A BLACKOUT ON RACING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 116, 11 February 1944, Page 7

A BLACKOUT ON RACING

Sport Coming To A

Standstill

(By St. Simon.)

The action o£ the transport authorities in further restricting the activities of horse floats during the period that railway restrictions are in force, is bringing racing to a complete standstill. It is announced today that the Waikato meeting scheduled for next, week is abandoned, and it is almost certain that the Taranaki club will be compelled, to do likewise. Before the railway restrictions float owners were permitted one long trip a month for each vehicle, and they were also ate within a 'radius of 30 ’“lies for qn tinlimited number Of trips, M hat , the consumption of motor spirit in horse floats has to the shortage of coal isi difficult to determine, and this is something the people whose livelihood is wrapped up in racing would like explained to them. When the 50 per cent, cut in racing was imposed, the Minister of Internal Affairs, whose department controls the issue of totalizator permits said that it was not In the interests of the Dominion to have a complete blackout of racing for it hud entertainment and recreational value and helped to stiffen morale. The latest action of the transport authorities Is an effective and complete negation of the Ministers policy that a fair measure of outdoor sport is essential in wartime.

Meeting Postponed. As the jockey L. H. Clifford was unable to obtain a perm!*' to travel to Stratford, the adjourned meeting of the Taranaki District Committee, which was to have been held on Tuesday to consider the suspension of six months imposed on Cliflotd by the Stratford Racing Club on January 1. was further adjourned.

On The Scene. , ' The Taranaki horses Embroider, Keen Plav. aiid Almaza. who were unable to fulfil last Saturday's engagements at the Matamata meeting, have reached Mntaniata and will compete at the Rotorua meeting on that course tomorrow. A winner at her last start. Embroider should have good prospects, special'}- if reserved for the Hot Springs Handicap. She is also an acceptor for the Rotdtua Cup.

Trainer Injured. .' ■ The Riccarton trainer H. Nurse is at present in hospital. While cycling along the Yaldhurst Road he was run down by a motor-vehicle and received a broker! collarbone and head injuries.

Bark in Work. n The useful flat performer Arctic pawn la back in work under G. Ridgway at Riccarton. If Dividend progresses in his education as a steeplechaser and goes to Riverton for the steeplechase events. Arctic Dawn may accompany him.

Owner Overseas,- ' , Mr. J. B. Douglas Clifford, who recently inherited the Stonyhiirst horses and breeding stud and who won his first class race on Saturday when Good Cast secured the Middle Park .Plate, is overseas with the New Zealand forces. Newcomers to Trenthnm. Owing to shortage of labour at T. R. George’s stable at Opaki, Mr. S,. J. Newland has transferred Home Rule and The Champ to P. Reardon’s team at Treutham. C °CarnfortKs in Hack Cup at the Wairoa meeting is 8.8, not 8.12, as was telegraphed yesterday. Combined Meeting Suggested. With the KUmara and Greymouth meetings abandoned and a similar fate inevitable for the Westland meeting scheduled for February 20, it has been suggested that to overcome the necessity of total!) abandoning West Coast meetings for this season, the authorities might grant a permit for a combined West Coast meeting at Riccarton on a substitute date later in the season.

Bryan , Christchurch. has given Vafort the three-year-old brother to Embroider, plenty of time to mature, and, following his good showing into fourth place in the Halswell Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday, he has been put aside till next season. Vafort is a good-looking horse, and should have a successful season as a four-year-old.

Interesting Innovation. At the Wairoa meeting tomorrow pro-, vision has been made for the use of three windows in the totalizator house for women only.

Likely Improver. An Auckland critic says that one of the likeliest improvers who ran in the 1 utarurii Stakes at Matamata is Bueno, who finished second, and thus performed creditably in his first appearance m public. Bueno is a two-year-old by battle Song from Honeste by Honour from Lucinda by Martian from Lady Lucy. He was bred by Mr. J. E. I’. Cameron, Tlmaru. and was bought as a yearling for SOOgns. by Mt. W. S. Goosman, M.P., for whom he is trained by J. L. Muir at Te Rapa.

Gone to Te Rapa. Mr. Rosa, the three-year-old halfbrother to Lou Rosa, trained up till -recently ’bv F. Gilchrist, has -been transferred to A. Winder’s stable at Te Rapa. Mr. Rosa has not come up to expeMatioUfl in his second season with only'®! three minor placings in his eight starts.

On Small Side. , Corot runner-up to Raurlmu in the Matamata Cup, is on the small side and is not an easy horse to place In the big fields around'th? Auckland province. He Is a very fit horse at present, and after his great bld last week, he may get his turn In the Rotorua Cup tomorrow.

Prospect Tomorow. ■ Neenah took advantage of a three pounds tillowlince In tbo open sprint at Matamata last week and finished a close fourth to Bonny Pay, Dinky Di aud Kinstep. He has the same weight in the sprint at the Rotorua meeting tomorrow aud meets the three who finished in front of him on better terms.

Riding at Wairoa. . A; Midwood has been engaged to do the riding where- the weights are suitable at Wqiroa tomorrow for G. W. B. Greene, who has eight horses engaged. Divisions at Fellding. . The conditions of the Feilding Jockej Club’s Easter programme Reserve to the club the right to ballot oflt acceptors n any race, but this will be exercised only for the purpose of avoiding three divisions.

Busy at Wanganui. There are more horses in work at Wanganui at present than for some years past. The course has now reverted to jockey club, but it will take some time to restore it to the conditions it was in when the military authorities took it over.

Bright Future Predicted. A Christchurch writer predicts a bright future for the two-year-old Record voyage, who finished third in the Irwell Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday at his first appearance in public. He raced greenly at the rear of the field till they .reached the straight,- where be came home on a true course and was galloping like an old stager at the finish. Hq Is a solidly built brdwti Colt by Phaleron Bay from Fast Passage, aud is very robust, ilia forward showing surprised his trainers, as he had not done very much work. Close Relation. Cinderella, who beat Record Voyage for second money, is closely related to the colt. She is a bay tiilv by Paper Slipper from High Rank, who is by Day Comet from Sailor’s Hope, dam of Fast I assage. Cinderella was purchased from the btonyhurst Stud by Mr. A. L. Power, Christchurch and tills was her first appearance in public. She was well back turning lor honie, and had to put in some telling work to take, part in the finish.

Filly by Croupier. Takuta, who ran prominently «ith tie leaders till the closing stages ot the Irwell Handicap, is a two-year-old filly by Croupier from Margaret Rose, by Hymestra, and .was bred by her owner, Miss H. B. T. West, for whom she is trained by F- Christmas. It was an encouraging performance Cor a first attempt. Will Take Time. Trueway. the brother to Sereuata mu Representative, failed in ids only start at Treutbaiu. but I'o rau a better race iu tin: Halswcll Handicap at the Canterbury noli: totalizator meeting on 'Saturday, putting iu some good work over the last iuriotig to reach a place. Like his relatives, I.runway is going to take time to come right, ami he may not reach the peak of his form till next season. It was at tins age that Seronatil and Representative made rapid improvement to the best handicap class. Trueway’s style oC galloping impressed all those who watched him work and race at Trentham.