TABANAKI DATES PETITION

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 250, 21 July 1942, Page 6

TABANAKI DATES PETITION

Denial By H. Dulieu

(By The Watcher.) Death having failed by a short head to reach me In a recent contest, due to the skill of Dr. Treahy and the devoted attention of Sister Martin and the nurses of Ward 9, Wellington Hospital, I weigh in and resume operations secure in the knowledge that theru are not many better spheres than the racing game in which to find good friends.

Bacius Broadcasts. ft is also not inappropriate here to state just how much racing broadcasts from the course are looked forward to by inmates of the hospital. Those opponents of racing and. race broadcasts should pay a visit to the wards on a broadcast day, and they, would be surprised at the interest taken by the patients. Cut off as they are from their usual contacts with the outside, a racing broadcast relieves the tedium of a sick bed in a way that only the sick can appreciate, and even the pain-wracked get a measure of relief iu the vicarious participation over the air.

Not Associated. Trainer H. Dulieu denies that he. is associated with the approach to the Minister of Internal Affairs, with the object of securing more racing days for the Taranaki Province. It is true that he was approached to supply the sponsors with the number of horses in training at New Plymouth, but he denies absolutely that he has any connexion with the appeal, nor is he sympathetic toward it. Dulieu is emphatic that we are very fortunate to have even the racing that remains after the cut, and he is annoyed, and has been seriously embarrassed, by the incorrect association of his name with the appeal to the Minister.

Slayer. The Grand .National candidate Slayer has been in steady work since -racing at the Dunedin meeting, and he is to have a,race on the flat at the South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting on Saturday, being engaged in the Pentlow Hack, of one mile.and 35 yards, in which he is handicapped on the minimum, S.O. Slayer will move on to Riecarton after this race, and in the National will be ridden by A. E. Ellis, who rode him at Dunedin. Slayer has had three tries to win the National. Three years ago he ran third to Padishah and Erination, two rears ago he was second to Clarion Call, and last year he was third to Astral Flame and Dozie Boy. His weights respectively were 10.3, 10,12, and 11.0'. This year he again has 11.6, and incidentally meets Dozie Boy on 181 b. better terms.

National Topweight. There was some speculation as to whether Foxlana or Slayer would be the National topweight, but Mr. Russell has been emphatic in his selection of the Wellington Steeplechase winner, giving him half a stone more than Slayer. Foxlana has vet to experience Riccarton country, and the National will be his first essay over it, as he was not entered at the Christchurch Hunt meeting. He is such a grea. jumper, however, that the obstacles should not be any trouble to him. A comparison of the weights between Foxiana and Dozie Boy gives the latter a good pull. Foxiana conceded 41b. when he won. the Wellington Steeplechase, with Dozie Boy ■ third, and in the July Steeplechase Foxlana was placed 171 b. better, but Dozie Boy did not try conclusions that day. In the National there is 211 b. between them. In analysing National prospects on Wellington form it always has to be remembered that owing to the better going m the south weight does not tell so much as in Irentliam mud, specially on the back of a firstclass jumper. An outstanding example or this was Clarion Call, who was always anchored at the end of his races at Wellington in the winter, but at Riccarton was able to prove himself one of the. most brilliant, horses that ever won a National. National Trials. « Of the 16 horses nominated lor tne Homeby Steeples at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, only three, Song Boy; Recollection and Merry March, are not engaged in the Grand National. The North Islanders include Master Rackham, Clansman. Dozie Boy, Ruling Star, and Cherry Plum Six of the 18 entered in the Longbeach Hurdles are National horses, but the only North Islanders are Cuisinier, Native Song, Erudale; and Rockery. The North Islanders engaged id the Brabazon Handicap arc Noble Fox, Whackie. Greek Dancer Moutoa Bond. Red Dash. The Champ, Minority, and Rara Avis, all of whom are engaged in tlie Winter Cup.

Handicaps. , x Handleaps for the Christchurch Hunt meeting are due on Monday next. Given Awny. _ ~ ~, Retrogression, a four-year-old gelding by Magnus from Retrospect, has come to tlie end of his racing career. He did Ins <<irly racing in the Clifford colours, and then was sold t o Mr. D. McFarlane, for whom he showed promising form late In his two-year-old season. Ho failed to repeat at three years, and he was passed on to Mr. V. Holloway, with no better results, and at the end of last season he was given a long spell. He resumed work recently, but broke down badly in a sprint, and he was given away, to be used in future as a hack.

Not So Good. Riccarton reports over the weekend state that Iceland Spar has been showing signs of soreness. Winter Cup Scratchings. Noble FOX and Whackie were withdrawn from the Winter Cup at 5.10 p.m. yesterday. Kevin, a Winter Cup candidate, will not be a starter. He only recently resumed work after a spell. Answers to Correspondents. "Constant Reader,” Palmerston North: Sally Lunn was scratched for the Parliamentary Handicap at 11.10 a.m. on the day of the race. “Tony," Wellington: £l/6/-. ■■J.M.,” City: (1) £5/2/-; £2/3/-. (2) £1 15/0. (3) £l/14/-, £l/5/-. (4) £l/15/6. (5) £ 2/6/6.