VAL WATCH

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 258, 28 July 1936, Page 15

VAL WATCH

Goes South To-night NOTES AND COMMENTS Punchestown Misses Work (By The Watcheb.) Vai Watch is due at Wellington to-day from Te Aroha and will leave to-uiglit for Ricearton where she will run at the Hunt meeting on Saturday prior to the Grand National meeting. Vai Watch has received and substantial concession in weight at Ricearton as compared with Ellerslie and Trentbam. W. Rennie will ride her as usual. Bowden for Thurina.

The Foxton horseman, W. J. Bowden, has been engaged for Thurina in the iiomeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt Club's meeting on Saturday with the National to follow if all goes well. Bowden and Thurina are not strangers as they were associated at Wellington two years ago when Thurina ran second to Billy Boy in the Wellington Steeplechase, and Bowden also rode him in his last public appearance in the Lincoln Steeplechase a month later, when he broke down and ran second to Membo.

Punchestown Goes Sore. Puncheatown is suffering from soreness, due to a recurrence of his old trouble, corns, and T. H. Gillett may have to ease him in his work for a few days. In all other respects the National favourite to in excellent order. The check in training at this critical stage is an unfortunate one. Punchestown is due to race in the Homeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt Club's meeting next (Saturday, and it is to be hoped that Hie trouble will disappear as quickly as .it came, and thus enable him to carry out regular schooling tasks next week. Last year Punchestown was taken to the hunt meeting nt Wushdykc, but wus cm lied oil’ the course when another horse ran off. He did not have a race before the Grand National, in which he finished second to Valpeen, and may be that he will have to start in the National this year under the same conditions, unless he to fit again by next Saturday. There is a danger that he will be in need of racing, although he has done any amount of strong work. A big horse, he is a lazy worker, asd would have been improved out of all sight nad he been raced.

Trenthaiu Trades Heavy- „ . Fait work has been practically impossible at Trentbam during the past week owing to rain and heavy tracks, but the Grand National candidates, Diamond and Billy Boy are going along well. Diamond has not been schooled owing to the state of the ground, but he is otherwise giving his trainer every satisfaction. Schooling is not. necessary in the case ot Billy Boy. Diamond was to have been schooled this morning if conditions proved favourable.

Korero Out. . Korero is not going to the Grand national meeting, so T. George's stable will be represented in the V inter Cup by Boomerang, who will be ridden by b. Wilson.

In From a Spell. George has Might and Going Gay back in work after a yqoell at Blenheim.

For the National. H. Bulieti expects to have Silk Sox, Royal Secret and Hunting Maid at the Grand National meeting. Mustang would have gone also had he run well at Awapuni on Saturday, but after hto moderate showing he may be left at home.

Winter Cup Ride. B. IL Morris will have the mount on Mother Superior in the Winter Cup. Morris has twice ridden the winner of this race, Soliform in 1924 and Historic in 1929.

The Greek Impressed Them. Mr. A. F. Lawrie’s Australinn-breu sire The Greek created a very favourable impression on a party of visitors on Saturday morning prior to the races at Awapuni. ”1 didn’t know there was such a magnificent looking horse in the country,” said one Hawke’s Bay owner, who immediately booked two mares to the brother to Heroic.

Slightly Fewer. Entries for the minor events at the C.J.C. meeting total 479 as compared with 511 last year.

Not Many Good Ones. The acceptance of 11 for the Granu National Steeplechase is only three fewer than at the same stage lust year, but apart from Valpeen and Allegretto nothing of note dropped out. It is not a good field for the thousand pound stake, but at the same time it is a true reflection of the cross-country talent at present in commission, and the best available will be there.

The Hurdlers. The National Hurdle field numbers 17, as against IS at this stage last year, None of the favourites dropped out, and the acceptance must be considered very satisfactory.

Still Hard. The Winter Cup field to now 23, and it still contains all the early fancies. It looks likely to provide the usual headache for punters.

Working Well. Though Streamline has had no schooling lately, he is getting through plenty of useful work on the hat. He is making a good recovery from the cut he received in the Trentham Hurdles, and there will be plenty of time to give him some jumping before he takes on the Grand National Hurdles.

The Loading Trainer. The Trentham trainer T. R. George has had a record winning season for a trainer in the Dominion this year, his winners reaching and passing the halfcentury mark for the first time in New Zealand’s history. George has won 53 races and has gained 100 minor placing)) during the term, including the two performances of Debham and Princess Doreen in Australia, and the stable actually shows 54 winners, as it produced Cuddle for her first success this term, while P. Reardon was temporarily in charge during the absence of George in Sydney, George’s position at the head of the Dominion’s trainers* list makes the fifth occasion he has occupied this post in six yeart?. The only season he ha* miwed being on top e’ince 1930-31 was the 193233 season, when H. and A. Cutts were the leaders and George was down in eighth place. Last season, his first as a public trainer, he scored 35 pointe. His best previous season was two years ago, when he saddled up 47 winners, the record figures till this season.

Offer Declined. While in Perth recently the New Zealand breeder-owner, Mr. G. M. Currie, offered the Western Australian jockey R. Morley, a retainer to ride for him in the Dominion, but Morley decided not to leave the State. Morley is second on the Western Australian jockeys’ list this season.

Bred in the North. Royston, winner of the gentlemen riders’ steeplechase at Washdyke on Saturday, can claim attractive breeding. He is by Tribulation, by Elevation, from Nukerakau, by Wormwood from Kooya. by Signalman. Nukerakau, who was bred by Mr. P. P. Neagle, is now owned by Mr. A. F. Synies, of Hastings, who bred Royston. Bodyline by Lord Quex

was also bred from Nukerakau, and has been a winner this season for Mr. Symes. Kooya, it will be remembered, won the Trial Hurdles at the Grand National meeting of 1916, and was then sent out favourite for the Grand National Hurdles, but failed to leave when the field was dispatched, and took no part in the race. Royston was secured at a reasonable figure by his Riverton owner, Mr. G. C. Bain, on a visit to the North Island last year.

Leighon’s Relative. Rippon Tor, winner of this year’s Liverpool Summer Cup, is a younger three-quarter-brother to the stall, mi Leighon, now in the Dominion at Mr. J. J. McGrath’s The Curragh Stud, Waikanae. Leighou himself won the Liverpool Spring Cup as a five-year-old, and the previous year he ran second in the Liverpool Autumn Cup, over the same course. Half-Brother to Iliad.

Hindoo Holiday, who ran second,to Rippon Tor in the Liverpool Cup, to a halfbrother by Blandford to the Elderslie sire Iliad.

Cup Lightweight. The Surgeon, winner of the concluding event at Washdyke on Saturday, was bred by Mr. A. B. Williams, and is a six-ycar-old gelding by Shambles from the imported marc Sweet Charity. He to a half-brother to Knightlike, Netiey and Sympathetic. The Surgeon to owned and trained by the Ashburton veteran, J. J. Lewis, and he is a Winter Cup candidate on the minimum.

Queen of Song. KinnouU and Queen of Song were to have given an exhibition gallop together during an interval in Saturday's programme at Wttahdyke, but owing to the heuvy state of the track, the former was not brought out, and Queen of Song had Mr. G. A. Kain’s two-year-old colt Stolen March by Nightmarch from Satisfy as a mate. They kept abreast to within a furlong of the post, and although neither wtto seriously ridden over the lust stage of the sprint, Queen of Soug finished in front, and appeared to be anxious to increase the pace. She is undoubtedly in advanced order, and her effort in thj Brabazon Handicap on Saturday will be awaited with much interest in view of her Winter Cup engagement. Little Racing.

Footwork, who won his first race on Saturday, was foaled in 1925, but did not race seriopsly until two seasons ago. Hto dam Dribble, who died in 1933, came from a well-known Hawke’s Bay family, being by AU Black from Float, by Captain Webb from Bonne Idee by Nordenfeldt. Havering looked a certainty after crossing the last fence, but he weakened badly over the last bit-

A Good Hack. The southern hack, Queen Dorothy, has been impressing herself on the critics by her recent form. She comes from a wellknown family, being by Taper Moneyfrom Melleray, by Kilbroney from Elyaum, by Stepniak—Far Away by Rill of Portland. Related to Pink Coat.

May Song, winner of the maiden event at Awapuni, to a three-year-old filly by Hunting Song from Miss Edna, by Cynic from Red Edna, dam of Pink Coat.

South Canterbury Steeplechase. The contest for the South Canterbury Steeplechase on Saturday was affected to some extent by Noct urn up, who had acted as pacemaker from the start, hitting the sod wall half a mile from home and catapulting his rider out of the paddle. This mishap left High Speed a long way in fropt of Dunmure, who had lost much ground through a bad effort at the previous obstacle. High Speed completed his task well, and easily accounted for Dunmure. Night Parade, who returned very lame, was 50 yards away. High Speed made one faulty jump, at the stand double, but otherwise gave a clean dipplay. H. Turner rode High Speed when he won the same race last year and again on Saturday. His stable mate Nocturnus was going very easily when he made his mistake, but on his Oamaru performance he might not have carried on if pressure had become necessary. Dunmure owed his failure to his one bad jump, which almost stopped him to a walk and he could not recover from the set-back. Sale of Land Lease.

The Tuapeka Jockey Club on Wednesday sold the lease of itw property, 33 acres at Wetli erst ones, on which its racecourse is situated, for £22 a year for a period of five years.

Answers to Correspondents. •J.H.,” New Plymouth.—(l) £2/16/-; £l/15/6. (2) £2/0/6. (3) £5/0/6; £2 7/-. (4) £3/18/-. “Wager,’’ Lower Hu Lt.—When Tcnterden won the Wellington ' Stakes in January, 1930, he was omitted from the official card.

RACING FIXTURES. Aug. I—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. Aug. I—-Christchurch Hunt Club. Aug. 11, 13, 15—Canterbury J.C. Aug. 22—Pakuranga Hunt Club. Aug. 27—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club, at New Plymouth. Aug. 29—Taranaki Hunt Club. Sept. s—Otago5—Otago Hunt Club. Sept. 10, 12—Wanganui J.C. Sept. 19—Ashburton County R.C. Sept. 19—Foxton R.C. Sept. 19. 21—Avondale J.C. Sept. 24, 25—Geraldine R.C. Sept. 2(l—Marton J.C. Sept. 2(1 —Rotorua and Bay of Plenty-Hunt Club. Sept. 2(l—Napier Park R.C. Oct, 3—Kurow J.C. Oct. 3—Otaki Maori R.C. Oct. 3, " —Taumarunui R.C.. at Paeroa. Bv Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Oct. 8, 10—Dunedin J.C. Oct. 10—Danuevirke R.C.. at Walpukurau. Oct. 10, 12—Auckland R.C. Oct. 10, 17—Masterton R.C. Oct. 17—South Canterbury J.C. Oct- 1.7, 19—Dargaville R.C.. at Avondale.