DISASTROUS SEASON

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25140, 22 March 1947, Page 4

DISASTROUS SEASON

RACING IN ENGLANDFor eight consecutive weeks the exceptionally severe winter in England had prevented any racing under National Hunt Rules, states a recent message ttbm Lbndoh, the last race meeting having been held at Birmingham oh January 2021. At the tihie, there seemed little likelihood of improvement. The amount of training that trainhts had been able to give their hprses was negligible, and there seemed littla ftrospecth of getting sbhte of the horses fit again before the seasdri ends.

At the time of writing, 49 days’ radrig/ involving 30 meetings, had been fbst in ail parts of the cbbhtry, and the Prizemoney at the meetings Wduld hdVe amounted to £73,000. A tew fresh dates had been granted, but the Jockey Cltib is adverse to too much encroachment bn the flat raeihg seasoil, which cdmmences on March 24. The weather will have a tremendous effect on the flat race season, because of the interruption to traihihg. Few horses are expected to be fit when the season opens, even though some trainers had been galloping their teams Oh the beaches. Twd-year-olds are most affected, and it is ndt expected that many Will be fit to face the starter until well into April. Though the winter has been the thbst disastrous in living memory, there haVe been other very bad seasons. In 1804-96 only 36 flays’ racing was possible in four months,and in 1929 40 days were abandoned. That year the 100 to 1 chaHce Gregalach Won the Grand National. The present season may'see a similar happening. Successes in India

Several .of thfe hbrses purchased for and formerly raced by Indian owners In New Zealand are making names fot themsClvCs in India. Mr G. E. Robertson, of Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd., has received advice that the first tWb shipments to reach India since pre-war days have made an excellent impresSibri. Black Simon, a son of Revelation, Which is now owned by H.H. the Maharaja of Kashmir, won at his first start oyer six furlongs on the same day as Blithe Spirit won for the same owner in the Dominion. Black Simon won at his next start over a mile and at his third, when he carried top weight of 9?5, he was narrowly beaten into secohd place. At their first stdH, Foxbridge Bay, by Fpxbridge, and Broielov, by Broiefort, ran first and second and have both since had further successes. Alien, by Bulandshar, ran second at his first Start arid Won over seven futIpngs at his second start. Alien is a halfsister to the two-year-old filly Ladyship. Champa Kalee, now known as Uragrant Champa, a daughter of Balloch, Woh at her first start over seven furlongs. She is a half-sister to Balmacara. Nike, tty Gynerium, ran fourth at her first start; Sweet Girl, by Fdxbridge, ran third, arid Blue Simon, by Revelation, and Theorist, Sy Theio, had had one start each withut result. Successful Trip Thfe Te Aroha trainer, M. Conza, who was Successful on the West Coast circuit, will probably next race his team at the Nelson meeting on April 19 arid 21, arid Will then return to Te Aroha. Altogether Cohza’s team won 15 races ahd £l9OO iri stakes from December 28 to Marfch 15. Death of Lumlnate Luminate, a three-year-old filly by Orelip from Min Lii, the dam of Tula arid Bridgehead, was found dead in hfcr owner’s paddock at Masterton during the week While spelling. She began racing last November, and in five starts had won twice and been placed twice. She was trained by T. L. Jenhihgs at Opaki. Apprentice Suspended The Hawke’s Bay district committee has ‘suspended the Trehtham apprentice B. McDonald for the remainder of the season, McDoriald was a witness supporting the appeal bf J. BbWrifcss against a suspension decision of the Pahiatua Racing Club, and the district committee fbund McDonald guilty of wilfully supplying false information.