" PRACTICALLY SQUARE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 16

" PRACTICALLY SQUARE."

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB. 111 en lit THE PAST YEAR. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, this day. At the annual meeting of the Canter- ti bury Jockey Club the chairman, Mr. it George Gould, pointed out that the club S j had got through the year practically h, square. To arrive at that result simply jr, meant forming an honest estimate of what i 3< their probable results were likely to be, and adjusting expenditure accordingly. nl The principal item to suffer had been stakes. By a heavy reduction in the amount of stakes, or, as the report puts it. "by the sacrificing ot' owners," they had achieved the satisfactory result, which they were now able to report. The stakes " had been cut by ll.OOOsovs. or practically g< 30 per cent, which was a heavy cut. w * di HORSES AT MATAMATA. „ _____ H 1 0 PRINCE VAL'S PROGRESS. VALUELESS BKUISES A HEEL. ] Private advice received at Matamata is il to the cfi'ec-t that it is doubtful if A. E. 11 Ellis will be riding at the Ellerslie winter o meeting, and that in all probability he will 1 be at Dunedin. Among Ellis' tentative b mounts at Ellerslie were Prince Val, i Woodful and Lucess. 11 Prince Val has not been a visitor to the c track since ricking himself last week and t is still a doubtful, starter in the Cornwall * Handicap. He is to be given a work-out to-day and on this will depend whether lie will be taken to KUcrslic. Prince Val was very well when he met with the mis- a hap, so that he should not take long to s get in racing trim. 0 Mr. F. Baker has secured the mount on 0 Woodful in the Carbine Plate, while it g is probable that A. Parsons will have the ' t mount in the Jervois Handicap. r n Valueless sustained a bruised heel at Tc j Rapa on Saturday and has not been worked since. No lino on his form could be obtained from his race on Saturday, ® as ho got into all the trouble going. In ° the meantime, his owner-trainer, Mr. W. C. Vincent, is doubtful about going to Auckland with his horse next week. Valorous Knight has been turned out a and will not be persevered with until the Js took no ill effects from his t race at Te Rapa, which was not consis- a tent with his track work. Standfast was [ not too genuine in some of his races on s the flat and it may be that his tempera- , ment has not altered in the new depart- g m f"'addition to Standfast, R. E. Thomson has been engaged to rid" Royal Visitor and Arch Eagle in minor jumping events at Ellerslie. .... , . F. Bcntley is doing the riding work at Matamata for J. W. Anderton. The lat- c ter has Knight of Australia, the maiden . Grand Citv, and Spearwin, the rising d two-year-old half-brother to Heremxa, to s " Merry Lap, the full-brother to Gay Lap, t has been sold to Mr. Halliday, of vVark- 0 worth, and is now in the stable shelter- j ing Valkon, Lady Noreen and Gallapago. t Merry Lap had shown distinct promise i under P. J. Mateer, and should not take t long to get into real racing fettle, ilie „ general opinion of track watchers is that s Mr. Halliday has purchased a good one. STABLE AND TRACK NOTES. HAViNG A SPELL. ] Orapai has been turned out for the ; remainder of the season. This fine sprinter i has been suffering from knee trouble t recently, and it is considered that lie will make a good recovery as the result ot ins J respite. J. O'Neill has brought m Glowlight and Merry Way, and the latter is ( stated to be growing into a handsome i three-year-old. J A GOOD JUMPER. Nukuterc is engaged in jumping events j at Ellerslie next month, and on the first ( day he is top weight in the Hunt Club j Hurdles. This horse has not raced, lor - some time, but had three starts earlier in the season, winning the Pakuranga Hunt Cup Steeplechase at Ellerslie, and later the Hunters' Steeplechase at the Auckland spring meeting. He failed in the Waikato < Hunt Cup, which was his last start. 1 IN JERVOIS HANDICAP. < Air Laddie has been entered for the , Jervois Handicap, seven furlongs, at the ( Great Northern meeting, and other events, ( including the Carbine Plate. This season , ' he has not done a great amount of racing, ( ; and has been placed on four occasions , , from a mile and a distance to a mile and a , ■ quarter. At the recent Manawatu meet- , ing he ran third to Seneschal and Fairway . in the Adderstone Handicap, nine furlongs, | ; and in the Hack Cup at Marton was second i to Fairway. ! RAN A FAIR RACE. Nassock ran a very fair race over : I hurdles at Te Rapa on Saturday, and i ' he should be approaching his best when j ' the Great Northern meeting comes along. ;■ He is engaged in the Green Lane Steeple--1 chase and the Great Northern Hurdles on ' the first day, and if he takes on the former 1 he should run well. He has had some ' experience over country, for at the last [ Ohinemuri meeting he was a good third to 1 Spalpiko and Pangolin in the Hauraki Steeplechase. ; TO COME TO ELLERSLIE. > According to reports from Taranaki The Tiger is to be sent to Auckland for the [ Great Northern meeting. The son of , Sheffield has raced most consistently, for . out of eleven starts this season he has won L on seven occasions, been second once, and j Handicap, six furlongs, on the first day, 1 Egmont meeting he accounted for the t Hack Scurry, five furlongs, with 10.2, but lie lias won up to six furlongs. He is engaged in the Jervois Handicap, seven furlongs, with 9.13, and the Members' Handicap, six furlongs on the first day, and though he has not raced over the former distance, it is stated that it is not likely to trouble him. He i 6 a fast beginner, and that, will be in his favour. t MADE GREAT PROGRESS. 3 Red Royal, the winner of the Longbeach Hack Handicap at Ashburton on 3 Saturday last, has made great progress f during the last few months. From the 2 time that he commenced racing he showed r speed, but in the early part of his career - lie did not go far. Lately he has become ;, very solid, sticking on well. His recent form has been consistent and he is likely x to get some more money before the end g of the season. Rosenor, the sire, of Red Royal, was a brilliant galloper, while Monoxide, his dam, was a smart Boniform mare, her successes including a race at Riccarton when opposed by one of the biggest fields ever seen on the course. A PROMISING HURDLER. Paddon will have plenty of opportunities to extend hte record at the Great Northern meeting, where he figures in two •u hurdle races each day. This horse won impressively at Te Rapa last week and is ® likely to be an improved horse the next ° time he is seen out in public. Paddon is engaged in the Great Northern Hurdles with 9.0, and several who saw him win at Te Rapa expect him to perform well if he contests that event. However, to win a race of that description a horse requires ;a- to be thoroughly seasoned, and as Paddon go has only had one race this season bis conng dition may hardly be solid enough to ide enable hiin to see out the two and a half ey. miles journey.

RELATED TO UNION. I On Approval, who is entered for the jireat Northern meeting, is a four-year-old. | illy by Jack Abbey from Lady Brothoek,; and therefore a full sister to Union, who created a surprise by winning the Fairtield Handicap, six furlongs, at the Waikato winter meeting last season. That was ilia first start. A GOOD DISPLAY. The local hunter Town Beauty gave a ;ood display over live hurdles ou the outside of the course proper a few mornings igo, and he promises to be hard to beat m minor jumping races next month. The chestnut gelding has never looked better than at present, and if he fails in his a engagements next month it will be because J, he is not good enough. a; WORKING VERY FREELY. * Without being required to do any particularly last galloping, Koyal Gallant has been hitting out very freely in his latest track efforts. This three-year-old lias j " raced well on several occasions in hack | e sprint events ou the country circuit and " has plenty of speed. Still, he has not, •' grown to any extent, and lack of size will > j 1 be against him when competing against | the big fields engaged in hack events next *■ month. MAY NOT TRAIN ON. During the past few weeks Taneriri has \ not been allotted any strenuous tasks and , H. Rama is doubtful about the Antagonist j gelding surviving a solid preparation. He 1 was given a run over six furlongs ou luesday morning, and though he worked lazily , ho appeared quite sound when lie pulled . up. He is a great performer in heavy ground, and it will be unfortunate for his owner it' he fails to train on satisfactorily. TOUCHED IN THE WIND. t Xight Guard, who is to come to Auck- * land for the Great Northern meeting, is a full-brother to Phav Lap, but unfortunately he is affected in the wind. He has ' only won one race and that was the Trial Plate, six furlongs, at Waimatc last March, but until the trouble occurred his trainer ', A. McAulay had great hopes of him turning out a good horse. As a yearling he cost 1500 guineas. It is stated that he is to be operated ou after his return to Riccarton. 1 A LIKELY LIGHTWEIGHT. Since linamiut first began racing she has 1 always displayed abundance of speed over ] short courses, and now that she has a bit ' of age on her side appears to be staying | ; on better than formerly. She has been i ; successful twice over mile journeys during : the past six weeks, and as she is getting more solid may sec out a longer distance. Imaniint figures in the Cornwall Handicap on the minimum, and if started and the going is heavy on the day she is likely to go a good race under her light impost. WENT A GOOD RACE. Full Murk went a good race wheu he acted as luuncr-up v.j v.ruacnan in me JVianawapou .Hurdles a.t Lgmont, ill which event ho was conceding the Iβ liapatrained gelding IUIL>. llie son of Grey spear and Alarktui nas several hurdle victories to his credit, and with D.b , is a distinct possibility in tlio Great .Northern Hurdle ttace next month, i'ull Mark is bred on sound staying lines, being a to , Speanul, winner of tnc New Zealand Cup, decided at Kiccarton last November, A FINE EFFORT. Straight Course was responsible for a fine effort when he filled second place in the Autumn Handicap at Asfiburton ou Saturday last. After being bustled in the early stages, moving up troiu last to first in less than a "furlong, he appeared to be in trouble half-way up the straight. He stuck on very gamely, however, and he was finishing 'better than Red Heckle. A repetition of this form may see him a winner before loDg. In the meantime he appears to be'koep_ing quite sound, a happy result after his serious fall at Gcraldino in the spring. SOUTHERN THREE-YEAR-OLD. Irish Chieftain, who forms one of Mr. W T. Hazlett's team for the Great Northern meeting, is a three-year-old by Chief Ruler from Sprig of Erin, and therefore a half-brother to Father O'ilynn, who raced well some seasons ago in the same colours. As a two-year-old last season Irish Chieftain ran second to Type in the Roseneath Handicap, five furlongs, at tne Wellington spring meeting, which was his only placed performance. He has not done much racing this season, but m the spring was second to Grecian Prince over six furlongs at Geraldine, and third in the Dunedin Guineas, while recently he was second in a six-furlong race at Beaumont, and the other day ran second in a similar distance event at the Southland meeting. Irieh Chieftain is engaged in the Jervois Handicap on the first day at Ellerslie. UNDER BIG WEIGHTS. Historic has 9.11 in the Cornwall Handicap and though this is a substantial load he has previously handled big weights with success. In the Winter Cup at Riccarton in 1929 he carried 10.4 to victory, but the minimum was 9.0. He later annexed the Avondale Cup with 8.11 and the Mitchelson Cup with 9.7. He ran second over six furlongs at Carterton with 9.13, and won the Grandstand Handicap, one mile and a quarter, at Auckland with 95. The Masterton Cup, of similar distance, also went to him with 9.7. Last season he was third in the Avondale Cup with 9.11, and was only beaten by a neck by Seatown in the Mitchelson Cup with 913. He won the Harcourt Cup with 9 4, the Manawatu Cup with 9.9 and the Autumn Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, at Trentham, with 9.5. This season he annexed the Sehvyn Handicap, seven furlongs, at Riccarton, with. 10.11, and dead-heated with Prince Val in the MitchelsQK Cup with 9.9. Historic would only need to be at his best to be very troublesome in the Cornwall Handicap. AMMON RA. AMERICAN TRIP OFF. Racegoers will be pleased that Amnion Ra is not to go to America to compote in the big events there (says a Melbourne writer). Ammon Ra should be the outstanding horse of the spring fixtures in Sydney and Melbourne. In a lesser degree Ammon Ra will take the place of Phar Lap as the most interesting horse of the year. Possibly the disclosures of Mr. H. A Wolfe, the special representacivc ot "The Herald," who saw Phar Lap race in Mexico, and was at Menlo Park, California, at the time of the champions death by poisoning, may have had something to do with the decision of Ammon Ra's owner not to send the New Zealand champion to America. Mr Wolfe has expressed the opinion that Phar Lap was deliberately poisoned. Mr C C. Sheath, Ammon Ra s owner, had seriously considered taking Ammon Ra to Aguas Caliente*. In fact,, plans had so far matured for him to decide not to race Ammon Ra in Australia in the sprwig, but to spell him preparatory to leaving for America to race in 1933. Ammon Ra is a rising four-year-old and there are many good prizes for him to win in Svdnev and Melbourne later in the year. His efforts in the St. Legers at and Flemington were clear indication that he is not a genuine stayer, and it is unlikely that he will be asked to race again at any distance further than a mile and a quarter. This decision of his connections is a wise one, as there are plenty of middle distance w.f.a. events for him to tackle in Sydney and Me bourne. . If Ammon Ra attains his best form in the snring he can add many thousands ot pounds to his stake winnings, which are already well on the road to the idO mark His connections have done the right thing in deciding to remain at home, as a trip to America with Ammon Ka might not have been so successful from a financial viewpoint as was that of 1 har Lap. AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. Acceptances for the first day of the Auckland Racing Club's winter meeting and for the Great Northern Steeplechase, ' to be run on the second day,' close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 p.m. to-morrow.