RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21721, 16 May 1934, Page 11

RACING NOTES

RACING. Mir 19.—Rangitikei R.C. March 19, 21.-Te Kuiti R.C. Majr 26.—South Canterbury J.C. June 2, 4. —Otaki Maori R.C. June 2, 4, 5. —Dunedin J.C. June 2,4, 6.—Auckland R.C. June 9. —Fox ton R.C. June 14, 16. —Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 16.—South Canterbury J.C,

BIG PRICES FOR YOUNG HORSES. The sum of 10,000 gs paid for Easton is large, but, as matters stand in these days, is not sensational (writes “ Phaeton,” in the 1 Auckland Herald ’). It was different in the old days, for in the ’sixties, when the Marquis of Hastings bought a colt named Kangaroo for £12,000 there _ was much caustic comment, the opinion being expressed that no horse was worth such a sum. In the interval, the amount paid for Kangaroo has Ibeen exceeded on numerous occasions. Prince Palatine, who had won several important races, including the Ascot Gold Cup, was bought by Mr J. B. Joel for £45,000, delivery to be given on a certain fixed date. A proviso was attached to the sale note that, in the event of the horse being defeated in the interval before delivery, the price would be reduced to £40,000. Prince Palatine suffered defeat in the first race he contested after being sold, and, in accordance with the proviso, £40,000 was the amount paid. Sceptre was sold at four vears old to Sir William Bass for £25,000, and she won several races under his colours. A Russian sportsman was credited with making an offer of £IOO,OOO for The Tetrach, who was unbeaten at two years old, but the owner, Colonel M'Calinont, promptly declined to entertain the offer. The would-be purchaser afterwards had good reason to rejoice, for the grey colt did not race after two years old, a serious leg ailment, due to striking, preventing him from being trained. The Aga Khan made an offer of £IOO,OOO for Solano at four years old, but Sir John Rutherford could not be induced to part with his horse. Sir John Maple was offcied £50,000 for Common after the colt had won the TwO Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger, but declined to sell. JOTTINGS. Nominations for the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting close on Friday at 5 p.m „ ■ , , M'Nab and Granado have been engaged in the six-furlong hack race at Washdyke next week. Moirua is to bo sold at miction at> Winton this month. He'would make a nice hunter for someone. , It is reported that last week’s Southland Meeting will result in a loss ot round about £7O. . , The ‘ Southland Times reports that the promising straight-out trotter .Journey’s End has been taken home to his owner’s farm near Winton to be wintered. , , No fewer than thirty-four horses have been nominated for the mile and a-quarter trot, to bo decided at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s Meeting next week. . , Walla Walla will run his last race in the dominion at Wellington on Saturday, and then be shipped home trt Sydney in company with Auburn Lad oil the first boat leaving after the meeting.

Air \V. T. TTazictt lias two young horses engaged at the Ashburton Meet-

[By St. Clair.]

June 21, 23.—Napier Park R.C. June 23.—Ashburton C.R.C. June 30.—Oamaru J.C.

TROXTINS. May 19.—Wellington T.C. June 24.—Canterbury Park T.C, June 24.—Hawke’* Bay T.C; June 9.—Ashburton T.C. June 20, 23.—Auckland T.C.

ing on Saturday. They are French by Arrowsraith —Louise, and General O’Duffy, by Arrowsmith—Kate Kelly. . . , Umtali is the only Wiugatui-jfcraincd horse that has been engaged in the Craigmore Steeplechase, to be run at Timaru next week, but the Southlandefs French Fleet, Dunmure, Calham, and Cultivator are also engaged. L. J. Ellis and K. Yoitre each rode a winner at Wanganui on Saturday, thus leaving Ellis still six wins in the lead. Ellis won the Farewell Hack Handicap on the Dunedin representative Moneygrau. . It is many years since the Wingatui stables will be so poorly represented at a South Canterbury Jockey Club fixture as will be the case next week. With the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting commencing the following week, local trainers did not like giving their charges so much travelling. Silver Streak aud Gold Knight, who hold engagements at the Auckland Winter Meeting, will also be nominated for events at the Dunedin Meeting, to be held at the same time. A decision where they will race will not be made until after the South Canterbury Meeting on May 26. . During the Oamaru Trotting Club s Meeting on Saturday numerous congratulatory references were made to the excellent condition of the grass course, the enclosures, and the new stewards’ stand (says the Christchurch ‘Star’). The caretaker deserves great credit for the splendid track ho provided and for the spick and span appearance of the whole of the club’s property. . . . E. J. Ellis has three jumpers in work at Washdyke, Barrington, Rasouli, and Adult. The first named has not been recommissioned tong, but at present looks like standing up to a preparation. Rasouli was somewhat disappointing in his recent three races, but that was not his true form, and he will make amends during‘the winter. Adult is a most promising novice, and, taking'a line through his second placing at Washdyke last month, his first start, he will develop into a good winner. The trio are being schooled by E. Mackie, who has changed his quarters from Invercargill. . . „ While the Riccarton jockey A. E. Ellis was in Sydney he _ was asked it Silver Scorn was really high-class when she was racing in New Zealand, “ There . is no doubt about that, Ellis replied. “I rode her m the Great Northern Derby at Ellershe, and I am in a position to judge. She was definitely better than Limerick or Nightmarch, and was undoubtedly the greatest mare the dominion has produced. She could do anything as a three-year-old, but unfortunately she is not within a stone and a-half or the standard she reached in New Zealand. She has lost her dash and is deficient in stamina. In New Zealand you could ride her with a thread of silk; here she pulls hard aud is far from right. She certainly has built up into a strong marc, but when she raced at home she was like a greyhound.” A perusal of old-time history of the Australian turf furnishes many strik-

ing illustrations of searching tests for three-year-olds, and the Champion Stakes, thre miles, can well be cited (writes “ Phaeton,” in the Auckland ‘Herald’). In the Champion Stakes of 1882, run at Flemington in the height of the summer season, five of the six starters were three-year-olds, including one filly. Coriolanus, a colt by Tuban Cain, the least-fancied competitor, was successful. The Champion Stakes disappeared from the V.R.C. programmes many years ago, the King’s Plate, two miles, taking _ its place. Coming to our own dominion, three-year-olds are now rarely found among contestants for the New Zealand Cup, and we have to go back a good few years to find a three-year-old winning the treble New Zealand Cup, New Zealand Derby, and Canterbury Cup. The three-year-olds who won the treble in question number four, as follows: —1888,Manton, by Musket; 1898, Euroclydon, by Gorton; 1899, Seahorse, by Nelson ; 1905, Noctuiform, by Multiform. Clever riding by the leading horseman, L. J. Ellis, brought the odds-on favourite, Moneygran, home first in the opening race at Wanganui on Satur’day, the Farewell Handicap, after a tight tussle in a splendid finish (says “ Rangatira,” in the ‘Post’). Cawbeeii was almost as well backed as the winner, while there was a big drop in the investments to Arauline and Etiquette. Gold Mission was slow away, and for nearly a furlong Cawbeen, Moneygran, Wharaurangi, and Etiquette raced in line before Moneygran drew out. He was a length to the good at the home turn, from Cawbeen, Arauline, Etiquette, Grand Joy, and Wharaurangi. Straightening up, Cawbeen was up with Moneygran, but the latter forged slightly ahead at the halfdistance, where Arauline was also handy and Wharaurangi was coming from the back. Cawbeen fought hard to get to the southerner, but the latter had a little in hand, and he won by a head. Wharaurangi was only _ a neck away, three parts of a length in front of Arauline, with a gap back to Grand Joy, Etiquette, and Gold Mission. Moneygran was Judiciously handled by L. J. Ellis, who literally stole the race off Cawbeen, for the latter was finishing strongly. Wharaurangi was unlucky. Mountain Jewel, a double winner at the Southland Racing Chib’s Meeting last week, is a six-year-old mare by Blue Mountain King from a mare by Stronghold, a well-known performer on galloping tracks when owned by Sir George Clifford, about thirty years ago. Stronghold was by Clanranald, many of whose stock showed a nice action when trotting. Mountain Jewel is _ said to be a useful sort, but she is ; six years old and up to the present has not done a great deal. Her sire, Blue Mountain King, died all too soon for the few of his stock that have raced have shown the gift of exceptional pacing speed. Thoroughbred blood so close up in the pedigree of Mountain Jewel is all against her as _ a racing proposition (says a writer in the ‘Press’), but the infusion of the Stronghold strain may not be a disadvantage in the fifth or sixth generation. At one time in New Zealand a dash of thoroughbred blood was regarded as good breeding for the simple reason that in those days many of the ti’otters were “ soft ’ and the racing blood tended to give them stamina. To-day, both in America and New Zealand, thp position is entirely different, and the aim is to get as far away as possible from the influence ol thoroughbred blood. Based on a thoroughbred foundation the trotting and pacing horse is now a standaid breed of its own and the introduction of outside blood can only be a disadvantage.

The finding of a loaded shoe or racing plate at Moorefield some weeks a „o ],as caused the Australian Jockey Club to tighten up its- regulations considerably. The first move was the employment of a master farrier to inspect the feet of all horses when they go out to race. This was not deemed sufficient, for a number of horses ■ for various reasons are plated in their stables, usually the nervous type, who give a lot of trouble if plated on the course. Now any horse who is plated in the stable has to have his name submitted to the stewards at least one hour before the time of the race m which the horse’ is engaged. This latest regulation is a check not only on possible use of “sinkers,” but also on the dangerous cutting plates with sharp edges. A good deal of fuss has been made over these matters and some wild statements have been published. .Investigation has shown, however, that while certain individuals have been reckless generally, they have not been able to name any specific cases. One such statement was that a special factory was turning out lead-filled alUminium plates by the gross, but so far the factory has not been located. While a small section of turf desperadoes may now take a chance on loaded shoes, the authorities consider that they are a very small minority who have everything to gain and nothing to lose by committing such a breach. All the same, no chances are being taken by the supervising body.