RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22382, 4 July 1936, Page 9

RACING NOTES

RACING. July 7. 9. 11.—Wellington R.C. , July 18.—Hawke’s Bay Hunt C. July 18.—Waimate Hunt C. July 22.—Rangitikei Hunt C. July 23, 25.—Poverty Bay Hunt C. July 25. —South Canterbury Hunt C. July 25.—Manawatu R.C. —Proposed Next Season. — August I.—Poverty Bay Hunt C. August I.—Christchurch Hunt C. August 11, 13, 15. —Canterbury J.C. August 22.—Pakurangi Hunt 0. August 27. —Egmont-Wauganui Hunt C. (at New Plymouth). August 29.—Taranaki Hunt C. September s.—Otago Hunt Club. September 5. —Marton Jockey Club. September 10. 12.—Wanganui Jockey C. September 19. —Ashburton County R.C. September 19.—Foxton Racing Club. September 19, 21. —Avondale J. C. September 24, 26.—Geraldine Racing C. October 3. —Kurow Jockey Club.

STAKES, TOTALISATOR, AND TAXATION. The returns published in the Abstract of Statistics for the first nine months of the present racing season in the Dominion show healthy increases in both stakes and totalisator investments. The figures are:— 1935-36. 1931-35. Number of racing days 263 206 Number of races 2,067 2,010 Stakes ... ... £308,189 £288.630 Totalisator investments ... £3,841,370 £3,31u,-o4 Amount paid in dividends ... £3,170,507 £2,/3u,073 Taxes £324, £24 £306,142 Amount retained „ by clubs ... £326,518 £267,6/6 The average stake per race this season was £149, as compared with £143 10s, and the average investments per race £1,863, as against £1,649 10s m tKe 1934-35 season. , It is interesting, to note that the clubs’ share of the totalisator turnover for nine months this season is only £Bl7 less than for the whole of last season and £217 less than in 1933-34. Taxation bn stakes this season is £3.083 as compared with £14,433 for the same nine months last year. SOME RECORDS. In the 1867-68 -season, two Victoria Derbies were run, one in November and the other on New Year’s Day. The following season the Derby was again run on New Year’s Day, but in the 1869-70 season the V.R.C. reverted to November. On the occasion it was twice run in oile season it was won by Mr J. Tail’s Fireworks. After winning on New Year’s day he was saddled up for the next race, the Midsummer Handicap, IJm, which he also won., there being seven runners. Bearing on the above, an American horse made the unusual record last month of winning Derbies on successive days and in different States. On May 22, Rushaway won the Illinois Derby at Aurora, and then was hurried away to Kentucky in la specially chartered express car to run in the Latonia Derby the following day. It might have been thought the travelling would have adversely affected Rushaway, but it must have sharpened him up. At any rate he downed the Latonia Derby favourite, Hollywood, and five other starters in 2.2 3-5 for the mile and a-quarter. Although winners of two successive races are'naturally most rare at totalisator meetings, and the feats of Little Ruse at Tauranga last week and of Awken at Egmont four years ago are unique in recent annals, there have been occasions in earlier generations, when one horse has won three races on a single day, and in one case two of the races were successive.

On St. Patrick’s Day ; 1896, at the Ohinemuri gathering. Lillie, owned by Mr P, Jones and ridden by W. Perry, was an easy winner of the Karaugahake Handicap, 6 furlongs, the Flying Stakes, 5 furlongs, and the Forced Handicap, 1 mile. There was an interval of two races between her first and and second appearances, and one race intervened between her second and last contest. Mr Jones and Perry had a field day on that occasion, for they were associated in the same afternoon with the double' success of Leona, who won the first event, the Maiden Plate, _ Imile, and the fifth, the Pony Handicap, 6 furlongs. As Perry also rode the Cup winner, Tit, and_ Captivity, who . carried off the Waihi Stakes, 10 furlongs, he won seven races, the whole of the flat-race programme, his mounts covering a furlong short of seven miles.

Lillie at that time was a four-vear-old. She was by Ingomar from Lady Bird (one of three mares of that name appearing in Vol. I. of the New Zea--land Stud Book, by Feve from Polish, by Day and Martin. An equally fine achievement for horse and rider was that put up at the first Spring Meeting of the Auckland Pacing Club in the_ 1896-97 season, held in conjunction with the Pakuranga Hunt. On September 23, the aged mare, Mollyhawk, by Natator, won the Hunt Club Members’ Hurdles, 2 miles, the Farmers’ Steeples, once round the steeplechase course, and the Ladies’ Bracelet, once round, these being the fifth, seventh, and eighth races on the card. , Mollyhawk, who was owned by Miss Roberts, was ridden in all three races by Mr G. Paul, of To Awamutu, more widely knowm in connection with those good horses, Te Kara, Aussie, and Awarero. Mollyhawk carried 10.6, 11.7, and 10.7 in her respective appearances, and a fortnight later she scored again, with Mr Paul in the saddle, in a Ladies’ Bracelet at Avondale.

With reference to W. Perry’s feat in riding seven whiners in the one day, available statistics show that the best race-riding performance was that of the English champion jockey, G. Richards, in 1933, in riding 12 consecutive winners in process of compiling his total of 259 successful mounts for the season. At Newmarket, in 1877, F. Archer rode six winners in an afternoon, and at Lewes, in 1882, he repeated the performance. G. Fordham, a contemporary, rode six winners and dead-heated for first in another race. In the runoff Fordham lost. At Townsville (Queensland), on July 29, 1929, W. Thomas won all seven races, and at Moorefield, on March 30, 1930, E. Bartle rode six winners and a second. Probably the nearest approach to Richards’s dozen winners was reached by the Wingatui .horseman, J. W. llooley, who at the Beaumont Annual Meeting in April. 1931, rode all six winners of the galloping events on the first day, five being favourites, and on the second day rode the runner-up in the six galloping events. At the Porangahau races on December 27, 1910 Whitaker piloted the winners_ of the six events in which he was eligible to ride.

[By St. Claiii.]

October 3.—Otaki Maori Racing Club. October 3.—Napier Park Racing Club. October 3, 5. —Taumaruuui Racing Club (at Paeroa). October 8, 10.—Dunedin Jockey Club. TROTTING. —Proposed Next Season.— August 8, 12, 14.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. August 15. —Cambridge T.C. August 29. —Auckland T.C. September 5. —New Brighton T.C, September 12. —Wellington T.C. October 3.—Mcthven T.C. October 10.—New Brighton T.C. October 17.—Waikato T.C. October 17, 19.—Westport T.C. October 22, 24.—Forbury Park T.C. October 24, 26. —Auckland T.C. October 24, 26.—Greymouth T.C. October 26.—Manawatu T.C. October 26.—Oamaru T.O. October 31.—Wellington T.C.

A TIMELY WARNING. The suggestions made by the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, to the effect that some of the smaller racing clubs that arc struggling for an existence should amalgamate is a timely warning. If the executives of these clubs had the inetrests of racing really at heart they would have amalgamated some years ago, but so long as some members place their own interests first the desired improvement will not be brought about. There are at least two clubs in the Otago district which should act on the Minister’s advice. They are old-established clubs that had their usefulness many years ago, when conditions were quite different to tho present times. One of these two clubs has failed for some years to run a meeting profitably on its own course, and is only able to carry on through tho profits made when allowed to race on a more conve'niently situated track; and the other club cannot afford to give stakes that promote good racing. Unfortunitely local business men in both of these centres can carry sufficient weight to prevent tho amalgamation with more prosperous clubs with headquarters nearby, but their financial support to the clubs is most niggardly. It will require more than suggestions from the Minister to bring these clubs into line, JOTTINGS. R. E. Thomson will ride Travelling Agent and Black Man at Treutham and Riccarton. Nominations for the Waimate Hunt Meeting, to be held on July 18, are due on Monday. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference will he held on Wednesday next, "and the Racing Conference on Friday. Vocal _ (Whyte Handicap) and Lycidas (Winter Hurdles) were accepted in error, and they have been withdrawn from those engagements next week. Counteriiight, one of the pair taken to Melbourne by A. E. Didham, was backed fairly confidently at Flemingten last Monday, but ran unplaced. The Otaki and Wanganui winner Hazoor is not engaged on the first day at Trenthara, but lie is in the Parliamentary Handicap, run over a mile and a-quarter on the second day. Ponty will be ridden at Trentbam by G. H. Humphries, and L. J. Ellis will have the mount on Wino in the Stewards’ Handicap on Tuesday. On Thursday morning at Riccarton Fair Weather had Epic for a companion, and ran half a mile along the back in 50sec._ With 9.4 in the Stewards’ Handicap next Tuesday he will have to be considered.

Since racing at Wingatui last month High Speed has done well. He will be ridden'in the Mariri Hack Steeplechase on Tuesday by H. Turner, and is expected to race prominently. Pladi’e, a member of R. Alexander’s team in Hawke’s Bay, is expected to. show up in the Parliamentary Handicap next week, and may he sent to Australia to race later on. The Southland gelding, Parasang, has been allowed to drop out of the Wellington Steeplechase, but he will be seen in other cross-country events later in the meeting. Double Shot did not race so well as was expected at the Dunedin Meeting. He was off bis feed, but be may do better at Trentham, as be has gone on all rightr since he has been at Riccarton. J. Bryce, jun.. is the leading reinsman for the 1935-36 season. Ho has been successful on 43 occasions. He has won with trotters and pacers, and has been equally good in saddle as in harness. M. Conza has returned to Riccarton from Wingatui ivith Sisterina. The injuries she received in her mishap will entail long and careful treatment, but her trainer is hopeful that she will make a complete recovery. The hurdler Red Sun bolted with a light boy up twice round the sand track at Trentham on Wednesday, and was sore afterwards. Tin's may prevent him from starting in the Trentham Hurdles on the opening day of the meeting. The Southland sportswoman, Miss J. Cuff, has purchased Quite Sure, an American pacer with a mile record of 2min lisee. Quito Sure, who is by Peter Volo—Etawah Girl, is expected to arrive in New Zealand next month. There will he two brackets on the totalisators at Trentham on Tuesday. Royal Songster and Count Willonyx will be coupled in the Mariri Hack Steeplechase, and Miss Hushabye and Shy in the Whyte Handicap. The latter bracket will he necessary on account of the size of the field exceeding the numbers on the totalisator. The Auckland trainer, F. J. Smith, finished the present trotting season with 39 wins and secured the premiership, with C. Dunlevey 27 wins next. The Aucklander also handled 39 winners in races, and fills second place to J. Bryce, jun., who is the leading reinsman this year with 43 wins to his credit. The feature of the little that was doing at Trentham on Thursday morning was the improved showing of Diamond. He schooled alone twice over three fences on the inside of the course aud gave a good display, showing much more dash and pulling up well. It looks ns if lie is now coming back to his best again.

The veteran horseman, R. Lewis, of Melbourne, though now 57 years of age, still Has an occasional ride. At Mooneo Valiev on June 13 his mount

Lilireue looked like winning as tho field swung into the straight. The crowd was on its toes, getting ready to give the veteran an ovation, but, unfortunately, - Lilirene faded out and could finish only third.

Presentations made to Pike at the complimentary dinner tendered him in Melbourne last month were a handsome cutlery canteen, a cocktail set, and a huge illuminated address which contained a record of his victories in tho chief events of the Australian turf. It began with his maiden win on Victoria Cross at Maitland in 1906 and his last on Babili at Ascot this year. Both of these horses were trained by Kelso.

One prominent Sydney trainer believes in blistering yearlings that are to bo prepared for early two-year-old racing. In his opinion it thickens and tightens the skin, thereby assisting in strengthening the immature bone it covers. In his opinion such procedure is, in a measure, a preventive to shin soreness, and in his case results have done a great deal to support that theory.

Quashed, by Obliterate from Verdict, England’s great staying mare, was again a winner on May 7. She accounted for the Ormonde Stakes. 1m 5f 75yds, at Newmarket, but it was only by a head she defeated the five-year-old horse Cecil, who was carrying 9.1 to her 8.11. Last month Quashed won the Ascot Gold Cup after a great race with tbs American horse, Omaha.

Before lie started his racing career the unbeaten English thoroughbred Bahrain had his name changed from Bahman. The change, says an English writer, spared us from the horror of having future classic winners with names such as Baiun aid, Counterlunch, Time Gentlemen Please, Brass Rail, Double Header, and On tho House.

Count Willonyx, the winner of the Dannevirke Hunt Cup, was making his debut as a steeplechaser, but ho had some good hurdling form to recommend him. Wednesday’s field was weak, but Count Willonyx is a good jumper, and a solid little stayer, so that his prospects in the hack steeplechases at Trentham cannot bo dismissed if he makes the trip.

Additional riding engagements for Trentham include:—L. J. Ellis, Wino, De Friend; H. Turner, High Speed, Streamline; A. Stove, Haere Tonu; A. E. Ellis, Vocal; P. Burgess, Arctic King, Chile, Calshot; S. Wilson, Korero; D. Bush, Camilla Horn; C. Burgess, Te Rangitimaii; J. M'Cauley, Windward, C. Thomson, Forest Glow, Kaokaoroa. Tangled, Red Sun, Beau Gallante; R. Horne, Shy; R. Savage, Mustang, Hunting Maid; L. Clifford, Jubilee Song, High Test: L. Dulieu. Silk Sox.

Gustos and Cerne Abbas were to have had an easy sprint together at Riiccnrton on Thursday morning, but the former broke away from his trainer when being mounted, and after careering round the tracks bolted a circuit on the trial grass before being caught. Fortunately ho escaped any noticeable ill-effects, and trotted soundly later. Cerne Abbas went alone over half a mile. She has been suffering from a slight cough during the last few days, and her proposed trip to Trentham has been cancelled.

There are signs that Prince Acre will be well backed again for the Stewards’ Handicap, a race which he won

last year when favourite (says the ‘ Dominion ’). His interim form has not been good, but he recently showed signs of doing better, and he is probably one of those horses who require real winter going. He was a shade unlucky last ‘July not to win a double at the meeting, and ha will be one of the most interesting gallopers on the track when he arrives.

King’s. Warrior and Bonny Azure disappointed an army of supporters by their failure to win at the Auckland Winter' Meeting, but the two Blue Mountain King pacers had a most successful season. King’s Warrior went to the post on 13 occasions, and collected £1,490 for eight wins, three seconds, and one third. Bonny Azure also missed a place only once in 13 starts, her analysis reading nine wins (eight in succession), two seconds, and a third, for a total of £1,305.

Some nasty things were said in the New York Senate last month when Senator Dunnigan sought to procure immediate adoption of his resolution for an amendment to the State Constitution to permit of pari-mutuel betting. The amendment was eventually negatived by 33 to 12, but, while it was being debated, Senator Dunnigan charged Senator J. C. Cavanagh, who made a strong stand against the amendment, with receiving £20,000 a year from the bookmakers, and having boasted that the Dunnigan resolution would not be adopted by the Legislature. In some American papers Cavanagh is styled “ the Tsar of the .bookmakers.”

The complimentary dinner given W. J. E. Pike in Sydney on his retirement reflected credit on Mr M. Poison, as organiser. He had nearly everyone of importance in racing and politics among the guests, and everything passed off well. It was a splendid finish to Pike’s career —no other jockey has been given such a send-off (says the Sydney ’ Referee ’). His relations with pressmen were always cordial. Without prejudicing any of his employers’ interests, he always vouchsafed as much information as possible, and success in big races never caused him to form an exaggerated idea of his own importance. He retained his mental _ balance, as, in the same fashion, he did physically in races.

Lord Val ran a good race in the Opotiki Cup, finishing, fourth, and since then he has gone on the right way at Ellerslie. He is engaged 'in both flat and hurdle at the Wellington Meeting, and is not- without prospects. Lord Yal has performed well ■at winter fixtures at Trentham, his beet efforts being in 1932. when he was beaten by a nose by Chief Link in the Handicap,- and the next day the pair deadheated for first in the Members* Handicap. On the last day they did not meet, but thev each won races— Lord Val accounting for the Onslow Handicap and Chief Link the Winter Oats. Last year he was third in the Whyte Handicap on the first day and second! to Lapel in the Winter Oats on the final day. Inysoft going Lord Val is always on the flat, but ho is a very erratic jumper.