RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20592, 18 September 1930, Page 5

RACING NOTES

[By St. Clair.]

RACING, September 20.—Ashburton C. Racing Club. September 20, 22.—Avondalo Racing Club. September 25. 27.—Geraldine Racing Club. October 4. —Napier Park Racing Club. October 4.—Kurow Jockey Club. October 4, 6.—Auckland Racing Club. October 9. 11. Dunedin Jockey Club. October 10, 11.—Otaki-Maori Racing Club. October 16, 18.—South Canterbury Jockey Club. October 18.—Masterton Racing Club. October 25, 27.—Wellington Racing Club. October 27. —Waverley Racing Club. October 27.—Waikato Hunt Club.

WHAT’S AHEAD The falling off i.. both totaiisator and gate receipts at the Otago Hunt Club’s Meeting last Saturday has given members of committees of racing clubs who have programmes to draft for the present season a good line of what must be expected during the remainder of the year at least. Any reduction in the gate money is almost a total loss, and every £IOO down on the totaiisator means a net loss to the club concerned of from £5 10s to £6. Thus the decrease in these two sources of revenue at last Saturday’s meeting—£l6o at the gates and £5,024 less through the totaiisator — means a loss of revenue to the club of over £460. With decreased gate receipts there must also follow decreased sales of race cards and decreased revenue from the sales of catering charges, and with lower stakes there will be a corresponding decrease in revenue from nomination and acceptance fees. The general outlook for the sport is notj good, and anxious times are ahead tor the executives of all clubs. Those fortunate enough to hold their meetings on public holidays will not bo so badly hit. but the prospects of many of the smallei clubs who race on off days are not bngnt, and the executives of these latter clubs will have to be very careful in drafting their programmes. Indeed, it is quite on tho cards that some of the smaller clubs throughout the dominion may find it necessary to abandon their annual fixtures for a year or so until matters improve. For a country going through the present financial depression there is too much racing. During tho past fourteen years owners have benefited by the rivalry that has arisen between clubs in tho way of big stakes, and, though it has been costly to some of the smaller clubs, many of the big clubs have kept floating along by increased crowds tho good horses thus attracted have drawn to their fixtures. These larger clubs have been forced into providing increased and luxurious accommodation for their patrons, and most, if not all, of them aro now faced with heavy debts as tho result. Tho sport certainly causes the circulation of a very large amount of money outside racecourses, but even with tho big stakes that have been offering during the past fifteen years few engaged in it either as breeders, owners, or trainers have made the industry, for that is what it has now become, profitable. As in many other businesses, racing and all the minor businesses connected witfy it is a gamble, but with the odds against success to those engaged in it. As a pastime it is a costly one for nearly all who participate in it, but such a fascinating ons that it will alwnvs be popular, and therefore even in the times of most acute depression there is no chance of it going under. But at the present time, when excessive taxation on every source of revenue from the sport, in addition to the period of financial depression through which the world is passing, there is need, not only of careful management to keep it going, but also of confining it to those clubs whose programmes can still be made attractive enough to make the losses to owners as light as possible. PHAR LAP'S RECORD Twelve months ago the Chelmsford Stakes was worth £1,091 to the winner, and assuming that Saturday’s value would bo in the region of that sum, Phar Lap’s success would bring Ins total stake earnings to approximately £28,162. His list of performances to date is appended:— TWO VEARS. Stakes. Unplaced first division Roschill Nursery, 6.11, s}f. Unplaced HawUesbury Two-year-old Handicap, 7.3. 6f. , Unplaced fust division Roschill Nursery Handicap, 6.7, fif. , Unplaced A.J.C. Easter Stakes, <.6, 71 Won Roschill Maiden Juvenile Handicap, 7.9, Ct A l *- THREE YEARS. Unplaced Wanvi.k ('arm Denham Point Handicap, 7.3, Sf. 1 Unplaced UosehiU Thrcc-ycar-old Handicap, 7.13, 7l Unplaced Roschill Three and Tour-ycar-old Handicap, 7.6, 7f. Unplaced Warwick Stakes, 7.6, Si. Second Chelmsford Stakes, 7.6, 9[ -00 Won Roschill Guineas, 8.5, 9t 913 Won A.J.C Derby, 8.10, I2f 7,13 a Won Craven Plate 78, 101 “,200 Won Victoria Derby 8.10, 12( Third Melbourne Cup, 7.6, ICf ... 1.000 Third V.A.T.C. St. George Stakes, 8.10, <l( Won V.R.C, St I.egcr Stakes, 8.10, 141 1,691 Won Governor’s PI te, 7.13, 12i 749 Won King’s Plate, 7.11, 16f -I? Won Chipping Norton Stakes, 101 ... ... '47 Won A.J.C St Lcgcr Stakes, 8.10, Uf -.353 Won A.J.C. Cumbe.land Stakes, 8.1, 14i 1.457 Won A.J.C Plate 7.13, 18f ... ... ... Msl Won S.A.J.C. Elder Stakes, 8.4, 91 ... 345 Won King’s Cup, 9.5, 121 FOUR YEARS. Second Warwick Stakes, 81 200 Won Chelmsford Stakes, Of * 1,001 15 firsts, 2 seconds. 2 thirds, and 8 times unplaced £-B,lb* JOTTINGS Nominations for tho spring meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club close tomorrow, at 5 p.m. . Star Stranger and Histone, each weighted at 9st 111 b, are the ruling favourites for tho Avondalo Cup, I.lm, to be run on Saturday. ‘ ' , It is estimated that tho winnings of the ten contestants for the recent Warwick Stakes won by Araounis totalled no less than £154.477. An interesting item of news from Mr A. F. Roberts’s Kaituna stud reports that Entreaty this week produced a colt foal to Night Raid, the youngster thus being a brother to Phar Lap. Someone has gambled _on 'Nightmarch’s return to tho dominion in tune to tako his place in iho field for the New Zealand Cup to be run on November 8. Recently published lists show’ him to be a very pronounced shortpriced favourite. Handicaps for the New Zealand Cup aro duo to make their appearance on September 29. The first acceptance (3sovs) for the Cup falls duo on October 3. , „ The Tetrarcli is still alive and well, but is retired from tho stud. Ho is now enjoying life in a large paddock with a box and an cver-open door at his owner’s place, Thomostown, County

October 27.—Waipawa County Racing Clue. . October 27.—North Canterbury Racing Club. . October 27, 29.—Gore Racing Club. TROTTING. October 4. —Methven T.C. October 11.—Waikato T.C. October 18. —New Brighton T.C. October 25,. 27.—Greymouth T.C. October 25, 27.—Auckland T.C. October 27.—Northland T.C. October 27. —Oaraaru T.C. November 1. - Wellington T.C. November 11, 13, 14.—N.Z. Metropolitan

Kilkenny, Ireland, where his son, Tetratema, stands. . Nukumai was sore at Wanganui, and so unable to reproduce the form_ he showed at the Grand National Meeting. When he ran fourth in the Gonville Hurdles on Saturday it was his last appearance till next jumping season. it. S. Bagby, who has been absent for some time with the Jamieson team in Australia, is expected back in the dominion next inonth. He is evidently not remaining to complete the tour, and, will be on hand to ride the remainder of tho team here. Cylinder gave H. Gray his third winning mount in tho Wanganui Guineas, as no had previously ridden Danube and Duo to victory. Cylinder, however, is the first winner of the race credited to Mr A. B. Williams, who has won the majority of the other New Zealand classics. So persistent is the demand for bookmakers in Tasmania, states an Australian exchange, that it will be surprising if Parliament rejects the next legislation bearing on tho subject that comes before it. The proposal appears not to have an opponent, and it seems only a matter of framing a Bill that will meet all requirements. It is unlikely that any attempt would bo made to license the bookmakers to operate anywhere but on racecourses. Native Prince is now definitely under the care of D. Bennett, who will give the Native King pacer a thorough preparation for the New Zealand Cup, and will drive him in that race. Native Prince, who has done particularly well in ■ Bennett’s hands, will probably bo raced at the Greymouth meeting next mouth, and on November 1 will contest tho New Zealand Cup Trial at Wellington. p . After returning to America from New Zealand, R. B. Plaxico had to set about getting a fresh team together, and it was some time before he got on the winning list. At tho beginning of August, however, ho produced several good performers, and at the Mansfield, Ohio, Meeting, he won the Classified Paco with Bellbrewer, his time for the three heats being 2.13, 2.14, and 2.15. On the third day of tho meeting he won the mile Dash Trot, with Raven Azotf, in 2.12 J, and on tho fourth day with Minnie Chan he annexed the 2.18 Pace after four heats. One of tho most impressive performances in the two-year-old race at Wanganui was that of La Poupeo, for she got badly away, and was standing up Korokio a lot of ground entering the straight (says tho ‘Dominion;.’). Yet she was less than two lengths from her at the finish. La Poupee is a bay filly by Tea Tray from Dancing Doll, an English-bred mare by Black Jester from My Dolly by Suudridge. When owned by the Hon. E. W. Alison she threw Tea Doll to Tea Tray, and was then secured by Mr I. G. Duncan. In La Poupee she has thrown a very speedy sprinter who will be heard from later on. She is trained by Mrs A. M‘Donald at Awapuui. Charmeuso and Sleipner were both nominated for tho Longbeach Hack Handicap at Ashburton, but the former bruised a foot over tho week-end and will not make the trip. Sleipner will, however, contest tho event, and the manner in which ho has been galloping suggests .that ho will keep the field busy. He has not yet given indications that he will go beyond six furlongs, but it is intended to race him at Geraldine and Kurow prior to the Dunedin Meeting, and a lino will then be available as to whether lie will figure as a Guineas candidate at Wingatui (says the ‘ Press ’). It is on record that the previous progeny of Keep Watch were incapable of mastering a journey until well on in their careers, and from this line of argument alone Sleipner may be seen to advantage over sprint courses only, for this season at least. America has taken a leaf out of New Zealand’s book, and at the Mansfield Meeting tried something of an innovation when the mile dash was put on, the six horses going from a standing start. An American writer has the following;—“Here were six veteran trotters from four to fourteen years of age, several of whom did not carry tho 1 best reputation as post horses. They stood at the wire as meek as kittens, waited a minute *>r two, and were off in perfect alignment. The start was perhaps the best ever seen on a harness track, and it was made quite evident that harness horses can go to the post, stand, and get away to a good start and put up splendid contests in good time. Things can be accomplished and advancements made if everyone is but willing to try and help.” Curiously enough, the race was won by R. B. Plaxico, who while in New Zealand had had some experience of standing starts. It was cabled from Sydney on Saturday that it is practically certain that the Australian racing public has seen the last of Limerick. After working on the track he pulled up in a very bad way. Mr H. A, Knight takes a different view. “ Limerick is not yet done,” said Mr Knight on Saturday, when asked whether the horse had run his last race in Australia. “ My trainer thinks that it is only a temporary lameness, and that a rest will cure him,’ Mr Knight said that Limerick has been scratched for Saturday’s races, but, all going well, he would race in the big event on October 4. He would be in Australia himself before that date, and lie would make sure of the horse’s condition. “ Your cable differs from mine if it says that Limerick has run his last race m Australia,” added Mr Knight. “ The cable I received from my trainer stated that Limerick had developed a slight lameness after a good race.” On the other hand, a well-known sportsman received a letter in Wanganui last week from tho Ellerslie trainer, J. Williamson, at present in Sydney. Williamson expressed tho opinion that Limerick was “ done for.” Laughing Prince has proved one of tho bargains,of tho sale ring since the day he fell to tho bid of Mr W. J. Jorgenson, of Wellington, during his visit to Sydney in 1926. Ho secured tho Quantock-Martian Princess colt for 230gns, no doubt being atti- ted by the maternal side of his pedigree, which is representative of one of Now Zealand’s best families. Racing in Mr Jorgenson’s colours as a two-year-old, and trained by J. M'Langhlin at Trcnthain, Laughing Prince proved himself a colt well above the average. He

won £1,250 I'or his purchaser, and then at an auction sale of Mr J orgensen’s stock that season he was bought by F . Tilley, acting for his patron, Mr l. A. Duncan, for l,ooogns. The following day he won the Pacific Handicap on the concluding day of the Wellington Autumn Meeting, worth £420 to the winner. Laughing Prince did not prove a Derby colt, as was hoped, as he did not turn out a true stayer, and was beaten by Agrion and Satrap. He turned the tables on Agrion in'the Great Northern Derby, but they both struck something exceptional in Martarma. Nevertheless, Laughing Prince was equal to weight-for-age class within his distance, and also reached top handicap company, and has proved a good bargain for Mr Duncan. As a three-year-old he won £3,190, and at four years, his best season, ho secured £3,585 in stakes. Ho did very little racing as a five-year-old, and won £775, while Saturday’s win was worth £350. For Mr Duncan he has put together the tidy sum of £8,320. “