RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 14

RACING NOTES

[By St. Clair.]

RACING FIXTURES. TROTTING FIXTURES. December 26.—Waipukuruu J.C. December 25.—Gore T.C. December 26, 27.—Dunedin J.C. December 26.—Ashburton T.C. December 26, 27.—Westland K.C. December 26, 27.—South Wairarapa T.C. December 26, 27.—Taranaki J.C. December 26, 27.—Westport T.O. December 26, 27, 29.—Manawatu R.C. December 27, 29, 31. -Auckland T.G. December 26, 28, January 1, 2.—Auckland December 29.—Winton T.C. R.C. December 31.—Inangahua T.O. December 29, January 1, 2.—Greymoulh January 1,. 2. -Canterbury Park T.C. J.C. " January 3.—Westland T.C, January I.—'Waikouaiti R.C. January 4, 5.-Greymoulh T.C. January .I.—Wyudbam R.C. January 12.—Timaru T.C. January 1, 2.—Wairarapa R.C. January 19.—Wellington T.C. January 1, 2.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 21, 26.--.Forbury Park T.C. January 1, 2.-Stratford R.C. , February 1, 2.-Nelson T.G. January 1, 2.—Marten J.C. February 9.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C, January 2, 3.—Southland R.C. February 16.—Wellington T.C. January 5, 7.—Vincent J.C. February 23.—Kaikoura T.C. January 7, B.—Reefton J.C. February 23, 27.- Otahuhu T.C. January 12.-Wairio J.C. February 27, 28. -Invercargill T.C. January 12, 14. —'Thames J.C. March 3.—Marlborough T.C. , January 16.-Opotiki J.C. , -March 2,—Waikato T.C. January 16, 17.—Fox to a R.C. March 9.—Timaru T.C. January 10.— Day of Islands K.C. March 13.—VVyndham T.C, January 22. Aslilnirst-Pohangina R.C. March 13.—Manawatu T.C. January 22, 24.—Wairoa R.C. March 16.-Now Brighton T.C. January 22, 24, 26. -Wellington K.C. 51 arch 23.-Thames 910. January' 26, 29. -Takapuna J.C. March 26.—Cheviot T.C. January 29, 30. Pahiatua R.C. March 30.—Takaka T.C. January 31, February 2.—Fgiuont K.C. March 30, April I.—liawera ’I.C.

HORSES FOR THE SOUTH MEETINGS The Christchurch ‘ .Press 1 says;— Uu tho appearance of tho weights for tho Dunedin Alee Ling, \V. Stone decided to take Silm\ Paper and Aspiring to tho Awapuiu Meeting.^ R, Longley will take Proud Knight to tho Waikouaiti Meeting, and later will attend tho Southland Meeting with Proud Knight, Pascal, aud lionrose. His stable will probably bo represented at the Reefton Mooting by Hoislcr, who will ho in charge of G. Salt on the return from Ellerslic, whence ho is going lu ride Wluirnclitle. F. P. Claridgc has decided to go south with Dean Gcstc, Troilus, and Waterlow. . , lt , Front Rank and Pahautanm will be taken to tho Waikouaiti Meeting, and this will cover their holiday programme. Tho former is to take her place in the Waikouaiti Gup, aud_ on Ashburton form she-should bo a favourable proposition. R, Ellis will have Buoyant aud Arlowmir racing at some of tho southern meetings. Ho had Kul range engaged for the West Coast, but tho gelding has not had the required schooling and will be left until later, JOTTINGS Owners arc reminded acceptances fot tho Wyndham Meeting close this evening, and for the Waikouaiti Meeting to”morrow evening. Nominations lor tho \ inccnt Meeting close to-night; O. Emerson will lie ruling at the umgatui and Southland Meetings during tho holidays. Franeolin is doing well at mngatui, and should bo in the money beloro showers have done muck to help tho going at Wingatui, aud a good sward of grass will also help the course proper for-'iioxt Wednesday and lliuisday’s meeting. Acceptances fur the first day of Hie Dunedin Summer Alee ting close at o o’clock this evening. Set Sail and Lucy Locket cadi worked well at Wingatui yesterday juonuug, and are apparently uouo wu> worse lor their racing at Oamaru. Rotor and Sarnia came on south from the Oamaru Meeting, aud arc now at Wingatui. Pink Note is working well now, and his recent track efforts show him to be quite ready to show his best during the next fortnight. Battle Colours has been withdrawn from all engagements at the D.J.C. Summer Meeting, bub is likely to be raced at Waikouaiti or Invercargill. The two-year-old racing at Wingatui ami Invercargill during the holiday meetings promises to bo interesting. Owners have responded well'in tin races for youngsters, and the class engaged good. Compared with her handicapping at the Dunedin and Wyndham Meetings, Lucy Locket has been harshly' treated in tii® Waikduaiti Cup. After seeing two or tlireo meetings tills season where the horses racing have not been seen in action by tho handicapper it makes one realise how unfair to owners it is of clubs to appoint officials who either will not or cannot attend meetings where these horses do most of their racing. Rotor looked bigger than i have previously seen him when he stripped for tho Oamaru. Cup. Ho ran a faddy good race, but should do better during tho holiday meetings, as tho gallop should do him a lot of good. • Bilbo was made a good favourite iu each of his races at the Oamaru Aieetiug, but the company appeared to ho a little too rich for him. Ho met with trouble in tho Cup on the second day, and did not show Ins best form over tho last half-mile. Royal Saxon ran two sterling good hut unlucky races at Oamaru, and after meeting with trouble about halfway each day finished on strongly into second place. Royal Saxon is bred to stay, and it looks a certainty that iio will gather in one of tho principal handicaps during the holiday meetings. Some of tho riding at tho Oamaru Meeting was very crude, and if it is tho standard owners and punters will' have to put up with during tho holiday fixtures in tho south it will seriously affect the totalisator investmcvils. Tho desire to save 31b or 51b by putting up inexperienced aud iudiffcrcntlytaughfc apprentices has cost some owners a lot of money already this season. Listening Dost has been sprinting Avcll on the Invercargill tracks, but the handicapper has taken no risk with him in tho hurdle race at Wyndham. There is little encouragement for owners to persevere with old horses that have once shown good form if they are to bo handicapped on their best credentials when reappearing after a couple of seasons' absence from tho racecourse. The Wairio Jockey Club, whoso annual meeting will bo hold on January 12, has again been lucky in having valuable trophies added to its stakes by supporters of tbo club. A gold cup costing £6O has been subscribed for by the club’s friends and attached to the winner’s portion of the Cup, and now tho Southland agents of Bell’s whisky have advised tho dub that they will donate a trophy worth £2O to tho winner of tho Apanma Steeplechase. Nominations for this meeting dose next Friday. Last season Set Sail commenced her winning career by annexing tbo Geraldine and Oamaru Cups. This year sho was not started in either of these races, but she was produced iu the President’s Handicap on tho opening day of the Oamaru Meeting, and conceding from 21Jb to 331 b to tho field won easily. With 9.S in tho Otago Handicap and 6,9. in tho Wyndham Cup, she has nob been harshly treated. Last season she finished second with 9.8 up to Pink Note 8.3 in the Otago Handicap, and afterwards won tho Invercargill Cup with 9.6, Pink Note 8.5 finishing a good third. Set Sail has now won two Invercargill Cups, and her owner may decide to reserve her lor this race again this season, and create a record by winning it three times. Warsaw and Soldiers’ Chorus have also each won it twice in succession, , The sab of Mr J. M. Samson’s team of horses will bo hold at Trentham on the morning of January 25, ami will be conducted by Alcssrs PyiU, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., aud Wright, Stephenson, and ,Co., Ltd., in conjunction.

Filosol looked like taking an important part in tlio finish of ttio Novice Stakes on Saturday until Miss Marco ran wide at tlio home turn and carried Mr Quirk’s- gelding out with her. He finished on gamely, and ran his best race to date. Though Mr J. E. Uenrys’s name appeared o’- the official card of the Oamaru Jockey Club’s race cards as handicapper, he was not present on either day, and it is understood that Mr C. Hassull framed tho handicaps for tlio second day of the meeting! There was very little enthusiasm shown over tho Oamaru Meeting, but when tho president’s maro Waving Corn broke a iong run of outs for him on tho second day by winning tho Novice Stakes the monotony was broken, and tho crowd applauded tho maro on her return to the enclosure. It is understood that, though the new grass trotting track at Oamaru has been laid out, ami sown down a fresh survey is to bo made. Tho courses, both galloping and trotting, aro well soon from all parts of the enclosure. There is also a chance of the Trotting Club moving the old stand over to tho present enclosures, to be used as an outside stand. The Oamaru Jockey Club has nut yet decided what starting barrier it will install on its new course, and Mr M'lvor had to use an clastic cord to dispatch the fields at last week’s meeting. Even under this disadvantage his work was particularly good, especially on the first day, _ Tho_ only limit that could be found with his work on Saturday was a little undue leniency to one or two badly-behaved horses. Koval Tractor contracted some form of poisoning alter the New Zealand Cup Meeting, and is not quite right yet' On tho second day he very nearly fell halfway down the straight, but L J Ellis managed to got him. back on to his feet just in time. Ho was well beaten at the time, so the mishap did mu affect his chance. The hurdlers seen out al, Oamaru last week were a very moderate Jot and completely overshadowed by the niuc-ycar-old Kangutahi, who won easily each day. Ho is a very fast jumper, and gained a length or so at most of the fences. On the second day lie was badly placed in the early stages, and not given a good view ui his hurdles, and hit a couple of them hard enough to stop a faint-hearted one, but tho knocks appeared to have little effect on him Now that he has come back to form it looks odds on him catching another race or two over hurdles at tho holiday meetings Mr Orbcll informed the writer at Oamaru that in all probability Rangatahi will he stceplechascd at tho latter end of this season. The clashing of tho Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Summer Meeting with tho Wellington Cup Meeting is not going to help the former fixture. Tho yearling sales in Wellington are attracting more sportsmen each year from the south, and now’ that Mr Samson has decided to sell his horses at, Trentham during the Wellington Meeting it will take still more away from the local fixture. The _ Forbury Park exectuive will bo foolish if it does not hold its meeting a week later. It was reported that at least two meetings of the .Judicial Committee ol the Oamaru Jockey Club were held during the recent fixture, but no information concerning tho meetings or tho results of them were communicated to the Press room. At most of the country club meetings in Otago and Southland slips showing tlio overweights and allowances, riders, etc., nro supplied to tho Press room, and some years ago no club did this better than tho North Otago Jockey Club. It may be only a minor detail in tho management of a race meeting, but important for tho fact that it is tho only way of giving publicity to tho fact that the stewards do not let everything puss without making some inquiry into things that happen and frequently puzzle the patrons of a clulv. Tripaway, who has already shown she is a very smart sprinter over six furlongs, was started in tho mile races each day at Oamaru, and failed to stay on. Sho looks to bo on the big sido yet. -and tho racing at Oamaru should do bora lot of good loi her engagements during the next fortnight. ’ Camisadcr was well backed in each of his starts at Oamaru. On tho first day nothing had a chanco with tho smart Meadow Lark, who led from start to finish. On tho second day ho looked the pick of the handicap in a weak field over a mile, but was one of the worst-ridden horses at the meeting. Ho missed tlio jump-out, and his rider was content to let him run along at least half a dozen lengths in tho rear until just before entering the straight. Then he mado an attempt to get through an impossible opening, dropped back last again in the straight, and came again from tlio distance post and narrowly missed catching second place. This horse looks particularly well just now. and will be a good one to follow through tho holiday meetings._ The Invercargill trainer F. W. Ellis had an unprofitable trip to Oamaru last week with Gayoma, Red Sea, and Bilbo, though these three horses carried some money on tho machine, £1,263 being invested on their chances. Gayoma, yet a green hurdler, hut a promising one, finished third each stajt, Red Sea third once, and Bilbo third onco. His horses are well, and look like winning a race before the holiday meetings finish. One of thp biggest “racecourse certainties” seen on any course in Otago for some yoars_ nearly came to grief through bad riding at Oamaru on Saturday afternoon. On the first day First Raid, with 9.9 up, finished a good second to Meadow Lark in the fflack Handicap, the sis furlongs being cut out in Imin 15 4-Sseo On the second day First Raid _ was handicapped at 21b above minimum in a weak field in the Stewards’ Handicap. Martis had to give him 11b, Eaton Bells 31b, Money Mine Sib, and Royal Tractor 91b, and on performances First Raid- ard Royal Tractor should have been about equal weights. Tho rider on First Raid jumped him out well, but ran outside right round tho top- and into the straight. When Martis was four lengths to the bad at the home turn A. Eastwood, on First Raid could easily have been accused of riding a non-trier for his feeble efforts were, of no assistance to the horse, ami his backers were lucky to get a half-head verdict.

Tho form shown at the Cromwell Meeting just a week previously worked out well at Oamaru on Friday and Saturday. Three horses—Enllorua, Martis, and Erin’s Chance—raced at tho two meetings, and Killorna won and Martis and Erin’s Chanco each finished second twice. A pound invested on each each start at Oamaru would have shown a profit of over £9. Killorna, who, through her dam Killala, is a half-sister to that great sprinter Good as Gold, now in Australia, put up a good performance by winning tho Windsor Handicap on Satur--1 day. She is a lazy mare in her work, and the lad who rode her on Friday took things too easy with her. On Saturday another horseman was up, and ho kept her up to the mark all the way, and sho just wore down the North Islander, Silver Tray, over the last half-furlong. Sho is trained by her owner, R. C. Reed, at Wingatui, who, since being turned out some mouths ago, has had none the best of-luck, and tho wins he scored with this filly and Rotores at Cromwell and Oamaru were a very pleasant and long overduo turn of Hie wheel. . Several clubs have tried racing in December in the south and found their meetings turn out failures, and now the Oamaru Club has proved that it is a fatal month to race in. The townsfolk of Oamaru aro evidently not keen on racing, and tho half-holiday in the town on Saturday mado very 'ittle difference in the number of townspeople at tho course as compared with Friday, therefore the club must try and cater for tho country folk. In December they have no lamb, wool, nor grain money to spend, and in looking foi future dales the executive would bo well advised to go for autumn and winter meetings. If tbo latter was lield towards the end of May and included a steeplechase each day in tho programme tlio chib would probably catch most of the jumuers engaged at tho Dunedin Winter Meeting. And il always has to be remembered that many people will turn out to seo a steeplechase.