RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20634, 6 November 1930, Page 5

RACING NOTES

[By St. Clair.]

RACING. November B.—Whangarci Racing Club. November 8. 10, 12, 15.—Canterbury Jockey Club. November 15.—Upper Clutba Hack Racing Club. November 15, 17.—Waikato Racing Club. November 19, 20.—Winton Racing Club. November 22. -Levin Racing Club. November 22, 24.—T0 Kuiti Racing Club. Nov. 29, Dec. 1. —Takapuna Jockey Club. Nov. 29, Dec. 1. -Refilling Jockey Club. December 5, 6. Tanmarunni Racing Club. December 6.—Ashburton County Racing Club. RIGGARTON NOTES [Special to this ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, November 5. Toxeuma has come strongly into the discussions on the Stewards’ Handicap during the last couple of days, and it will occasion no surprise if he is one of the favourites for the lug sprint on Saturday. He may bo headed off by some of the brilliant beginners in the early stages, but lie is by no means slow out of the harrier, while his ability to stay a mile will be an asset at the business end down the tiring six-fur-long track, A. Goodman is expected to arrive tomorrow with tho Cup candidate Black Mint, while 11. Pritchard will he on tho scene at tho same time with Royal Game and Flower. Don Jose may he allowed to forfeit his engagement in the Riccarton Handicap on Saturday. Ho is in good condition, and may lie seen to advantage later on at the meeting. A. H. Eastwood, in addition to riding Desert Glow in the New Zealand Cup, will pilot Proud Knight and Riri on Saturday* while he may also he on Autopay in the Stewards’ Handicap. 11. N. Wiggins will ride Palm in the New Zealand Cup, while A. C. Dick will bo on Courageous. The two-year-old filly Lochlaggan is an unlikely '■•■■>rtor at the Riccarton carnival. Site lias not done well lately, and may have to bo eased up for a time. Her owner is in no hurry with iter, and a patient policy should enable C. Emerson to produce her in good form in the autumn. CARBINE’S VICTORIA DERBY Warm controversy is proceeding in Australia as to whether Phar Lap is entitled to rank as a greater galloper than Carbine was forty years ago. Carbine did not race as a three-year-old until ho started in tho Victoria Derby of 1888. His juvenile achievements in New Zealand caused the son of Musket to be made favourite at 7 to 4, but Melos, who had captured the Hawkesbury Guineas and A.J.C. Derby, pressed him closely, being quoted at 5 to 2. Odds of 7 to 1 were on offer against Ensign, whose stahlomato, Volley, had started at 5 to 4 on in the A.J.C. Dor’y, and lost by a length. Many reasons have been advanced for Carbine losing the Victoria Derby to Ensign by a head. It has been variously claimed that Derrett was caught napping, that he striHc Carbine in a tender spot, and that Ensign really was the better horse. T prefer to rely on what the late Dan O’Brien, who owned Carbine, told me in tho course of a Sydney interview many years ago (says “ Khedive.” in the Melbourne ‘ Sporting Globe ’). Here is what O’Brien said: “ Derrett asked mo whether lie should go to the front, i replied: ‘No, ride Carbine as if you were riding work, and never bo farther than a distance 1 indicated (about four lengths) from the leader.’ It is no use telling a jockey to bo first, second, or third, as that is no guide if the field gets strung out. “ The first quarter of a mile was run at a very slow pace. Carbine was last then; yet at tho abattoirs, five furlongs from home, he was in front. Carbine and tho filly on which Mick O’Brien won the Oaks, Pearlshell, came right away from the others at that point. In the straight Mick stopped riding Pearlshell. and Mr C. C, Murray, who was standing alongside me, observed: ‘lt is all over.’ My rejoinder was: ‘He rode a hell of a race.’ “Derrett looked round when Pearlshell was beaten and let one of his reins drop. Tins caused Carbine to slow down, and Tom Hales seized the opportunity to make Ins run on Ensign. When Derrett caught hold of his rein again ho struck backward with his whip, and Carbine turned his head half round. On returning to scale Derrett asked mo whether I thought he _ was caught napping, and I replied : ‘ you were not caught napping.’ Tho jockey had double reins, and should have ridden tho colt out without fumbling for the one he had dropped. In other circumstances Carbine could have won by 50yds. Derrett was a good horseman, but they all make mistakes.” JOTTINGS Tho first race at Riccarton each day during tho Cup Meeting is timed to start at noon. A good number of light-harness horses are being trained on the Omakan course. P. Gallagher has a useful team, including one or two good maidens. No riding arrangements nave been made yet for Count Palatine in tho Now Zealand Cup, and the final decision will not bo arrived at until Friday morning. IT. R. Telford, tbo lessee and trainer of Phar Lap, was well known in Dunedin as an apprentice in the late H. Goodman’s stable. As a jockey lie won a number of races on Otago and Southland courses Amongst the winners at the Omarama Hack meeting last week was Felony, who as a youngster gave promise of something very much better than lie ever produced in a race. Kingcraft, who looks in great order, went two miles in 4.55 at Addington on Tuesday without over being asked to go fasti He is carrying more condition than lie did twelve months ago, and is sure to run a great race in tho cup. Tho Vincent Jockey Club _has resown the course with grass this season, and a much bettor track will ho available next January than tho chib has over had before. Nightmarch continues to be a shortpriced favourite in "the ante-post betting on the New Zealand Cup, with In tho Shade, Count Palatine, Star Stranger, Prodicc, and Merry Damon the next in demand. The nominations received by the Winton Jockey Club’s Meeting this month show how strong most of tho stables are in hacks this season. Tho Trial Stakes lias attracted an entry of 21 and the Awarua Hack Handicap .‘l7. Both races aro run over six furlongs. The Stewards’ Handicap has been considered a very open race over since

TROTTING. November 11, 13, 14.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 19, 22,—Auckland T.C. November 21, 22.—Nelson T.C. November 27, 29. Forbury Park T.C. December 13. Now Brighton T.C. December 20, Hawke’s Bay T.C. December 26.- Ashburton T.C. December 26. —Gore T.C, December 26, 27.—Westport T.C. December 26. 27.—South Wairarapa T.C. December 27, 30, 31. - Auckland T.C. December 30.—Winton T.C. December 30.—Inaugahua T.C. Air Ilenrys declared his handicap, and at tho present time Hunting Day is a slightly better favourite than Havering, or Courtesy, with Toxeuma, Laughing Prince, Consent, Gesture, or Autopay. Owing to Mr 11. A. Pierce not being able to accept the position of hiuidicapper in the Vincent Jockey Club, Mr J. Ifaig, of Beck’s, has been appointed to tho position. Mr Haig has been a close student of racing for lany years, and should fill tho position well. In tho draw for divisions for the New Zealand Trotting Cup the three favourites, Wrackler, Kingscraft, and Logan Park aro set down to meet in the second division. In the first division tho best fancied candidates will bo Author Jinks, King Pointer, and Terence Dillon. At a meeting of the Southland Trotting Club Committee on Tuesday evening it was decided that the stakes for the annual fixture remain tho same as last season. Several amends were made in the time classes of minor events. Owing to the committee of tho Vincent Jockey Club deciding to hell) owners by keeping the stakes np to last year’s standard, the scheme of improvements to the grand stand has been held over in tho meantime, and any surplus money the club has will bo spent in improving the track. Gloaming, with £43,100 to his credit, held the record as tho biggest stake winner in Australia and Now Zealand for several years, but in about a fortnight, through tho deeds of Amounis and Phar Lap, ho has been pegged back to third place. Para too created a very favourable impression in his gallop at Riccarton on Tuesday morning. Cylinder and Appledore finished in front of him, but Paratoo was going very well, while he was conceding a lot of weight to tho others. He is likely to be a pronounced favourite for the Spring Plate, while he will have many admirers in the Derby. The Winton Jockey Club has received excellent entries for its annual meeting to be held on November IB and 20, and Wingatui trainers aro well representd. Tho following aro,engaged in the Winton Cup, of 250sovs and cup 21sovs. One mile and a-qnarter;—Celerity 11., Rod Racer, Evening, Night Parade. Black Duke, Circulation, Night Maid, Cupid’s Dart. New Zealanders who remained in Australia and went to Melbourne for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, states that M'Aulay and Jamieson missed a great chance in the Caulfield Cup. Eric Connolly told a well-known New Zealander that In the Shade would have been a certainly, but of course nobody at the time had any other idea than that Phar Lap would bo a runner. The present season has been a groat one for top weights, Amounis and Phar Lap having won the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups respectively, each carrying top weight, it only remains for Nightmarch to win the New Zealand Cup on Saturday for top weights to complete a treble that has never been done before in one season. In the Shade ran disappointingly in his work at Riccarton on Tuesday morning. He went well in the early stages, being in front at the end of six furlongs, hut he failed over tho last halfmile. Though a free worker as a rule, however, he has tiie reputation of being moody at times on the track, so little notice need be taken of his defeat. Treasurers in search of money (savs the ‘Australasian’) seem to regard racing ns an inexhaustible _ source of revenue. Any further impositions, however, might defeat the object in view, because the people might not he able to afford increased prices, and there would be a decline in attendances. The burden of taxation is seriously affecting racing in New Zealand. It is making the cost of the sport prohibitive to the general public*, owners, and trainers. The two divisions of the New Zealand Trotting Cup will ho decided on Tuesday, each division being treated as a separate race in so far as the. totaiisator is concerned, and the final, in which tho four placed horses in each division will he eligible to start, will bo rim on Thursday. Tho winner of each division will receive £OOO and the winner of tho final £I,OOO. Tho connections of Gay Crest had every reason to bo pleased with his gallop at Riccarton on 'Tuesday, says the Press. At one stage of tho journey, about two furlongs from home, he drifted hack, and appeared to have exhausted his powers, but he made a solid finishing run, and showed signs that ho was far from being done with at the end of the journev. Gay Crest was certainly disappointing on Saturday, but yesterday’s effort suggested that the Motukarara race had effected a marked improvement in him, and ho will now bo inclined to come back into favour for his New Zealand Cup engagement. Four trotters in Eileen Wood, Welcome Guy, Western Voyage, and John Mauritius started in that order a long way ahead of Author Jinks at Addington on Tuesday. By tho time half a mile had been covered the order was the same, although tho field had dosed np. At tho end of a mile Author Jinks was within striking distance, and when Eileen Wood and Welcome Guy retired he was in dose attendance on the other pair. He was going very easily over the hist part, and after doing a mile and a-half in 3.17 lie passed the post in 4.2 t 4-5. It was a great work-out: for tbo Cup horse, who appears better now than over before. Ho may bo troublesome in tbo big race next week. Western Voyage’s showing was not impressive, and John Mauritius made a bad break three furlongs from home. “ Dryblower,” writing in a Perth paper, tolls a very interesting story of the early days of racing in Kalgoorlic. The town m the early days was known ns Hannans, and describing one of the early races he says:—“There had been one historic race meeting held on Hannans Lake (now Lakeside) in tho end of 1894, when a nag owned by Bill Brookman, and ridden by a rubbod-oiit jockey dressed as a woman, won the Great Boulder Cup, and when the judge Hhe late Warden Jephson) was alleged to have been inside the booth having a drink when the horses passed the post —a sapling with a coloured shirt on it for a flag. ‘There was a dead heat,’ said tho ancient chronicle, ‘ but as tbe judge was gallantry itself ho awarded it to the only woman jockey in IV.A.’ ” Nightmarch’s impressive gallop at Riccarton on Tuesday morning settled any doubts in regard to bis condition to tackle tbc weight-carrying ordeal in

front of him in the New Zealand Cup (says the ‘Press’). On the other hand, Star Stranger, Count Palatine, ami Gay Crest would not lose many or their supporters by their semi-final trials, while little notice need bo taken of the showing of In the Shade, who has always been a difficult proposition to follow on his track essays. With some of the likely candidates still to be tested out before Saturday, the Cup contest at this juncture bears a more interesting outlook than may be suggested by the trend of public opinion, which lias made Nightmarch one of the staunchest pre-raco favourites in the history of the event. With so many valuable horses competing at Flemington during the Cup carnival, the V.11.C. has considered it necessary to take every precaution to ensure that none of them aro molested by unauthorised persons. A very serious view was naturally taken of the administering of a drug to Wise Force at the October Meeting at Flemington, and the following notice has been issued to trainers over tho signature of Mr A. V. Kewncy (secretary of the V.R.C.): —“Trainers are hereby instructed that on race days at Flemington each horse brought on to the course must be in charge of an attendant, and that while his horse is in tho saddling paddock such attendant must remain constantly with it. Trainers aro warned that it is their obligation to see that these instructions aro carried out. If horses are found unattended the. matter will he at once reported to the stewards, and severe penalties may be imposed, not only on tho attendants who neglect their duty hut upon the trainer whose horses are so left unattended.”