RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22709, 24 July 1937, Page 11

RACING NOTES

August 7.—Poverty Bay Hunt. August 10, 12, 14. —Canterbury J.C. August 21.—Pakuranga Hunt. August 28. —Otago Hunt. September 2.—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 4.— Taranaki Hunt Club. September 9, 11.—Wanganui J.C. September 18. —Ashburton County R.C. September 18, 20.—Avonclalo J.C. September 18.—Forton R.C. September 23, 25.—Geraldine R.C. September 25.—Marton J.C. October 2. —Otaki-Maori R.C. October 2.—Kurovr J.C. October 2, 4. —Taumarunui R.C. October 7, 8. —Dunedin J.C.

[l3v St. Claiu.]

RACING. July 29, 31.—Poverty Bay T.C. July 31. —Christchurch Hunt Club. NEXT SEASON.

» TROTTING. August 7, 11, 13.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. August 28. —Auckland T.C. September 4.—New Brighton T.C. September 11.—Wellington T.C. October 2.—Methven T.C. October 9.—New Brighton T.C. October 16.—Waikato T.C. October 16, 18.—Westport T.C. October 23, 25.—Auckland T.C. October 23, 25.—Greymonth T.C. October 25.—Oamaru T.C. October 30—Wellington T.C. October 30.—InTercargill T.C. October 30.—Thames T.C.

Since Ills attack of strangles Valpeen has lost, his former quality of stamina. The risk one must meanwhile take with him is whether he will stay out the distance of a race like the Grand National.

Though Valpeen has now been at Riccarton over a week, little has been seen of him on the training tracks. This method _of training him was adopted on his former visits to the Grand National Meeting.

The Yaldhurst trainer M. B. Edwards has engaged J. Bryce, jun., to ride and drive his pacers and trotters during tho new season. The stable’s total of stakes won this term was over £7,000. During the trotting season about to end in Australia Globe Derby’s progeny won over 90 races. He died last year, but during his career at the stud he sired 225 horses who have won races to date.

With, a neb profit of £1,506 after spending £494 on repairs and renewals and allowing £403 for depreciation, the Stratford Kacing Club experienced a successful year, states the report to be submitted to the forty-sixth annual meeting of the club on July 29. On each day at the recent Wellington Meeting one of the panels in a brush fence was snapped cleanly near the foot. According to the course superintendent this has never previously happened. When the horses went into the fences they apparently hit them very heavily. Many trainers of trotting horses at Addington are in a dilemma concerning the preparation of their charges for the August meeting there. The track has been so bad that nearly all the recent work has been on the roads, and many horses may disclose the lack of track training.

The inclusion of the North Island Grand National Steeplechase candidates, Tudor, Valpeen, Forest Glow, and Manawatu, in the Homeby Steeplechase to be run at Riccarton next Saturday, will.greatly add to the interest being taken in that race, and afford them an excellent chance of schooling over the National fences.

The man who “ dopes ” a racehorse or greyhound in California will now take the risk of drastic punishment. Late in May both Houses of Parliament passed an Act which entails two years in gaol, and a fine of not less than £250, or more than £1,250, for administering a hypodermic or narcotic to a racehorse or greyhound.

The time for this year’s English Derby was on the slow side, being 2.37 3-5, against Mahmoud’s record for the race at Epsom of 2.33 4-5. When it was run at Newmarket during the war, Pommern won in 2.32 2-5, but a mile and a-half at that course is. much easier than at Epsom. Although some of the English papers stated that the price paid for Midday Sun, after he was passed in at auction, was 2,000g5, the ‘ Sporting Chronicle ’ definitely gives it as 2,500g5. First money in the Derby was £9,441 ss; second, £1,122 10s; third, £561 ss. The breeder of the winner received £SOO out of the stakes, and the added money for the race was £3,000.

The nominations received for the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Meeting to be held on August 7, 11, and 13, are the biggest the club has had for some years, and average over 24 per race. With the exception of Indianapolis all the best horses in commission in the Dominion have been engaged.

Tudor has thrown off the soreness from which he suffered when he arrived at Riccarton from Wellington after the recent meeting. He is now a daily worker, but it is not intended to give him any schooling before he contests the Homeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s Meeting at the end of the month.

Trench Fight continues his attractive work at Riccarton (says the ‘Press’). After a fast half-mile on Tuesday he galloped a mile on Thursday in an effortless manner, but in time that had to be consjdered good for a soft track. There is no doubt that the Chokebore representative will be a staunch Winter Cup favourite if he carries on in his present order.

Dollar Bill met with an accident while running in a paddock recently and had to be destroyed. He could have been sold to go to Tasmania a few months ago, but could not pass the veterinary surgeon who examined him. At his best Dollar Bill was a good performer, especially on soft tracks.

Had L. J. Ellis’s injured arm made a sufficient recovery to permit him riding at the Grand National Meeting he would have had the mount on Trench Fight in the Winter Cup, but arrangements have now been made for B. H. Morris to ride Sir Charles Clifford’s colt, who has 9.7. Morris is one of the best horsemen in the Dominion, and none capable of riding a stronger finish.

A five-year-old mare. Jollyanna. has been creating a good impression at point-to-point meetings held by the Birchwood Hounds this season. According to “ Sir Modred,” in the ‘ Southland Times,’ this mare is by Pamnuro from Miss Chatswood, by Chatwond from Miss Collingwood (winner of AVinton Guineas), hy Leinster from Marjory Moore by Bay King. This is good breeding for a jumper, and this mare should develop into a useful steeplechaser.

Grey Honour, who has 9.0 in the Winter Cup, lias shown his best form to date in six and seven furlong races, but as ho lias always been finishing on strongly there is no reason do doubt his ability to see out a mile. He also has tho advantage of being a smart beginner, which is a big asset in a race like tho Winter Cup. in which there is always a field of 20 or more...

Red Shadow is ready for serious racing, and with the New Zealand Cup as the main objective, J. Bryce will endeavour to pick up one or more stakes at the coming meeting at Addington. In the National Handicap Red Shadow will bo asked to concede starts to a big field, and the number of starters, rather than the quality, will his greatest bar to success. A Now Zealand Cup winner, Red Shadow at his best is a fine pacer, a good stayer, and a rare sprinter.

Trench Right is favourite for the Winter Cup, with Concertpitch, Wino, and Dictate next in line. The next lot is composed of a bunch made up by Queen Dorothy, Royal Appellant, Swordstick, Pukeko, Davolq, and Sovereign Lady. The favourites for the Grand National Steeplechase are Streamline, Nocturnus, Tudor, Santoft. and Burglar, with Irish Comet and Valpeen regarded as next best. Those in favour for the Grand National Hurdles are Jolly Beggar and Clarion Call, with Huskie. Cotiingham, Collision, and John Charles following.

George IV., when racing as the Prince of Wales, was the first member of the English Royal Family to win the Derby. He was successful with Sir Thomas in 1788. In 1790 George IV. (still Prince'of Wales) engaged S. Chifney to ride for him at what was then considered the groat salary of £2OO a year. The late King George V. horses won 163 races and a total of £103,721. tho best horse being Friar Marcus. His only classis winner, however, was Scuttle (One Thousand Guineas).

“ Now that French horses keep on winning here there is a continuous and rather foolish outburst regarding tho deterioration of our home-bred racers, and one of the reasons given is the running of two-y T ear-olds too early,” writes “ Audax.” “I do not believe this is half so much the cause as the fact that to-day far too many stallions are used who come of non-staying lines.” “ Audax ” has seen every Derby run in the past 60 years. He is Mr A. B. Portman, editor of ‘Horse and Hound.’

In the * American Racing Manual it is. stated that 10,757 horses started at recognised race meetings in America last year. Prize-money was well distributed during that period, as, according to other statistics, 5,785 horses were winners. Of these 519 were two-year-old fillies. 523 two-year-old colts and geldings, 1,797 wero fillies and mares over two years, and 2,839 were males over two years. Ihe fact of there being 1,042 two-year-old winners shows the extent to which horses of that age are catered for in America.

Nowadays we rarely- hear of one owner making a big side wager with, another about where their horses will finish in a race. Such practice is not unknown in America. When War Admiral won the Belmont Stakes last month Pompoon appeared his most dangerous opponent, but Colonel E. Bradley did not share that opinion. He thought Brooklyn would beat Pompoon, and it is stated by an American exchange that he took £2,750 to £2,000 from the latter’s owner that his colt would get home ahead of Pompoon, wherever they ran. As Brooklyn was fourth and Pompoon sixth, the Colonel won his bet.

In America horses must-be • eligible for that country’s Stud Book in order to race there. It was due to that fact that Thankerton, who ran third in an English Derby, was barred from competing for the Santa Anita Handicap. The position is different in England. The fact of a horse being rated “ halfbred ” does not bar it from any race, though, of course, it is ineligible for the Stud Book. In view of America’s attitude towards “ half-breds,” the Derby position was peculiar, because of the fact that its representative, Penfox, belongs to that division.

In 1920-21 the record sum of £7,979,595 -was handled by the racing clubs of the Dominion. The next season the total dropped to £6,154,854. A measure of stability followed, and in 1929-30 the aggregate for racing clubs was £5,312,484. , Then the depression set in, and low-water mark was reached with £2,585,142 in the 1932-33 season. The improvement to over four and a-hali millions this season is therefore a notable forward step, and with very little further progress the new season should return the figures to the five millions mark.

English papers of last month contained a lot that was interesting concerning . the Derby. There were 36 nominations for the first Derby and nine started. . The winner was Sir Dioined, whose stud fee got down to 2gs before ho was sold for 50gs when he was 21 years old, and sent to America. Some time after his arrival in that country he was resold for l,ooogs and became the ancestor of Lexington, who figures largely in American pedigrees. In England Sir Diomed’s daughter, Young Giantess, was an ancestress of Pochontas,- dam of Stockwell, Rataplan, and King Tom. The Derby was originally run at a mile and was continued at that distance for four years. The first time the starting machine was used for the race was in 1901, when the winner was Volodyovski. He was the first winner 1 of that race bred by a woman—Lady Meux.'

It is interesting to observe (says the AVelliugton ‘ Post ’) how. the Trentham winners, Santoft and Burglar, have been placed in the Grand National Steeplechase. Both these southerners scored at Trentham off the minimum, and the AVellington Steeplechase winner, Santoft, has now been placed at 9.13, with Burglar at 9.10. Santoft, ner earlier in the term of the Great Western Steeples at Riverton, has earned all his weight. Burglar, on the other hand, is probably a shade nnluckv to be up quite so close to Santoft.' Santoft was not weighted again at Trentham after winning on the first day.

The committee of the Australian Jockey Club threw a bombshell recently when it announced that it proposed calling for applications for the positions of stipendiary stewards at the end of the year, and reducing the number of stewards from four to three. No explanation was given, nor was it indicated that any of the present stewards would be retained. Generally in racing circles the action of the senior club has not been well received, and it is being said that it has been stampeded into action by the incessant and bitter criticism of a section of the Sydney Press, and by officials of some of the old pony clubs who have been clamouring for "more drastic control. The champion three-year-old * of America is War Admiral, and he is one of the smallest of his age. A large per-

ccutage of good horses range from 15.2 to 15.3 in height. The late William Day, a famous English trainer, wrote in his book, ‘ The Racehorse in Training : “ A good big horse may beat a good little one over a short course, or even at a mile or so, but I think that at three or four miles a good little one would beat the best big one I ever saw.” The two greatest stayers seen in Australia in this century' were Phar Lap and Peter Pan. ' They were big horses and each stood about 17 hands. Carbine and Poitrel (the other greatest stayers of the past 50 years or so) were under 16 hands high. Drap d’Or (a sou of Blenheim), who defeated Le Ksar in the French Two Thousand Guineas, is one of the biggest three-year-olds in training. He is slightly over 17 hands.

Commenting on the handicaps for the Grand National Steeplechase, ‘ ihe Watcher,” in the ‘Dominion,’ says: “Valpeen, with 10.8, is rated along similar lines to Ellerslie and Wellington. He had 10.0 in the Great Northern, in which he finished second to Irish Comet. That form made it appear he was staging a comeback, but when made favourite under 10.13 in the Winter Steeples he failed, and he failed again at Wellington under 10.10. In the July Steeples he finished fifth under 10.8, tiring only over the last half. On form and figures he has hjs share, and it is only his known ability over the National country that will bring him into tho discussions. He won m 1934 under 10.0 ,and again in tho following year with 11.13. Valpeen may not be done with yet, and must be placed well up in the prospects.”-

' Canada believes in keeping its historic King’s Plate to itself. Visiting horses are not countenanced, as the conditions for the race of that name, run over nine furlongs on May 22, stipulated that starters must be owned by a British subject resident in the province of Ontario; they must have been foaled, raised; and trained in the province; they must never have been out of Canada, and never out of Ontario for more than’ three months; and they must never have won a race except one exclusively for two-year-olds. These conditions notwithstanding, there 16 starters, and the iprize, worth 7,000 dollars, and a 50gs trophy, was won by H. C. Hatch’s gelding Goldlure, a three-year-old by Sweepster. Mr Hatch was Canada’s leading breeder in 1930 and 1936, chiefly by virtue of the get of Sweepster, who now, along with most of the rest of his stud, has been transferred to California.

In his annual report as president of the Wellington Trotting Club, Mr J. E. August states that the club showed a profit for the season of £2,943, and he continued: “ Now that it is established that successful two-day meetings can be held, efforts will be ■ continued to obtain extra totalisator permits. Owners and trainers unanimously state that they prefer to visit this centre for two-day meetings. Catering, as we do, for the capital city of the Dominion and for huge country districts, it is essential that we receive at least four extra permits so as to provide sufficient sport to maintain the interest of our large public throughout the season. Our club'will not be satisfied with less than eight, permanent racing days a season, and your stewards intend to make every effort to bring about that result.”

All the people associated with charity work would, be present to cheer home Jocular when he won the Benevolent Handicap at the Charities Meeting at Ascot (Queensland) on Saturday, for that victory meant a substantial addition to the funds, apart from the amount raised by the race fixture in the ordinarv way (says “ Pilot,” in the Sydney ‘Referee’). Jocular, one of the smartest of Queensland sprinters, carries the popular colours of Mr E. L. Ramsay, the Banchory (Toowoomba) studmaster, and is a son of The Black Joke (Polymelus—Lamb Mint, by Spearmint) and Hoity Toity, by Seremond. Whenever a horse owned by Mr Ramsay wins a race at one of the charitable" meetings, the stake is presented to the charities which share the profits of the meeting, so that on Saturday Jocular was running for the fund. The Toowoomba sportsman sets an example which might he more generally followed • where charitable fixtures are concerned.

ROYAL ORDER IMPRESSES

Yet another brilliant youngster who looks like being a Derby candidate was discovered at Plemingtdn (says the ‘Referee’ of July 15). That colt is Royal Order, and his performance in winning the Two-year-old Mile will long be remembered. Royal Order, who is a fine upstanding colt by Limond from Anklet, gave an amazing exhibition of galloping. This colt, owned and bred in New Zealand, stood flat-footed when the barrier went up, yet by the time .the field had got to the halfway mark he had not only made up his ground, but was actually mixing it with the main bunch, and indeed went on with the good work to such extent that he was actually fifth into the straight. It was then expected that ho would shut up like a book, but to tho amazement of everyone the colt went on. He finished straight as a gun barrel, and made the opposition look cheap, to win by a length and a-quarter, with his rider, W. Jenkins, sitting up. It was truly an amazing galloping effort, and considering that he ran the mile on a dead track in Imin Jljsec it is not hard to imagine what time he would have registered had he got away to a good start. Royal Order ■is one who should be well remembered when the important spring events come up for decision —that is, of course, provided he can hold his forpi. Royal Order’s recent displays have been indifferent. At his first start jn Victoria he won a. sieven-furlong two-year-old event at Pkfnington with 7.8. At his next appearance at headquarters he beat three home over the same distance and against practically the same field. On Grand National Hurdle Day he started in tho Juvenile Handicap, run up the straight six, and beat three home in a field of 20, then came his remarkable form last Saturday.

A CHAIN OF OBLIGATION

Commenting on the probable success of tho; Apierican yearling sales, which will begin at Saratoga next month, and pointing out that racing in that country is now-in-the midst of one of its great years, ‘ The Blood Horse ’ recently had. the following to say concerning prize money:— - ■ •

“ There is something else necessary before the prosperity of the race tracks makes itself apparent in the yearling market. Some of the new earnings of the tracks must be turned over to the owners of the horses in the form of increased purses.

“ It is the owners who buy yearlings. The breeder takes what the owner can pay. The owner pays in proportion to what the horse he buys can earn on the tracks. _ The tracks should pay the owners in proportion to what they receive from the public, less what taxes they pay to the State. “ Currently it seems to he the custom for a race track management, at the close of a successful meeting, to announce a million dollars’ worth of improvements designed to accommodate another million dollars’ worth of customers at tho next meeting. “If the extra customers happen to show up there will be still other improvements. If they don’t there must be retrenchment. One Chicago track, we are happy to report, simply announced an increase in purses to tho highest minimum now prevailing in America.

JOTTINGS '

The publication of first acceptances for the Winter Cnp, Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles to-day will stimulate'interest in the National Meeting. All the early fancied horses have made the first payment. In a list published in Melbourne of wagers already taken on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups is one wager for £IO,OOO on the combination, Desert Chief and Willie Win. It is reported that a new weekly exclusively devoted to racing and trotting, and published in Dunedin, will make its appearance next week. P. Atkins, who is to have the mount on Ponty in the Winter Cup, was on the Rosenor gelding when he won the Wellington Cup last January. Mr L. C. Hazlctt has a useful trio in Stromboli, Alma, ami Mary Pratt engaged at the Christchurch Hunt Meeting, and the minor races at the Grand National Meeting, Since winning at Ashburton last month Dictate lias not been asked to do a great deal on the tracks. He is xvoll forward in condition, and one of the light-weight fancies for the Winter Cun. Silken Lad, by Silk Garter from a mare by Mohawk, recently broke his neck while competing in a point-to-point steeplechase near Winton. He was a five-year-old, and a promising jumper. The Chokehore Lodge stable has saddled winners of over £IO,OOO during the season just closing. Sir Charles Clifford’s horses won over £9.000. in the years in which Royal Star, Scion, and Rouen xvon the Nexv Zealand Cup, from 1921 to 1923 inclusive, the value of the stake was £2,500. It is probable that Sautoft will be given an opportunity to make himself acquainted with tho fences, but ho is not likely to race again prior to the Grand National. The George establishment at Trentham has had only 15 outright successes this season, compared with 52 last season, hut'it has nevertheless won over £5,000 in stakes. Its now season’s prospects look much brighter.