RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22106, 13 August 1935, Page 13

RACING NOTES

RACING. , August 15, 17.*— Canterbury J.C. August 24.—Pakuranga H.C. August 29.—Egmont-Wanganui H.C. (at New Plymouth). August 31.—Taranaki H.C. September 7.—Otago H.C. September 7.—Marton J.C. _ September 12, 14.-Wanganm J.C. September 21.—Ashburton County K.C. September 21.—Poston R.C. September 21, 23.—Avondale J.C. September 26, 28.—Geraldine R.C. September 28.—Napier Park R.C. September 28, 30.-Taumarunui R.C. (at Paoroa). ' ~ , r .„ r October s.—Otaki Maori R.C. October s.—Kurow J.C. October 10. 12.-Dunedm J.C. October 12.—Dannevirke R.C. October 32, 14.-Auckland R.C.

PICKING A WINNER, There are many ways of picking winners but one of the most original ideas has ’just come to light in connection \ with the Grand National Steeplechase, and the truth of it is vouched for by Mr \V. J. Doyle, part-owner of Thurinai Mr Doyle, who is a farmer at Doyleston, a township some 20 miles from Christchurch, named after his father, had Thurina engaged m the National last year, and but for breaking down in the race he may have won it for the second time in succession. He was told by a neighbour that Valpeen would win the Rational, and when asked why the confidence in Valpeen the neighbour replied that he had an almost infallible system of picking the National winner each year. Mr Doyle was sceptical, hut the neighbour offered to divulge his system, and his system is as follows;—Each year after the final payments have been made he writes the name of each horse on a slip of paper, rolls them up into pellets, and throws them into a creek which runs past his place. Half a mile down the creek stands the local store and cross roads, and the winner of the National is the name that sails first past the half-mile mark. More amused than anything else, Mr Doyle agreed to witness a demonstration, and the names were written down, rolled up, and Thrown into the creek. “Believe it or not,’' says Mr Doyle, “ the first past the post was Valpeen. I thought this was only a fluke, so we gave it another ‘go,’ and. Valpeen ‘won’ again. Still not satisfied, we had a third trial, and still Valpeen was the winner. You can hardly credit such a thing,” says Mr Doyle, “ yet this is a fact, and not only that, but many of the pieces of paper did not finish the course, just as the horses fared in the National, getting caught in logs and weeds in the creek. He tells me he has got the winner of the National four years out of five in this way.”

JOTTINGS. TJmtali, who now races as a 12-year-old, was the veteran racing at Riccarton to-day. In the annual Rugby match played at Riccarton between the North and South Island jockeys the latter team scored a comfortable win by 14 to 8. ■ No three-year-old has ever won the Winter Cup. In the 43 contests for this race four-year-olds have won 12, five-year-olds 13, six-year-olds six, and aged horses 10. Agent won the Grand National three times—in 1879, 1880, and 1884. No other horse has won the race three times, and those who have won it twice are Mutiny (1895 and 1896), Coalition (1921 and 1922), and Wiltshire (1928 and 1929). The weight-carrying record in the Winter Cup is shared by Bay King (1892) and Musket (1894), when each carried 11.9. Other horses who have succeeded under 11.0 or more are The Idler 11.8 (1893), St. Kilda 11.7 (1896), and Toxeuma V.B (1930). . Red Shadow was one of the disappointments at Addington on Saturday. He looked well, but never at any stage of the two miles made any impression on the leaders. Red Shadow is now on a mark that will make it necessary for him to show his best form to win. Several well-known owners and sportsmen from Dunedin had to make their how to the magistrate on Tuesday afternoon on various charges. Fortunately for them it was only a “ mock ” court held in Cathedral Square, and the fines imposed were to assist the sports

[By St. Clair.]

October 18, 19.—Masterton R.C. October 19.—South Canterbury J.C. TROTTING. August 14, 16.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. August 31. —Auckland T.C. September 7.—Auckland T.C. September 7.—New Brighton T.C. September 14. —Wellington T.C. September 19, 21.—Hawke’s Bay T.C. October s.—Mcthven T.C. October 12.—New Brighton T.C. October 12.—Waikato T.C. October,26, 28. —Auckland T.C. October 26, 28.—Greyraouth T.C. October 28.—Oamaru T.C. November 2.—Thames T.C. November 2.—Wellington T.C. November 12, 14, 15.—N.Z, Metropolitan T.C.'

queen, Airs J. Jl. MfKenzie, in the attempt to raise money for the unemployed fund.

In 1899 when Ellis Bros.’ Jupiter, ridden by the late J. M'Combe won, the mile that day took Imm 49sec. Only once has that time been exceeded, when in 1906 Aboriginal took_ limn 50sec. The time record for this race was established last year, when Princess Doreen won in Imin 39 4-ssec.

The first Grand National Steeplechase was run in the Waimate district in 1876, so to-day’s race is the sixtieth contest. The race that year was run over natural country and won by Royalty, ridden by Mr Martolli, who is the only gentleman jockey to have steered the winner of this race.

One. of the Argentine’s millionaire sportsmen, Senor Miguel Alfredo Martinez do Moz, died in Buenos Aires last month. So was a prominent breeder, and among many good stallions imported by him from England were Craganour and Parwiz. He raced horses' in France, winning the 1927 French Derby with Mon Talisman.

Although the added money for the Coronation Stakes, the fillies’ three-year-old race at Ascot, won by Ankaret, was only £1,600, its total value was £5,560, the owners - providing the difference in forfeits and sweepstakes. Ankaret’s share was £4,860, while £4OO went to second and £2OO to third.

The records of the Grand National Steeplechase show that aged horses have won the race on 42 occasions in the last 45 years, the only younger horses succeeding being The Guard in 1900, Enniskillen in 1905, Wiltshire in 1928, and Aurora Borealis in 1930. All these were sis years old at the time of their successes.

Superex, one of P. T. Hogan’s team, has attracted attention since ho arrived at Riccarton. He is a_ well-furnished three-year-old colt by Night Raid from Mazatuko by Last Dart from Martuko. by Martian from Mazabuka by Chaucer. He is owned by Mr J. A. Mathewson, of Dunedin, and is looked upon as a most likely Derby candidate. He is engaged in the Cashmere Plate to-mor-row, and his showing will be watched with interest.

During the season just i closed the seven clubs which race in the Melbourne metropolitan radius distributed £258,500 in stakes. The appended table shows the amount given in stakes by the clubs last season and during the previous year:—

Totals 234,318 258,500 The ages of the acceptors for the Grand National Steeplechase are as follows: —Valpeen, 8 years; Billy Boy, 11 years; Royal Limond, 9 years; Dunmure, 7 years; Punchestown, 11 years; Ruby Meteor, 8 years; Free Air, 7 years; Umtali, 12 years; Pahu, 10 years; Night Parade, 9 years; and Peterette, 10 years. Other aged horses racing to-morrow are:—Prince Yal, Trisbna, Hounslow, Gay Crest, Make-up, 10 years; Sunward, Giggleswick, Revision, Rasouli, Parasang, Dan Russell, and Bandy Boa, 9 years; Tareha, Cranford, Cardhu, Chrysology, Witui, 8 years; and Esteem, Red Sun, Vitaphone, Cottesmore, Fair Weather, Metal Bird, Polydora, Manawatu, Monastic, Royal Buck, Royal Gallant, Grand Review, Dodge, Latitude, 7 years.

1933-4 1934-5. £ £ Victoria Racing Club 73,280 88,140 V.A.T.C 57,810 63,750 Williaxnstown R.C. 21,080 21,285 Moonee Valiev R.C. 43,974 46,825 V.T. and R.A. ... 14,710 23,600 Epsom T.C Mentone T.C 6,750 7,700 6,714 7,200