RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21633, 31 January 1934, Page 9

RACING NOTES

A WONDERFUL MEETING. The Summer Meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club reminded everybody present of the good old days, when money was plentiful and the people bent on pleasure to the brim (says the Christchurch ‘Star’). The enthusiasm displayed by the crowd was as genuine as it was spontaneous, and made one feel that the word depression was never uttered. It was a wonderful meeting. Every avenue of revenue showed a marked increase over corresponding meetings of recent years, and the note of satisfaction that obtained regarding the return to the old system of betting was manifest everywhere. And the horses did’their, part. On the second day, when conditions were suitable to -fast times, the candidates for the principal two-mile race provided a turn of speed that thrilled the most seasoned racegoers. The first mile was reeled off in a tick better than 2min llsec, and they dashed past the mile and a-half post in Uniin 17 3-ssec, and, maintaining their speed, the first and second horses stepped the concluding half-mile in better than Imin 4sec. in the big sprint contest the three place-fillers smashed the existing mile and a-quarte • record for the track to smithereens. And several private watches made them go even faster than the official recorders uiu. -Prior to Saturday Arethusa (2min 44 l-ssec) and Manoeuvre (2min 44 l-ssec) shared the honours. Now Blue Mountain holds the winning record of 2min 43 3-ssec, while Sunny Morn, who ran second, did 2min 42 4-ssec, and Indianapolis registered 2min 42sec. The administration of the meeting was a credit to the president (Mr B. S. Irwin) and his colleagues and to the courteous and efficient methods of the secretary (Mr C. R. Caffin). Reverting to the financial side, it is gratifying to record a totalisator turnover of £32,196 10s. as against £28,554 for the Summer Meeting of 1933—an increase of £3,642 10s. The gate receipts were £l5O more than the previous occasion, and over 500 more race cards were sold. JOTTINGS. Entries for the Gore Racing Club's summer gathering (February 21 and 22) will close on Friday. Acceptances for the first day of the Dunedin Cup Meeting, and the final payment for the Champagne Stakes are due on Tuesday, at 5 p.m. ■Wellington Cup winner, Grand Jury, has won six cups, and secured £2,920 iu stakes, £1,365 for this season. Red Boa has made his reappearance on the VS.II.C. tracks, but will take time to get ready. V. Alborn acquired the six-year-old Nelson Bingen—Ardwood mare, Nelson’s Lady, during the Forbury Meeting. Nelson’s Lady ran third on the first day, and is a nice type of mare. In a schooling trial over six flights of hurdles at Riccarton on Monday morning, Don Jose (G. S. Brown) and Fleeting Glance (T. Turner), gave a faultless and fast display. They were followed bv Bell Hill, who gave an improved exhibition and is a promising novice. Of the 1933 Dunedin Cup field only The Smuggler is eligible to compete in the event this year. With 7.5 The Smuggler finished second to Silver Scorn, 9.2, being beaten by half a length. As a general rule terming the cup fixture of the Dunedin Jockey Club, held early in February, its autumn ’’ meeting seems a misnomei, but this summer nobody will be prepared to argue about it. It . could be called winter without seeming much out of place at present (says the Christchurch Star ’). Cricket' Bat was galloped on in the Wellington Cup, receiving injuries which prevented him from starting again at the meeting. He is all right again, and is working freely. He will have his next race in the Dunedin Cup. T. Lloyd has had a run of bad luck with his team this season, accidents having snoilt the prospects of more than one horse. The latest occurred on Saturday, when it wag found, after

[By Sx. Claie.]

a gallop, that Silver Jest had burst one of his feet. He will have to miss the Dunedin Meeting, where it was thought he would race well in hack events.

Vintage and Gaysome will represent Mrs J. Campbell’s stable at the Dunedin Meeting. They wore working at their best during tbe absence of other members of the team at Trentham, and they will not lack condition for Wingatui. Vintage is being discussed as a Dunedin Cup candidate, in which he will start his activities in open company. J. H. Prosser has three members of his team doing useful work, with a view to racing at the Dunedin Meeting next week. Grand Review and Double Shot are both very forward. Great Star, having made a good recovery from an accident in the spring, will be given a chance among the sprinters, though he may be seen over longer distances later in the season. The veteran may strike form soon, as he comes to hand quickly. After being confined to his house for nearly two months, on account of a painful accident, G. Murray-Aynsley was welcomed back to the tracks at Riccarton at the end of last week (says the ‘ Press ’). When questioned about his health, he complained about the time it had taken to recover, but ho is now well on the way to the best health. H. R. Davies, who looked after the horses during his chief’s absence, has them looking well, and they will’ now be sent along a bit faster, as some of them will be wanted for autumn racing.

If the North Island horses, Golden Wings, Red Sun, Autopay, and King March, fulfil their engagements at Wingatui they will add a good deal to the interest of the meeting. Golden Wings has been nominated for the Newmarket Handicap, to be run at Flemington on March 3. Weights for that event are due next Monday, and will probably be the deciding factor in the plans for Mr C. T. Keeble’s brilliant gelding. After the running of the President's Handicap at the Wairoa Meeting on Saturday an inquiry was held into alleged interference in the straight suffered by Little Wonder, who finished second. Harold Young, rider of Gainsfid, winner of the race, was held to have caused the trouble, and was disqualified for two months. The placings in the race were, however, not altered. - The , officials on the Melbourne courses are very strict. No trainer is allowed in the birdcage unless he has a horse competing in the particular race. A New Zealand trainer was anxious to have a word with an apprentice who was riding his horse two races later, but the gatekeeper was adamant. He could go in when his race arrived, but not before. He mentioned the fact to the boy when he saw him. The youth’s reply was most expressive. “ Him! I he said. “He’s hard, all right. He wouldn’t let the wind past if he could help it!” Cricket Bat has recovered from the injury lie received in the Wellington Cup, and will be one of the Chokeoore Lodge team for Wingatni. It will bo his sixth trip to Dunedin. As a two-year-old he ran unplaced in the M'Lean Stakes. Twelve months later he won the Dunedin Guineas, and at the Cup, fixture that season he ran second in the Publicans’ Handicap and won the James Hazlett Gold Cup. Last February he won the Publicans’ and was third in the Dunedin Jockey Club Handicap, while in May he was unplaced in the Provincial Handicap. Cricket Bat has had seven starts at Wingatni for three wins, a second, a third, and twice unplaced. Keith Voitre has struck a quiet patch, and he went through the Wellington Meeting without a win. It docs not look as if he will equal his performance of 123 winners last season, hut he still has a substantial lead on the winning jockeys’ list. __ He has ridden forty-two winners. Next come L. J-.- Ellis and W J. Broughton with 29 apiece, A. H. Eastwood has had 28 successes. P. Atkins and A. E. Ellis 25 each„,B. H. Morris and H. N. Wiggins 23 each, M. Kinvan 14 wins. A. Bussell 14, N. M’Kenzie 14, J. W. Dooley

13, L. Dulieu 13, R. M"lavish 12, and H. Goldfinch 12 follow. L. J. Ellis was absent in Sydney for a month, and shortly after his return was suspended for a month, so his performance is better than the mere figures show. Minerval had 7.4 when he won the Auckland Cup and 8.9 when second to King’s Knave in the Auckland R.C. Handicap. Jn the Wellington Cup Minerval failed with 8.10. Seven of the horses handicapped for the Trentham race are engaged at Wingatni, and their weights compare:—

*Did not run at Trentham. Ventrac had 7.2 when he won the Summer Handicap, one mile and aquarter at Trentham. With 8.2 he lias been given his share in the Dunedin Cup. Vintage, a newcomer to open company, has 7.10, but ho will have plenty of admirers. The successes of Silver Ring at Trentham have earned him a substantial increase in the weights, as will be seen fro mthe appended comparison between the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham and the Publicans’ Handicap at Wingatui.

On the second day at Trentham Cranford (7.3) and Silver Streak (8.9) were second and third to Diatomons in the Metropolitan Handicap. Golden Wings 10.1, Autopay 9.8, Mobile 7.6, and Guarantee 7.2 were unplaced. The City Handicap on the final day was won by Silver Bing 8.10 from Copyist 7.6 and Golden Wings 10.0. Silver Streak 8.10, Cranford 7.7, Mobile 7.4, and Guarantee 7.0 were unplaced.

Wellington. Dunedin st. lb. st. lb. Minerval ... ... ... 8 10 9 0 Cricket Bat ... 8.4 8 10 King March (2) ... 7 0 7 12 Rocket ... 7 8 7 11 Red Sun ... 7 3 7 9 *Sweet Agnes ... 7 0 7 7 Southdown ... 7 0 7 3

Telegraph. Publicans' Silver Ring (1) Silver Streak (2) st. lb st. lb. 8 0 9 9 8 (S 8 33 Autopay (3) 9 7 9 9 Mobile (4) 7 7 7 Cranford 7 5 7 10 *Goklcn Wings 'Did not start. 10 1 10 4