did so in his next outing at Matamata on Saturday, when he was saddled up for the Okoroire Hack Cup. He was in charge long before the straight was reached, and stayed on long enough to beat Lady Spalpeen by a head. The win was very popular, apart from the fact that Ripon Abbey was favourite, for R. Hannon, his owner, has been a good supporter of the club for a long time past and he was heartily cheered when he received'the trophy.

Cybele, a three-year-old by Cynic from The Hook was started in the Hinuera Handicap at Matamata on Saturday. She was very wayward when taken out to do her preliminary, and got rid of her rider, H. Jones. He, however, remounted and despite the fact that she commenced to pig jump he stuck to her the second time. Cybele showed a lot of pace and finished second, and she can be looked to do better. Jones is an apprentice to F. Loomb, and this was his first ride at a totalisator meeting, though it is stated that he won at Ngaruawahia.

Hone Heke won his first racc at the Matamata meeting, when he accounted for the Hinuera Handicap. He began well and was soon in front and, leading all the way, he won nicely by one length and a-half. This gelding is a half brother to King Pot, although built on more solid lines, and was turned out in good fettle by J. W. Anderton, of Ellerslie, who trains the son of Prince Merriwec and Elyaian Rose.' It is pleasing to sec this trainer meeting with a bit of success and in Hone Heke he might have a worthy successor to Passionate, who did him good service during the last few seasons.

Macroom did not get a good passage in the Railway Handicap at Matamata on Saturday, for she suffered interference and had to make up a fair amount of ground half-way down the straight. Her rider (P. Mclnally) put in a very vigorous finish, and just got up by a nose. However, if J. Gray, the rider of Day Guard, had kept at liis mount he would have been the winner, though it is doubtful whether he would have got the race. Mclnally seems to understand Macroom, and he has won three events on her, besides being placed on several other occasions. He is a very vigorous little horseman, and if he can only keep down his weight is sure to do well. He was seen to advantage earlier in the day when he scored on Master Lu in a very tight finish, heads separating the placed horses.

Set Sail and Pink Note met in the Otgao Handicap (one mile and a-quarter) at the Dunedin eummer meeting, in which Pink Not© got the decision from Set Sail by a short length when in receipt of 191b. In the Invercargill Cup run a week later over a similar distance, Set Sail won with Pink Note third, the latter receiving 151b weight. Pink Note finished second in the Wellington Cup with Set Sail a nose away third, the latter giving Pink Note 261b. They met again in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap on the second day at a difference of 141b, Set Sail beating Pink Note by a head. On Thursday next in the Dunedin Cup Set Sail has to give Pink . °te 171b, «.nd, good mare though she is, she will find it a difficult task to beat her rival over the mile and a-half journey. ,

A. Driscoll w ill be on Branson, Abbey Day, Bright Comet and Flying Juliet at the Rotorua meeting. S. Henderson will ride Harvest Day. Baby Bun was sent to New Plymouth by steamer from Onehunga yesterday to fulfil engagements at the Taranaki meeting. Bhe showed a return to form at the fakapuna, meeting' and roav be seen to advantage before returning to Ellerslie. ° Day Guard is returning to his best form, and lie will be catching the judge's eye before lone. He was narrowly beaten in the Railway Handicap (six furlongs) at Matamata, and it is to be recollected that when right he can run a good mile and a-quarter. Several local horses, who are due to compete at the Rotorua meeting, will leave this evening from Ellerslie. They include Dave, The Lover, Corinax, Palmares ancl Clarus from J. Williamson's stable, and Gala Day and Abbey Day from R. E. Brown's stable. Mr. V. Riddiford lias disposed of Chit (Paper Money—Minona) and Select (Leighton—Exclusive) to a Melbourne buyer, and they will lie shipped before the end of the month. Chit, who showed good speed in the early part of the season, has not raced recently, but in the interval she has grown and filled out surprisingly and if all goes well with her, she will do good service for her new owner. Select has had recent racing and has shown sufficient form to suggest that she, too, will be a profitable purchase. Mr. Riddiford has got rid of a lot of his horses in training this season, and will have room for the young ones of his own breeding that are coming on.

ELLERSLIE TRAINING NOTES.

THIS MORNING'S GALLOPS. The course proper (two trestles out) and No. 2 grass track was open at Ellerslie this morning for fast work, and several candidates for the Rotorua meeting were galloped. The Course Proper. Miss Myrtle and Envoy were the first to work, running home from the five-furlong post in 1.6 3-5. There was very little between The Lover and Corinax over a six-furlong journey, which they traversed in 1.19 1-5. Abbey Day appeared to be going better than Gala Day when covering six furlongs in 1.19 1-5. ° Palmares was a shade better than Dave in a half-mile sprint, whiA occupied 50 3-ss. Ballymoy 11. had the better of Clarus over five furlongs in 1.5 2-5. No. 2 Grass. Semi-circle was timed to run five furlongs in 1.8 4-5. : Segment traversed a round and seemed to be going very freely, thei time occupied being 1.49 1-5. Maui sprinted three furlongs with Luxurious, which took 39 3-ss. Winsome Girl was going nicely beside Valquette at the end of four furlongs which took 535. ' The Tan. Nassock, Valsier, Piet, Sir Archie, Euphano, White Light and Eager Rose were given serviceable work on the tan. The Jumpers. Luxurious (Chaplin) was schooled several times over the pony hurdles and shaped promisingly. . Night (J. Mephan) was also jumped over several pony hurdles and gave a safe display. Edifice (Sharkey) jumped a couple of pony hurdles in good style. He was afterwards tried over a couple of the larger ones. He blundered at the first and lost his rider, but after being remounted cleared them both safely. TE AROHA JOCKEY CLUB. Nominations for all events to be decided at the annual meeting of the ie Aroha Jockey Club close with the acting secretary, M r . G. A. Bush, or ilessrs. Blomficld and Company, Auckland, at 5 p.m. to-morrow.