RACING Australian Interest In Good Gallopers

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28491, 22 January 1958, Page 4

RACING Australian Interest In Good Gallopers

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, January 21. Australians, and notably the leading Randwick trainer T. J. Smith, have been making inquiries in the last few days for several well-performed New Zealand gallopers. Smith, who has had great success with New Zealand-bred gallopers, including Tulloch, Redcraze, and Toparoa, made approaches to the owners of the Wellington Cup winner Yeman last Saturday.

Smith told Messrs H. Korman and S. N. Sparks that Yeman would be an ideal type of horse for a race such as the Brisbane Cup, and asked if he could take over the training for an Australian campaign. Yeman’s owners were not Interested in the proposal. The Sabaean horse may go to Australia later in the year, but will remain under the care of his Takanini trainer, C. M. Jillings. Yeman will remain at Trentham for the St James Cup, run on February 8, when the Queen Mother will attend a special meeting. Smith has also made some inquiries about the New Zealand Cup winner. Great Scot. His form on his present campaign at Trentham is a fourth in the Wellington Cup, and third ip the Wellington . Racing Club Handicap.

Approaches have been made to Sir Ernest Davis for his good performers Copernicus and Bali Ha’i, and offers have been made for the South Island horses Teaka and Compensate. Interest in Teak* The Bandwick trainer F. Dalton has twice inspected Teaka since he has been at Trentham. Teaka is the early favourite for the Summer Handicap at Trentham on Saturday, after a good second to Liban in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap yesterday.

Teaka had not raced since he won the Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton in November, otherwise he might have improved a good record for his Riccarton owner, Mr C. L. Smith. Teaka will also run in the St. James Cup at the Royal meeting. The three-year-old Compensate took his record to three wins in four starts for the season when he won the Pencarrow Hack Handicap last Saturday. The distance of the race was seven furlongs. On Saturday, he will be tested over a mile in the Kelburn Handicap, and he will probably be favourite.

Compensate raced rather greenly last Saturday, so there was much merit in his performance to beat Post, although the latter was rather unlucky. Compensate is owned by Mr

V. A. Voyce, of Kurow, and trained at Oamaru by J. C. Hobbs. Hobbs had not trained a Trentham winner before. Post Returns Home The Riccarton trainer, G. R. Felling, returned south this evening with Post, which was disappointing in the Douro Handicap yesterday. Post did not run on from a trailing position, and faded to the middle of the field in the last furlong. Something much better was expected after his good race on Saturday. Death of Bobalong Bobalong, the dam of Monte Carlo, the outstanding staying three-year-old in Australia last season, and Del Monte, winner of the John Grigg Stakes at Ashburton in September, died at Mr Ken Austin’s Inglewood Stud, Kaiapoi, yesterday. Bobalong was by Lord Bobs from’Raphis, a sister to the champion Phar Lap. Count Cyrano, a half brother to Bobalong, won four races, including the A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap. Swingalong, a halfsister to Bobalong. won the Great Northern Derby and the John Grigg Stakes. Bobalong was judged the best brood mare for 1956-57 by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and a trophy was presented to Mr Austin at a cocktail party in Wellington last evening.