RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19699, 28 October 1927, Page 14

RACING NOTES

[By St. Claib.]

RACING FIXTURES. October 29.—Upper Clutha R.C. October 27, 29.—Poverty Bay R.C. October 29.—Masterlon R.C. October 29.—Banks Peninsula R.C. October 29, 31.—Timaru J.C. November-2.—Birclnvoocl Hunt Club. November 5,7, 9, 12 —N.Z. Cup Meeting. November 10, 11.—Wbaugam R.C. November 16, 17.—Winton J.C. November 19.—Levin R.C. November 23.— Ashburst-Pohangina R.C. November 26, 28.—Takapuna J.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 1. —Fcilding J.C. December 2, 3.—South Canterbury J.C. December 7, B.—Woodvillo Dist. J.C. December 10, 12.—Taumaranui R.C.

Nominations for the Winton Jockey Club’s annual meeting close this evening at 8 o’clock. Tuesday the final payments m connection with the New Zealand Cup, Stewards’ Handicap, and the classic events on the C.J.C. programme are due. MORE PUBLICITY REQUIRED Thanks to the holiday (which was spoiled by bad weather) and a summerlike day on Wednesday, the Gore facing Club's Spring Meeting tins week will'result in a,good profit tor the club; but with a little more publicity given the fixture, both by the club and the Railway Department, the attendance would prbbably have been bolter eaeh day. The majority of racing clubs in Otago and Southland are very parsimonious in the advertising they give to their race meetings, mid the Railway Department appears to have a concrete rule regarding the advertising oi its services to fixtures which is quite useless both as a guido to the public and a- draw to their services. Since the daily papers have been giving so much attention in their sporting columns to racing and trotting there has been an inclination on the part of club secretaries to leave practically all the advertising regarding dates ol nominations, etc., and dale of race meetings to appear in these columns, and quite often a secretary who has failed to forward a copy of his programme expresses annoyance wnon these gratis announcements regarding his meeting do not appear. The advertising of the Gore Meeting was vciy inefficiently done, and no reference to the second day of tliq fixture appeared either in the Dunedin or Invercargill papers of cither Tuesday or Wednesday, excepting, of course, the lists oi acceptances. The public outside the Gore district, as it were, were not invited to attend, and those who did had to find out for themselves the way to get there. A special train was run from and to Invercargill, but the only intimation that it would run appeared in the Railway Departments advertisement which was published a week prior to the meeting. 'Jhe surest way to attract a crowd_ is to make it known in the districts likely to be attracted that a race meeting is to be held and to do that there is no better method than the advertising columns of the daily Press. The heads of the Railway Department have been credited with at last awakening to tiie fact that motor transpoit is seriously interferng with the railway business, but judging by the way they advertise their special trams to race meetings that opinion can bo only partially correct. They follow a hard-and-fast” rule of advertising the train arrangements for any special occasion six or seven days before the date of the race meeting, show, or whatever it is they are running a service in connection with, and. excepting for handbills to be seen only at the railway stations, there their advertising finishes, few people make up their minds they are going to attend a show or a race meeting until a day nr so beforehand, and still fewer of tliom then have access to the papers that contained ilio advertisement four or five, days previously. The result is that they patronise the motor services, and the railway service suffers. Both the clubs and the Railway Department want the crowd, and they should combine in their ndvertising of fixtures, so that the best results to'bolh will be obtained. Another instance of.the want of publicity given to a race meeting is lurnished in the poor response from owners given to tho Hutliwoocl Hunt Chin s Meeting, to be held next month._ Even though the meeting, for hunters, is hold at the wrong time of the season, had tho programme been given more pua--1 icily the nominations would have nor been so poor; and this saving of a few pounds may be flic cause of turning what should be a profitable fixture into a loss. __ N.Z. CUP CANDIDATES AT GORE Three of the four New Zealand Cup candidates trained in the south were started in the Gore Cup, Urn on Monday,' and again on the .second day ol the meeting. On the. first day the going was too bad for their running to give much guide to their chances in the big race next week, but on Wednesday, though still dead, the track was very much 1 improved. In the New Zealand Cup, two miles, Pink Note, Equerry, and Vaward have each been handicapped to carry ist. In the Gore Cup, ten furlongs, l ink Note carried 8.7, Vaward 8.0, and in tho Waikaka Handicap Pink jNote b.l«, Vaward 8.8, and Equerry i.d. Jink Note was not judiciously handled hi the Gore Cup, in which he ran up-on the outside of two at tho lar turn, and raced all round the top thud lioisc out from the rail. Ho covered a good deal more ground than taboo did, nit at the distance post he caught taboo and a hundreds yards Irom the post appeared to be a good neck in front. Whether Andrews did not get the best out of him or whether Pink hote was beginning to stop it is difficult to sa\, but Taboo, with a well-timed run under vigorous riding, beat bim to the post by a long head, with V award a o-ood length and a-halt further bade third. The iime, 2min 15sec, considering the going, was quite good. On Wednesday Pink Note was never further hack than second to Equerry, and five furlongs from home the iormer ran to the front and, slinking Taboo off at flic home turn, was going easily when lie readied Iho post three-quar-ters of a length in Irnut of Vaward, with Equerry two lengths off third. In both races ‘ Vaward was staying on well, hut it must also be remembered that the going probably suited him hotter than either of the other two. Pink Note thus gave Vaward 41b ami Equerry 231 b and beat them comfortably over a little more than nine furlongs, and it looks ns if lie is sure to beat them again should ho meet them at Riccarton. But can he stay two miles, oven under 7st. I understand liis connections are confident that he will see out the journey. Even if ho does ho is going to meet a much better field than lie lias ever been up against before. As tor Vaward and Equerry, their owners may start them to see”their colors represented in tho big handicap, but that should be their solo interest.

December 17—Oamaru J.C. December 17. —Waipa R.C. December 26, 27.—Dunedin J.C.

TROTTING FIXTURES,

November 8. 10, 11. Metropolitan Spring. November 19, 23.—Otahubu T.G. November 2b. 26.-L i 'orbury Park T.C, December 3- —Waikato T.C. December 10.-Northland T.C. December 15, 17.—New Brighton T.C. December 26.-Ashburton T.C. December 26, 27 —Westport T.C. December 26, 27.-South Wairarapa. December 26.—C0r0 T.C. December 29.—Winlon T.C. SET SAIL When Set Sail jailed to make the second acceptance in the New Zealand Cup last week, ante post and double bettors who had supported the 'Goreowned mare got a nasty shock. The report published after the Dunedin spring meeting that she had probably started for the last lime this season was a much exaggerated one, and all going well in the meantime she will be one of C. Gicseler’s team to Riccarton next week. According to Gicselcr, he thinks that she struck herself during the running of the Mosgicl Handicap, iu which she did not get a very Mod passage until the straight was readied. The day after the race tire leg filled very badly, and a veterinary surgeon had to be called in. The injury responded well to the treatment ordered, and apparently the mare is sound again now. Site has cngagcments i in the principal handicaps after the first dav of the meeting, and, though the enforced let up for a jew days will throw the marc back a little, she is so well that in all probability a race will come her way during the week. 'jottings Rirchwood Hunt Meeting next Wednesday. , , ■The New Zealand Cup and Stewards Handicap will be run on Saturday ol next week. Both Rink Note and Comic bong won well at Gore, but their successes do not entail penalties for their Riccarton engagements next week. At a meeting of the Dunedin Jocacy Club Committee, held yesterday, it was decided to invite applications lor the position of haiulicappcr. .. The On mam Jockey Cluj) will hold its summer meeting at W ingatui on Saturday, December 17. , Messrs James Smith, G. A. Rani (members of the committee), and L. G. Hill (secretary) represented the Dunedin Jockey Club on the opening day of the Gore Meeting. Ricr dividends paid by Red Leaf, Captain "Sarto, Kinness, and Bright Mam at Gore did not help to swell the totalisator investments. Messrs N. 15. Lusk, 11. Mee, and H. A. Pierce, haiidicappors to the Dunedin, Vincent, and Southland Clubs respectively, wore present throughout the Gore meeting this week. Several of the fields at the Core meeting were small, but they promise to bo still smaller at the Birchwood Hunt Meeting next week. Arpent and _ Divinial are two horses that itero racing at Gore which have turned rogues. Neither will now try at the right end _in their races, and as racing propositions on the flat they cun be counted out. At a special meeting of the committee of tlio Dunedin Jockey Club held vosterday afternoon it was decided to reduce the stakes_for the remainder of the season by Jo per cent. With a change of luck iu tho weather ami a little better support from I lie townspeople of Dunedin the club would soon recover its position. Tlio win registered by Captain Sarto on tlio second day at Gore is the first since August, li/25, when ho won at Trentiiam. Atr D. Kilkcliy got tired of carting him all over the country, and about a. month ago gave him to his trainer, R. T. Hogan, and everyone was glad to sec the genial .irishman have a win.

Sparkling Eyes, who won 1-lic Dominion Hack Hurdles at Gore on Wednesday, ims only won once previously, and, strange to say, that was at Gore last season. She did not heat a good lob on Wednesday, hut she won from end to end, and as sho is a- full sister to Listening Post, she will probably improve with ago as ho did. T>y Ids wins at the Dunedin Spring and Gore Meetings, Loyal Saxon is now well out of hack class, and in the future will have to do his racing in open company. Since Mr J. Carter bought him last spring Irom Mr A. S. Cambridge, Royal Saxon has won eight races and dead-heated in another, and nearly £BOO in stakes. He docs not race well in the han.ds of a light boy, and for this reason may bo reserved for welter races now.

Comic Song was ridden in the (wo Steward Handicaps he won by very light boys, and he docs not look like a Jmr.se that' a light-weight can get the best out of. in this year’s race ho will carry 8.7, and will have the services ol a good strong horseman. This should add to Ids chances of winning his lliird Stewards’ Handicap on Saturday week. His race at Gore on Wednesday will sharpen him up. The Wairio Jockey Club has included n race for two and three-year-olds in its programme this season that should appeal to owners of youngsters. .It will ho run over five furlongs, and is for horses that have not won a race at the time of starting, two-year-olds 7.12, and three-year-olds r J.(i. As the Wairio Meeting is held a couple ot weeks prior to the Dunedin Cup Meeting, it should suit owners of two-year-olds to give them a run in this race. The stake is only £IOO. hut it is encouraging to owners or young horses to find a country club catering for their patronage. Celerity 11. ran a very different race on Wednesday to what she did on the first day at Gore. Though badly handicapped at within 121 b of Comic .Song her party were very confident the English mare would heat Comic Song, and supported her well. Some think it was kidney trouble that caused her to run Vi badly, Iml she was galloping all right until .she (■•(iiniiienccd to go round the top, and then appeared to stop. She may have struck a had patch ot going. She rlid not appear to be unduly distressed when she returned to the enclosure.

After giving a very bad display at the barrier the first day Jack o' Lantern was started in the hurdle race on the second day at Gore, mid for a first attempt he gave a really good display. Ho hit the first fence and tried to ran off at the fourth, but other than these two lapses he shaped really well, and led all the way to the last fence, which he jumped well and fully a 10-igth in front of Captain Sarto. He was only caught over the last 100yds, and can bo marked down as an early winner if well placed. The hurdlers scon out at Gore were not a good lot, and though Atapo won nicely with 0.7 on the opening day a rise of 141 b was much too lug for him to handle on Wednesday, and ho was well beaten. Captain Sarto met him on Hill) better terms on Wednesday, and won nicely from Ecuador, who ran good races each day. Penury Hose was raised from 10.5 to 10.10 the second

day. for being well beaten into Hurd place. Tho ex-Grand National Hurdle Race winner is a horse that handicappers can safely take a liberty wuth nowadays, as ho has apparently lost all his old form. Tholomon was not started on the second day after running second on Monday, and he yet requires a iot of making as a hurdler. . While the majority of clubs in tne dominion are now cutting down then stakes it is pleasing to note that one country club has faith in the future, and has announced an increase. urn club is the Wairio Jockey Club m Southland, which Ims increased its stakes from £I,OOO to £1,090 for its annual meeting, to be held next January. Wairio is tho centre of a good sporting district and the outlet of the Ohai coalfields. Tho district has subscribed £7O, with which a gold cup has been purchased and will he added to the stake of the Wairio Cun, now £2OO. and one good sportsman has donated a gold-mounted whip to bo presented to tho rider of the winner of that race. When at Riverton about two months W. M'Kay told me ho had a very promising hack in the Marco Bello—Red Gift gelding Red Leaf, and fhat ho expected to win some monev with him this season. Ho galloped -mil prior to the D.J.C. Spring Meeting, but got interfered with in ench of Ins racos,. and in the Kaikorai Handicap on the second day ho finished last. At Goic on Monday he went out nearly the extreme outsider in ,the Novice Hack Handicap, and, though nob well placed in tho early stages of tho six furlongs, he finished very fast in the mud, and beat the dying Royal Head by a narrow margin, and returned iris lew supporters the dividend of file meeting. Red Loaf was bred by Mr James Gow. and his dam, Red Gifh was by All Red from Vagrancc, by Gipsy Grand from Aspenleaf, by Lnrpent from Aspen, by Aslan from Talkative. . . An instance of the poor advertising given the train services in connection with the recent Gore Meeting was brought to tho writer’s notice on Sunday "evening. Ho was rung up between R and 9 o’clock by two people who wished to go to Gore next day, and wanted to know what time the special train was to leave Dunedin. They had rung up the various numbers set' out in tho telephone directory against the railway offices, but, being Sunday evening, had failed to got an answer. Not being able to give the information asked lor, a.s _ tho advertisement concerning the train had been only advertised at the beginning of the previous week, the writer had to disturb the district traffic manager at his private residence, and then pass the information on to those making the inquiry.