THE RACING WORLD

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 307, 23 September 1926, Page 14

THE RACING WORLD

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By

“The Watcher.”)

The Napier Park spring meeting will commence to-morrow and conclude on Saturday. The first race each day is timed to start at 11.15 a.m.

Waetea, Axle, and Royal Game will be shipped south to-night to fulfil engagements commencing at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday Joy King, who has to date raced entire, was gelded in Sydney on September 14, and Jefferd expressed the opinion that he would do better in the future on the race track. Since arrival in Sydney Joy King has not been well and out of work.

Latest news from Sydney is to the effect that R. J Mason's pair of two-year-olds, Agriom and Eulalie, have recovered from the attack of influenza from which thev suffered for some time. It is probable that the illness will prejudice their chances at Lie A.J.C. meeting. There was a double event decided at Marton on Tuesday that was not without interest to the sporting world. The first came in the form of the arrival of an infant daughter to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Morris, but the jovful tidings were rather dampened when the proud father, a short while after, was hurried to tire same hospital as a patient and was immediately operated upon for appendicitis. While congratulating the popular jockey and his wife, one must add a note of sympathy for Morris and wish him a speedy recovery. The malady came at a most inopportune time, for he had several important riding engagements to fulfil in the near future, at the Napier Park and Avondale meetings, including the mount on Commendation in the Avondale Guineas.

The Napier Park Racing Club received an excellent list of acceptances for the first day of its spring meeting, and if there is a similar response for the second day the club should be able to record a successful fixture.

After Royal Time’s fine showing at the Marton meeting, he will have plenty of supporters in the scurry hack race at Napi<;r to-morrow. The only thing that might come against him would be an indifferent start. The stable is reported to have something useful also in Sandburr, a four-year-old brother to Cohesion, who has been showing pace on the Hastings tracks. The Australian-bred mare Aurumavis showed very good form at the end of the season just concluded, in one ot her starts running second to Nippy.- Welter weights appear to suit her. and although she is conceding weight to everything but Imitation in the six-fur-long welter at Avondale on Saturday, her past form makes her prospects look bright.

One of the opponents of Auruniavis on Saturday will be Jeanette. This mare was taken to the winter meeting at Napier Park and backed with confidence, but she let her supporters down Later at Gisborne she was responsible for a rather smart performance under weight in winning an open sprint event, and a repetition of that form mav see her prominent in Saturday’s engagement, in which she is favourably handicapped. ■' Provided a capable light-weight is put up on Jubilance in the seven-furlong welter at Avondale on Saturday she should tun prominently. She ran a great race under difficulties in good company at the Grand National meeting, and has gone on improving since then It will be remembered that it was intended to send her to the stud this season, but her showing at Riccarton was good enough to induce her owner-trainer to keep her going. Muscari has occasionally been responsible for some good performances, and he is another light-weight in this race who mav run well.

Winter form points to Zircon and Luculletit being prominent in the Grey Lynn Hurdles on Saturdav, and of the pair Luculleiit has been the most consistent and reliable. Mahgoloire is a good stayer and jumper who might be troublesome at the end of the two miles. Bennanee failed badlv at the Marton meeting when entrusted with the position of favourite, but the bad coin" nrobablv had a good deal to do with his defeat The track should be in perfect order at Napier Park, and the opposition is not strong. The illness of L. G. Morris, besides depriving Mr. Gaisford of his services for Commendation will mean a serious upset in the plans of W. J. Donovan’s stable for the Napier Park and Hastings meetings. Donovan lias his team freely engaged, and Morris was to do the bulk of the riding. In a letter written prior to Limerick’s brilliant defeat of Windbag in the Chelmsford Stakes, F. D. Jones savs: “Rammon has not yet won the Derbv.” The New Zealand colt’s subsequent great performance will, no doubt, make Jones even more confident of Limerick’s Derby chance, and there is no doubt be will fully extend Rampion. One of the most extensive shipments of English-bred mares that ever landed in Australia reached Melbourne from the Old Country recently. The collection comprised twelve mares, and as most of them had foals at foot, the shipment was rendered especially interesting, for it is safe to assume that some of the foals will take a place •with the racing division when age comes to them. S. Donoghue has figured in a number of protests in England this year At Sandown Park in July he rode King Arthur 11. in the Coombe Plate, and was beaten by F'ort Flare, ou whom M. Beary had the mount. Donoghue, protested against Fort Flare for crossing at the turn, and Donoghue’s evidence being supported, by that of Childs, Fort Flare was disqualified, aril Beary reported to the stewards of the Jockey Club for dangerous riding. He was subsequently suspended for a month.

From the latest Sidney papers it appears that Cromwell, who disposed of Rampion in the Rosehill Guineas, had soundlv beaten the champion colt m a gallop over a mile at Randwick a few days previously. Apparently not much notice was taken of this, as Cromwell had an advantage at the start and in weight. Limerick’s win in the ' Chelmsford Stakes over Windbag impressed' the critics in Sydney, although excuses are made for Windbag on the score of his severe race against Valicarc the previous Saturday, followed by a hard gallop over seven furlong# in training with Ranine at Randwick. It is considered that these two bard gallops affected Windbag. Limerick, however, won so easily that the staunch supporters of Rampion are now wavering in their allegiance. What they feel like at the present time after last Saturday’s Rosehill Guineas is not recorded. It is probable that Limerick has disposed Ramnion from the position of Derby favourite. At any rate be is the ruling Svdnev favourite for the Melbourne Cun. Commenting upon Derby prospects after the Chelmsford Stakes “Pilot” wrote:—“Limerick may not have beaten Rampion in the Ho'artvilie Stakes, even if he had kept straight, but I am not prepared to emphatically declare he will not do so in the A.J.C. Derbv On the score that be was not ouite himself excuse is possible for Windbag in the Chelmsford Stakes, but there is no getting away from the fact that Limerick beat

two other good horses in Rapine and Pantheon, without an effort. No matter how he fares in the Derbies, he is sure to give a good account of himself with 7.5—a pound more if he has a Derby win—in the Melbourne Cup. I read in an exchange that a Melbourne jockey had been approached with a view to riding Limerick in the Cup, but Jones knows nothing of it. Unless T. Green has to return to New Zealand before the V R.C meeting, he will be Limerick’s Cup rider. He won the Challenge Stakes on him at the Canterbury J.C. (Christchurch) autumn meeting. Ill’s race in the Chelmsford Stakes did the'New Zealander no harm, but it was scarcely to be expected it would, as he was not under pressure at any stage. As Limerick is a rather light-framed customer, perhaps the lower scale may have helped him, but in New Zealand as a two-vear-old weight did not seem to trouble him. At Randwick in the Chelmsford Stakes he bowled along in a style that suggested ability to get any distance, and he is an easier galloper than. Rampion. In addition to the Derby, Limerick is to tackle the Craven Plate, but, in view of his Melbourne engagements, it is no certainty he will run in the Clibborn Stakes on the concluding day. After the Derby and Craven Plate, it is probable he will temporarily have had enough. Some trainers are forced by their patrons to hurry two-year-olds who are obviously unsuitable for early two-year-old racing, in the hope of winning one or more of the rich two-year-old events. We are not antagonistic towards two-year-old ’racing if carried out with moderation, but (says the “Australasian”) it is our opinion that the racing clubs should use every endeavour to make their three-year-old races more attractive. and in that way induce owners and trainers to refrain from forcing immature two-year-olds. This would also indirectly improve training _ methods, as the trainer would have time to study the temperament of his charges, which to-day, with so many rich prizes following in quick succession, is almost impossible. The Boniform—Philomela mare, Bon Avis, has been sent to Ellerslie to be mated with Tea Tray. She showed a lot of speed in training, but was unsound, and Mr. E. S. Luttrell was reluctantly compelled to retire her

Sir George Clifford has sold the four-vear-old Roval Head, by AutumnusKirriemuir, "to the South Canterbury sportsman Mr. R. Burnett, tn whose colours Ferino was a useful performer. Amongst the now regular workers at Riccarton is Sunny Loch, who has shown in recent short gallops with one of McCombe’s Australian two-year-olds that he still retains some of his oldtime pace. The Craven Plate, to be run on the third day of the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting, _ has _ furnished many stirring contests since it was instituted, and the entrants for. the approaching race are of such a .high standard as to warrant the prediction that it will again create a wide interest. The following is a list of. the horses engaged:—Windbag, Rapine, The Hawk, Count Cavour, Pantheon, Vali; care, Spearfelt, Red Gauntlet, Fuji San, Ainounis, Star Stranger, Rampion, Limerick, and Resource. The race is run over a mile and a quarter at weight-for-age. Mr C. Brannigan, of Ashburton, breeder of King’s Trumpeter and his half-brother, Count Cavour, is reported to have a yearling full-brother to the latter running on his property in the South Island. Following Count Cavour’s performance in the Rosehill Cup, in which he ran fifth, Trainer F. D. Jones sent a cablegram to Mr. Barrett, stating that he was quite satisfied with the running of his charge, and ajso expressed himself as being very hopeful concerning future prospects 11l view of the defeat of Rampion in the Rosehill Guineas, it is interesting to read now some of the Australian comments on his meeting with Limerick in the Hobartville Stakes. Some people considered that when Limerick swerved m the straight it was due to the fact that lie shied “Musket,” of the "Sydney Mail, disagreed with this view “Jo my mind he wrote, “Limerick was done to a turn and swerved when the whip was Wied Just as Limerick threw out his P challenge, Cracknell on Rampion shook his Whip repeatedly at his mount, but did not hit him once, and the colt stretched out in good style to win bv over two lengths. The New Zealanders have won many of our Derbies in previous years, but this toe we have a candidate who appears to hold them safe.” In a recent gallop on the Randwick tracks Star Stranger went under to Count Cavour in a fast nine furlongs, and if the latter would only callop as well in his race sas lie. does on the training track, a win in Sy due. would be a certainty Gays a Sydney writer). After his last defeat, I . Tones was anxious to hand him over to some other trainer, communicated with his owner to that effect. The replv was not to be discouraged, but to keep on. He is doing so but will not again be tempted to trust Count Cavour in races until he docs something suggestive of a return to his New' Zealand form. AUCKLAND NOTES ’‘Dominion” Special. Auckland, September 22. Arrivals to-day included J. T. Jamieson’s team, mentioned yesterday, from Papakura; Mosaic, Nancy. Lee, and a two-vear-old from Opotikl; and rLoomb from Cambridge with 1-inelli, Desert Glow, Mia Bella, Air Queen, Phaola, and Value. A Driscoll will be on Master Doon and Marble Mount at Avondale, m addition to those horses already mentioned. , , . , . .. Some of the probable riders in the Avondale Cup are B. H Moris (Civility) L. Pine (Mask), H. Lee (Desert Glow) S. Henderson (Tanadces), J. Barrv ’ (Beacon Light), R. McTavish (Lord Star), R. Orange (Princess Ronnie), 11. Wiggins (Star Ranger),. E. Ludlow (Danae), E. Keesing (Lonnn.t), J. Cammick (Passionate), C. Davies (Gold Jacket). T. Tito (Captain Gazelev) J. Potter (Rahepoto), A. Driscoll (Slcenv Sol), C. Goldsboro (Holyinond). JOTTINGS FROM RICCARTON AND ADDINGTON “Dominion” Special Christchurch, September 22. The Riccarton jockey J. Beale is going north for the Avondale Jockey Club’s meeting, which opens on Saturday He has been engaged to ride Commendation in the Guineas. Chickwheat was scratched for' the New Zealand Cup at 12.10 p.m. to-day. Mr. J. S Barrett, owner of Count Cavour, left for Svdnev to-night . in order to be present at the Australian

Jockey Club’s meeting, where his gelding vyill be racing. Modrland will have an advantage over most of the other sprinters at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday. He was very well when he won at the Grand National meeting, and he has been galloping in good style since then.

Mr. H. A. Knight will be a passeu-' ger by this week’s boat for Sydney to see Limerick race in the Derby and other events at the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting.

The field for the Ashburton Handicap on Saturday includes Waetea, Heather Lad, and Jubilant, whose form will be followed with especial interest as they are New Zealand Cup candidates.

Beau Geste, who figures in the Trial Plate at the Ashburton meeting on Saturdav is a four-year-old brother to the New Zealand Cup winner Scion. He has done no racing yet, but he shows a fair amount of speed in his work and he may turn out useful when he has had a little racing experience. Nelson Derby, one of the early favourites for the New Zealand Trotting Cup, has been causing W. J. Tomkinson some anxiety of late. Tie has been given a dose of physic and he is at present having an easy time. It will be bad luck for liis connections if lie fails to survive a Cup preparation, as he only has to be at his best to plav a leading part in the big race at Addington.

Jack Potts is making a good recovery from the mishap which occurred to him a few weeks ago. His enforced spell came nt an unfortunate time, however,, and it will be difficult to have him at his best for the Trotting Cup. FIXTURES. September ?,4. "5 X.nni"r Park I! o. September 25—Ashburton County It.C. (at Riccarton). September 27 Avondale .1.0. Sentember 30 Octob’r 1 Gee-oinv p October 2,4, 6, 3—A.J.C. spring meeting (Randwick). October 2- Hawke's Bav o.C. October 7—Knrow J.C. October 7. 9- Wiiancarel It.C. October 8. 9—Otalii Maori It.C. October 9—Oamaru J.C. October 14 1& Dunedin J.O. October 16- Carterton R.C. October 23. 25—Wellington R.O. October 25—Waikato Hunt Club. October 25-Waipawa County R.C. October 23. 25- Wavcrlev R.C. October 25- North Canterbury li.O. October 25. 27- Gore R.C. October 78 W Poverty Bpv Turf Club October 29, 30—Masterton R.C. (at Trentham). October 30—Banks reninsuli R.C. October 30, November I—Thames J.C. November 2, 3—Cromwell J.C. November 3—Birchwood limit Cl' November 6, B—Auckland R.C. November <>, S, 10, 13—Canterbury J.C.