RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21012, 28 January 1932, Page 5

RACING NOTES

[By St. Clair,]

RACING. January 29, 30.—Takapuna Jockey Club. February 3.—Tapanui Racing Club. February 3, 4.—Egmont Racing Qlub. February 4, 6.—Gisborne Racing Club. February 6.—Matamata Racing Club. February 11, 13.—Dunedin Jockey Club. February 11, 13.—Taranaki Jockey Club. February 11. 13.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. February 12, 13.—Marlborough Racing Club. February 13, 15.—Rotorua Racing Club, February 20.—Clifden Racing Club. February 18, 20.—Wanganui Jockey Club. February 20.—Canterbury Jockey Club.

PHAR LAP HAS WEIGHT FOR AGE. Since it became known that the Australian champion, Phar Lap, had been awarded 9st 31b in the Agua Caliente Handicap, lsm, to be run at the Mexican course on March 20, discussions have been rife as to his prospects of success (says the Sydney ‘ Mail ’). According to the American weight-for-age scale, 9st 31b is standard weight for a horse of Phar Lap’s age .at a mile and a-quarter, there being no allowances for geldings, and rightly so. If, therefore, Phar Lap is the best horse ever foaled in Australasia, the American handicapper has been decidedly lenient with him, for, though some of his opponents have fairly good records, they are not by any means champions. Thj two best American three-year-olds of last season were Twenty Grand and Mate, but neither* is engaged at Agua Caliente, and it would appear only a question of our champion regaining his Australian form, in addition to a clear run, to land-the big £50,000 prize. Next in the weights are Plucky Play, 4yrs, and Dr Freeland, 6yrs, with Bst 81b each. Carrying Bst lib Plucky Play won a mile and a-half handicap at Maryland on November 14 last, and on August 29 was second to Sun Beau when handicapped at Bst 21b. As he is receiving only 91b from Phar Lap, the latter appears to hold him _safe. Dr Freeland has a rather pretentious record, and as a five-year-old last season he ran in fifteen races for seven wins and two seconds, but on October 31 yyas defeated by seven lengths by the three-year-old Clock Tower, who carried Bst, or 21b more than Dr Freeland, then a five-year-old. On that form he does 1 not appear to he a dangerous opponent to a horse capable of winning the Melbourne Cup at four years with 9st 121 b. The others whose handicaps have been cabled to Australia are:—Wotan, Bst 71b; Reveille Boy, Bst 61b; Spanish Play, Bst 51b;'and Marine, Bst 21b; so they are apparently regarded as his chief opponents. Wotan, as a three-year-old last season, showed improving form at each outing,' and will most likely he a dangerous rival. Since August 6 up to November 26 (the latest date of our American files) he had won seven races—six of a minor character. _ln the first he carried 7st 81b, and with a most lenient rise of lib for each of the first six victories was then given Bst lib for the Thanksgiving Handicap, BJf, at New Orleans on November 26, which he also won. Reveille Boy, an American Derby winner, was successful with Bst 101 b at Saratoga in August, and in September won the Lexington Handic ', 9f, at Belmont Park ? with 9st. Spanish I*lay ran in six Derbies last season, Winning the Louisiana and Latonia classics, and was second in the Florida and Ohio Derbies; but was a bad fourth to Twenty Grand in the Kentucky Derby, and ran unplaced to Mate in the blue riband event at Washington Park. He is, therefore, not in the class of Twenty Grand and Mate. Marine’s last win up to November 26 was over a mile and 70yds at Port Erie, Ontario, when carrying 9st 11b against moderate company.

, Not one of the American horses mentioned can be regarded as in the first flight, and as Phar Lap is down 211 b on his last Australian handicapping (tho Melbourne Cup) he can be regarded as being most generously treated. AGUA CALIENTE—A PEN PICTURE. A correspondent, writing to “ Sal-' vator,” a contributor to the ‘ Thoroughbred Record,’ of Lexington, Kentucky, United States, gives -the following graphic pen picture of the new course: —“ I had, of course, heard of Agua Caliente, and I had imagined it something like Tijuana; but it is as different as black from white. We drove through Tijuana, with its long street of saloons and dance halls, all cheap and tawdry, its ill-dressed Mexican hangers-on to those resorts, and its even more vicious-looking white, and travelled some five miles farther over just as nice concrete roads as there are anywhere. Rounding a curve we saw spread out before us a vista that turned my mind back to what I have read of the pictnresqueness of Old Spain in the palmy days of that country.

“ At the entrance to tho extensive tract of land on which the racing plant (a marvellous one) and still more marvellous hotel and bungalows are located is a tall and massive tower, Moorish in architecture, with minarets pointing upward, beautifully coloured in shades of cream, ecru, and pale pink. In the centre tower is a carillon of bronze bells, which, as each hour commences, sends a ‘ concord of sweet sounds ’ out on the flower-scented air—for all around the race plant proper and surrounding the big hotel, and in the patio it encloses, there is such a wealth of flowers that one is almost overcome with wonder and admiration. “Tho race track, with its exotic grand stand, clubhouse, and appropriately designed stables, is situated at the top of a level mesa, and is reached by a charming winding road. All the appointments are perfect, the buildings of Spanish or Spanish-American architecture, with the same delicate colour scheme that marks the tower and hotel down below, with its regular village of bungalow houses for the use of visitors who prefer such a place rather than a suite of rooms in the hotel proper. The hotel covers at least two acres of land, and it surrounds, a patio that, for exquisite beauty, lias anything I have ever seen ‘ beaten a mile..’ There are tall, graceful palm trees, great masses of brilliantly coloured and artistically massed flowers, fountains, finely-ar-ranged shrubbery; while South American macaws (large parrot-like birds), which flit from tree to tree, add to the tropical atmosphere of this most exotic place.

“ The casino is a place of real beauty; its furnishings, like those of the hotel proper; diffusing the air and spirit of Old Spain—not garish nor glaring, but extremely artistic and quietly rich. There are, of course, all kinds of games of chance played there, and the vast room was crowded with those bent on testing their luck with the fickle goddess. The ‘ roughneck ’ element, which was so prominent at Tijuana when 1 was there a few years ago, is non-existent at Agua Caliente.

February 20, 22.—Waikato Racing Club. February 24, 25.—Woodvilie District Jockey Club. February 24, 25.—Gore Racing Club. February 25. —Waiapu Racing Club. February 27, 29.—T0 Aroha Jockey Club. TROTTING. January 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.

Alert-looking kliaki-clad policemen wearing metal badges were everywhere, and both the casino and hotel attendants were garbed in gaily-coloured uniforms, adding to the picturesqueness of the place. I have read much of the magnificence of Monte Carlo, but I very much doubt if that renowned casino can equal this for artistic effect and beauty. And, while I have seen the great racing plants of the East, none of them approaches this one in attractiveness of ensemble.” AT WINGATUI THIS MORNING. Training operations at Wingatui were carried out this morning under ideal conditions, and a fresh ’ strip of the course proper with the trestles about 20ft out from the rails was available for horses engaged at Tapanui next week and two-year-olds provided excellent going. The ploughed track was also open and in fast condition.

Traylavah and Fine Weather opened proceedings by running six furlongs on the grass, the latter going the better at the finish, the last five furlongs taking 67 3-ssec. Gold Paper and Ballance finished together at the end of six furlongs on the same track in Imin 12sec.

First Song, who had all the advantage in weight, beat Dumblane over seven furlongs on the plough, in Imin 33 3-ssec.

Wealth, who will be one of Mr Samson’s team for Sydney, if the trip is made, easily accounted for Anne Shakespeare over half a mile, the last three furlongs taking 41 2-ssec, on the grass. Reminder had a companion on the plough in 53 2-ssec. Tippling appeared to be cramped in his style in a gallop over ten furlongs on the extreme outside of the course proper, which took 2min 33 l-ssec. Solmuri beat Ruatui ’ on the same ground over five furlongs in Imin 15sec. Blue Metal was going much better than A 1 Jolson on the outside of five furlongs in 67 2-ssec. His was easily the best gallop of the morning. Arden’s Beauty beat Stock by several lengths on the grass over five furlongs in 67 2-ssec. Bold Brigand beat a two-year-old companion over half a mile on the plough in 52se.c. Stringbow was decisively beaten by Bulolo over five furlongs on the plough in 63 4-5 sec.

Red Racer and Musent Miss were together at the end of seven furlongs on the same track in Imin 37sec. Palermo moved very tenderly over two circuits on the plough at half pace, and is evidently feeling the effect of the hard track at Trentham. Matu, who appears to have taken a fresh lease of life, finished up a useful task by running half a mile in 53sec.

Hot Tea easily accounted for Academy and Nithvale over,six furlongs on the grass in Imin 20sec „ El Boa took Imin 24ec to run six furlongs on the plough. Flying Amy beat a companion over six furlongs on the gras, the last five taking Imin lOsec.

JOTTINGS Handicaps for the first day of the Dunedin Cup Meeting aie due to-mor-row- . ; , . , Gold Country is going aong the right way in view of his nest week’s engagement at Addington., On Tuesday morning he bowled over two miles at about a 2mi_n 20sec speed, and appeared anxious to increase the pice^ Although Compris established an Australian and New Zealand record of 2min 29seo for a mile aid h-half in the Wellington Cup, the figure is still well outside the English hcord for the distance, which is 2min 25 2-ssec, held by a horse called Roi made at Leicester, in July, 19J9. Leicester lends itself to fast times as a considerable portion of the trad is downhill. The outstanding hack performer of the Wellington Meeting was Heremia, whose successes in the Apprentices’ Plate and the Doiiro Cut give him the place of honour in his ms. Heremia’s form this summer uggests _ very strongly that he will develop into a good stayer. He was [third in _ the Great Northern Derby, aid with a little luck would have been second. That and his Wellington runifiig is excellent form for a horse that isnot yet at his best. _ j It is rather a coinciience, says an Australian writer, that he Queensland and New Zealand Derty winners this season both descend fom imported Josephine. In her own jime Josephine was better known to faae as the dam of the flying Hortensej but a much better stayer to come fbm the family was The Officer, well-knlwn in the dominion in connection wifi the late Hon. J. D. Ormond’s stud, (he Officer will always be remembered'by. reason of his having defeated Nefiiaven. Nightmarch is reported to have done a lot of juseful work during the last few weeks, and he showed in a sort sprint recently that he has not forgotten how to gallop. He was gien a dose of physic this week, and e is having a rest for a day or two before .starting on more serious tasjs. If all goes well with him, he wil contest the James Hazlett Gold Cii at the Dunedin Meeting next moth,_ and if he looks like coming back t his best form he may make another rip to Sydney for the Easter Meeting bf the Australian Jockey Club. It is probable that Smper Paratus has come to the end o his career as a racehorse (says the Christchurch ‘Times’). Ho is unor offer _ to a Hawke’s Bay sportsma, and if .the deal is completed he wll be used in future as a show hack.j Bred by the late Sir George Clifford he is a five-year-old by Winning lit from the Martian mare Equipment dam of Centrepiece, Pull Feather, nil Dress, and Cricket Bat. Though endwed with galloping ability, ho has ben a great disappointment as a raciik proposition, but his good looks will b|a great asset in the sphere for which |io is destined in future. \ Dominant, by Saltashfrom Weltea, who as a yearling rcali’d the record sum of 6,750 gs at the -Sydney sales, registered his second wi in a welter event of loOsovs at the 7.A.T.0. An-

niversary Meeting at Caulfield on January 16. He carried top weight, lOst 101 b, and, ridden by the hurdle horseman, 11. Inkson, led all the way and won by three and a-half lengths. Originally Dominant was owned by a syndicate of four sportsmen, and was _ trained by C. P. Godby. He is now in _ the Williamstown stable of R. Sinclair, and races in the nomination of Messrs J. Fell and N. Robinson, members of the V.A.T.C. Committee,

There was a mistake made in the handicapping of Great Nelson in the Otago Handicap at Forbury Park (says the ‘ Press ’). He won from a 3min 32sec mark in a 3min 35sec class mile and a-half race at Addington on January 2, and for that success he was liable to incur a 36yds (optional) penalty, which would bring him'back to a 3min 29sec mile and a-half, or 4min 40sec two miles mark, but when the handicaps appeared Great Nelson was on the front of a 4min 44sec class two-mile race, and it was not until after the acceptances had closed that his trainer was advised that his correct mark was 4min 40sec, not 4min 44sec. Great Nelson is an unlikely starter at the meeting. Present indications point to a very fine field lining up for the Dunedin Cup next month. With Gay Crest, Compris, and Admiral Drake engaged, the club can claim to have attracted the three best distance horses in training, but they are by no means the only good performers on the list (says the Christchurch ‘Times’). Royal Love, Martian Chief, Starshooter ? and Taragona are others from Riccarton who will stregthen the field, while Black Duke and Royal Saxon are a pair of good ones to assist Admiral Drake as representatives of Wingatui. Southland claims a useful contingent, including King Balboa, Red Sea, and the promoted hack, The Smuggler, who may easily develop into a horse of good class before the end of the season. The last mare mated with Martian (then twenty-six years of age) before liis career ended was G. Murray-Anys-ley’s Contempt, by Bonny Glen from Lady Disdain, and she produced a colt foal, now four years old, and named Hoa. He has been in work for nearly two seasons, and has been given plenty of time, but has shown little promise on the track, and has been kept going more for use as a galloping companion for his stable mates than with any idea of him making good as a racing proposition. His owner has no use for him dn the meantime, and yesterday presented him -to owner-trainer R. Adamson, who intends to give him a serious trial. If he does not dsplay any signs of pace the gelding will be used as a hack on the West Coast.

With an entry numbering twentythree, the James Hazlett Gold Cup, to be decided at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting next month, has drawn stronger support than usual from owners (says the Christchurch ‘Times’). Some of the horses look out of place in a weight-for-age event, even with penalties to assist in balancing the form, but even after making full allowance for defections there is a prospect that the race will attract a good field. With Nightmarch among the eligibles, it will be one of the most interesting events on the programme, as racing men will be anxious to see the Night Raid horse in action again for the first time this season, following on a few months at the stud. Silver Paper is another candidate who will attract notice, as he has given evidence of a return to form. "Riccarton Claims several representatives, but Cricket Bat, if produced at his best, seems the most likely 'to try Nightmarch out over seven furlongs.