RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 9

RACING NOTES

RACING. January 7, 9.—Reefton J.C. January 10, 11.—Vincent J.C. " January 11. —Greymouth J.C. January 16, 18.—Thames J.C. January 18. —Wairio J.C January 22.—Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. January 22, <ii’ 25. —Wellington R.C, January 25. —Clifden (at Invercargill). January 25, 29.—Takapuna J.C. January 31, February I.—Wanganui J.C. January 30, February I.—Wairoa R.C. February I.—Matamata R.C. February s.—Thpanui R.C. February 6, B.—Taranaki J.C. February 6, B.—Poverty Bay T.C. February 8. —Canterbury J.C. February 8, 10.—Rotorua R.C. February 12, 13.—Egmont R.C. February 13, 15.—Dunedin Cup Meeting.

JOTTINGS. Acceptances for the Vincent Meeting close to-morrow evening at 7.

Owners are reminded that nominations for the Wellington Meeting close this evening at 8 o’clock.

E. J. Ellis and E. Scoullar returned home with their teams from Invercar--5 ill by the night express yesterday. E. . Ellis had a very unprofitable trip during the holiday meetings, failing to win a race.

M. Kirwan has been riding in great form during the holidays. After being on 11 winners at Hokitika he handled three at Waikouaiti and- two at Oamaru, making 16 for the five days of the holiday campaign.

Forfeits for the Timaru Futurity Stakes are due to-morrow, and nominations for the Timaru Trotting Club’s Summer Meeting, to be held on Saturday week, close on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Song Boy was unlucky in not getting a better run in the Rosedalo Handicap last Friday; otherwise he would have beaten Wall Street. The progeny of Song Bird was much in evidence at the southern holiday meetings.

The total number of scratehings at the Waikouaiti, Wyndham, and Oamaru Meetings was 124—at Waikouaiti 39, Wyndham 38, and Oamaru 47. These clubs declared their handicaps and took the acceptances prior to the Dunedin Meeting. During the two days’ racing at Invercargill only 21 horses were withdrawn.

The contractor has just about completed the new members’ stand at Wairio, and the caretaker is now engaged erecting starting posts to coincide with the new box for the judge which has been built at the side of the stewards’ stand. The course is in excellent order for next week’s meeting.

L. J. Ellis lias had a very successful trip to the North Island over the holiday period. He won at Ellerslie on Cuddle and Fracas on the first day of the Auckland Meeting, and won on Invoice, Silver Jest, and Tout le Monde on the next two days at Awapuni, and on the two concluding days at Ellerslie won on Cuddle (twice), Wild Chase, Greek Shepherd, and Mazir.

Twenty-two racing and trotting meetings were held during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and only at Gore, on Boxing Day, the totalisator figures failed to show an increase. The biggest increase was at Etlersiic, but the highest percentages of increase were recorded at Greymouth, Wairarapa, and Wingatui.

Beam was a very consistent performer at the southern meetings last week. After running third twice in the open sprints, she was produced a •second time on Friday, and won the concluding'event over eight furlongs. Beam used to ho a brilliant beginner, but at both Wyndham and Invercargill was beaten out of the barrier in each of the four races she contested. The Riverton Racing Club’s programme for its annual race meeting at Easter has been issued, and compared with last year the .stakes arc:—

The Tasmanian horses Evicus and Emilius Way have probably made their last appearances in New Zealand, and it cannot ho said the trip has been a successful one. Evicus has been consistent, hut it appears she has entered a class a bit beyond her. Emilius Way has never impressed as a top-notcher,

[By St. Claik.]

TROTTING. Jan. B.—Eeefion T.C. Jan. 18.—Timaru T.C. Jan. 25.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Jan. 30, Feb. 1. —Forbury Park T.C. Feb. 1, 3.—Nelson T.C. Feb. 5, B.—Wellington T.C. Feb. 15.—Canterbury Park T.C, Feb. 15, 17. —Auckland T.C. Feb. 22—New Brighton T.C. March 6, 7. —Invercargill T.C. March 7.—Wellington T.C. March 14. —Timaru T.C. March 18.—Wyndham T.C. March 21. —Taranaki T.C. March 23—Roxburgh T.C. • -

although in the moderate company he will meet in Australia he may still be capable of-winning races.

On most occasions when Heritage has been defeated this season the excuse has been offered that the track was too soft to suit him. There was no such alibi in the Great Northern Derby, and it is probable that if the Posterity colt achieves further distinction it will be over distances round about a mile. As a sprinter he may reach high class later on.

One of England’s most important steeplechases, the Grand Sefton, of £I,OOO, 2m 7if, was run at Liverpool on November 8, and was won by Mr G. H. Bostwick’s Castle Irwcll, a seven-year-old gelding by Brave Chap. There were 16 starters, and of these only four completed the course. Castlo Irwell, who was favourite at 3-1, was ridden in the last Liverpool Grand National by his owner, who is again coming over from America to ride him in that race next year.

The exploit of the Australian jockey Sharpe, whom the cableman a day or two ago credited with riding seven winners in one afternoon, is a notable one, but like all others of its kind it was achieved at a “ picnic ”, meeting. Perhaps the most unusual experience of the kind was that of the Dunedin jockey, J. Dooley, some years ago on the Tuapeka-Beaumont round. On Easter Saturday Dooley rode six winners, and on the Monday was six times second, the other events each day being trots.

Nothing will ever shake the belief of many veterans, including one or two of Australia’s prominent trainers, that Archer, Carbine, and Co. were not better stayers than the distance horses of the present, but the watch provides pretty distinctive proof that performers of Archer’s day would not live in a fast-run two-miler to-day. At Flemington this week Pooley Bridge, carrying 11.4, and with eight stout hurdles to negotiate, ran two miles over the Melbourne Cup course in 3min 35isec. It is doubtful if some Cup winners of 50 years ago could have broken 3min 40-sec with that weight, with no obstacles in the path.

The big stakes during the holiday meetings were well divided, Osculate winning the Otago Handicap, lienwl Pasha the St. Andrew’s Handicap at the Dunedin Meeting, Great Star the Waikouaiti Cup, Grand Finale the Wyndham Cup, Rebel Chief the President’s Handicap at Oamaru, Queen of Song the Invercargill Cup, and Great Shot the Southland Handicap. Of these seven only Great Star and Queen of Song won another race, and with £426 and a trophy to his credit Great Star was the biggest stake winner during the holidays. Queen of Song £3BO, Viking £3lO, Kemal Pasha £295, Osculate £270, Grand Finale £240, Galleon £234, and Great Shot £230 wore the next best winners.

• When the Grand Soften Steplechase was run at A intree (Liver-pool, England) last month, there was an unusual incident. Aureate Earth fell, and then ran riderless to the canal turn, where he took a header into the canal, and was followed by Tap Toi. They swam for nearly half a mile until they arrived at the lock, where consequent on their progress being barred, they scrambled on to the bank. Neither seemed any the worse for their swim. At Aintree, the canal jump is not many yards from the canal, which runs along the back of the course, and, after clearing it, horses have to be pulled round very sharply to face the next jump, Valentine’s Brook.

Horses bred in France have been doing well in England this year, £56,722 being credited them up to November 12. Of course, they represented various

breeders. Of the individual breeders, the Aga Khan was an easy first up to the date mentioned, his total being £49,026, against the £16,350 of Lord Derby, who followed him on the list. The Aga Khan raced nearly all the horses that put him first of the breeders. Last year the Aga Khan, with £57,733, also led breeders in England, and though early in his association with racing he put a tremendous amount of money into it, be is now reaping something approaching adequate reward.

Following the recommendation of the Ashburton Trotting Club that Cream Harvester should be placed on the schooling list, the gelding ran two sterling races at the Canterbury Park Meeting, and the New Zealand Trotting Association will find it difficult to carry out the recommendation of the Ashburton Club (says the ‘ Press ’). The hoard of, the association meets only once a month, and it is strange that some arrangement could not have been made to deal with a recommendation such as was made by the Mid-Canter-bury Club. Had Cream Harvester caused, any trouble, it is a question as to who would have been to blame. If D. Eogers’s pacer goes on racing as he has done in his last two starts, there will probably be a place for him on the winning list, instead of the schooling list.

Whenever I hear trainers growling about the treatment of their horses, it occurs to ,me that if it could be arranged for each trainer to sepd in the weight his horse should receive in a handicap of some importance we should have interesting estimates, writes “ Pilot ” in the Sydney ‘ Referee.’ They would bo _ amusing, if nothing else, in some instances. It would be safe to bet that each estimate would be on a low scale, and that there would he more growling about the “ other fellow’s ideas ” than there is now in respect of those of the official handicapper. Some trainers do know when they are well, or badly, treated, but others are very weak on -that point. “ I was beaten last run with such-and-such a _ weight. Why should I have more this time?” is as far as some can get. The fact of other horses having gone up, and the company, possibly, being weaker than when their horse previously failed, does not count with some.

When the English jockey, Fred Fox, was badly injured by a fall at Doncaster on September 10, he lost his whip. Fox appenled_ through the Press for its return, but it did not turn up until the second week in November. It arrived by parcel post, the man who picked it up on the racecourse stating he had- intended keeping it ns a souvenir. Fox was highlv delighted when the whip was returned, ami said it was treasured by.him for sentimental reasons. It was a present in the first place, and was used bv him when he won the Derby on Bahrain. Fox wrote to the finder of the whip, asking what be would like in exchange for it. On November 18 Fox was able to attend a dinner given him. and at which several peers of the realm, as well as men prominent in all branches of snort, were present. The Aga Khan presided.

In his book, ‘ Silk and Spur,’ C. R. Acton has this comment on presentday breeding methods : —“ If breeding for sprinters 'and breeding from sprinters is to be continued on the in-bred system that has held favour for so long, the thoroughbred racehorse cannot help but have its constitution undermined.” Mr Acton believes that “ Isonomy was the gamest horse that ever looked through a bridle; he imbued Isinglass with his own staying propensities, and Isinglass, a great success at the stud, handed them on to his stock.” Considering the great opportunities he had, not many authorities regarded Isinglass as a really successful sire. However, by siring John o’ Gaunt Isinglass established the greatest wining lino of the day that of Swynford-Blandford. That achievement alone amounts to something of prime importance in the bloodstock world. Isinglass also sired a number of brood mares of note, including Lady Lightfoot, Glasalt, Samphire, and Courtesy, dam of Chivalrous, sire of the brilliant Australian three-year-old, Garrio. Another mare by Isinglass was Lismainc, dam of the successful Australian sire, Linacro.

1936. 1935. First dav , ...£1,970 £1,705 Second day ... 1,615 1,615 Third day ... 1,145 1,145 Total ... , ... £4,730 £4,525