NOTHING OUTSTANDING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1934, Page 6

NOTHING OUTSTANDING

PRESENT TRENTHAM TEAMS

SOME WHO MAY IMPROVE

.Although it does not seem at present as if Trentham will have any class horses to offer the racing public this season, unless such should come from among the two-year-olds, there are a number of improving horses in work who should pay their way later on in the term. The centre will not be strongly represented at the early meetings, and the main contingent will not be seen in action till nest month. The tracks are in quite good order for the time of the year, the going on the grass yesterday morning being very fast. So quickly have the tracks recovered that the plough was fit to be opened again this week for the first time since last autumn. Interesting temporary additions to the horses at the centre are Billy Boy and Verden, whose trainer (R. W. A. Lewis) plans to remain at Upper Hutt till after the Wellington Meeting next month. Neither horse has yet been down to the tracks since coming north from Ricearton, Lewis evidently intending to give them opportunity for freshening up after their recent racing. Lewis also has the Valkyrian youngster presented to him a year ago and who until recently was in charge of J. B. Pearson at Riccartou. TE UA'S PROGRESS. J. Ayres is now sending Mr. F. S. Easton's two Acre geldings Te Ua and Otauru King along in their work, and the pair will probably resume racing at Otaki and Masterton next month. Yesterday morning Te Ua went five furlongs with Misfire, but he was always hard held some lengths behind his companion, who ran the last half-mile in just under 51sec. Otauru King, who has not yet raced, is a big stamp of gelding who is requiring time, but later on he should make a good jumper. A. Goodman is working four horses at present—Misfire, Bay Area, Agrestic, and the two-year-old Dark Red (Greyspear— Bed Hibbon). Misfire went smoothly in his work yesterday, being keen to go faster. Bay Area fralloped half a mile with Roderick Dhu fn 50sec, finishing a length behind, but not being pushed out. Agrestic, with G. Ridgway in the saddle, jumped four of the schooling hurdles, fencing high at the first two but settling down better for the others. These three horses will probably race at Foxton, and Ridgway will be on them. Dark Red is not yet too forward, but he is furnishing into a nice type o£ colt. Goodman's other two-year-old, Starma (Martarma—Star Lady), is at present on the easy list, having struck herself when being taken, down to the track one day last week, and the check will probably put her back for a month at least. Roderick Dhu looks more like a racehorse now than he has ever previously done, and his effort yesterday morning was pleasing, as it was his first gallop since he went amiss in June. He has thrown off his shoulder soreness, and he may yet pay his way for his painstaking owner-trainer J. T. Yates. PURSE IS FORWARD. H. Pritchard is confining his attention at present to Purse and the two-year-old Nightlass (Nightmarch—Matata). Purse is working along well, comfortably breaking 50sec for half a mile yesterday, and Nightlass is probably the most near ready to race among the centre's youngsters.

T. Pritehard has only Redeem in active commission, and C. Pritehard is keeping P.ihu going with a view to racing him next at the Wellington Meeting in six weeks' time, and possibly afterwards at the New Zealand Cup Meeting.

Mr. J. O'Meara, with the assistance of P. Burgess, is regularly working Chile, but the gelding's tasks at present do not include schooling. Yesterday he worked over a round with Ayresleigh, the pair sharpening up over the last three furlongs. With Cottesmore's transference to Otaki for special treatment, J. T. Young has been left with only the three-year-old Captain Bunsby—Lady Minerva golding Ayresleigh to train at present. Ayresleigh, who will carry the same colours as Cottesmore, is a half-brother to the ( Auckland Cup wanner Minerval and he is* being accorded plenty of time. He is not very big as yet, but there is room for growth and he has been furnishing well since he was gelded. It is i likely that he will be given his first racing at the Wellington Sleeting next month. Ten of W. McConkey's team of eleven in work for Mr. W. R. Kemball are two-year-olds. The older member is the three-year-old Orby's Last (Cape Horn—Lady Orbj-), whose only start to date was in the Trial Plate at Trentham- in July, in which he ran quite a fair race. Since then he has continued to improve, and, with East Cape to accompany him for the first three furlongs and Cavpathia for the last three furlongs, he ran six furlongs' pleasingly yesterday morning, coming home the final section in 36% sec and finishing on terms with the two-year-old. McConkey hopes to be able to start him at Foxton the week following the Wanganui Meeting; The two-year-olds in the team are all doing satisfactorily, but as they will "not race early they are not being hurried. Several of them could be polished off, for racing at short notice, and one or two may be produced at the Wellington Meeting. It is possible that East Cape (Cape Horn—Frosty Morn) and Cnrpathia Gainscourt—Missgold) will shortly be sent across to join' Mr. Kemball's teams in Victoria. FOR BLENHEIM TRIP. D. McCauley is not yet galloping Redtop and Bellbroney, but they are doing plenty of solid work. Redtop is rather light in condition after his spell, but Bellbroney looks well. The pair will race at the Marlborough Meeting at the end of the month if the fixture is held, but not many other Trentham horses are likely to make this trip. McCuuley expects to have the three-year-old Choral back shortly, but her older half-sister Lyrical is finished with racing and will go to the stud. The only horse whom H. Telford has in work is Ilida, a two-year-old half-sister by Iliad to Dole, but she has not been down with the early workers to the tracks during the last week or so. It is hoped that she may be sufficiently well forward to be raced next month at the Wellington Meeting, where, it will be remembered, Dole won the two-year-old handicap at his first start.

Vitaphone is being accorded strong work only at present. He has completely recovered from his bruised heel, but will not be racing again till the Otaki or Masterton Meetings. D. Hands is putting more solid work into Kia Tina, the six-year-old half-sister by Royal Divorce to Azure, and she is rounding into racing shape. Hands hopes to produce her at Otaki and Masterton, and later on he may change her over to jumping, a department at which she has shown ability in private. Yesterday morning she worked over two rounds, sprinting the three furlongs home each time. His other horse Capetown is proving diffi-

cult to keep condition off, but Hands hopes he will fine down with the warmer weather.

During E. Simpson's ' absence in Australia with Autopay, G. Ridgway is in charge of the team of three remaining at Trenthaui, though nothing strenuous is being done with them meanwhile. The trio are the Diacqucnod—Degagc three-year-old gelding, and two two-year-olds, Conversion (Paper Money—Pepper Pot colt) and a colt by Roydon from the Valkyrian mare Valrewa.

J. W. Lowe is at present away at Wanganui with Red Sun and Sunec, where ho will remain till after the Wanganui Meeting. These are the only horses he has in his stable now.

The active team at the centre is completed by two four-year-olds who wilL require a fair amount of solid work before they are ready to race. One is a Hunting Sonc—Bayana mare (thus a halfsister to Bayacre and Bay Area), whom A. H. Southee recently acquired from Mrs. L. Sleightholme, and the other is a Royal Divorce—Millie Abbey gelding held on lease by W. J. Wood, who formerly had Lovecourt. The pair are being worked together and yesterday morning they did i\ round of pacing on the plough track. The Royal Divorce gelding came to Trentham a couple of months or so ago very much in the rough, but ho is now improving in appearance and may develop fair form, as ho has ample size and a long, bold stride. One trouble that Trentham trainers are having at present is a shortage of ridere for work. The centre has not been so poorly" off in this l'espect for many seasons. There are no big establishments at Trentham and consequently there are very few suitable lightweight apprentices. Much of the riding therefore has to be done by the older lads attached to the stables.