RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 9, 11 January 1934, Page 16

RACING NEWS.

MATAMATA HORSES. NOT FOR PUKEKOHE. MASTER NORVAL SCRATCHED. Master Norval was scratched for the Kawakawa Cup at 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Maori Jack, in the same stable, was also nominated for this meeting, but .will not be taken. Master Norval is working again and should be fit for Takapuna. Last Lap was 1 taken through to Thames on Wednesday morning. This horse lias ,been doing good track work since winning at Pirongia and should pick up a stake at the meeting. The Potoa-Mountain Ore gelding, owned and trained by W. Casey, was galloped, on Wednesday morning and pulled up very lame. The gelding will probably be given a spell. Prince Val appears to have recovered from his muscular ailment, ill'. Clothier intends holding his team, Prince Val, Woodful and Royal Dance, for the Matamata meeting. Dark Marble is still occasionally showing signs of lameness. Catliro is able to work him, but the work is not of an exacting nature. The maiden Hikutaia (Speardance— Mussie) showed promising form at New Plymouth, but he displayed distinct signs of soreness upon his return. He appears to have slipped a muscle and will have to be spelled. WELLINGTON CUP PROSPECT. Grand Jury was the outstanding performer at the Stratford meeting, where lie won the principal race each day. He is back to the form that he displayed in the autumn of 1932, and he is being discussed as a Wellington Cup prospect. TO RACE AT WELLINGTON. Manetlio, who had to miss all his holiday engagements as the result of a mishap, has made a good recovery and he is quite soiind [again (says a southern writer). F. Christmas has iiim doing well in his work and it is intended to race him at Trentham. DOING LIGHT TASKS. According to southern reports Polydora has done no more than light exercise lately at Riccarton. H. Nurse had the Dunedin Cup in view for her, but after her lengthy spell it looks as if it will be much later in the season before she is ready to show her best form again. IN FIRST-CLASS ORDER. Silver Ring, who had only one race during the holidays, is stated to be in great order after his trip to Oamaru. He is being kept going in strong work and he may make his next appearance at Trentham, where he will have a chance to earn further distinction as a sprinter. BAY OF ISLANDS RACING CLUB. Acceptances for all events to be run at the Bay of Islands annual meeting, to be held at Pukekohe on January 20, close with the secretary, Mr. W. J. Short, Pukekohe, or with Mr. A. J. Farquhar, secretary, Avondale Jockey Club, Victoria Street, Auckland, at 5 p.m. on Monday next. TO RACE AT DUNEDIN. C. Emerson has Croupier and the two-year-old Marcus Cicero working along steadily in view of a trip south for the Duncdin meeting (says a southern writer). Concentrate is also in the active list, but so far his tasks have been of an easy nature, and it will be late in the season before he is ready. MINERVAL'S HALF-SISTER. Lady Zephyr, who claims engagements in the high-weights and hack events at the Wellington"meeting, is a four-year-old halfsister to the Auckland Cup winner Minerval. She now appears to have at last struck some form and may take a hand in some of the contests at Trentham, for she is one who can be expected to go on improving with age. IMPROVED IN CONDITION., Considerable improvement can be noticed in Horowhenua's condition of late and lie is also displaying more speed in his track work at headquarters. H. Rama has this maiden freely engaged at the Bay of Islands and Takapuna meetings, to be held during the present month. He will therefore have plenty of opportunities to find out if the brother "of Manawhenua is worth persevering with. MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. The Paper Money gelding Foreign Money has done well since joining P. Scally s stable and is steadily moulding into racing condition. He has been given several sprints over a few furlongs during the lastweek or two, and, judging by the way he shaped, he has lost none of his speed. It is a long time since this hack appeared in public, but all going well he will most likely be given a race at Pukekohe on Saturday next. A SPEEDY FILLY. Bellkyrian, who has not raced since she ran unplaced in a six-furlong hack event at Waipa in December, will contest the Pakaraka Handicap at Pukekohe. Ihis speedy filly created a good impression when she won first time out at -1 akapuna, and will not lack support in her coming engagement. The sister to Vallar is a smart beginner, and this will be an advantage to her in the hack event next week, in which the field is likely to be a big one. DOING USEFUL WORK. Supreme Ruler has not been overtaxed since the Auckland meeting, but is thriving on the work allotted him, and will be in good orcfer for the Bay of Islands meeting next Saturday week. He displayed a failamount of speed in his races at IMlerslie and may notch a win before the countiy fixtures are over. His stablemate, Chief Emerald, is in steady work again at headquarters and will be given a run at some of the autumn meetings. TEAM FOR TRENTHAM. It is probable that A. McAuley will have five horses at Trentham, cwliere several of them are to be offered for sale (says a southern writer). Southdown did not race up to expectations during the holidays, but Variant performed well, with prospects of doing even better later on. True Shaft showed consistent form and Haere Tonu ran one very good race, but Nightguard and Water Polo were disappointing. All of this lot, except Water Polo, have been nominated for Trentham. HAS PLENTY OF SPEED. The local two-year-old Seven Seas is getting through' plenty of serviceable work under R. Olive's care and will have his first outing in public in the juvenile race at the Bay of Islands meeting. He is a sturdily-built youngster, showing plenty ot quality, and when thoroughly seasoned should develop into a real good sort. Lack of racing experience may be against him at Pukekohe; however, he has abundance of speed and more is likely to be heard of him later on in the seasotf. THE OPTION EXERCISED. When Mr. S. D. McDoug'all leased Nightly from Mr. R. Acton-Adams.; a purchasing clause was provided-for involving £500. Mr. J. A. McDougall, who took the lease over on his brother's death, has now exercised his option and become owner of the Night Raid three-year-old. This took place before the Auckland Cup. The owner's share of winnings under the lease was only 20 per cent, but if Nightly had won the Cup his percentage would have been a considerable amount, and it was an ppportune time for the lessee to buy.