THE RACING WORLD

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 257, 14 July 1926, Page 14

THE RACING WORLD

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “The Watcher.’*) Nominations for all events at the annual steeplechase meeting of the Christchurch Hunt Club, to be the Riccarton racecourse on July 31, will close on Friday, at 8 p.m First acceptances for the. Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles, and Winter Cup, will close at 8 p.m. on Fsidav next, when general entries for the Grand National meeting arc also due. The Trentham trainers A. Goodman and J. Ayres leave fot Auckland to-day to join the Sydney boat. They will spend a short holiday in Australia. All the visiting horses have left Trentham with the exception of Paddon, Birkenclla, and Tnki, who will go down to Riccarton in a day or so. Trentham horses likely to visit Riccarton are Jubilance, Waterlow, Glument, Indian Sage, Master Peter, and Dubious. Jubilance will be a runner in all probability at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting, while Master Peter and Dubious may also compete at the same fixture. In any case this pair will go down some time prior to the Grand National and be schooled on the ground. No. 12 usually has a good run at Trentham meetings, and it may be remembered that last year it was the number of both Passionate and Lucullent when they won and paid substantial dividends. Followers of the number last week would have had a lean time ,as the best horses carrving that saddlecloth could do during the three days was a second in the third race on Thursday. When Red Cent contested the July Steeplechase at Trentham on Saturday he did so in the colours of the Canterbury sportsman Mr. N. Rutherford, and he has now joined A. B. Wormaid’s team at Riccarton. Jov Bird, who won the concluding event at Trentham on Saturday, is one of Mr. W. Higgins’s English-bred horses. She ranks as a three-vear-old, but is under a six months’ disadvantage with New Zealand-bred horses of the same age, and she looks like turning out a useful sprinter next season. Blue Hall and Te Kawa, both members of T. B. Pearson’s team at Riccarton, broke down in their first essays at Tf-entham last week. They were showing signs of unsoundness prior to making the trip. The two Riccarton hurdlers Sayonara and Bonatic both got into a fence early in the race on Saturdav. On Sayonara’s running against Wedding March the first day, he is a useful sort and either of the pair may show improved form in their next outing in the south. M. McCarten rode Forgerv when the Paper Money gelding won in Sydney, and lie also landed a good race with Cootgong at Canterbury Park ou June 26. Sparkling Moselle, the winner of the V.R.C. National Hurdles, ,is from a New Zealand-bred mare, and further interest to the Dominion in the result was the fact that Shanti, who ran second, is trained bv Stan. Reid. Rivalry galloped well for a mile tn the Parliamentary, but she soon collapsed when she reached the cut up going in the straight. On top of the ground at Riccarton next month Rivalry may show up. Although the Canterbury Jockey Club’s handicapper is allowed to go up to 12.7 in framing the handicaps for the Grand National Steplechase, the field for the next contest does not contain one weighted even at 12.0. Nukumai heads the list at a stone under the limit, and the scale is lower than usual, commencing even 51b. below the topweight in the Wellington Steeplechase. A comparison between the opinions of the two handicapers is eiven in the following table;—

To compare the form at Trentham: The two top-weights are down sfb. and Omahu, ae in the July Steeplechase, has been treated as past his best, and had been dropped 81b. Birkenella got 151 b. for his win in the Wellington Steeplechase. Fireblight 61b. for second, and Passin’ Through was neither raised nor Towered. Tuki and Master Peter have both been kept on the safe side, but Llewellyn has been dropped. 121 b. It would give him a rare chance if be were what his admirers claim, but on his form at the Wellington meeting he does not look a National winner. Charlatan and Stnrdee have received the same relative treatment as Master Peter and Tuki., and Kendal's showing on Saturday kept his weight even. The 51b. off First Line will not have any effect on the issue. It will be seen that there is very little to choose between the two sets of weights, but in giving Birkenclla 10.1 Mr. Henrys announces that here is a dangerous candidate over Riccarton country, and he will find plenty to agree ' with him. Fireblight's extra poundage and the fact that she was second last year also indicates that she will be dangerous. Tuki scored under 9JJ last vear, and on his recent form he is well looked after with 10.7. There are several in the National who were not entered for Wellington, and amongst them is Kawi'ni, who may be a possibility, though first acquaintance with the Riccarton country is not a good recommendation for a National. The followin' l ' shows the weights allotted in the Winter Hurdles as against the National Hurdles:—

There are more differences here than in the steeplechase, and one or two are decidedly interesting. In the firs* place the scale commences lib. lighter, which will be the means of bringing Ngaia into more favour than ever. Landbird, a* a wintwr of the Gre*t Xortheffi, cat,-

’ not complain of his 11. a. Mr. Henrys decidedly says that Frisco Mail is a possibility, as in the lower scale he gives him 51b. more. The three placegetters in the Winter Hurdles have been treated on their. merits, but it brings them nearer the top-weights Comedv Prince is down 101 b. He would appreciate this treatment if he were caught in the mood on the day. Santiago is also dropped 10lb , and if he can produce the form he lias shown at Riccarton in the past, he must be a possibility. The greatest difference is in Little River, who has been let down a stone to the minimum. Little River did not contest the Winter Hurdles, but he ran in the Trentham Hurdles under 10.2. The going at Trentham would not enable him to show his true form. He has mixed it a bit lately with steeplecbasing, and while it is not suggested that he is the sort of horse to be recommended for a race like the Grand National Hurdles, he has, so far as weight goes, been given the chance of his life. With the multitude engaged in the Winter Cup, there can be small, profit in discussing possibiilties at this early stage. On the form as shown last week Rapier cannot complain of his 10.2. The stable has another representative in Cbickwheat, who is on the minimum, and it was on the cards that Rapier would not start. Since the publication of the weights, however, his connections may change their minds Jamieson’s stable, with Nippy, Eden Hall, and Le Choucas, has. a likely trio. At the weights Civility (10.1) takes the eye. She has never successfully negotiated eight furlongs, but she has’ twice been runner-up at seven in the Great Easter. Indian Sage is rated 41b. the best three-year-old.. The records of the race are all against horses of his age. The only one. to win in tlie past 17 years was Solifonn. Kitbronsyth and York Abbey are a very likely pair at the weight round about the mark which produces the majority of Winter Cup winners. Mr. W. J. Wood, of Waipawa, has disposed of the Kilboy—Tuneful gelding Minstrel Boy to a West Australian sportsman who already has two or three Hawke’s Bav horses in his team. It is the intention of J. T. Jamieson to make a trip to Riccarton next month. He has Nippy, Le Choucas and Eden Hall engaged n the Winter Cup and other events, and they comprise a very useful trio. Nippy is an improving young horse with a good future. His best performance to date was in winning the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui last May, and included in the beaten lot was Degage, who subsequently went on to Ellerslie and won the Cornwall Handicap. Nippy failed at Ellerslie, but the going was considered to be the cause. He will have firmer ground at Riccarton. Nippy is a good beginner, a big asset in a race like the Winter Cup, which usually goes to a horse well placed early in the race and sometimes is won from end to end. The two-year-old Tea Bell, who was very little inferior to the best of his age in the autumn, has done remarkably well during a spell (says, an Auckland writer) and is now’ working along steadily with a view to spring racing. He has thickened out considerably, and also grown slightly and should again do well next season. Courage is a very strong point with Tea Bell. Musketoon has finished racing. The English horse is to take up stud duty in Hawke’s Bay, having been leased by Mrs Perry.

Winkle’s Best is building up nicely at Riccarton and is hitting out freely in his work. His trainer, R. Emerson, does not consider that the Winkie gelding will be forward enough to show of his best at National time, but is hopeful that he will stand up through the spring meetings. From Svdney comes news of the death of ’the 'stallion Btragoon, who had stood at the Kingsfield stud in New South Wales throughout his career. Beragoon, who was a descendant of Multiform, performed brilliantly at two and three years old, but leg troubles came against him and he was relegated to the stud at four years old. When Beragoon was stretched out to win the Breeders’ Plate at Randwick tn the early spring of 1.91'2 he was referred to as "a big baby” that should never have seen a racecourse in public until the back end of his career at two years old had been reached, and that earlv fencing no doubt contributed to his early retirement. As a sire, Bcragoon claimed a number of winners, but, though he had a good chance at the Kingsfield stud, his record fell below what might have been anticipated. J. H. Jefferd having finally decided to make the spring trip to Australia, R. Recd left for Hastings yesterdav to ride the team in their final gallops. Rapine, Star Stranger, Toy King, and the Paper Monev—lmpediment colt will probablv comprise the lot to be sent across and they will leave Wellington by the Ulimaroa on July 30. Glenross is under offer'to an Australian bnver. As he runs on much better than the average Absurd, and carries weight well, he should prove fl. nrofitable speculation 011 the other side. FIXTURE!!. Jnlv K.-WaimaJe District Hunt f'hil' Julv 24.—800th Canterbnrv Hunt Club July 29 51.—Gisborne R.O. Julv 3’ Clw‘'loh>'rrl> lli’v. C. n” August 7—Poverty Bay Hunt Chib. August 10. 12. 14 - Canterbnrv Jockey Club’s Grand National. August 21—Paknranga Hunt Club. August 25 — Egmont-Waugnnui Hunt August 28— North Taranaki Hunt Club. TROTTING SOUTH CANTERBURY HANDICAPS.. Christchurch, July 13. Following are the handicaps tor the trotting event at rhe South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting:— WASHDYKE HANDICAP TROT (saddie), of 100 sovs. Ono mile and a half.—Repetition, Pretty Pointer, Starina. .Jimmy Binjen, Royal Audubon, Rambler Rose, Morven Lass, Micky Audubon. Beach King, Acco, Satisfaction, Deauville, Dillinda, Chancery, Great Night, KilHnchy, Huon Hay, Medallion Jack, Wento, scr.; Jimmy Chimes, 12vds. behind; Atlas. 24yds. behind; Sadie Huon, 36vds. behind; Throgmorton, 00yds. bohinil; Logan Lad, 96yds. bell ind-

W.R.C. Steeples. G.N. Steeples. Ntiknmai . 11.1*2 11.7 Landbird . 11.10 11.5 Passin’ Through 10.11 .10.11 Omahu . 11.1 10.7 Tnki . 10.10 10.7 Master Peter . 10.10 10.7 Llewellyn . 10.4 9.6 Charlatan . 10.3 9,13 Birkenclla . 9.0 10.1 Sturdee _ . 10.4 10.1 Fireblight . 9.9 10.1 Kendal . 10.0 9.13 Tigerland .... 9.0 9,0 First Line . 9.5 9.0 Ranui . 9.0 9.0 Greekson . 9.0 9.0 Whipcord . 9.0 9.0 Red Cent . 9.0 9.0

Winter Hurdles. St. lb. G.N. Hurdles st. Th. Meat a 11 IS 11 9 Nukumai 11 11 11 fl Lam third 11 11 11 5 Comical 11 S 11 4 ’Frisco Mail 10 4 10 9 Dubious 10 r> 10 1 Black Cruiser .... 9 in 10 2 Zircon 9 9 10 3 Lncnllent 9 7 •4 8 Comedv Prince ... 10 4 9 fl San Fcra 9 10 9 7 Te Kawa 9 11 9 C Brigadier Bill 9 7 9 4 Santiago . 10 0 9 4 Crown Coin ....... . 9 4 9 1. Wedding March .. 9 0 9 0 Little River . 10 n 9 0 . 9 0 9 0 Savonara — 9 0 9 0 Peter Rosa . . 9 2 9 0 Bonomel . 0 0 9 0 Projector . 9 0 9 0 Greekson . 9 0 9 0 . 9 0 9 0 Askari 9 0 9 0