THE RACING WORLD

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 264, 3 August 1932, Page 15

THE RACING WORLD

SCHOOLING BADLY Billy Boy Loses Friends PERSISTENT REFUSALS Friday’s Batch for Sydney (By “Poneke.”) Billy Boy has declined in favour for the Grand National Steeplechase in consequence of unsatisfactory schooling at Riccarton. He has persistently refused to jump the first fence of the Kennels double, but has taken other fences well. Megaphone’s Buyer. The purchaser of Megaphone is Mr. O’Hara, of Perth. Mr. O’Hara wad a fairly frequent buyer of New Zealand horses a few years ago. Megaphone will be shipped from Wellington by the Zealandla, which sails on Friday. Won Big Money. The two wins of Gold Mag in his only starts in Sydney probably have yielded profits running into several thousands of pounds. . r ' Gold Mag started at odds ranging from double figtires downward in his first race, and a shorter but very good price on the second occasion. As his second success was over a mile and a quarter there does, not appear to be much foundation for the report that he is broken-winded. Loss of Alpinist. Mr. W. Stone advises that he has had the misfortune to lose Alpinist. The mare broke a fetlock. For Hurdling. . Sllvermine may be tried as a hurdler soon. He has not done' well on the flat lately, and in addition has been sore. A son of one of New Zealand’s best' race mares, SHvetmine was a good performer on the flat His successes include a Thompson Handicap. Havering’s Owner. Among the New Zealanders leaving for Sydney on Friday will be Mr. J. Corcoran, owner of Havering. Ellis for Snowfall. A. E. Ellis declined the mount on Full Mark in the Grand National Hurdles. He will ride Snowfall in the Grand National Steeplechase, but it is unlikely that he will handle any other jumper next week. Recovered. . The hurdler Bon Eve has recovered from the rick he incurred at Trentham and has resumed work. Probably he will be seen out in some of the late winter and early spring hurdle races. St. Leger Reinstated. The Wellington Racing Club has decided to reinstate the New Zealand St. Leger, which was to have been dropped from the 1934 programme. The stake will be £250. Entries will be invited shortly.” " " ‘ : America Inquiring/ * America is turning her eyes this way since Phar Lap won the Agua Caliente ( Handicap. Mr. K, Austin, manager of ■ the Flderslle Stttd, has received word ( asking if NOa Lap, sister to Phar-Lap, i is for sale. She is not in the same t class as her world-famous brother, but 1 her relationship may make her desirable for the stud. At present Nea Lap is a member of J. M. Cameron’s team in Australia. Trent fiam Totalisator. J In the future 10// tickets as well as > £1 and £5 tickets are to be procurable j at the main,totalisator house at Trent- < ham. There are to be twelve ten-shil- < ling windows and eight £1 windows. s Lord Ranald’s Rider. < , W. Scobie, whovpiloted Lord Ranald < when he won the South Canterbury ( Steeplechase, has ridden the big Mas- f terpiece gelding in his five successes ( over country. Scobie is not often seen c in Hie saddle now, but he will again be < associated with Lord Ranald in the ( Grand National. c . c Bound for RlcCartcn. c Paddon, Lord Vai, and Woodful leave c the Waikato for Rlccdrton to-morrow evening to fulfil engagements at next week’s C.J.C. fixture. Sailing fdr Sydney. o Horses leaving Wellington for Sydney d by the Zealahdia on Friday are Cylin-1 I der and Meghphone (under the care of I a J. H. Jefferd), Autopay (C. Pritchard), v Prince Pombal and St. Bernard (J. f McLaughlin), and Silver Ring (IL W. p King). D

Winter Cup Candidate. Merry Peel won a seven-furlong race at the recent Wellington meeting, and 'this was the longest distance he had tackled until he contested the Levels Hack Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday, extending over a mile and 35 yards. , He wajunot asked to do his best at > any stage, and A. E. Ellis had one of the easiest rides he has enjoyed for a long time past. .Merry Peel has always had-the reputation of being an outgalloper, . but invariably contracted leg trouble when ready to appearvta public. In, ; consequence, he. has not*been much in the limelight, but. is now deemed to be thoroughly sound, , and by his three successive wins in the last three weeks, is a decided Winter ! Cup possibility at his handy impost of 8.2. He will, be ridden by L. J. Ellis. For the South. Tobacco Land, Solitaire ll* and Nor-; mandy are to leave Trentbam for Riccarton toward the end of this week. The dther Trentbam horses—Pahu, The Sun, and Gay Court—are already at Riccarton.; ... ‘: Trentham Track Work. Tobacco Land ran a nice six furlongs at Trentham yesterday morning. He took Imln. 19sec. for the distance, the last half-mile in 53see., and was running on strongly at the finish. Prince Pombal, who accompanied Tobacco Land over the last five furlongs, showed the more speed, and was in front at the finish. ' Gaysong ran half a mile. Posy smi: slightly the better, and her timesW:sosec. NoJWudy, ran six furlongs, the last half He was not hurried •in the early part of the gallop, but worked well. St. Bernard was given a three-furlong spin with Cottesmore. Their time was 38jsec. Both went well. " Gold Sand was too good for Colossical over five furlongs in Imin. 6sec. Bright Song .was schooled over the pony hurdles and three of the hurdles. She jumped well. Tea Trader Impressing. At TiAunini on Saturday Tea Trader (Walteeb) showed a lot of dash in running three furlongs with High Comedy (Edwards) in 39 4-ssec. Tea Trader has done exceptionally well during the winter, and he will run a fast gallop the first time he. is. extended. Snowfall. ; Snowfall faded out .in the last part of the South Canterbury Steeplechase, after being prominent all through the early stages. It was, however, a greatlydmpftfved performance compared with Wjfiat he showed in his previous start cm the same course a few w-eeks ago, sgss the Christchurch “Times.” The raije.should assist him. It . ■ ———- ' V.R.C. DECISIONS No Action Against Trainers By Telegraph— Press Assn.—Copyright. Melbourne, August 2. Officials of the Victoria- Racing Club state no applications by leading traiiwsi.qiave beetj disapproved by the committee. BecAuse" th© terms of its license bind an applicant to abide by its rules, the Victoria Racing Club cannot have its decisions questioned by people seeking registration, and it is most likely that the rea’sons for the action taken against , the jockeys will never be known. t

FIXTURES. August 6—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. August 9, 11, 13—C.J.C. Grand National. Augpst 29—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August 27—Taranaki Hunt Club. August 27—Otago Hunt Club. September 10—Martbn J>C. September 17—Ashburton County R.C. September 22, 24—Wanganui J.C, September 22, 24—Geraldine R.C.’ October I—Napier Park II.C. October I—Kurow J.C. October 7, R.C. October 6, B—Dunedin J.C. October 15—South Canterbury J.C. October 15—Maaterton R.C. October 13. IT—Avondale J.C. October 22, 24—Wellington R.C. October 22, 24—Gore R.C. October 24—Waverley R.C. October 24—Waikato Hunt Club. October 2i— Waipawa County R.C. October 24—North Canterbury R,C. October 27. 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 29—Banks Peninsula R,C. October 29—Carterton R.C.

AFTER FIFTY YEARS Trainer Still Wins Races ABOUT JAMES SCOBIE Anyone who could follow the mind of the veteran Flemington trainer James Scobie to-day would glean a store of reminiscences and gain a remarkable insight into racing history of the last 60 years (says the Melbourne “Argus”). For-this is the 50th anniversary of the day on which Scobie realised the ambition of every cross-country jockey by winning the Grand National Hurdle Race at Flemington, and since that day Scobie has gone on from success to success—first as a rider and then as a trainer. The horse on-which Scobie won the Grand National was Rhesus, trained by Isaac Fdulsham, who, despite his 76 years, 'still follows his calling in Sydney. Scobie was to have ridden Lothair in the Grand National Hurdle Race Of 1882, but two weeks before the race another jockey was engaged, and Scobie accepted an offer to ride The’irony of it for Lothair’s owner was that Rhesus defeated his horse by half a head. Scobie, as Is only natural in view of his many great wins over fences, always contends that the modern steeplechase horses are inferior .' to those of 40 or 50 years ago. In his volume, “My Life on the Australian Turf,” he remarks“My memory goes back to stars of the ’chase such as Sussex, Himalaya, Left Bower, Corythns, Ringwood, Blue Mountain, Lone Hand, Ruby, Kangaroo, Sir Peter, Handy Andy,' Redleap, and Hans Breitman. Such horses far outclassed their successors of the present day.” ■ Many racing men of the present day* will not agree with that statement, and they direct attention to the fact that when Scobie won the Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase of 1887 on Blue Mountain the horse baulked early in the race, but, taken on again, scored a very easy win. The modern contention is that no horse, past or present, could give such a performance among steeplechase horses of the present class. In Blue Mountain’s days, however, jumping rather than speed was the chief consideration. The steeplechase course at Caulfield was not turfed, and the horses jumped from sand. In addition, the fences were much, higher than those of today.. Blue Mountain, however, possessed more than the average pace on the flat, .and was heavily backed for the V.R.C. ,Hotham Handicap at the Melbourne Cup meeting of 1888. He missed a place, but made amends by winning both hurdle races at the meeting—one with 12.10 and the other with 13.4.

In the 50 years since Scobie won the Grand National Hurdle Race on Rhesus he has trained the winners of nearly every Important race in five States. Among the victories are four Melbourne Cups, and Scobie, despite his 72 years, is Still a power in the world of racehorses and racecourses. WOMEN AS OWNERS Successes With Jumpers Many important successes, including those of Steeplechases, have in recent years been registered by horses racing in the nomination of women. The following is a list of winners of crosscountry events that have carried the colours of women owners:— Liverpool Grand National: Lady Nelson’s Ally Sloper, Mrs. Partridge’s Sprig, Mrs. Gemmel’s Gregalach. Great Northern Steeplechase: Mrs. A. Ellingham’s Moifaa. V.R.C. Grapd National: Miss Dorothy Shell’s Precocious. Australian Steeplechase: Mrs, F. P. Chapman’s Acceleration.' The two Australian women mentioned above as owners have the additional distinction of training the horses that carried their colours to victory. Miss. Shell made additional, history at Flemington a few weeks ago by yiding her horse, Precocious, in a schooling lesson over a full round of the steeplechase fences, which was executed at a racing pace in company with another candidate for Grand National honours. Miss Shell. handled her horse with marked courage, but the V.R.C: authorities, fearing an accident, issued an edict prohibiting women riders from school-. Ing steeplechasers at Flemington, so that Mies Shell’s display is likely to stand as another record for the V.R.C. ground.

WOODS’ GREAT PEPPERMINT CUKI —For Influenza. Cold„.—Advt.

THE GRAND NATIONALS A South Island View LORD RANALD HERO After the South Canterbury meeting last Saturday the Christchurch “Press” had the following to say regarding Grand National prospects:— The South Canterbury Steeplechase on Saturday provided an Interesting contest, but at the same time did not give all the expected assistance to racegoers toward solving the Grand National Steeplechase problem. Most attention appeared to be directed to Lucess, and he dominated the betting, but his performance fell a long way below anticipations. This was his first race over the country since running second to Billy Boy in the Winter Hurdles at Ellerslie. He was not produced at the Wellington meeting owing to his Inability to handle Trentbam going, and apparently he was similarly troubled by the soft nature of the Washdyke track. Even so, he should have made a better showing if he is to be afforded any chance in the big Riccarton event. There is no question, about his jumping ability, but bis staying qualities are at fault, and unless a big Improvement is shown he must lose caste as a National aspirant,.

Snowfall appeared to be going well enough with a mile to go to join up with the leaders before the post was reached, but, like Lucess, he compounded over half a mile from home, and the pair presented a sorry spectacle in the concluding stages. Tfack conditions also had Snowfall tangled Up, but none of his old dash was in evidence at any part of the race: It will be remembered twelve months ago he did not do much better in the same race, although filling second place, and came on to Riccarton to win the Grand National in a confident manner. The Riccarton going will probably again get better results from Snowfall, and it would not be wise to disregard him on Saturday’s form.

High Pitch made a very auspicious debut as a steeplechaser and is naturally susceptible to a big improvement. He is, however, tackling a solid undertaking to win a National with only one previous race "over country not too formidable, and It is not feasible to expect him to master the task. Lord Ranald emerged as the hero of the day, after giving a faultless display from end to end. This, was his first race over country for exactly three years, his previous appearance being on the occasion of his victory in the Homeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt Club's meeting at' Riccarton. Prior to that success he had won the three steeplechases he contested that season, so he now has the record of accounting for five steeplechases. AUSTRALIAN HURDLES Fjjial Acceptances ■By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Rec. August 2, 9.20 p.m.) . Melbourne, August 2. .-The fifteen final acceptors for the Australian Hurdles, to be run at Caulfield on Saturday next, are:—.

Moss Trooper 11 13 Longhands ... 9 3 Landmark .. 11 0 Orcades .... 9 3 Polygonum . 10 11 Poldale .... 9 2 Makeup Dunkeld ... 10 8 9 13 Zygon Lord Dhtnley 9 9 2 2 Ithurlel .... 9 10 Shooting Boy 9 0 Ceilidh .... 9 6 Saroctd 9 0 Bonbaven .. 9 3 . ■ ... • l -