KING MESTOR

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 19

KING MESTOR

Disqualified For Trentham Race NOTES AND COMMENTS (J. Scott Decision Reserved (By The Watcher,) The gelding King Mestor was yesterday disqualified. by the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club for the Corunna Hurdle Race, which he won on the second day, July 7, of the recent winter meeting. The disqualification was imposed under Huie 103 of the Rules of Racing, under the clauses relating to a horse being connected with an ineligible person. A further inquiry will be held on September 5, / the connections of the horse having been called upon to explain their connection with the circumstances.. U. Scott Appeal. The appeal judges in the U. Scott case, Messrs. 11. F. O’Leary, the Hou. W. Perry and J. E. sat in Wellington yesterday to consider the appeal. Decision was reserved. Knapp’s Team. Manawatu did not make the trip to Ellerslie for the Pakuranga Hunt Cup. Hirangi will also be an absentee, L. Knapp having taken up only Hanover and Ika. Sent to Owner. Mrs. E. Fraser, the owner o£ Silver Ring, now resides in Australia, and the gelding was shipped to her. Long-distance Races. One of the features of racing in France which impressed Mr. E. .Steele, the new owner of Elderslie stud, during his tour of Europe, was the number of long-dis-tance races run at Longchamps and elsewhere. While he was in France he did not see a race run over less than a mile. This, he thinks, may have something to do with the fact-|that France appears to be producing so many stayers in recent years. Among the stallions he saw in England'Mr. Steele was most impressed by Solario and . Coronach. They are horses of the highest class. Solario is a jhorse of beautiful conformation. Big Money. , The Hon. P. Beatty made two highpriced purchases subsequent to buying Bois Roussel for £BOOO. Twenty-four hours before Foxglove II won the Ascot Gold Vase, he gave Prince Aly Khan £4OOO for him, and at the Newmarket sales in July he paid £3lOO guineas for a yearling filly by Tai-Yang from Versicle. Valantua. Valantua was on the course at Wingatui this week, and treated to easy exercise. He is bright and fresh and dancing about as a result of being eased up. Valantua was a bit unlucky at Riccartou. He drew a position wide out at the barrier in the Heathcote Handicap, and soon hit the front. There is, however, a straight run of about half a mile along the back at Riccarton, and a horse may get a better run on the outside than in the crowd near the rails. The' bad luck falling to Valantua appeared to rest on the fact that he won the race a bit too soon, probably owing to Great Pal stopping and leaving him in front.

Southern ’Chasers. Matehem, who fyis been nominated for the Otago Hunt Steeplechase, has been seen to advantage at several flag steeplechase meetings in recent weeks. Like most of the stock of Panmure, Matchem is a great fencer, although he may be inclined to jump rather extravagantly. Stamina has been his weak point, and this is the reason he has been raced very little. He is a poor stayer, and some of those in the Hunt Cup at Wingatui can be relied on to make it a truly run race. Quinopal, who went sore before the National meeting, has made a good recovery and has been nominated for the Otago Hunt meeting. The veteran was in great form early in the season, and his trainer expects to produce him in the same order at Wingatui.

Hower Bag. An interesting entry for the Hunt Cup events at the coming combined hunts' meeting at New Plymouth is Flower Bag. Although an outstanding hunter, Flower Bag was not placed in training until late in his career, but when he was trained seriously he soon showed his quality. In his first start he ran away with the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, winning by ten lengths in easy fashion. At the first combined hunts’ meeting he won the Egmont-Wa-nganui Hunt Cup from his half-brother, Cardhu, but after a second in the Waikato Hunt Cup he developed soreness and has raced very little since,. He was tried again in 1936. but after a moderate third in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup behind En Tour, ho went amiss and has not raced since. Flpwer Bag is getting on in years, but he is such a wonderful fencer that if he starts he. will command respect.

Trained an English Derby Winner. Percy Peck, once one of England’s leading trainers, died last month at the age of 69. He retired several years ago. His important wins included the Derby ■with Cicero and the Two Thousand Guineas with Neil Gow. Both horses were owned by the late Lord Rosebery. Peck also trained for Sir Blundell Maple and Lord Durham. Good Class.

Although Tudor did not accept for the Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie he moot be standing up to his work, as he is freely nominated at the combined hunte"

meeting at New Plymouth. It is possible that his owner considered that the shorter races without the gruelling journey over the hill would not require such a hard preparation. He is in the hurdles on the second day at New Plymouth as well as the Hunt Cup. Additional Riders.

Further riding engagements made for the Pakuranga Hunt meeting at Ellerslie are: L. 11. Clifford. High Sea, Milanion, Silver Glow; A. Tinker, Floodtide; R. W. Hatwell, Penzance; A. Curwen, Bronze Trail; P. Mcllroy, Golden Spahi; C. Walters, Flashby; G. Smith, Siega; F. E. Baker, Kahunoke, Ika ; W. J. McDowell, Hanover; W. J. Broughton. Jan Ridd, Olympus, Royal Bachelor. Diet.

Diet, a change of diet, and plenty of it, makes a horse. There is no more valuable food for sick horses than linseed, as it is readily taken, very nourishing and mildly laxative. Boiled oats or barley will also sometimes be eaten when other food is refused, while hay ten, oatmeal rubbed up in water, milk and eggs are useful. But a horse will eat grass when he refuses everything else, and can often be induced to take bran and oats if a little grass is sprinkled or mixed with them. Racehorses are frequently persuaded to tackle oats in this way, and we know that no animal has a more finicky appetite than the average racehorse. Grass is a strong stimulant and a natural alternative to our highly-civilised patents. Carrots, too, are useful in tempting jaded appetites, and the same applies to apples. When a horse is out of sorts the great thing is to vary the food often, try a new thing every day. and have everything fresh and in small quantity. Rock salt should always be within reach of a sick as well as a healthy horse, and it goes without saying that there should be a good supply of pure water.

Richards Nearly Took the Lot. Gordon Richards had a remarkable day at Alexandra Park on July 2. He won five of the six races on the programme and was third in the other, which was won by his brother Clif. The smallest field in any of the races Richards , won Was 10 and the largest 16. One race in which Richards Was successful was the £lOOO London Cup on the Aga Khan’s Dardanelles 11. A fortnight earlier Richards won five races in an afternoon at Folkestone.

Answers to Correspondents. “Subscriber,” Masterton: £l/15/-; £l/13/6; £l/10/6. ' “Wager,” Tinui: (1) First day, £2/7/6. Second day, £6/19/-; £2. (2) First day, £2/13/-. Last day, £2/6/-. (3) £7/13/-; £2/16/-. (4) £3/6/6. “Gloaming,” City: (1) £4/1/-; £l/11/6. (2) £7/18/6; £2/11/-. (3) £l/18/6. (4) £2/7/-. (5) £3/19/6. (6) £5/3/-.