RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22539, 6 January 1937, Page 11

RACING NOTES

[J3y St. Claie.'J

racing. January 7, 9.—Reefton Jockey Club. January 8, 9.—Vincent Jockey Club. January 13. —Glifden Racing Club., January 16.—Wairio Jockey Club. January 20, 22, 23.—Wellington Racing Club. T „ January 21, 23.—Thames J. C. January 22.— Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. January 28, 30.—Wanganui J.C. January 29, 30.—Takapuna J.C., at Ellerslie. , . _ _ February 4, 6.—‘Taranaki J. C. February 4, 6.—Wairoa R.C. February 6.-—Matamata R.C*

JOTTINGS ' Nominations for the Wellington Cup Meeting close this evening at 5 o clock. Acceptances for the Wairio Meeting close on Friday at 8 p.m. Acceptances for the Clifden Meeting, to be held at Riverton, close on Friday at 9 p.m. By winning the Auckland Cup, King’s Plate, and Clifford Plate again this year Cuddle completed the same treble as she did at Ellerslie last season. Ocean Singer, winner of the Wyndham Cup on New Year’s Day, has now won sovon races and been second twice out of 28 starts, and his stake winnings amount to £735. His success, in the Wyndham Cup was his first in open company. Among the mares at Mr F. B. Donnelly’s stud at Hastings is Squeeze, a sister to Cuddle. Squeeze has a two-year-old colt by Tidal, a yearling filly by Lord Quex, and a colt foal by Lord Quex. Caress, dam of Cuddle, died & few seasons bach. In connection with the Vincent Meeting the Railway Department will run a fast special train to Omakau on Saturday, leaving Dunedin at 6.45 and returning at night. This will afford an excellent chance of visiting Central Otago. The Vincent Jockey Club has received excellent acceptances for the first day of its annual meeting, to be held on Friday and Saturday of this week, and Wingatui stables will be very strongly represented. A field of 11 has been paid np for in the Clare Memorial Gold Cup Handicap. The programme for the Winton Jockey Club’s Meeting, to be held on February 19 and 20, giving £1,940 10s in stakes has been issued. .The stakes have been increased by £265 10s as compared with the amount giwen last year, and no stake on the card is worth less than £IOO. During the seven days’ holiday racing at Wingatui, Waikouaiti, Wyndham, Oamaru, and Invercargill, 46 galloping events were decided, and 23 jockeys shared the winning honours. A. F. Didham, J. W. Jennings, and C. T. Wilson were the most successful, each riding five winners. R. J. Mackie with four A. G. Parsons and M. Caddy each three, and C. Hughes, H. Phillips, A. Messervy, and P. Spratt each two wins the next successful horsemen. M. Clare, who recently set up as a public trainer at Forbury Park, has Colonel Grattan and Guy Mauritius under his care. This young trainer belongs to a family well known in Central Otago racing circles in the earlv days, and the principal race on the Vincent Jockey Club’s programme, the Clare Memorial Handicap, is named after his grandfather, one of the pioneers of that district. A pleasing feature of the acceptances for the first day of the Vincent Meeting is the excellent response from owners in the two trotting’ events, 16 having been paid up for in the mile and a-half, and 19 for the mile and a-quarter race. These are the largest fields that have ever started on the Omakau course, and the prospects of a most successful meeting for this popular club are very bright. Rin Tin Tin (Some Boy ll.—Fairform), now 11 years old, was very much in the limelight at the Rt. Bathan’s Hack Meeting held on Boxing Day, winning the Dimstan Handicap, six fur-

February 6.—Canterbury J.C. February 6. —Tapanui R.C. February 11, 13.—Dunedin J.C. February 11, 13.—Egmont R.C. February 11, 13.—Poverty Bay T.C. TROTTING. January B.—Reefton T.C. January 9.—Cambridge T.C. January 16.—Timaru T.C. January 23.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. January 28. 30.—Forbury Park T.C. January 30, February I.—Nelson T.C,

longs,! St. Bathan’s Cup, 10 .furlongs, and the Kildare Handicap, seven furlongs. In the last-mentioned race he carried 12.5. It was recently announced by cable that t^ e sir ® SilvCrstead had fiseen purchased in England for Australia. Silverstead is a 12-year-old horse by Son-in-Law from Demurrage, who also produced Silvermerc, winner in 1932 of the Ascot Gold Vase. Silvcrstead won five races and stakes totalling £3,322. His dam is by Cyllene. His fee for, the 1936 season was £25. The latest addition to J. J. Kennerley’s stable is the Australian-bred trotter Homeward Lass. Although her papers have not yet been received by the local authorities, it is understood that she has an Australian record approaching 4min 40sec for two miles, and that being the case, it is probable that she will be assessed to the best classes. She is a solid type of mare whose appearance suggests distinct possibilities as a racing proposition. The concluding event of the Wairarapa Meeting on Saturday was marred by an indifferent start. The field was not in line when the barrier was released, and several of the jockeys were under the impression that it was a false start. However, P. Williams, on Export, the favourite, did not delay at the post, and consequently he quickly had a 10 lengths break on the field. Export won very narrowly from the outsider, Lord Quick, but most of the others completely lost their chances at the start. An interesting visitor to Wyndham races (and a striking figure) was Mr James Sutherland, who was a “ jolly waggoner ” to- the Otago goldfields in' the early days; thereafter (about 1880) becoming a driver on the line of mail coaches to _ Central Otago. He is tbe oldest sui’viving driver. On the death of Mr Hugh Craig he became manager of the coaching business, which had its headquarters at Lawrence. No one seeing a man of such splendid physique would suspect that he was carrying the burden of 84 years (Wyndham ‘Herald’). Twenty-seven trainers led in winners during the seven days’ racing in Otago and Southland during the holidays, and the young Wingatui mentor, G. A. M‘Kay, thanks to M'Heath’s four wins, was the most successful. P. T. Hogan, T. Hobbs, C. Davey, and A. E. Didhani each turned out three winners, W. E. Hazlett, G. C. Bain, Mrs J. Campbell, E. J. Ellis, W. E. Hancock, R. E. M'Lellan, D. P. Wilson, and J. Ross each two, and J. W. Pankhurst, Andy M‘Kay, H. Nurse, D. J. M‘Donald, T. G. Pollock, J. Thistleton, J. A. Rowland. F. Shaw, A. M'Kenzie, H. A. M'Donakl, H. A. Messent, .1. A. White, J. S. Shaw, and S. Barr each one. Quite a number of horses racing in the South Island have recently returned to the winning list after long runs of outs (remarks the Timaru ‘Herald’). Guarantee has lately won two good races at Invercargill, but prior to that he went for 14 months without a win. Ocean Singer’s Wyndham Cup victory was his first ‘for 10 months, and there was a gap of a year between Viking’s two successes at Invercargill. MTleath, after a win at Gore last February, failed to trouble the judge for 10 months, and there have been several cases of minor performers getting into tbe prize-list again. Fairway’s win on the Coast was his first for more than two years, but he had been in retirement for over two months. The programme for the Riverton Meeting, to be held on March 27, 29. and 30, has been isusod. and during the three days £5,575 will be given in

stakes, an increase of £730 on the amount given last year. . The Riverton Cup has been increased from £SOO to £6OO, the Easter Handicap from £350 to £4OO, and the Fiord Handicap from £2OO to £250. The Aparima Handicap from £225 to £3OO, the Flying Handicap from £2OO to £250, and the Farewell Handicap from £l5O to £175. There will be five steeplechases on the programme, and the Great Western Steeplechase stake has been increased from £450 to £SOO, the Riverton Steeplechase from £250 to £3OO, and the Autumn Steeplechase from £l5O to £2OO. The Southern Champion Hack Handicap has been increased from £350 to £4OO, and is now the most richly endowed hack race in the South Island.

The owners of Roi I’Or and Southern Smile have decided against sending those horses to the interdominion championships, and, with the assured absence of Indianapolis, Tempest, and Cloudy Range, it appears certain that the Dominion will not be represented by a New Zealand-bred, owned, and trained performer at the Adelaide gathering, although there will be several locally bred horses there. Among the latter will be Vesuvius and Sunny Morn, who were recently sold to Australian buyers and left for their new homos last week. At the moment it is not known whether the Aucklandtrained Nervie’s Last, who came from Australia a few months ago, will return to compete at this meeting. In the main, the greatest objection to the championships made by New Zealand owners of mass performers appears to bo that these events are open to allcomers, resulting in big fields in which horses occupying back marks are placed at a tremendous disadvantage on a track slightly less than three furlongs in circumference. ■ Evicus and Emilius Way have left Christchurch for Wellington on the first stage of their trip back to Australia, where they will compete at the coming enterdominion championships at Adelaide. Although Emilius Way failed to get into the money here and did not impress as being above the average, Evicus was responsible _for_ some good performances, and her win in the Ashburton Cup was full of merit. It is generally conceded that given more time here Evicus would prove an outstanding mare, and it is the intention of her trainer, H. Rudd, to return to Canterbury almost immediately after the championships, thus giving her every opportunity to be at her best when the next New Zealand Cup comes up for decision. During the absence of Evicus and Emilius Way J. Young will train and race Icevus. The lastnamed, a cream horse, has not paced solidly in his few races here, but he has shown extreme speed, and with more experience he should prove capable of winning races.