TURF NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 138, 8 December 1945, Page 12

TURF NOTES

REMARKABLE RECORD

PORTABLE TOTE

FOR COUNTRY CIRCUIT

PROGRESSIVE MOVE

Recently it was reported that several clubs :at this end of the North Island were joinLng forces in the purchase of an electric totalisator known as "Union Toialisalor." These machines had been installed on the principal dog-racing tracks in England, but as a result of war damage have had to be replaced.! The development of dog racing in England is reflected in the turnover, which is put down at £60,000,000 per annum, j The machine which the New Zealand] company intends to introduce is oi the portable type, and is capable of handling .up. to. £250,000 per day. It has the added advantage that, if required, each ticket issuer is able to sell win or place tickets to the value of £5. £1. or 10s at.any window. Its counter-part in England is adjusted to permit the selling of tickets to the value of 2s. 4s, ss, 6s, or 10s. win. place, or forecast. In the meantime the company is content to import equipment that will ensure a capacity of £70,000 per day. but the machine's capacity can be increased at a later date, if deemed necessary by the subsequent, purchase of additional selling units. Dividends will continue to be, displayed by the use of the indicator that has become so popular with racegoers. The clubs pioneering this radical improvement are involved in a capita] outlay of some £175,000, and the interested clubs will require to find in cash £9000. representing an initial outlay of £410 per race day. They are to be congratulated on their courageous action. Its use will speed up the betting activities and obviate much of the delay in balancing the totalisator figures, 'quite apart from expediting the handling of the investments Every endeavour is being made to arrange delivery of the machine to enable the company to commence operations next season." Well-performed. The Solicitor, who was sold at the Newmarket Sales at the big figure of 10,500 guineas, had seven outings as a three-year-old last season for three firsts and a second. Early in the term he won the Upper Sixpenny Stakes, 1 mile, at Windsor; and in July added the Magna Carta Plate, 1 mile, on the same course. He apparently appreciated' the Windsor course, for in between those two wins he also registered there a second to Abbots Fell in the Monarch Stakes. 1$ miles In August he won the Shurlock Row Handicap, 7 furlongs and 155 yards, at Ascot, but was later unplaced in the Champion Stakes. 1J miles, at Newmarket, the Hyperion filly Hycilla being the winner. For Sweden. I The three-year-old colt Darbhanga, who is to take up stud duty in Sweden, did all his racing as a two-year-old last season over short distances at Newmarket. At his first outing he was I fourth in the Pampisfqrd Stakes, failed to figure in the placings at his next start, but then won the Ixworth Stakes. Balsham Stakes, and Chevington Nursery in successive months. However, his "trot" was halted in the Rous Stakes in September. AH those races were over five furlongs, and the figure of 7600 guineas appears to be a rather substantial one for a three-year-old of what almost appears to be purely sprinting ability. Further Entries. Additional entries for the first day of the Manawatu Meeting (published yesterday) are Foxella, Barrage, Gold Lad, The Grand, Sir Wina, Panope, and Bezany in the Gillies Handicap; Delinquent in the Tararua Handicap; and Tuis in the Fitzherbert Handicap. Progeny of Same Sire. The-three minor place-getters in the Seymour Hack' Handicap at Riccartou last Saturday, Peculate, Oouble Cross, and Centime, although the last-named did not pay a dividend, are all products of the New Zealand-bred sire Defaulter, and as the winner. Bruce, is by Royal Chief, who was also bred and did the major portion of his racing here, it was a splendid advertisement for home-bred sires. Has a Reputation. The Invercargill-trained Bayreuth has been backed and beaten more than once of late. The Siegfried gelding came ,in for some support for the Seymour Hack Hanudicap at Riccarton last Saturday when, after being drawn wide, he was unlucky in being slow to move His rider asked an early question of him, and the Southlander failed- to go on with it. Possibly a shorter journey than a mile over such a course as Riccarton would be more to his liking meantime. Versatile Marc. During h.ei racing career the Mr. Standfast mare Alethea has proved highly versatile, having won from five furlongs as a two-year-old up to a mile find a quarter. Now a six-year-old, she registered her. first win for the current term in the McKelvie Memorial, six furlongs, at Bulls last Saturday, it being the third occasion in successive years that she has won this pax-ticular event The stake of £235 attached to Saturday's race brought her stake-winnings up to the big figure of £4312 10s. No doubt Alethea will revert to distance racing in the near future. Well Rewarded. The northern owner-trainer A. C. Jones saddled up two winners, Royal View and Curlaway, at the Rangitikei meeting last Saturday. The former is a six-year-old by Surview from the Black Ronald mare Gay Nurse, and he had shown promise at his previous start by running third to Dink's Own and Hunting Loch over 11 furlongs at Te Rapa last month. Curlaway was making his first appearance under silk, but' the Autopay three-year-old was backed down to second favourite, so the forward running was freely anticipated. Has Improved. At the .Levin Meeting, held at Otaki on November 17, Gay Lena, who now carries the colours oi! Mr. M. Brough, of Palmerstou North, filled the vole of pacemaker in a seven-furlong event only to weaken when the pressure was applied. However, that the race had worked a sharp improvement was made apparent at Woodvilie a week later when she ran out seven furlongs to bo a comfortable winner. The Gay Boy mare carried her account stiil further last Saturday at Bulls when she scored over a mile and a distance. She is proving herself a profitable purchase for her present owner.

F. SMITH'S CANDIDATES

(Special to "The Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day

When Coronaire, Yorkish, and Royal Merit filled the places in the Ponui Handicap at Ellerslie recently it was not the first time that trainer F. D. Smith had furnished all three placegetters in an open race. Incidentally, this was Coronaire's first success since scoring a surprise win in the Great Northern Derby last New Year's Day

The fact that the Takanini trainer has a big team results in as many as three and sometimes four horses from his stable contesting the same race, and the consistency with which his charges occupy two and three places, generally in open events, at Ellerslie is really surprising.

In the 1941-42 season two ot Smith's charges, Royal Merit and Beau Vaals, chased Broadcaster home, in the Mus*ket Stakes at the Auckland Spring Meeting, and within a month or so the pair filled first and third places in the two-year-old handicap, Beau Vaals being the winner. Two days later Cornish and Orelio followed Erndale past the post in the main handicap, and Beau Vaals and Royal Merit ran first and second respectively in the juvenile event. These two youngsters were on deck again in the RoyaJ Stake: at the Christmas- fixture, Beau Vaals winning, with Royal Merit fourth.

On Boxing Day of 1941 Smith captured the important Railway Handicap with Route March, and Cambria, still ,going strong today, was fourth. This was a great meeting for the trainer, for he led in four other winners, and was also credited with seven seconds and one third. At the midsummer meeting Representative and Kentish were first and second in a two-year-old race, and Sea-Law and Proud Fox I were first and third over a mile.

The trainer's greatest triumph came on Boxing Day, 1942, when he started Beau Vaals;, Cambria, and Route March in the Railway Handicap, and he made no secret of his idea that they would fill the places. This they did, finishing in the order named. Two races later Representative won the Christmas Handicap and Cornish was third, and the following Easter Lord Chancellor and Representative were first and third respectively in the Great Northern St. Leger. Two seasons ago My Bonnie and Coronaire filled the first two places in the Calliope Handicap. Then Lord Chancellor and Beau Vaals were second and fourth in the Easter Handicap, and on the second day Cambria "beat Cornish by a nose in the open mile. Last Boxing Day, in the Railway Handicap, Sweet Biscuit and Cambria were second and fourth, Kentish, now in another stable, diving the pair. In the sprint on the second day My Bonnie and Sweet Biscuit ran second and third. Last September the stable won the two maiden divisions at the Ohinemuri Meeting with Bronya and Balgqwan. Then came the three-place triumph a fortnight ago. The Takanini trainer has till many nne horses in his care, and no doubt he entertains hopes of repeating his Railway Handicap effort of 1942 in this year's race Meantime ■he has five entrants, the evergreen Cambria, Sweet Biscuit, My Bonnie, and the three-year-olds Bronya and King's Pride.