PAHIATUA OPENS TO-DAY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 105, 28 January 1931, Page 15

PAHIATUA OPENS TO-DAY

Good Field for Jubilee Gold Cup

A REVIEW OF THE FORM

Notes and Comments

(By “The Watcher.”)

The Pahiatua Racing Club’s annual meeting will be held to-day and to-morrow. To-morrow will also see the opening of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s summer meeting, which will conclude on Saturday.

The annual meeting of the Pahiatua Racing Club will be held to-day and tomorrow. The fields for to-day are well filled, and from a racing viewpoint the meeting promises well.

The Pahiatua course has a long straight, thus offering a better opportunity to horses coming from behind. The going is always good, the turf being thick and springy. Since last meeting the club has built a fine new stewards’ stand, an improvement that is certain to be much appreciated. The fist race each day is timed to start at noqn, and to-day's programme is as follows : — MAIDEN RACE, of 80 sovs. Weight 8.7. Six furlongs and 65 yards, Hystride Midnight Echo Saltpot Taura Lad Elute CaughtBright Sky Protomint Lady Ronald Pimple Lady Makere .Tadarlno Quexfram Merry Boy Blue Heaven Leyland Wee Acre Maidstone Valorous Knight Blacksmith, having won at Ashhurst, is not eligible for the maiden race at Pahiatua. The best form is that of Saltpot, Flute, and Lady Ronald. Lady Makere, Caught and Hystride present possibilities. Saltpot and Flute may do best. BALLANCE HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP, of 120 sovs. Seven furlongs. Tallsker .. 10 13 Ramesea ..10 7 Queen’s Briar Root . !> 11 Choice 10 9 Fine Acre ... 910 Balloon ... 10 8 Wanderlust . 9 8 Belle Star, . Baskier ... 9 5 Incl. rhep. . 10 8 Pale Star ... 9 0 Belle Star’s form at Ashhurst and at Trentham, where she led into the straight in the Summer Handicap, makes her a good prospect of the Ballance Highweighf. Rameses having been purchased for the south is probably an absentee. Queen’s Choice and Balloon look likely, and Fine Acre in form would be a good prospect. Wanderlust and Baskier look possibilities, and Pale Star might show up. Belle Star and Baskier may do best. KONINI HACK HANDICAP, of 100 sovs. Six furlongs and 55 yards. Statuary ... 9 0 Arvada .... 7 9 Leisure ... 811 Winloch .. 7 7 Ex Done .... 8 3 Royal Bengal 7 5 Patearoa, Lady Makere 7 4 inel. rebep. 8 3 Protomint . 7 3 Golden Jadarino, ..'7 3 Shadpw 8 1 Statuary, Leisure, Golden Shadow and Arvada are the form horses in the Konini Handicap, and Royal Bengal showed up well at Trentham. Patearoa won at Ashhurst. Winloch also displayed form here. At the weights Golden Shadow ought to go well, and Royal Bengal with improvement may also be prominent.

PAHIATUA JUBILEE GOLD CUP, of 200 sovs. One mile and a-quarter. The Swell, Billion .... 1 8 incl. rehep. 8 8 Mt. Shannon . 7 0 Hoylake ..8 7 Dainty Ways 7 0 Runnul ... 8 6 Tunbridge - 7 0 Desert Song . 8 3 Fitzquex ... 7 Admiral Jayson 7 0 Drake 7 6

Admiral Drake may be missing from the Gold Cup field, but on his Trentham form be has a great chance. Ruanui, Desert Song and The Swell should be well backed, and lightweights like Billion, Mount Shannon and Fitzquex have to be considered. Well ridden' Billion might be hard to beat. Ruanui and Desert Song look likely. HAMUA HANDICAP, of 100 sovb. Oue mile and 110 yards. Werata .... 9 0 Rich Harvest _ Acmil 811 (inc. renep.) 8 5 Spearform . 8 6 Lucretia ..7 9 Statuary ..8 5 Courtlike . 7 I Brambletorn Acred 7 b incl. rehep. 8 3 Kllorell ... 7 o Werata did not show his right form at Trentham, and he is better placed in the Hamua Handicap, but the opposition is not easy, Acmil, Spearform, Statuary, Rich Harvest and Brambletorn all have to be considered., Werata and Brambletorn seem a likely pair. MAKURI HACK HANDICAP, of 100 sovs. Six furlongs and 55 yards. Pakltere .. 9 1 Cook 710 Oral S 3 Arvada .... 710 Mahora .... 8 2 Sir Ronald . 7 , StUl Qliex ... 8 1 Valueless . 7 2 Queen’s Thrasher ..7 2 Salute 7 10 'Pflkitere should go well in the Mgkuri Handicap, where Mahora, San Qu ex, Queen’s Salute and Arvada must also be considered. Valueless has shown form in maiden events. Pakitere and Arvada appeal. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, of 130 sovs. Six furlongs and 55 yards. Desert Song . 9 0 Portray ... 8 0, Ridgemount Lady Rene .. 7 10 incl. rehep. 813 Dobbin .... 710 Admiral Taranto’ ... 7 8 Drake 8 8 Hoi de Vai ..7 0 Belle Star, incl. rehep. 8 1 The - Ridgemount-Belle Star bracket will be in demand in the President’s Haudicap, where Portray, Lndy Rene,. iJoobin and Taranto present possibilities. Ridgemount finished fourth at Trentham on Saturday after his win at Ashhurst. This is good form. Admiral Drake, if started, would be the pick. In his absence Ridgemount and Portray look bes„ with Lady Rene the likely lightweight. EKETAHUNA HANDICAP, of 100 Bovs. Seven furlongs. Acmil ..... 9 7 'White Doe .. 712 Fitzquex .. 812 Protoinint ... 712 Pewa 813 Modestrian .. 7 12 Ex Dono .... 810 Black Acre . 7 11 Rotation ..8 6 Feast ...... 711 Airforce ... 8 1 Lady Ronald 711 Desert Lad . 8 0 Enter 711 King Broney . 7T2 Grey Witch . 711 On Wellington form Fitzquex rather stands out in the Eketahuna Handicap. Pewa looks a possibility, and if form is repeated Rotation should be in the picture. Airforce, Desert Lad, White Doe, and Grey Witch have possibilities, and if Acmil waits for this engagement, she should go well. Fitzquex and Pewa appeal.

DUNEDIN CUP

Nightmarch Nominated

Dominion Special Service.

Christchurch, January 27.

Nightmarch has been nominated for the Dunedin Cup and the James Hazlett Gold Cup. Other Ricearton horses engaged in the former are Ball Dress, Couipris, Don Jose, First Sight, Gay Crest, Pride, and Topere, and in the Hazlett Cup First Sight, Gay Crest, and True Shaft.

Callamart appears among the nominations for both hurtl’- races at Dunedin. He was on the prh...e sale list at Trenthiini last week and an offer of 130 guineas by a Dunedin owner was rejected. Evidently a sale was made later. For the past few years Count Cavour and Footfall have earned the admiration of racegoers in Canterbury and other parts of New Zealand, and their contemplated retirement will remove two popular and high-class gallopers. Between them they have credited their owners with the large sum of £22,432. Count Cavour won £15,620 for Mr. J. S. Barrett, and of the £6812 collected by Footfall £6362 went to Mr. C. G. Dalgety, and his present owner-trainer, G. Murray Aynsley, received £450 as a result of the gelding’s success in the Waikouaiti Cup on New Year’s Day. . “N.Z. REFEREE” 0 All Sports Reviewed The current issue of the “New Zealand Referee” contains a budget of national news which will Interest sporting people Of many tastes. The first-class racing at Trentham, paragraphic comment on the form, and the National Yearling Sales with a complete price list are dealt , with b.v “Carbine,” and the hitter event is supported b.v Illustrations of the highest-priced animals. "Mentor,” the “Referee's" Auckland racing expert, surveys the prospects for this week’s racing at Taknpunn, and columns of provincial news will keep racing people in touch with form of the day. Prominent In the trotting section is a review of the prospects for the Forbury Park meeting together with comment on the form displayed on Saturday at New Brighton, where many Forbury runners were engaged. From the north are notes on the preparations being made tor the Epsom February meeting. The outdoor snorting section is of particular interest this week, for it contains a page account of the opening of the American athletes’, tour at Masterton. a page of cricket covering the Plunket Slileid matches, a detailed account of the BlayDonovan fight, and a page of national tennis news. FIXTURES. .Tnn. 21, 2fi— Pahintun R.C. ■Tan. 29. Ill—Takapuna J.C. Feb. 4—Tapnnui R.C. Fob. r>, 7—Egmont R.C. Feb. 5, 7—Gisborne R.C. Feb, 7—Mataninta R.C.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By ‘‘The Watcher.”)

Nominations for the Wangauui Jockey Club's meeting, to be held on February 19 and 21, will close on Friday at 9 p.m.

Acceptances for the first day of the Egmont Racing Club's summer meeting, to be held on February 5 and 7, will close on Friday, at 8.30 p.m.

It has been definitely decided to retire Beacon Light from the race track. He was a brilliant horse, but almost right through bis career suffered from unsoundness.

Te Awamutu reports state that Royal Ruler, w’ho has been very lame since the Thames meeting, has not been on the tracks, and will most likely be scratched for Takapuna.

A. E. Ellis did not accept much riding at the Wellington meeting, owiug to the effects of his fall from Lord Thomond at Foxton.

Senor Meyer Braun, the Chilian- buyer at the thoroughbred sales, will take the first consignment of New Zealand stock to that country, lu Valparaiso races are held every Sunday, he stated.

Of the £11,500 offered in stakes at the Wellington summer meeting, the South Island won £4712.

The two-year-old filly Type (Leighton —Merit), has been sold by Mr. V. Riddiford to Mr. R. C. Webb, of Christchurch, and she has joined her half-sister, Sapient, at Ricearton.

The three-year-old gelding Normandy (Arausio —Hoy), half-brother to Anomaly, Shirley and Co., has joined J. IV • Lowe’s stable at Trentham, and will do his racing in the colours of Mr. O. S. Watkins.

Perle de Leon has joined P. T. Hogan’s team, and will do his winter racing in the South Island.

At New Plymouth on Saturday morning Easter Time and Gibraltar were responsible for a great half-mile, the distance being left behind in 49 2-ssec. They finished on terms, but Easter Time was doing it the better. It was a good trial for Takapuna.

The Auckland owner, Mr. C. W. Anderson, who won the Fitzherbert Handicap at Trentham with Fedora, has purchased the steeplechaser Glendowje. Glendowie became affected in the wind some tune ago, and his future activities will be confined to the hunting field.

The Belfast trotting trainer, C. S. Donald, made five purchases at Trentham last week. Most of them are yearlings, but the four-year-old gelding, Crash, by Kilbroney from Anthem, has had a bit of racing. It is probable that Donald will take a practical interest in the galloping sport in future.

Intended for Jumping. Blacksmith, who scored his first success in the Maiden Race at Ashhurst, has raced several times recently, and on one occasion at least be showed up prominently, that being when he ran fourth in the Novice Stakes at Woodville, won by Beverage, with Brambletorn and Chief Savage in the other places. He is a five-year-old black gelding by Arrowsmith from the Hymettus mare Venetian, dam also of Keen, and carries C. F. Vallancc s well-known green and white livery, being trained at Awapuni by Mrs. A. McDonald. Blacksmith will be put to the jumping game later on. Unregistered Joint Interest. The Hawke’s Bay District Committee has disqualified R. Gregory, E. A. Jones, and F. S. Hellyer for twelve months on a charge of breach of part 7 of the Rules of Racing. Part 7 deals with the necessity for the registration of joint interests. The horse concerned is Lady Spy. Lady Spy, Archeria, and Royal Flyer, who carry the colours.of Mr. Gregory, were to be raced at Walroa, but automatically forfeited their engagements. Archeria and Royal Flyer were purchased at Mr. W. H. Gaisford’s sale at Woodville recently. For Private Sale.

The Hastings owner, Mr. J. S. McLeod, intends to reduce his team, and Simba and Ganpat were on the private sale list at the Wellington meeting. Both were expected to run prominently during the week, but the soft track did not favour them. Mr. McLeod is anxious to retain and race My Own and Jenny Diver, with the ultimate view of breeding from them, but if the big price he put on the former last week in answer to an inquiry should be forthcoming she will have her future home in Sydney.

Strephon in England. News of Mr. S. Green’s horse Strephon, which is in England, was brought to Melbourne on January 19 by Mr. Walter Raphael, an English owner, who arrived by the Naldera, Mr. Raphael said that he had been impressed by the appearance of Strephon, and that in his opinion the horse would do well in England when he settled down. Mr. Raphael expressed a desire to see Phar Lap race. Since 1900 he has entered a horse for practically every English Derby. His candidate Tagalie was successful in 1912, and in 1913 Louvois finished only a neck behind Aboyeur. who was awarded the race after the disqualification of Craganour, who was actually first past the post. Biankney II and Syce, who were bred Yiy Mr. Raphael, and St. Alwyn, whom he raced, were first-class Australian sires. Promising Three-year-old,

Minerval. who was' among the. winners at Trentham on Saturday, is a three-year-old by Arrowsmith from Lady Minerva, by Martian from Lady Lillian. Ho has a good turn of speed, and his Ricearton trainer, F. Christmas, has always had great hopes that he would develop into .a useful performer/ Minerval gives promise of staying, and further successes should come his way before the end of this season.

Palermo’s Meteoric Rise. Palermo, the four-year-old gelding by Solferino from Lady Pal. is the. most consistent sprinter in commission. His dam, by Pallas from Golden Globe, was seen little on the racecourse and won only one race, when at five years she took the tnniden plate at a bnck-country meeting. As a three-year-old he ran second in his first start and on the same day (at the Tapnnui meeting) he won another race, with trophy attached. This auspicious start he carried along in his next three starts, nt Clifton. Gore and Riverton. On the two succeeding days at th? last-named fixture he failed to fill a place, but after a third in his next start at the Invercargill winter meeting he ran four successive seconds in good hack races. His record last season wns therefore four wins, five seconds and a third in 12 starts. The fish were small, however, and he netted only £-132 in stake money. During the present season Palermo has won four times and been second three times in ten races, bringing his total winnings up to £1407. The heavy, going aided his success in the Telegraph •Handicap, but he has won equally well under firm going, and it is almost certain that he will continue on the plane to which, in less than 12 months of racing, .he has so sensationally risen.

Trainer and Tipsters. Last month H. S. Persse. England’s lending trniner of last year, wns granted an injunction, with costs, against a garage proprietor nnd a newsagent to restrain them inciting and inducing apnrentiees to disclose his (Mr. Persse’s) stable secrets. The newsagent combined n professional tipsterial business with his other activities, and in bis evidence Mr. Persse said he “laid” for him on One occasion. In the henring of one of his stable employees Mr, Persse said thah he wns going to run Empire Builder for the Cambridgeshire, but would not back it. A few, hours later, in circulars to his clients, the tipster mnde the same statement, The particular employee who was known to have overheard the conversation was discharged the following day.

Red Tape. Jimmy Munro, the crack Sydney jockey, received a shock when the steamer Ormonde reached Sydney from England

recently. The ship brought saddles and other gear, which Jimmy had used when riding in Germany. The Customs authorities refused to allow the saddles to be landed. They were acting under a regulation, designed to protect Australian stock from disease, and they refused to -ive way. One of the saddles was that which Munro used when he won the Melbourne Cup of 1920 on V indbag. He had used the same saddle when he won the German Derby last year on a horse owned by Baron Oppenheimer.

Opinions Differ. H R. Telford is credited with having selected Phar Lap because his pedigree suggested the possibility of his making a ‘first-class racehorse. The German breeding authority, Mr. F. Becker, believes climate and methods or training must have greatly contributed to the success of a horse bred on lhar Lap s lines. After discussing the chestnut s pedigree, he wrote as follows: “I maintain, without any fear of, or concern in contradictory statements, that a horse bred on the lines of Phar Lap would turn out in Great Britain a hack of the purest water.” Mr. Beekcr knows lus subjec., but out here his contention sounds so remarkable that many will argue against its correctness.

Woodville Autumn Programme. The Woodville District Jockey Club has issued the programme for its autumn meeting to be held on Wednesday and Thursday, February 2a and -«■ Lne Woodville Cup carries a stake of 3ao sovs., of which the winner receives 160 sovs. and a gold cup,.value 100 sovs. The Ruahine Handicap is worth 200 sovs. On the second day the Autumn Handicap is of 200 sovs. and the Telegraph Handicap 150 sovs. The Victoria Hack Cup is worth 95 sovs. to the winner as well as a silver cup, value 25 sovs, No race except the one each day for maidens is worth less than 100 sovs. to the Winner. Nominations will close on Friday, Jicb ruary 6. z

SMART GALLOPS

Takapuna Candidates

WORK AT ELLERSLIE

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, January 27. There was some smart galloping at Ellerslie this morning, the course proper with the flags thirty feet out being in US Foot Rule ran five furlongs in 1.4 and' did it well. She is expected to be in the money at Takapuna. ' Gold Lily, with a fair weight up, ran seven furlongs nicely in 1.32 2-5. Sh° has an outside chance in distance hack events. , Hampton Park and Tetrachate easily beat United and Katerena over five furlongs in 1.31-5. Both the first-named went really well. Eager Rose ran a round in 2.0 4-5. She finished well and is at the top of her f °Rafflight comfortably held Full Measure at the end of six furlongs in 1.18 4-0. Raffligbt could have done better. Corinax, with Praetor to assist over the last six furlongs, ran a mile in 1.47 3-5, the last six in 1.19 2-5. Corinax did his work well and lost no friends for the cup. ’ . . Royal Survey and Tambourine went fairly well over seven furlongs in 1.30. Brampton had the better of Neil oyer a mile in 1.501-5, but neither was impressive. . Konanui and Te Money were on terms over seven furlongs in 1.35 2-o. Talyoon played with Hawthorn over half a mile in 51. He is a promising youngster. Sub-Editor and Sir Mond, both all out, ran a round in 2.51-5 -a useful effort. Puriri Park hit out well over five furlongs in 1.6 1-5. . T , Catoma was just in front of Llanore at the end of seven furlongs in 1.30 o-o. They went fast in the early stages and Catoma finished, up really well. Leasehold, on the outside, just shaded Karangapai over five furlongs in 1.3 l-o, both doing their best. Leasehold is due to win soon. „ , , Escalus and Good Boy ran five furlongs in 1.4 3-5, with nothing between them. Escalus is improving. Operatic, alone, ran seven furlongs in 1 32 2-5 ' ’ Spring. Abbey beat Bizarro and Red Lion over seven furlongs in 1.33. xne former looks just about right. Gay Idea and Gay Cockade separately ran half a mile in 51. The cup candidate, Gay Cockade, is in good order. Taneriri and Manawhcnua ran five furlongs on No. 1 grass in 1.5 3-0. Botli are coming on well.