STABLE AND TRACK NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 18

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES

TO BE SPELLED. Aiguille, while galloping at Awapuni on Thursday morning bled, and ho is to be turned out for a spell. Earlier in his career this horse was a good performer. TWO DIVIDENDS. There appears to be some doubt about the payment of one or two dividends in fields of five or six starters under the 75-25 system (says the "Dominion"). The position is that clubs have the option. They may pay one or two dividends in fields of five. LEFT FOR SYDNEY. Mr. E. Montgomery, part owner of Silver Jubilee, and owner of Gallant Knight, left for Sydney by the Monterey yesterday. Silver Jubilee and Gallant Knight will leave for Sydney next Friday in charge of W. Townsend. Silver Jubilee is engaged in several races over there, chief of which is the Doncastcr Handicap to be run at Randwick at Easter. AGAIN AMISS. Cricket Bat, who went sore while he was at Ellerslie for the summer meeting, was given a rest when he returned home, after which he was started again at lliccarton on useful tasks. A few days ago, however, he showed signs of lameness and it was found necessary to ease him up. The Winning Hit horse has had a lot of hard races and he may be feeling the effects of his exertions.

WELL BRED. A much improved mare (states a Napier writer) is Snowball, who is now being moulded into shape by H. Monteith at Waipukurau, and if she keeps on improving may be worth taking into consideration later. She is well turned and displays a deal of quality, which might ,be expected considering her breeding, for she is by Lord Quex from Iceball, by Valkyrian, from the English-bred mare Pebble 11., by Bock Flint.

UNLUCKY THREE-YEAR-OLD. Inveresk ran a sound race in the Trial Plate at Wellington, being well in the picture all the way. He was handy to the leaders when the straight was reached, but a little further on he stopped suddenly. He had fractured a fetlock joint and had to be destroyed. He was a three-year-old colt by Tea Tray from Bebe, dam of the Derby winner, Cupidon, and he had had an exasperating run of minor placings this season.

CHAMPION HACK CUP. Nightform was never in a winning position in the Champion Hack Cup at Trenfcharn on Monday (says a southern writer). He became prominent passing the distance, but did not last long. Golden King was also a long way back until well into the straight. He put in a remarkable run home, and in another furlong he would have been a comfortable winner. Both Moonbeam and Knock Out were out of the contest with half a mile still to go.

ALTERATIONS IN DATES. There have been several alterations in dates approved by the executive of the Racing Conference. The Egmont Racing Club has been granted May 4 and 6, in lieu of May 9 and 11. The Dargayille dates have been changed from April 4 and 6to April 6 and 8. The Taranaki Jockey Club has had April 13 approved for its extra meeting. The Diinedin Jockey Club has been given May 6 for a special meeting, using the vacant Kurow permit. The .Southland Racing Club has been allotted May 17 and 18 instead of May 10 and 11 to fit in with the local Winter Show.

CAN BE IMPROVED. Graball, winner of the steeplechase at Clifden on Saturday, is an aged gelding by Cynic from Pursefiller, both good performers over hurdles in their day, and was only recently purchased by Mr. W. E. Haalett from Mr. A. W. Douglas. He is an excellent jumper and likely to be seen to better advantage over bigger country than lie had to jump on Saturday. Graball looked rather big when paraded, and can yet. be vastly improved in condition. As he ran the two miles and jumped nine fences in a tick over 4m, he promises to be a good stake winner for Mr. Hazlett. "ONLY SANE SYSTEM." The only sane system of betting is the one that will provide owners, trainers and breeders with the just consideration that they are entitled to receive" above that supplied to the ordinary racegoers whose liability starts and ends with his more or less casual presence on a racecourse (says "Sentinel" in the "Otago Daily Times"). The owner, trainer and breeder is under an annual and continual expense, and the casual racegoer only under a daily expense and yet he can obtain exactly the same odds as those whose hands are continually dipping into their pockets. This state of affairs is repugnant to common sense ideas that have become more pronounced i since commercialism has become a dominant note in racing. The totalisator cannot possibly supply the chance to which owners under considerable annual expense are entitled. They cannot obtain the chance in New Zealand, and when a good horse is found in a stable he is either sent or sold to Australia. New Zealand wants to establish a system of betting that will make it reasonably profitable for an owner to keep a good horse in his own country. Outside of Randwick or Flemington New Zealand should supply just as good a betting market as Australia, and the odds are the magnetic attraction which draws all our best horses away from this country. We may be said to breed the best, but have to be content to see the second best rac ing. Mr. Ken Austin has returned witl the conformation and the same positivi opinions as. others fully conversant witl the conditions of racing in Australia am New Zealand. There has never yet beei an acceptable opinion expressed agains bookmakers in England or Australia, ant never will so long as common sense Icnow ledge of racing legitimately dominates tin situation, as it should in sport as in anj medium of circulating money in any mar kct. Those who arc hostile to a state o: affairs accepted without the slightesi question in England and Australia arc either narrow-minded axe-grinders, or dc not know what they are talking about The annual exodus to Australia is due tc the fact that the buyer of a 1000-guinefl horse in this country has to take or leave the odds made by those who never have owned a hair in a horse's tail.