RACING AND TROTTING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21938, 12 November 1936, Page 23

RACING AND TROTTING

LATEST NEWS FROM FAR AND NEAR

RACING FIXTURES w^S^-il 1 ' 23—Waikato R.C. November 28—Ashburton County R C EllSSif' 30 ~^^ U Tc. at fe m £ er 28, 30-Feilding J.C. JX? er 10, 12 -Woodville District December 12—Walpa R.C. rwf m £ er R.C. December 19—Otaki Maori R.C. December 26-Watpukurau j£ rwf m £ er 11' 28-DunediS J C nfsf m £ er B 28-Taranaki J.C. December 26, 28, 29-Westland R.C December 26, 28, 29-Manawatu R.C. iSdRc" Jan " l ' 2 (1937) -AuckJanuary 1-Waiau R.C. January 1-Waikouaiti R.C. January I—Wyndham R.C. January 1, 2—Stratford R.C. January 1, 2—Marton J.C. January 1, 2—Hawke's Bay J.C. January 1, 2~Wairarapa kc. January l, 2-Greymouth J.C. January 2—Oamaru J.C. January 2, 4—Southland R.C. January 7. 9-Reeft.on J.C. TROTTING FIXTURES November 12, 13— N.Z. Metropolitan November 26/28—Forbury Park T.C. December s—New Brighton T.C. December s—Walkato T.C. December 26—Ashburton T.C. December 26—Gore T.C. December 26, 28—Wairarapa T.C. December 28, 28—Westport T.C. December 28, 30, 31—Auckland T.C. December 29—Winton T.C. December 30—Westland T.C. TURF GOSSIP Ashburton County R.C. The date of closing of nominations tor the Ashburton County Racing Club's summer meeting has been extended from Monday next until Tuesday next at 8 pjn. . Likes Firm Going Emissary was not produced on either of the middle days at Riccarton owing to the soft going, and his programme on Saturday will depend on the state of the track,, which must be firm for the big Legionnaire gelding, Question of Rider Fersen was withdrawn from the Canterbury Cup, owing to the difficulty in securing a suitable rider for him, his previous pilot, L. J. Ellis, having been suspended. He is to be paid up for in the Metropolitan Handicap on Saturday, but will be started only if a strong horseman is available. Loss of Form Custos had better track conditions in the Canterbury Cup yesterday, and when he was in a handy position about five furlongs from home, he appeared to have prospects of taking part in the final stages, but from that onwards he gradually drifted out of the contest.

The Oaks Winner The Chokebore stable has had several horses in work by Day Comet, but many have been disappointing, and it would appear as if Top Notch will turn out the best of the breed. She is a sister to Rocket, who ran some good races, but at the same time did not carry on up to expectations. Top Score, pafrrfirby Aututftnus 'froiff Winning Way, and is a sister to the successful sire, Winning Hit. Top Notch has not had a great deal of racing, but has shown promise of developing into a high-class distance performer. Coming Right Mandamus, winner of the Otaio Plate yesterday, was purchased by Mr W. H. Gaisford as a yearling at Trentham for 600 guineas. He had one win and two second placings as a two-year-old and this season won a six furlong Trial Handicap at Wanganui in September, followed by two unplaced performances at Ellerslie last month. Drastic, dam of Mandamus, is by Absurd from the Spearmint mare Drax. dam of Spiral. At the conclusion of yesterday’s race, a silver plate attached to the stake was handed to Mr Gaisford on behalf of the club by the Hon. P. C. Webb. A Bright Future

Spearmarch has not been long in giving a return of his purchase money, and credit for the progress he has made since coming south in August is due to his trainer, D. O’Connor, who has ridden him in all his schooling and racing. Spearmarch is a big gelding by Spear Dance, who claims Spearmint as his sire, and his dam. Lady March, is a sister to Queen March, dam of King March, Gay Marigold, and Limarch, all good winners, the lastrnamed beating Hall Mark in the Australian Jockey Club St. Leger. Te Kara, an Auckland Cup winner, comes from the same family. Spearmarch was purchased by Mr H. Elworthy, of South Canterbury, with the ultimate idea of making a steeplechaser out of him, and by his displays over hurdles to date he shpuld make good over country. ( Interesting Record The amount given in stakes for the three completed days at Riccarton totals £10,605, and of this Sir Charles Clifford has won £3285 for his eight successes and two minor placings. Sir Charles headed the list of winning owners for last season with £4450, and with a little more than three months of the present season covered, his stake earning's have amounted to £4920. At the New Zealand Cup meeting of 1904 Mr G. G. Stead figured as the owner of 12 winners on the four days’ racing, all trained by R. J. Mason. These were:—Maiden Plate, Golden Knight; New Zealand Cup, Grand Rapids; Welcome Stakes, Munjeet (Sungod second); New Zealand Derby. Nightfall; Juvenile Handicap,' Sungod: Spring Nursery, Delaware; Canterbury Cup. Nightfall; Electric Plate. Machine Gun; Members* Handicap, Savoury; Jubilee Cup, Cruciform; and Randolph Handicap, Machine Gun. The stakes won at the meeting by Mr Stead amounted to £4725. Sir Charles Clifford will be represented by a fairly strong team on Saturday’s programme, but will be without the services of Wild Chase and Trench Fight, who were withdrawn from their engagements yesterday afternoon. TROTTING NOTES Reminders Nominations for light harness events at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s summer meeting will close on Tuesday. Se- Gift In the Middleton Handicap on Tuesday Sea Gift from 120 yards behind made up her ground very rapidly, and at the end of a mile, run by the leaders in 2min 24sec, she was within two or three lengths of the pacemaker. Such an effort so early in the proceedings naturally left the Wrack mare without much dash, and it was not surprising to find her breaking up badly. The track was not in order for fast time-making, and Sea Gift’s first mile was covered at a pace that few of the hoonled pacers could have attained. Possibly I. J. Smith, the driver had an idea that once he raced up to the leaders be would be f I Y® I X a c^?nc 3 to rart bis mare, but ¥ at the end of

a mile the pace brightened up, and Sea Gift had still to be kept up to her work. A great trotter, Sea Gift may yet be heard of during the meeting, De Soto Although De Soto was allowed to forfeit his New Zealand Cup engagement, he has been doing useful work, and his reappearance at Addington today will be watched with interest. Although he showed signs of lameness after racing at Oamaru, this is a continually recurring complaint, and was not regarded seriously by his connexions, A kick from another horse during loading operations on the day following the Oamaru meeting put De Soto out of action for a few days. Harold Logan to Retire Although he is probably past his best Harold Logan is still the public’s idol, and the crowd at Addington on Tuesday showed its admiration of the little champion by a hearty cheer each time he passed the grandstand, Harold Logan was fourth in the cup, and while he was some distance away from the winner he put up a great race. He was not so quick away from the barrier as in years past, but he possesses the same quiet racing temperament. This will be Harold Logan’s last race meeting, for he is plainly not so good as several younger horses. A rest from serious training and a life on luxurious pasture should be the reward of one of the most remarkable pacers the world has known. He is one of the greatest performers in the history ,of trotting in New Zealand. Now 14 years old, he has won over all distances in match racing, handicaps, and free-for-all races, and is easily the most popular pacer in New Zealand to-day. The Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association will show their appreciation of the wonder horse after the last race to-morrow, when Mrs J. H. Williams, wife of the president of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, will decorate Harold Logan with a floral wreath. Red Shadow Red Shadow appeared to be in his very best form when he was paraded for the cup. on Tuesday, and while he did not finish with his old dash over the last 100 yards, he gqve a great performance for a horse that has regularly mixed racing and stud duties. If Bryce had been able to take the chestnut to the outside of the track instead of racing in the centre Indianapolis would not have won his third cup. Red Shadow apparently has come back to his best form, and may have to be considered in other races at the meeting. Attempt on Record Under ideal track and atmospheric conditions, the race against time by Indianapolis at Addington to-day might create the greatest interest, for the advent of the two-minute pacer is eagerly awaited. There is a doubt, however, whether ideal conditions can rule to-day, and possibly Mr G. J. Barton, who is so anxious to own the first two-minute pacer, would have been well advised to postpone his attempt on the record until some time later in the season. The Metropolitan Club has arranged for the trial to take place at 2.20 p.m., and has allowed a 55-minute interval between races. The average racegoer is possibly not very much concerned whether Indianapolis does a mile in two minutes or 2min lOsec, but it would show its appreciation of a sterling effort from behind a field of our best handicap horses. MIRAMOND WINS ASCOT HANDICAP (UNITED FBSaa ASSOCIATION—COPTEIGBT.) (Received- lO.lfr-pSn.) SYDNEY, November 11. At the Ascot races E. Bartle, having his first ride since he was suspended a year ago in company with • J. T. Jamieson on account of the running of Country Party in Melbourne, won a division of a pony race on the former Victorian filly, Manamah. Bartle received an ovation from the crowd. The Limond gelding, Miramond, after many failures, returned to the winning list by narrowly defeating Royal Promise in the Ascot Handicap. Prince Pombal, after running unplaced in the Mascot Welter Mile, was third in the Flying Handicap. Kow Tow and Royal Helena were unplaced in the three-ycar-old handicap. NEW ZEALAND HORSES REACH SYDNEY SYDNEY, November 11. J. T. Jamieson received 16 horses from New Zealand by the Wanganella. Four of the team, Upokoariki, Country Party, Yerrapie, and Latharna, arc known to racegoers here but the remainder have not yet been raced. They comprise eight two-year-olds and four three-year-olds.