RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21005, 20 January 1932, Page 5

RACING NOTES

RACING. January 21. —Wairoa Racing Club. January 22, 23.—Wellington Racing Club. January 22.—Ashhurst Racing Club. January 23.—Wairio Jc 'ey Club. January 23.—Waipapa Kauri Racing Club. January 27, 28. —Pahiatua Racing Club. January 29, 30.—Takapuna Jockey Club. February 3.—Tapanui Racing Club. February 3, 4.—Egmont Racing Club. February 4, 6.—Gisborne Racing Club. February 6.—Matamata Racing Club. February 11, 13. —Dunedin Jockey Club.

AN INTERESTING PROBLEM. That horses have their likes and their dislikes of jockeys is a fact that has long since been established, and many stories have been related under the latter heading. A. B. (“ Banjo ”) Patterson knows all about racehorses and race riding, and in a recent article under the heading of ‘ A Winning Streak ’ in the Sydney ‘ Mail ’ he penned the following:— Among the many unsolved problems connected with horse-racing there is the question why horses run better for some riders than for others. Is it telepathy pr hypnotism, or just plain luck ? Take the case of Pike and Veilmond. The big brown horse has shown that he will run two stone better for Pike than for any other rider that has been tried on him. Oimbrian, too, finished like a bulldog for Pike in Melbourne. Why is it? ** There is no doubt that horses have an over-developed nervous system, and they are more susceptible than other animals to outside impressions. If a nervous man gets into a loose box with a horse the horse will get nervous without the man even laying a hand on him; and dogs have the same instinctive knowledge of fear or nervousness in their visitors. The poet Gordon suggests that a cowardly rider can borrow courage from a courageous horse, and perhaps the converse is true and a faint-hearted horse can borrow courage from a determined rider. The_ fact that there is some sort of communication between man and horse is apparent to all who have much to do with these animals, but the nature of that communication is a mystery for psychologists. “ Further to this matter, as they say in the business letters, is the effect of success or non-success on the jockey himself. A man who is riding in luck can get nearly anything home, for his confidence is communicated to the horse; but a rider who has lost his form and is tortured by doubts as to whether he is ever going to win a race again is apt to find his mounts shut up with him as soon as pressure is applied. Probably hp rides as well as ever, but he doubts it, and the doubt is communicated to the horse.”

THE LATE MR W. GARDINER. The death of Mr Willie Gardiner, president of the Oamaru Jockey Club, removes one of the best known and popular figures in North Otago. He was a natural judge of all kinds of stock, and the successes on the turf scored by horses of his own breeding gave him much more than the monetary pleasure. For many years Mr Gardiner has presided over the destinies of the Oamaru Jockey Club, and his tireless efforts have done much towards making its course and appointments second to none of the country clubs in Otago, The best horse deceased owned was the Sarto gelding, John Barleycorn, who sixteen or seventeen years ago won a number of good races. With Waving Corn Mr Gardiner’s colours have been kept well to the front during the past three seasons, and with Corn Queen last season he won the valuable John Clare Gold Challenge Cup. Mr Gardiner had strong personality which gained him many friends, and as a successful breeder of stock and highclass agriculturist he was known from one end of the dominion to the other. Many might differ with him in expressing their opinions, but his fund of good humour and boundless hospitality made any sort of hostility impossible. His house was always open, and intimate friend and stranger alike always made welcome. The North Otago district has lost the services and advice of a fine man who never grudged giving either in the interests or Oamaru and its surrounding district, the poor and needy a' generous giver, and a very wide circle

[By St. Claie.]

February 11, 13.—Taranaki Jockey Club. February 11, 13.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. TROTTING. January 23.—Timaru Trotting Club. January 28, 30.—Forbury Park Trotting Club. February 6.—New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. February 20.—Kaikoura Trotting Club. February 20, 22.—Auckland Trotting Club. February 27.—New Brighton Trotting Club. March 4, s.—lnvercargill Trotting Club.

of friends a very dear and loveable comrade. To his widow and family the deepest sympathy in their bereavement will be extended from friends all over the dominion. JOTTINGS. Tickets for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Meeting' on Thursday and Saturday of next week are acknowledged with thanks. Nominations for the Dunedin Cup Meeting close on Friday at 5 p.nx. According to a Christchurch correspondent G. Murray-Aynsley is not likely to have any horses racing at the Dunedin Cup Meeting. Nightmarch will probably make his first reappearance under silk in the James Hazlett Cup race run at the Dunedin Cup Meeting next month. Reports from Riccarton show him to be rapidly returning to'form. B. Jarden, at one time associated with Author Dillon, has applied to the special meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference in Wellington on Thursday next, for the reinstatement of his license

Since November 28 the New Zealand Trotting Gold Cup winner, Royal Silk, has won five races in succession, and has totalled £1,545 in stake money, a sum that would have been considerably larger had not prizes been curtailed over the period quoted. The Wairaato Racing Club will distribute £BOO in stakes on its one-day meeting in March. The committee has agreed to replace the system of rehandicapping winners after the declaration of handicaps by set penalties of 71b for all winners.

At the annual general meeting of the Otautau Racing Club held on Saturday evening it was decided to hold the annual race meeting on the Saturday prior to Easter, and to include a steeplechase on the programme. It was further decided not to draft the programme until after the Wairio Meeting next Saturday. When Dilwortb returned to the enclosure after competing 'in the Zealand Trotting Gold Cup at _ Wellington on Saturday she was decidedly lame. This was unfortunate, as she was in her best form just prior to the meeting. She is to be fired and turned out for a good spell. It is reported from Hastings that the Wellington sportsman, Mr W. R. Kemball, has leased the six-year-old jumper, Whakaue (King Mark—Earthshine), from Mr J. A. Macfarlane, and will add him to his team for winter fencing events. Whakaue won one hurdling race at the beginning of last season, and is stated to be proficient at the game. Some time ago E. 0. M'Dermott destroyed .his nacer by Author Dillon from Capriccio. He as a promising youngster, but met with a severe accident through being hit by a motor car. After if long spell he was put into work again, but he had not properly* recovered from his injuries, and he failed to reproduce his early speed. Mr P. F. Campbell has been asked to put a price on Cpmpris, and if the Kilbroney gelding is disposed of he will find a new home in Australia. He is a horse who should do well in the Commonwealth, though his form this season has earned him a big rise in the weights compared with what he was awarded in the spring, when he got into the Melbourne Cup with 7.5. On New Year’s Day Stealth ran second in the C. B. Cox Stakes, one mile weight-for-age, at the West Australian Derby Meeting. At the Brighton (Tasmania) Meeting on New Year’s Day the Absurd—Leta gelding, Farrago (brother to Thespian), won the Highweight Handicap, and T. C. Hodgman Stakes. At the same meeting the New Zealand-bred Weatherwise, by Weathervane—Desirina, won the Maiden Plate. The ex-Riccarton gelding, Light Hearted, ran second to Farrago in the Hodgman Stakes. Many stories are told of the happenings with regard to the registration—or, for that matter, the non-registra-tion—of hbrses imported to Australia in the early days. In an article on the subject, a Melbourne writer states: “ Something over half a century ago there was rather an interesting story concerning an imported stallion of the time. It was said that this horse was not all he was represented to be. As the story was told, two stallions were purchased in England—one a horse of some celebrity and the other of much less account. Much secrecy was observed in regard to their identity on the boat. On the voyage the more valuable animal died, and his companion, who came through sound and well, was landed with the dead horse’s pedigree. _ Such a deception was easily possible in the old days, although it could hardly be attempted now with any prospect of success. The counterfeit founded a family here, but the blood has since died out.”

An attempt is evidently going to be made to get a win ont of Swiftray over the fences. He competed in the hurdle events at Foxton this week, and he is engaged at Ashhurst. This five-year-old gelding, by Arrowsmith from the Sutala mare Sungleam, has been racing for three seasons, but in nearly forty starts his only returns have been a trio of thirds and a second at the recent Marton Meeting. It has very often happened that Mr G. D. Greenwood’s cast-offs have come into winning ways when transferred to other hands, but the rule has not applied in Swiftray’s case. The_ Awapuni trainer, C. Robinson, had him for some time last season, but could do nothing with him, and another Awapuni trainer, G. W New, obtained him prior to the last Levin has run some fair races, but has always succumbed under pressure. Perhaps a course of hurdling will improve him—at least it looks the only chance for him.

Publicity has been given from time to time to the dilatormess of breeders in sending in their foaling returns to the keeper of the Stud Book, and at the last annual conference the delegates passed a special rule dealing with the subject. Breeders and owners of brood mares are reminded that they must send in their foaling returns for the season not later than February 28 next. Owners of stallions are also required to furnish, by the same date, a return showing all mares covered, together with the names and addresses of their owners. No fee is charged if the returns are made by February 28 in

each racing year, and in the case of a foreign horse within three months after arrival. Failing the return by the due date, the entry of any horse in the Stud Book shall be made only on payment of a fee, which is fixed on a sliding scale. If the application is made within six months the fee is ss; from six to twelve months, 10s; from twelve to eighteen months, £1; and after eighteen months, £5. The Racing Con ference has issued a circular containing all.the details, and on the other side of the circular is the form where breeders and owners will find spaces provided for the required particulars. The brilliant pacer Logan Park has been sold, and will be shipped to his new owner in Perth, Western Australia, at the first available opportunity. Logan Park commenced nis career in the south, but was just an ordinary pacer until he was sold and went into W. J. Tomkinson’s stable. He quickly showed improvement, and became one of the best of pacers over all distances. His effort in the New Zealand Cup of 1929 was probably his best. In his division he won very easily in 4min 27 l-ssec, while Peter Bingen had been beaten in the first division by Kingscraft. In the final Kingcraft was favourite, but failed to begin right, and Peter Bingen beat Logan Park, putting up 4min 18 4-ssec for the race, Logan Park’s time being 4min 22sec. The Logan Pointer pacer does not seem to be a back number, and it is rather surprising that the Addington trainer should have sold his old favourite, who was for some time raced by the late Mr R. A. Armstrong and Mr Johnston. On the death of the president of the, Wellington Trotting Club, Logan Park was purchased by another patron of Tomkinson’s stable. He is probably the fastest pacer who has been sold in the dominion to go to Western Australia, and he should win races in his new home.