RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 46, 23 February 1929, Page 14

RACING NEWS.

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES SEASON'S FIXTURES. (By WHALEBONE.) February 27, 2S—Dannevlrke R.C. February 28—Walpu Racing Club. February 2S, .March 'J—Marlborough K.C March 2—Banks Peninsula K.C. March 6, 7—Kangitikei K.C. Mf-rch 8, 9—Napier K.C. March !) —Franklin Racing Club.

Catkin has arrived at Kiccarton, where he has joined P. D. Jones' stable. lie will be taken to Sydney by Jones when he leaves with' Limerick on March 1,

It is reported that Spean Bridge, who was bred in England and raced successfully in the south, is to be retired to thu stud.

A four-year-old gelding by Day Comet from Brown Aster, who is attached to Geo. l'anl's stable at Tc Awamutu, has had the name Len registered for him.

A partnership extending to July, 1032, has been registered between Messrs. A. W. Prangley and M. 11. Tims in connection with the racehorse Pegaway.

The Swell had one race at Woodville. Ha ran well without actually being dangerous, an effort that is worth remembering for events in the immediate future.

Coon Song, who scored in the Debutante Stakes' at Woodville yesterday, is a two-year-old son of Hunting Song and Sangfroid. He is an inmate of Geo. Ncw's stable at Awapuni.

Merry Mint, who has not raced for some considerable time, was a starter at the Woodville meeting on Wednesday and ran prominently for a while. Ho is very big in condition.

Kaiti, who ran particularly well towards the end of last season, and has been having ft spell for some time, has joined P. P. Neagle's team. He is stated to be looking well.

Hastings tracq watchers have long had a good word for the Grandcourt three-year-old High Court, and he got on the winning list at Woodville. On this form he will win again shortly.

The first time an experienced rider gets up on Red Fuchsia he will carry more money than he did at Woodville, wbs.ro he ran two very good races. Like all Mrs. McDonald's horses he is looking fresh and well.

Mothplane is having extremely hard luck in maiden events. In her last five starts she has been four times second. However, it dons not look as if she will be long in getting out of the maiden class.

Highcourt added another win to his credit at the Woodville meeting when he scored by a narrow margin in the Kmneroa Handicap. By Grandcourt from Taleteller, Highcourt is bred on the right lines to make a successful galloper,

L. G. Morris and H. Goldfinch, who have each ridden thirty-one winners, head the list for winning jockeys to date, while C. Gicslcr is leading in the winning trainers' list with nineteen successes to his credit.

Golden Wedding has resumed work again at Ellerslie after a spell, due to her ricking herself some weeks ago. This mare lost a lot of condition during her enforced holiday, and it will take time to build her up aagin.

Odin looks all the better for his racing at Te Aroha, and the chestnut gelding ia steadily improving and hardening up into racing coudiiton. He is a reliable juniper who is Jikely to show improved for mtliis season.

Commendation had sufficient admirers to send him out favourite in both races that he contested at Woodville. However, he failed to win, although he finished in a place each day, and the racing is likely to improve him for more important events ahead.

Though he only started once at the Te Aroha meeting, Fernden lightened up during his trip to that fixture. He failed to run up to expectations in the Elstow Handicap, in which event he got anything but a good run. Fernden may do better before the present season is ended.

Callanmore recorded his fourth win (his season when he annexed the Maharahara Handicap at Woodville on Thursday last. He is a half-brother to Clarinda and Piuthair, and, like them, also races in the colours of his breeder, Mr. R. A. McKenzie.

At the Franklin meeting last season Wiltshire won the Puni High-weight Handicap, and he figures in the same event again this year! lie is to be given a few races on the flat prior to taking on cross-country events later on in the season, and this should serve to harden him up in condition for the more serious tasks ahead.

When Lady Spear won the Novice Handicap on the concluding day at Woodville she displayed a glimpse of her early spring form, and it is just possible that she will continue to improve with racing. She ran second to /Tcheka in a maiden hack race at the Masterton meeting in the spring, but has only contested a couple of races since then.

Commendation's two races at Woodville were disappointing to his backers, but considering he has been in work only about two months they were satisfactory from the viewpoint of future, racing. lie is at present carrying very little muscle, looking soft and burly, and while his great speed has enabled him to do fast track gallops, thus causing him to be in strong demand at Woodville. it will be some time yet before be is at his best.

The local sprinter Vallar, who has not been overtaxed since he raced at Takapuna, is due to make his next appearance at the Franklin meeting. It was at this meceting last season that allar fii st came into prominence by winning a division race in casv fashion and paving a «ood dividend. 'Since then Vallar has made a lot of progress, and his record this season is four wins, one second, and one third, out of seven races that lie has contested. Always a speedy galloper, Vallar is still susceptible to improvement and further honours should cgme bis way.

Merry Mint's form at Woodville was an indication that he will not be long in returning to the winning list. ,

Bisox appears to be Hearing her best again, for she went well over five furlongs at Hiuvera 011 Tuesday morning.

Kilverminc's sore heel is responding well to treatment, and he is being given 1 rotting and cantering exercise at Haw-era.

Gold Tinge, who won the Breeders' Plate at Rawlwick in the spring, but has failed to score since then, will not be further raced this season.

Two yearlings by Tea Tray from Stardancer and her sister, Warlove, respectively, have joined G. Murray Aynslcy's stable at Eiccarton.

Vivo, who ran well in the Fordell Hurdles at Wanganui, will probably have her next outing in the High-weight Handicaps at the Wellington autumn meeting.

Red Fuchsia ran well in both his races at the Woodvillc mceeting, and this good hurdler should not be long in getting on the winning list. lie has not raced since (lie last Grand National meeting.

Hunting Boy, who won at Woodvillc, is by Hunting Song from Shiela, and is therefore a half-brother to Merchant, a horse trained l>y C. Morse that showed a good deal of speed. He is trained by L. Knapp at Awnpuni, and won all the way.

Footfall was unable to fulfil his engagements at the recent Dunedin meeting owing to injuring himself while running in the paddock, but it is stated that ho has now recovered from the mishap, and it is hoped that lie will be able to race in the autumn.

Miss Pat won at the Foxton meeting, but found the class too good for her at Trentham later oil. She was started 011 both days of the Woodville meeting, finishing fourth and third respectively. She is engaged at the Rangitikci meeting and mav do better.

Lady Limond was thought to have a chance at the Woodville meeting, but she ran badly 011 both days. She has not won a race for over twelve months, her last success being in the Apprentices' Plate at Trentham in January of last year.

Awnpuni stables at present shelter a great array of budding talent, and practically every hurdle race at the recent meetings has gone their way. Locarno, Elicit, Red Fuchsia, Mister Gamp, Novar, Atarcria and one or two others will be formidable in the renl jumping season.

When working 011 the Napier Park tracks last Saturday Limonite, the halfbrother to Warplane by Limond, owned by Mr. P. F. Wall, fell and broke his neck. He had not done a great deal of racing, but it was expected that he would have paid his way later in the season.

The gate receipts at the recent race meeting at Tc Aroha totalled £1025 for the two days. The amount accruing to the Trensury was £4402 3/3, being totalisator tax £1473 IS/, dividend tax £2(153 8/, stakes tax £212 5/, and amusement tax £02 12/3.

Seeing that Partaga had only been five or six weeks in work after an enforced spell, he did well in his racing at Wanganui. He. was given a slight let-up and is now being prepared for the Rangitikci meeting. Last season he won the Scott Memorial at this fixture, and is engaged in the same event at the forthcoming meeting.

Mr. P. F. Wall had the bad luck recently to lose his five-year-old brown gelding Limonite (Limond —Adelicia). This half-brother to Warplane raced early in his career, but was put away for a long spell, during which he built up into a fine horse, showing great promise. He was 011 the plough track in training again when he wont over the edge and fell, breaking his neck.

Com ion 1 made his reappearance at Woodville, running twice 011 tlie flat. The first day lie was never very conspicuous, but 011 the second day he made quite a good showing, being up with the leader right into the straight. T. Clarke lias Comical looking as well as ever he did, and as it has been definitely decided that lie will be confined in the future to hurdling, and will not again attempt steepleehasing, the ranks of the firstclass hurdlers will be considerably strengthened. It is a striking coincidence that two contemporary hurdlers of the highest class, and both national winners—Comical and Nukumai—proved complete "duds" at the cross country game.

The two Nursery Handicaps at Woodville were won by Hunting Song youngsters, Hunting Boy; who scored the first day, is out of Sliicla by Multifid— Erin by Menscliikofit. Shiela was a useful mare when racing in the colours of Mr. A. B. Williams, buMlunting Boy is the only one of her progeny so far to show any promise, although his win was not expected, as he had never started previously. He displayed very smooth galloping ability, and like all the progeny of the Hurry On horse he is well arowii. Coon Song, who won 011 the second day, is out of Sang Froid, a half-sister by Polydamon to Royal Blood. Coon Song showed promise right at the' start of the season, but went off. He is now trained by 0. W. New, and has improved a lot. The way the Hunting Songs have been coming to light lately, and their general well grown appearance, suggests that they will make names for themselves as three-year-olds.. WELLINGTON RACING CLUB. Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for the Wellington Haeiiitr Club's autumn meeting close with the secretary, Mr. J. Griffiths, at 0 p.m. 011 Monday. Forfeits are also due for the New Zealand St. Leger Stakes and North Island Challenge Stakes.