STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 272, 16 November 1935, Page 24

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

SISTER TO FRACAS. Sir Charles Clifford's "brood mare Scrimmage, by Antagonist from Mad Whirl, foaled a filly to Winning Hit last Saturday, the youngster being a sister to Fracas and Bun Fight. Scrimmage was the last of the Stonyliurst mares to foal. DOING EASY TASKS. Nothing in the way of fast work has been required of Gay Marigold during the last few weeks, most of her tasks being confined to easy pacing on the sand track. As the result she is looking a trifle above herself, but that should not be against her, as she comes on quickly with a bit of galloping. The mare has some attractive performances to her credit, and when R. S. Bagby gets her wound up again more money should be in store for her.

LOWENBERG'S SUCCESS. In winning the New Zealand Derby Lowenberg gave Hawera stables easily their most important success of the last two or three years, as well as marking the first occasion that a representative from this district has won the Derby (says a Hawera writer). Peter Jackson was third to Bronze Eagle and Fiji in 1932 and Seatown second to Commendation in 192G, but these were the only occasions in the last fifteen years at least that a Hawera horse filled a place. Lowenberg's win added yet another important Riccarton event to the tally of O. Cos, whose horses in the past have done remarkably well on the course. He has now won the New Zealand Cup with The Banaker in 1925, the Canterbury Cup with The Banker, also in 1925, the Great Easter Handicap with Reremoana in 11928, as well as a host of races of lesser importance.

OUT FOR A SPELL.

C. Emerson intends to give Tuirau and the two-year-old Sir Hugh a good spell before they are raced again (s&ys a southern writer). Tuirau should benefit by a rest, after being iu commission right through the winter. Sir Hugh has shown no form in his races, in spite of promising track work, but he may be better with a bit of age.

DOING GOOD WORK. The latest track efforts of Psychologist have been very encouraging and clearly indicate that the brown gelding is nearing his best form again. He was not accepted for at the Waikato meeting to-day, butwill be seen out at that fixture on in the Hamilton Handicap, run over a mile. This is Psychologist's favourite distance and he should put up a creditable showing if the going is firm.

BACK FROM AUSTRALIA. Captain Bruce, who recently returned from Australia, is in regular work again at Ellerslie uuder the care of his owner, W. Kemp. lie has grown into a solid-looking three-year-old and is also displaying promising speed in liis track work. The son of Captain Jiunsby and Lady Bruce has no immediate engagements and will not be seen out until later in the season. When in work as a two-year-old this maiden showed considerable promise, but he has never raced in New Zealand. ' 1

APPROPRIATELY NAMED. Double Gift, winner of the Nursery Handicap at Riccarton 011 Wednesday, is a bay filly by Polazel from the Sunny Lake mare Bella Lake, a smart sprinter herself, and she is owned by the Washdyke trainer P. T. Hogan, who, it is said, received her dam carrying her as a gilt from Mr. H. Brosnalian, hence the name. She showed promise at the Duncdin meeting when she ran third in the McLean Stakes to Pelmet and Amount, and she was finishing on 111 her race last Monday.

IN NICE CONDITION. It is some months since Black Marlin had a race, though he is well forward in condition and is getting through a sound preparation. He was schooled over four fiiglits of hurdles at Ellerslie a few days ago and gave an attractive jumping exhibition. Black Marlin has been entered for hurdle events at the Bay of Islands and Takapuna meetings, and the fields he will meet at those fixtures are likely to test him much more seriously than any. he has yet had to contend with.

GOING ON THE RIGHT WAY. Fleetwind, who is to have her next outing at the Takapuna meeting, is going 011 the right way at Ellerslie and looks very bright and muscular. This filly was tried over seven furlongs at the Avondale spring meeting and put up a creditable showing, though she weakened over the last half furlong. Now that Fleetwind is better seasoned the distance should not be beyond her, and if she goes to the post in the Takapuna Plate, to be run over a similar distance, her prospects will have to be i considered.

SHAPED WELL LAST START. The racing King Mestor had at the Wliangarei meeting did him good and lie has been hitting out with plenty of freedom since that meeting. His second to Crooning in the open sprint event at the northern meeting shows that the King Lu gelding still retains his speed, and he looks like winning a race when the class is not too select. Later on in the season King Mestor will probably be tried out in hurdle races, and with the speed that lie possesses he would only need to jump correctly to pay his way in that department. SURE TO IMPROVE.

Streamline, who made his debut in the Port Cooper Hurdles at Riccarton on Wednesday, is a four-year-old half-brother byDay Comet to the New Zealand and Auckland Cup winner Fast Passage. He showed up for half the journey, when a faulty jump caused him to lose ground, and lie finished well back. He is built on big lines and had shown ability to jump when schooled, while he has more than usual pace for a hurdler. Streamline racefe in the same colours as Punchestown and he is sure to improve with experience. REVOLUTIONISED SHOEING.

J. King's horses do their work as near racing conditions as possible, but it was R. J. Mason who revolutionised shoeing for ,track work at Randwick (writes "Pilot") .In the. early 111 "Pilot"). In the old days trainers believed in their charges carrying plenty of iron, but when Mason brought a big team from New Zealand in 1905 he reversed the order of things. His horses were lightly shod, and when they repeatedly did fast gallops many Randwick trainers discounted them with the comment, "Nothing on their feet." Mason's horses, however, had a remarkable winning innings at the Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting that year, and trainers .at th 4 Australian Jockey Club's headquarters decided there must be virtue in light shoeing. Most immediately adopted it, and, with few exceptions, it has been the custom ever since. Mason, who was a very smart runner in his younger days, more than once remarked to me, "You wouldn't expect a man to improve his pace or style by running in heavy boots, and I think that also applies to horses." Of course, when a man has marked success as a trainer, extraneous causes are often suggested, and I remember Frank Marsden causing excitement among a group of trainers at Randwick one morning by remarking, "I know Mason's Uope." "What is it?" was queried. "Brains," was Marsden's terse reply. And that properly summed it up.