RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22685, 26 June 1937, Page 9

RACING NOTES

RACING. July 3. —Manawatu R.C. July 3. —Oamaru J.C. July 6. 8, 10.—Wellington K.C. July 17.—Hawke's Bay Hunt Club.

July 17.—Waimate Hunt Club. July 24 Rangitikei Hunt Club. j, l]y 24.—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 29, 31.—Poverty Bay T.C. July 31—Chrislchurch Hunt Club.

NEXT SEASON.

August 21.-Pakuran S a Hunt. \ August 28,-Auckland T.C.

AH UNEXPECTED STUD FAILURE

Relative to stud failures, the prominent German breeding expert, Fr. Becker, who knows a great deal more than most of his critics concerning his subject, recently wrote as follows: — "If the question is-put which outstanding racehorse of modern times became the most amazing failure at the stud, the verdict should fall on Zinfandel, winner of the Ascot, Jockey Club, Coronation, Brighton, and Manchester Cups. Ho wal; a chestnut son of Persimmon, from the chestnut Medora, by ! Bend Or—chestnut Agneta, by MacaI roni. I have still a good recollection of this imposing, nearly 17 hands high horse with a good deal of Bend Or's characters and conformation about him. " Other great performers have failed at the stud, but not one in the per plexing style of Zinfandel, because a high percentage of his got was undersized and a goodish number sold as polo ponies. "They used to say his colts looked mareish and his fillies babyish. One of the first breeders who patronised him was Lord Derby, sending Canterbury Pilgrim to his court. She bred The Tabard and a glance at her stud performances will suffice for gauging her maternal qualities." WHiPS AND SPURS FOR APPRENTICES One of the remits to come'before the annual meeting of the Racing Conference aims at allowing apprentices the use of whips and spurs in races confined to apprentice jockeys. Several years back this was a very controversial subject, but, guided by the late Mr J. M'Mahon, the conference resolutely set itself against allowing inexperienced riders the use of either whip or spur. Mr M'Mahon expressed himself very strongly against their use, and he was backed up by the then chairman, Sir Geoge Clifford. It is difficult to understand why' there Iras been a change of opinion to the extent of desiring the conference to reverse its attitude of the last decade. All leading authorities on the racehorse agree that the whip need be so rarely used that it might be dispensed with altogether with great advantage. The bit, rein, and hands are the medium of communication between the rider and the horse's mouth, and, it is often a case of fear of suspected pulling that induces an inferior jockey to make undue use of the whip. Some years ago, when apprentices were allowed the aid of whip and spur, some lamentable exhibitions were witnessed, and the opinion of the public and also many owners and trainers is dead against it. A whip is seldom wanted by a good horseman. A spur_ for a sluggish horse will do as well, with the added advantage that the rider does not have to let go the horse's head; but for apprentices learning to ride no such aids should be allowed.— ( Dominion.' TEMPTED BY BETTER PRICES In a court case in Sydney the other day surprise was expressed that a professional tipster did not always restrict his betting to the horses ho sent to his clients as those possessing the best chances (says the Sydney 'Referee'). For business reasons it might be unwise of any man with a betting clientele to admit to such weakness, but the backing of a horse they really do not think will beat something else is not unusual with many racegoers. It is a racing axiom that " a winning bet is a good one, no matter how short the price," but many of us have "gone to a meeting believing something was a certainty, and then backed another runner. The reason, of course, was that the price did not appeal. In consequence, we have turned round and taken 5 or 6 to 1 about something we did not honestly think could beat our first choice—which might have been at 6 to 4 —let alone the rest of the field. _ Wo are quite aware that in such circumstances it would be wiser not to bet at all, but when you are on a racecourse it is difficult to pass over anv race without having some interest. There are men firm enough to avoid this sort of thing, and also to restrict their operations to a couple of bets on races in which they regard some horse as standing out. They are the exceptions. Most people wish to bet on every race, and if they do not like the price on offer against a horse, will back something else at longer odds in the hope it will " fluke " the one to which they really give preference. JOTTINGS Handicaps for the Oamaru meeting next Saturday are due on Monday. Both Billy Boy and Shy have arrived at Trentham for their final preparation for the Wellington winter meeting. Trench Fight is one of the best fancied of the lliccarton horses for the Winter Cup, and is reported to be training on well. No race at the N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club's Meeting, to be held m August, will carry a stake of less than £3OO. C. Thomson has been engaged to ride Red Sun in his races at Trentham next month. Red Sun has been schooling well. Good rain was experienced in the Oamaru district this week, and this was required for the course, which now promises to be in first-class order for next Saturday's meeting. Wild Chase, Paper Slipper, and Lazybones arc in work again at lliccarton. All three havo wintered well, and are reported to be in good order to commence their four-year-old career. Peacock has two good placed performances to his credit that should make him ono of the fancied candidates at Oamaru next week—second to Miracle at Oamaru two months a*o, and second again this month to Norse- j man at Wingatui.

Ilcdolcut is beginning to sliapo well at Riccarton alter his lengthy spell. Ho has been holidaying for about six months, and with another year on to liis age can bo expected to show improved stamina next season Since ho last raced Tunnellcr has been operated on for wind infirmity. Tho operation appears to have been quite successful, but since ho returned to tho tracks he has been suffering from an injured foot which has retarded his work. The imported marc Spionetta is booked to visit tbo Eldcrslie stallion Solicitor-General. This mare, bred, in the purple, was sold in England as a yearling for 1,600 guineas. She the English Derby winner Spion Kop from Flash of Steel by Royal Realm. The work of erecting big electric lamps to light up the loading bank opposite the Oamaru course ■was conipleted this week. This improvement will be greatly appreciated by trainers who have to truck their horses next Saturday evening. * Grey Honour, who was nominated for tbo Maronaii Handicap but withdrawn before the handicaps appeared, is being reserved for the Wellington Winter Meeting. Grey Honour nas bad two wins and a second in Ins last three starts to lus credit, and next season may be found staying on over longer journeys than six furlongs. Southern jumpers are not so prominent as usual in the Wellihgton entries. On the other hand, Auckland has a good entry. The South Island appears weak in jumpers of good class this year, and _ last year’s National winner, Royal Limond, has so far been a completefailure since that big race. Tho programme for tho_ New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s August meeting provides for a distribution of £9,500, an increase of £2,250 on last year. The best class pacers have been well provided for in the August Handicap, of £7OO, 4min 29sec class, on the opening day, in tho King Edward Handicap, of £BOO, and the National Handicap, of £BOO, each 4nnn 28sec class, on the second and third days respectively. The ‘ New Zealand Referee ’ is in favour of dual licenses being granted to approved and experienced horsemen. It says: “ Ajready worried in a search for suitable ‘riders, owners would face the ridiculous position of seeing men such as L. G. Morris, R. W. MTavish, A. Tinker, A. E. Didham, H. Dulieu, and J. H. M'Rae forced to choose which branch of racing they wotdd follow, | when all are capable of doing'’ either job well.” When Ksar was purchased for America in the Autumn of 1935, it was in the joint interests of Messrs A. S. Hewitt and K. K. Gilpin. A fortnight prior to Lo Ksar’s Two Thousand Guineas win Mr Gilpin sold his share in Ksar to Mr Hewitt. If Mr Gilpin had waited a little longer it is certain he would have been able to dispose of his interest in Ksar at a much bigger price than he received. At Kecneland (Lexington) on April 21 there was a parade.of retired geldings that had greatly distinguished themselves in their day in America. They were:—Sarazen, 16 years, 27 wins, £45,000; Mike Hall, 12 years, 19 wins, £42,700; Osraand, 12 years, 23 wins, £31,595; Jolly Roger, 14 years, 18 wins, £28,648; Clyde Van Dusen, 11 years, 12 wins, £24,422; and Cherry Pie, 17 years, 21 wins, £14,550. Mike Hall and Cherry Pie are bays, and the other four chestnuts. From a breeding viewpoint, success in one of tho English classics goes further than enhancing the values of the winner’s sire and dam. Thus, as a result of Le Ksar’s win in the Two Thousand Guineas, the stud fee of Hotweed will bo increased from 98gns to 148gns next season. Hotwced, on the maternal side of his pedigree, is not related to Le Ksar, but, like the latter’s sire, Ksar, is a son of Bruleur. One may be excused for wondering whether Hotweed’s fee would have been raised still further had Le Ksar won the Derby. Successful French jockey, G. Bridgland, had no luck when ho visited Thirsk (England) last month to ride two horses for Mr J. V. Rank—a second was tho best he could dp—but fortune was kinder to him on the return journey. Tho aeroplane in which ho left for London crashed when taking off from the racecourse. The wings and fuselage were badly damaged, and the tail broken, but none of tho three passengers or the pilot was hurt. That Bridgland’s nerves were not' affected was reflected in the fact that h© won a double at Lonchamp tho following day. For the convenience of patrons attending the Oamaru Jodkey Club’s Meeting next Saturday a special passenger train leaves Dunedin at 8.45, arriving Oamaru 11.45, connecting with special train for the racecourse, leaving Oamaru at 11.53. On the return journey train leaves racecourse at 4.45, Oamaru 5.32, arriving Dunedin 8.36. Special excursion tickets are issuable to the Oamaru racecourse from specified stations by the special train, and cheap “ week-end ” tickets arc issuable to Oamaru from Dunedin and intermediate stations, available up to and including Monday, July 5. Anything a jockey says after a race is accepted as correct by some trainers, though there are many who would ■sooner trust to what they saw than to the “ say so ” of some jockey. At Tanforan in Anril a jockey nanwd Neves, after dismounting, told tbo trainer that another jockey bad nearly put him over the rails. The trainer thereupon addressed the alleged offending jockey in such strong terms that the stewards fined him (the trainer) £lO for unbecoming conduct. Then the stewards questioned both jockeys, and Neves admitted the trouble was caused by his trying to get Indian Broom through an opening where there was no room. The outcome was that ho was fined £2O for making false statements to trainer Cannon. In Now Zealand when a jockey tolls a trainer some flattering tale after a race it is generally with a view to gcti’ng the mount next time. Naturally tho jockey’s opinion is passed along to tho owner, and some are always ready to listen to a tale that raises their hopes of winning a race.

Young Sentinel went the way of all horseflesh this week (reports the Southland ‘News’). He was doing hack duty on a farm for tho winter months and his death was due to some internal trouble. He had a fairly lengthy career on tho turf, being nine years old when he died, but he won only two races and he will be remembered for the sensational dividend he paid when ho won at the Gore Summer Meeting in 1934. That was his last success. Young Sentinel was bred by the late R. B. Stiven and was b\ Balboa from the Kilbroney—Lady Wayward mare Lady Sentinel. In recent years he carried the colours of his trainer, R.. Bromhy.

An “ agreement ” whereby the English Jockey Club countenances the pony clubs racing on 82 days each year seemed likely to have its complications when the promoters of Worsley Park Ltd. announced their intention of having from 15 to 25 meetings each season on a £IOO,OOO course to be erected at Worsley, Lancashire. Difficulties, however, will not arise for some time. The idea of the new track has been dropped, as far as Worsley is concerned, though the promoters may consider establishing a course elsewhere in the Manchester district. The scheme was the subject of a Ministry of Health inquiry recently, and was opposed chiefly by Worsley Urban Council on the grounds that the land had been zoned since 1931 for residential purposes.

One of England's big sprint handicaps is the seven furlongs Victoria Cup, £2,000, run at Hurst Park. It was decided on May 1, and was won by the Fairway horse, Fairplay, who started at 17 to 2. Ho scored rather easily from Laureat 11., who, at his previous start, was also second in the Lincolnshire. P. Maher, who won on Fairplay, was disinclined to do any more riding until he recovered from a facial affection that was worrying him. However, H. Cottrill prevailed upon him to go to Chester to ride Faites Vos Jenx and Terror. Maher was well rewarded, as Faites Vos Jeux won the Chester Cup, of £2,280 to the winner, and Terror the Coronation Plate, of £845. On the morning of . the cup Maher ran and walked four ti~'es round the course in order to reduce his weight by 4lb. The last-minute wasting indulged in by P. Maher before he rode the winner of the recent Chester Cup recalled to the mind of an English writer the methods adopted by C. Trigg to got down to C. 6 to pilot Vcndale, winner of the corresponding race i _ in 1903. There were no Turkish baths in Chester at that time, and although Trigg began starving his small frame, this did not seem likely to be effective. A friend then conceived the idea of steaming the bathroom of a local hotel by turning on all the hot water taps and blocking up the doors and windows. Smothered in sweaters, the 'jocke.v had to exorcise in the bathroom, perspiring like a bull. When lie could stand the steam no longer, Trigg bad to keep running round the corridors of the bouse. Ho did the weight after being rolled bodily in flour, and had the satisfaction of winning the race by a length from the favourite, Throwaway.