STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 16

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. (By WHALEBDNE.) December 11, 12— Woodville District J.C. December H—Walpa K.C. December 18, lit— Kgniont K.C. December 2(i —Waipukurau J.C. December 2(i—West hind K.C. December 20, 27—Taramiki J.C. December 20, 2S—Dunedin ,I.C. December 20, 27, 28—Manawatu K.C. December 26, 30, Jan. 1, 2—Auckland K.C. December 28, January I—Greymouth J.C. 1030. January 1. 2—Wairarajia K.C. January I—Waikouaitt K.C. January I—Wy ml ha in R.C. January 1, 2—Hawke's Bay J.C. January 1, 2—Stratford R.C. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. TONY (Auckland). —Ten per cent is taken off the total investments, and 2J per cent is deducted off the balance. Great Emblem has been having an easy time since he raced at Takapuna. Be has grown a good deal since he was first put into work and on that account may not be required to do much racing as a two-year-old. • Merry Lu, a four-year-old daughter of Lucullus and Malaya, shaped satisfactorily for a novice when sprinted three furlongs on the course proper at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning. She started in a division race at the Franklin meeting last March and has not raced since then. Gold Money was given a work-out over six furlongs on the No. 2 grass t>:\>,ek at Ellerslie yesterday _ niOA'Viiiig' and got' through her task.in'good style. W. Kemp has her looking I 'nice and big, but it will not be long before she is in racing condition again. H. L. Russell, Avho was at one time attached to G. News' stable in the capacity of head lad, has taken over Mr. C. T. Keeble's string from G. New, and Blimp, Great Lady and Jason, etc., have been transferred to Woodyilie, where Russell has' 1 secured the' premises originally occupied by T. Lloyd. The Te Awamutu Cup s candkfate King Emerald hit but very freely,ov4t a round on the course proper yesterday inorning and looks in good_order for his race next Saturday. His form this spring has been disappointing and he will need toshoiv some improvement in the future to win among the horses he is now competing against.

Flying Prince was second to Prince Val in the Borough Handicap,'seven furlongs, at Takapnna. recently, and he ran .well for over that distance in the St. Andrew's Handicap on the second day, of the same meeting. He is engaged in-the Qliaupo Handicap, seven furlongs, at the Waipa meeting on Saturday next and should go well.

Awarere lias not shown much form this season. He finished second to White Fang at Avondale and third to Havering and Silvermine in the Epsom Handicap at since then he has failed to get into the money. He is. -engaged at the Waipa meeting on Saturday, but will have to improve considerably on his effort at Te Klliti to have a show. He does not seem to begin as well as he used to.

The Catmint—Nordica gelding Hannibal ran a smart half-mile on the course proper at Ellerslie yesterday morning and he appears to be on the improve. Hannibal has done little racing so far, and, although he has nothing to his. credit, is a likely-looking sort that may be equal to paying his way in hack company later oh.

Thais was responsible for a smart sprint over three furlongs on the course proper yesterday morning, running the distance in 365. She went from the mile barrier to the five-furlong post, which is almost a straight course and partial to fast times; still, it was a pleasing performance and clearly indicates that the Romeo filly is on the improve.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the pocket edition .of the "New Zealand Turf Register," covering all totalisator racing and trotting meetings from August 1 to December 2. in view of the approach of the holiday meetings, this volume is indispensable to followers of either branch of the sport, and in order to secure a copy early application is necessary .to the publishers, the "Press" Company, Christchurch.

Sir Kay, who is among the acceptors for the Waipa Plate, is a sixtyear-old gelding by Lord Quex from Bon Espoir, by Boiiiform from Ringdove, the dam of Paganelli. He dead-heated with Hathor in the Poukawa Handicap, six furlongs, in 1927, which was his first start, and he has only raced once since then. He was purchased by Mr. Geo. Paul a couple of years ago, but has not yet started in that owner's colours.

Congratulations will be extended to Mr. V. T. Dibble, assistant secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, Tipon his appointment as secretary of the Manawatu Racing Club in succession to the late Mr.. J. M. Johnston.' Mr. Dibble has nected with the Auckland Racing Club for the last eight years, and his ability and courtesy while in that position havo won for him a large circle of friends, who will give him their Very best,wishes for his future prosperity in his new sphere. .

Sir George Clifford has nominated some of his team for the Wairarapa summer meeting. They include Ball Dress, Quarterdeck, Hurly Burly and Full Feather.;/

Platina, one of the Fordell team, who is making her appearance at Woodville to-day, is a three-year-old filly by Callaghan from Isabel, and therefore a halfsister to Cashier. »

Drastic is going along all right- in her work at Wanganui and has improved as the result of the race she had at Feilding recently. She is owned'by Mr. G. Currie and is by Absurd from Drax, an Englishbred mare by Spearmint from Suncroft, by Sunstar. ,' ■;■','

■Fernden was taken to the Feilding meeting for the second day, but was not started, -owing to getting out of his box prior to the race. He will accompany Star Area and Just an Idea to Hawera for the Egmont meeting.

I K. Gill has been engaged to ride Sir Russell in his engagements at Waipa. This horseman was on the Archiestown gelding when he captured a double at the recent Waikato meeting. R. McTavish will ride Corinax in the Te Awamutu Cup, and he will also pilot Gemlight, Praetor and Thurnus in their respective engagements at the same meeting. Dunraven, the two-year-old full-brother to Limerick, has been galloping well at Riccarton recently, and good things are expected of him later on. He is not engaged in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, but figures in twd-yaar-old handicap events at the Ellerslie summer meeting. G. Jones has an addition to his stable in Battle Torque, a five-year-old mare by Martian—Torquato, Mr.' W. H. Gaisford having effected her purchase from Mr. 0. S. Watkins, of Wellington. Although she has failed in her racing to date she might give good service as a brood mare. Ceremony is to be given a spell for a month. The son of Absurd went off on the trip to Australia, where he was never himself, though he won a race at Randwick. He was allowed to take things very easy in the hope that he would freshen up for the Feilding Stakes, but his display showed that he was off colour. A month in the paddock might have the desired effect. The veteran galloper Count Cavour put ftp an impressive gallop over nine furlongs at Riccarton last Saturday. He covered the distance in 1.50 1-5 and was running on very strongly at the finish. The first mile was completed in 1.42 4-5 and the ifinal four furlongs in 51 l-5s He is stated \to be a certain starter in the Auckland <pup, in which event he will be ridden by G. Eastwood. J. Buchanan's two maidens, Neil and Good Idea, nxb both shaping nicely in then svroisi! at headquarters. Good Idea was given a run in the Vauxhall Handicap on the second day of the Takapuna meeting, arid showed fair pace for part of the journey. This filly comes from a successful racing family and should be a payable proposition when thoroughly seasoned;:

Corinax looks greatly improved as the result of his racing at Takapuna and is one of v'the best-conditioned horses in training at Ellerslie at the present time. He registered a couple of good gallops during 'the last week and appears to be putting more dash into his work than he did at this stage last season. Corinax is to. fulfil his engagement in the Te Awamirtu Cup next Saturday, and that race should improve hirii-still further for his coming contest in the Auckland Cup, to be decided- at Ellerslie -twelve days afterwards. '. '•- '

As a'■ result of X-ray examinations made during the week (says an.'Australian writer on November 30) it has been established that W. Duncan, Victoria's crack jockey, who fell at Epsom races last Saturday, has' a broken neck. The examination showed that one of the vertebrae had been broken, but the break was hot serious" enough to causu death. Tli'e spinal corcK, however, is not affected. Further attempts to relieve the dislocation of the neck were made to-day, and it is hoped that they will be successful. Duncan's condition is serioiis, but is by no means critical.

The former New Zealand gelding Home Made, who is now owned and trained by A. B. Cowell, seems to be at home under any conditions. Over the hurdles and big fences, or on the flat—it matters little to him (says an Australian writer). Ho won the Second Hurdle at the A.J.C. spring meeting, and three days later beat all but Myam in the Dowling Steeplechase. Three weeks ago he raced over hurdles at Randwick, but he proved by his success in the Quirindi Plate on November 28 that the jumping has not dulled his speed. The Plate, run over ten furlongs, and carrying £50 added money and a piece of plate valued at £21, Was the principal race of the meeting. Evidently Cowell expected Home Made to.run well, as the gelding started third favourite in a field of nine.

Until near the end of last week (says a Sydney writer on December 3), a patron of M. Poison's stable was negotiating for the purchase of the New Zealand horse Rabbi. A high price was asked,, and a sale might have been effecteel only for the owner of Rabbi stipulating that delivery should not be taken until after the meeting at Feilding. Naturally, this did not suit the would-be buyer. If the horse won, he was certain to advance in the opinion of Australian handicappers, and if he failed he would possibly have been in the position of giving more for him than he was Worth." The deal was declared off. Rabbi duly ran at Feilding and won the Jubilee Cup, a mile and a quarter handicap, witt 8.8. As the time was 2.10 2-5, it is probable the going was heavy. When Vertigern won the Feilding Cup at the same track last year he recorded 2.6 2-5. If Rabbi is nominated for anything in Sydney in the autumn, he is likely to get plenty of weight, and that fact- is thoroughly recognised by M. Poison. He. regrets not getting Rabbi, but in chatting about the terms, said: "The seller wanted too much in his favour, considering the price he asked. Rabbi is good, but there are other good horses,. and there is always the chance of being able to buy one of them."