TAKANINI TRACKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 15

TAKANINI TRACKS.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

COOLMIJfT LOOKING WELL. HORSES FOR WHAXGAREI. Coolmint, who has joined E. Popes team, appears in nice order following recent racing on the other side of the Tasrnan. Coolmint is a live-year-old geldinz bv Catmint —Cool Lass, who showed distinct promise as a three-year-old in the 1928-29 season, when among his Tood efforts were victories at-Egmont and Wanganui. where he beat some good hack fields. The Lucullus —Queen of the Earth gelding, Imperial Prince, after having enjoyed a respite for a few months, is being taken in hand again, with a viewto a further preparation. He was only started on on Tuesday, when he was pottered about the roads, but his condition is very fair, taking into consideration hiss shortness of work in recont months. He has won some good races, including the Fergusson Handicap at Ellerslie, and when tuned up should again prove a profitable proposition to his connections. Takanini fared very well at the recent Waikato meeting, winning six events out of fourteen flat races. Refresher was a double winner, while Camp Princess, High Comedy, Havering,'and Vandyke all succeeded in their only starts at the meeting. The district therefore is credited with 64 wins, 50 seconds, 3S thirds, and £15,356 in stakes in New Zealand. J. T. Jamieson has won 32 races, P. E. Pope 12, J. L. Gray 7, C. Morse 6. W. Goscomb 5, and F. Smith 2. Including eight wins and £9500 won in Australia, the grand total is 72 wins and £27,S8>j in stake money. Consistent Fedora. Although not brilliant, there is hardly a more consistent two-year-old filly than Fedora. Her only victory was at Wellington. but she has five seconds and three thirds to her credit. By Chief Ruler —Minsk, this filly seems to show her best with the sting out of the ground, and this may be worth remembering when she sports silk next season. A month or so back Fedora was on the market for sale, and her seconds to High Comedy and Luval at Te Rapa showed that some buyer missed an opportunity of possessing what appears likely to be a useful sort next season. Mr. R. T. Reid must be very pleased with his purchase of High Comedy, Royal Artist, and Roseric, for whom he paid £500. Roseric, who is now an inmate of M. J. Carroll's team, showed the most promise early, but has failed to live up to expectations, whiie High Comedy ( £1095) and Royal Artist ( £657) placed the Waikato owner well on the right side of the ledger. As the Leighton youngsters look like developing into real good three-year-olds, Mr. R. T. Reid has a couple of very cheap horses to carry his colours next season. Mashoor looks as well in condition now as ever he did, but continued signs of sorenesti during the past couple of months do not make his immediate prospects appear very bright. Mashoor is a great jumper, and is a good plodder over a long journey over country, his best effort being when he beat all but Aurora BoreaMs in the Winter Steeples at Ellerslie last June. Unless a rapid recovery is made, it seems hardly possible that he will be found on the list of winners this winter. The Brazen —Manna filly Brazanna, who recently cut an artery in her leg, is on the improve. Brazanna has plenty of speed, but her lack of size has been against her, though she has the appear-

ance of a good one, and needs only to develop during the winter to prove useful next season. Amber Link, who races in the same interests as Brazanna, will most probably sport Mr. R. A. McLean's colours at Pukekohe. and although she has been recommtssioned but a short time she displaved speed earlier in the season that should stand her in good stead. One of the best-looking youngsters to be seen on the tracks is the Caravel — Yanga colt in J. T. Jamieson s stable, who looks a real aristocrat. He is a halfbrother to Flying Prince, and that his owner was much impressed with him when he entered the sale ring at the last Trentham sales can be gauged from the fact that the bidding went to tiOOgns before he was secured. Other rising two-year-olds who are doing well in their education are the Tea Tray—Epitaph, Whirlwind —Shebang, W hirlwind —Hukapapa and Grand Knight —Tulip colto. Trustee Hitting Out. Before the Avondale meeting Trustee was doing some real good track work, and his chances in the maiden races at that meeting were held in a very promising light. There may have been an excuse for his failure on the first day, as the ground on that occasion was anything but dry. However, he never looked a winner on the second day tinder better conditions, and his efforts were hard to follow. Trustee is by General Latour — Xewlant. and may be taken to Whangarei next week, and he is looked to for a much better effort on that occasion. Since Avondale he has been hitting out in his usual free style on the tracks, and should be seen to" much better advantage before long. Since winning at Avondale early last spring Envov has failed to get into the money, although he has been very close on several occasions. His form is hard to follow, and as he is not a great track worker the only guide to his chances is on his racing performances. Envoy looks as well now as ever he did, and it would be verv surpri-ing if he did not add another win to his list before the season closes, particularly as the tracks are now getting softer. Star Maire is making very good headway, and her present rate of progress suggests that it should not be many weeks before she is noticed moving along in preparation for the new season's campaign of racing.

A hack that showed a lot of speed in his initial outing at Avondale was Captain Dollar, who has been in work a comparatively short length of time. He may again be produced at Pukekohe next month. He has plenty of speed, and it should only be a matter of a few months before he is seen holding his own in good hack company. By Paper Money—Piquant, he is bred the right way for speed. E. Pope intends making a start on the Valkyrian—Malaria filly recently placed in his charge. This is a compact tillv of solid proportions, standing 10.3, and if looks are any criterion her mentor should have little difficulty in placing her to advantage next season. TTdetf rain fell at Te Rapa for Monday's racing, stay-at-home punters were all for Speedmint, who has generally chown a likeness for soft tracks, and that, combined with the fact that she is by Catmint, was sufficient to send her out a well-backed filly. Her supporters were doomed to disappointment, however, and she appeared to labour in the going throughout the journey and never looked a winner. She will be eased up during the winter. Topstar shaped like a good one a few months ago, but seemed to lose his dash after a few races. Patient tactics have been adopted in his preparation, and although his condition could be improved upon, he is looking a .great deal better. He is by Sandstar—Glittering Sands, and is a member of W. Goscomb's team. Principal ran a great race with a solid impost at Pukekohe and will only need to be himself to make his presence felt in the Portland Hack Handicap at "VVhangarei. He promises to make a gpod showing and it would also be as well to remember that the only victory recorded to the Thespian—Royal Exchange gelding was when he won the Junior Stakes at this meeting twelve months ago. The Surveyor—Thurence filly has taken kindly to her education, but she is -not being hurried in a preparation. She is not very big, but is a nice quality filly that should do well under silk. The Sandstar—.Tolly Princess filly is shaping well, but is another whose preparation is not beincr hurried. She has had one or two setbacks through colds, but is now making good headway and should not be long in coming to hand.

Hard Wcids and Principal. There are a pair of scratchy track workers here that continue to show signs of soreness, yet race well—Hard ords aad Principal. They are both nominated at Whangarei and" in their respective races appear to have good prospects. One of the most remarkable cases yet seen was the obvious broken-down condition of Hard Words, following his Avondale out in?, yet he made a speedy recovery and is well enough to tackle the Northern trip. The Catmint —Miss Melva gelding Catchem has. not had a great deal of racing, but ran one or two good races, and, following, a "respite, has resumed work under the guidance of his trainer, C. Morse. C'atchem has shown pace in private, and hopes are entertained that he will soon break his maiden status. After his race on the second day of the Ellerslie meeting, it was feared that Camp Prince would have to be spelled, as he was obviously troubled with soreness in the off front leg. When his trainer, F. Smith, returned from the Waikato meeting he was verv gratified to note that the injury was not as bad as at first expected and the son of Lucullus—Queen of the Earth again made an appearance on the track this week bearing no outward signs of the injury, and although he may not be seen out at Whangarei he should prove very useful during the winter on softer tracks. White Winers is making a good recovery from her Avondale injury and was seen recently on the tracks. The daughter of Limond —Waterwings does not produce her best on soft tracks, and consequently may not be seen sporting silk on many occasions during the winter, but she has proved more than useful this season and when the spring meetings arrive she should be in nice order. She is among those engaged at Whangarei, but it is doubtful if she will be a contestant. J. L. Gray will be taking Tokatea and Vandyke to Whangarei next Tuesday. Vandyke ran a fine race at Te Eapa, and as a result is sure to be solidly supported at the Northern fixture. Tokatea is a full-brother to Te Monanui and Taurua, and his outing should be beneficial for education purposes, as he has yet to sport silk. He will race in the interests of Mr. W. C. Ring, sen. Howick, from the same has rpt been started on yet, but within the course of a few days it is expected that he will be produced on the tricks for a further preparation. King March has been asked to do very little since racinjr at Avondale, owing to soreness, but it is to be hoped that the ailment will disappear and that he may be able to compete at Whangarei. For a hurdle horse St. Ames does comparatively little work, but his condition is_all that could be desired. St. Ames won at the Whangarei meeting in the sprincr and the Northern public will have him in mind for next week's jumping events. The local horseman P. Mcllroy has been discharged from the hospital, but will be unable to vide at Whancrarei. He received concussion when Singleton fell in the Avondale Hurdles.