RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22715, 31 July 1937, Page 10

RACING NOTES

RACING. 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. —Avondale J.C. September 18.—Foxton R.C. September 23, 25.—Geraldine R.C, September 25. —Marton J.C. October 2.—Otaki-Maori R.C. October 2.—Kurow J.C. October 2, 4. —Tauraarunui R.C. October 7, B.—Dunedin J.C.

THE OLD BRIGADE Great Star, who will rank as 13 years old next week, is being prepared for another term of racing. The Solferino gelding has been at it since he was a two-year-old, and has taken part in 147 races, 24 of which he has won. Still, he is two years younger than Black Duke, whose record is now 233 starts, 47 firsts, and £8,422 in prize-money. Royal Saxon was 13 when, after three years in retirement, ho was brought out again this season, but he has broken down completely, and the last has been seen of him. The most versatile veteran of the New Zealand turf, of course, was Nukumai, a high-grade hurdler, a useful steeplechaser, and capable of winning a principal flat event at Trentham. He was a winner on the flat at 14, and on hip farewell appearance carried 10.11 into second place in the Sydenham Hurdles at Riccarton. The highest class of all our ancient horses, however, was The Hawk, who established time records at two and three years, won big races in New Zealand and Australia, and won the Taranaki Cup at 11 and the Ashhurst Cup at 12. This season the Great Northern Steeplechase was won by 13-year-old Irish Comet, the Wellington Steeplechase went to 11-year-old Burglar, and the Great Northern Hurdles to 10-year-old Sandy Dix. Billy. Boy has not won anything big this season, but last term, at the age of 12, he captured the Great Northern. It is often asserted that present-day horses are less durable than their predecessors, but some of them last an unconscionable time. SANDYDALE FOR SOUTHLAND The * Horseman and Fair World,’ a newspaper devoted to trotting, and published in Indianapolis, reports the sal© fpr export to New Zealand of the four-year-old Sandydale, who was shipped by the steamer Hauraki from Los Angeles on Juno 8. Sandydale, as a three-year-old last season, took a record or 2min l|sec,‘ and is by Abbedale, 2min IJscc, from loleen M‘Kinney, 2min 9[sec, by Lord Dewey, 2min 3Jaec. Sandydale, according to reports, was regarded as likely to enter the two-minute list, and, with this prospect in view, it seems strange that he should be allowed to’ leave America. He was one of the leading three-year-olds last season, and during the Lexington Meeting last June he won impressively in 2min 4|sec. Later in the season he won a stake event at the Milwaukee Grand Circuit meeting against an all-age field, defeating among others the fast mare, Edna Brewer, and topped off his 1936 campaign with a victory in the Championship Stallion Stake at Lexington, defeating the star performers of his age and gait, and pacing the third heat in 2min IJsec, in on© of the 'outstanding performances of the season. The young son of Abbedale will he a valuable addition to breeding interests in New Zealand, as he is ideally bred. His second dam, Worthett* M’Kinney. a daughter of M‘Kinney, is the dam of four in 2min lOsec, including Lee Purdy, 2min 4fsec; his third dam, Etta Worthy, by Axworthy, produced five standard performers, including Etta Dewey. Sandydale, it is understood, has been purchased by Mr W. R. Jones, of Riversdale, who a few years ago was one of the best reinsmen in Otago and Southland. JOTTINGS According to the * New Zealand Referee,’ A. E. Didharn has been engaged to ride Epris in the Winter Cup, and R. J. Mackio will be on Silver Streak. V. Langford has been booked to ride Giggleswick in the Grand National Hurdles, R. K. Smith will be on Collision, and N. Trillo on Journet. It is reported from Trentham that Boomerang may he brought south for the last two days of the Grand National Meeting. “ Pegasus,” in the New Zealand ‘ Referee,’ selects Jolly Beggar, Clarion Call, John. Charles, and High Quality as having the best chances in the Grand National Hurdles. On Thursday morning at Riccarton Royal Limond was seen to advantage by beating Nocturnus and Streamline over a mile gallop on the flat in Imin 49sec. Catalogue’s bad running at Marton last Saturday was due to the . soft § round, and he is expected to be a ifferent horse on the Riccarton going. At the annual meeting of members of bh© Timaru Trotting Club, held on Thursday, a recommendation was mad© to the incoming committee that*it consider the deletion of the New Zealand Trotting Stakes from its programme. The 1936-37 racing season " l was brought to a close with the Christchurch and Poverty Bay Hunt Meetings this afternoon, and to-morrow all horses will have another year tacked on to their ages. Mr C. S. Young, hon. treasurer of the Timaru Trotting Club, announced at the annual meeting that it was the intention of the committee to increase stakes during the approaching season. Both Manawatu and Valpeen enhanced their Grand National Steeplechase chances by schooling well over 10 of the steeplechase fences at Riccarton on Thursday morning. Yalpeen’s performance was particularly attractive. Handicaps for the minor events on the opening day of the Grand National Meeting are due on Monday, and acceptances dose at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Final payments for the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles and Winter Cup will be duo at the same iimA

[By St. Clair.]

TROTTING. August 7, 11, 13.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. August 28. —Auckland T.C. September ♦.—Now 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. —Grcymouth T.C. October 25.—Oamaru T.C. October 30.—Wellington T.C. October 30.—Invercargill T.C. October 30.—Thames T.C.

In addition to riding Burglar in the Grand National Steeplechase, L. Dulieu has been engaged to steer Corowa and Joppa in their engagements at the fixture. Willie Win, who is booked for a trip to Australia, where he is engaged in the principal spring handicaps, is likely to be given a race on the second or third days at the National Meeting. Tudor is reported to be sounder today than at any previous stage this winter, and if he comes through tomorrow’s engagement satisfactorily he will have to be respected for the Grand National. Pakanui, winner of the sprint event at Marton ox/-' Saturday, is a Winter Cup horse, _ but with Catalogue failing to show his best form it was not a Winter Cup field that he beat. However, it indicates that Pakanui is in form. Desert Chief, who disappointed in last year’s Melbourne Cup with 7.7, was backed for the Murrmnbeena Handicap at Caulfield _ last week. As he missed a place, his prospects of success in either the Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup do not appear bright. M. M'Carten was out of luck at the recent Canterbury Park Meeting. He had several mounts, but a second was the closest he got. In addition he was fined £5 for taking up a wrong position at the barrier on Savage. Trench Fight continues to do_ attractive work at Riccarton, and his times in his gallops are excellent for a soft track. The Chokebore _ representative should ’be a staunch Winter Cup favourite if he carries on in his present manner. The most highly-favoured Derby candidate in Australia at present is Ajax, who is also in early demand for; the Melbourne Cup. According to a Melbourne report the son of Heroic looks especially well. He has built up considerably since he last raced, and his trainer, F. Musgrave?- will have him fit for early engagements. Sir Charles Clifford Is sending two Stonyhurst mares. Babel and Scrimmage, to visit Foxbridge at Cambridge. Scrimmage is by Antagonist from Mad Whirl, by Treadmill, and after producing Babel, her fourth foal, to The Ace, she foaled Drumfire, Fracas. Bun Fight, and Trench Fight to Winning Hit. The secretary (Mr H. H. Fraser) stated at the annual meeting of the Timnru Trotting Club that the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister for Internal Affairs, had informed a deputation which waited on him to ask for more days for trotting that the request would be considered, but he did not hold out any hope of success. Tidewaiter, a winner at Trentham and trained by G. New at Awapuni, will not pome to Riccarton until towards the end of next week. He will be ridden in his engagements by G. Tattersall, who will also have the mount on Sir Nigel in the Winter Cup, In Australia a jockey who grabbed a a horse by the tail, and hung on to it during the running of a race, would probably be given a long term to think out some other way of stopping an opponent. In France, however, such an offence is evidently not considered really serious. The stewards of the Societe d’Enoouragement recently decided that two months’ suspension met the case of a jockey who offended in the manner indicated. Haughty Clare had to be kept going at the end of the second division of the Park Stakes, but still she won in style that suggested the possibility of success at a longer distance than six furlongs. She is a half-sister, by Treclare, to Speciality, who won the 1921 Doncaster Handicap and 1922 Metropolitan. As Arrogant, dam of the two mentioned, was foaled in 1909, she" was 22 when she threw Haughty Clare, which shows that it is occasionally difficult to say when a mare is too old to produce a galloper. In the opinion of many good judges in America, War Admiral is the best horse seen in that country since the days of his sire, Man o’ War., _ Even those who have hitherto believed in Twenty Grand give preference to,War Admiral, who at American rate dr exchange with Australia has earned approximately £41,500 this season. At most of the leading French courses the photographing of finishes is being adopted. It has been long in use at Le Tremblay, and was recently tried at St. Cloud. At Le Tremblay it'has been extended to bring in the fourth horse, as well as the place-getters. In America most courses of importance now have their photographic equipment. The Egmont R.O. has had its best season for a long time, £1,169 having been added to the accumulated fund, after providing for depreciation amounting to £B9O. One subject at the annual meeting will be consideration of a proposal to revert to the old system of 75-25 per cent, betting. Another matter of interest likely to come up for discussion is the advisability of establishing a 5s totalisator window. Despite his lack of success this season, Valpeen is being kept prominent in “ discussions ” on the Grand National, Apparently the “ horses for courses ” theory is impressing speculators, as the Valkyrian gelding has won two Nationals, and if he wore to succeed this year he would achieve the distinction of being the first triple Grand National winner over the Riccarton country. The Agent won three times, but not at Riccarton. After the first acceptance 16 horses wore left in the Grand National Steeplechase, but it is doubtful after the next payment whether more than a dozen will be left in. Both of the Southland representatives, Black Banner and Shillelagh Wood, are doubtful starters, and Polydora is now reported to be injured and not likely to start. Should this trie not start, it will leave Streamline, Nocturnus, Santoft, Burglar, and Pahu to represent the South Island,

The Jockey Club of England has framed a new rule, that in future horses who are not eligible for the Central Stud Book shall have a numeral attached to their names, thus leaving the name free for thoroughbred horses. The stewards undertook to approach the stewards of the National Hunt Committee on the question. Salient Knight, who has now won five races, been four times second, and once third out of 11 starts since Easter, was not engaged at to-day’s fixture at Riccarton, but has been freely nominated for the minor handicaps at the National Meeting. Salient Knight has been one of the finds in the fall of the present season, and should do well next season, when he will be racing as a fivq-year-old. Jolly Beggar was to be given a race in the Kennel’s Hack Handicap this afternoon which should sharpen him up for his engagement in the Grand National Hurdles. When he won this race a year ago he carried 11.4, 81b less than he is asked to carry in this year’s race. When Jolly Beggar won in 1935 he carried 9.10. No horse has yet succeeded in winning this race three times, but records are made to be broken.

Catalogue and Old Surrey did not accompany Manawatu south from Awaipuni, the last-named being in the charge of A. M’Donald, but they will travel next week in the charge of Mrs M‘Donald. Manawatu pleased by his display yesterday, and although he_ appeared to move short afterwards, it is considered he will be in' better order for the racing ahead than he was at Trentham, where he failed badly.

The latest booking to Solicitor General is the Australian mare Llanette, who recently arrived at the Elderslie Stud from Australia. This mare, who was bred by Mr E. J. Watt, is by the Tracery horse Doric from Llanilly by Wolowa from Llanishen (imp.), by Llangibby. She is owned by Mrs Ruwald, whose idea in sending the mare to the Blandford horse is to endeavour to breed a stayer by inbreeding to Isonomy.

There were 12 runners "when Precipitation won England’s principal w.f.a. race, the Ascot Gold_ Cup, 2J miles, last' month. _ As previously reported, Precipitation was a 2 to 1 favourite, and won by two lengthy from Cecil, with Quashed a moderate third. The latter was whipper-in for more than half tho and then finished strongly. In addition to Precipitation. Boswell—last year s ot. Leger winner—was a starter from Captain Boyd-Rochfort’s stable. The time for the race was 4.18 4-5, which, though fast, was 1 4-ssec slower than Golden Myth recorded when he won in 1922/ When Quashed and _ Omaha dead-heated last year their time was 4.33 3-5.

Mid-day Sun, this year’s Derby hero at Epsotn, stands 15.33 hands, has a girth of 71 inches, bone 8 inches, and rein 46 inches. Sandsprite (second) is 15.3. with girth 70, bone 8, and rein 48 inches. One of the biggest horses in the race is Le Grand Duke (third). He has an outsize in reins (50 inches), stands 16.1 hands, and has a girth of 70 inches. Biggest horse_ in the held was the Two Thousand Guineas winner, Le Ksar. He is 16.23, with girth of 70, bone of 8, and only 42 inches rein. The smallest horse in the Derby was Le Bambino, 15.1 J, girth 68, bone BJ, and rein 38 inches.

One of the chief racing commentators in London, Meyrick Good, described the Hurry On horse, Precipitation as the best stayer in England and probably the best in the world following his Ascot Gold Cup victory. It was the most truly-run Cup race that I can recall, a thorough test of stamina,” the writer said in ‘ Sporting Life.’ The time, 4.18 4-5, was the fastest since Golden Myth scored and was less than two seconds outside the record of 1922. Precipitation is a grand type l and should beget stout stock. He is a difficult animal _ to ride, and P. Beasley must be given every credit for rousing such, a lazy horse to give of his best.” '

Michael Beary, whose English Derby success on Midday Sun has brought Hum right into the limelight again, tw-as thought to have a good chance ot completing a classic double with. Black Lashes in the Oaks. J. Sirett was to have ridden the American-bred and owned filly, who won two juvenile races in England, but on the eve of the race he met with the displeasure of the stewards, for not keeping a straight course on one of his mounts, and was suspended for the remainder of the Epsom Meeting. Beary s eleventh-hour mount, however, did not fulfil expectations. She started second favourite, but finished a poor fourth to Exhibitipnist. Her failure followed that of another American, Penfox, in the Derby.

One of the most interesting bloodstock deals of recent years has been announced in the purchase by Messrs H. G. Raymond and H. B. Ranken for their St. Albans stud, Victoria, of the English stallion, Enfield, whose iprice is stated to be one of the highest paid by an Australian for an English horse. Enfield is a six-year-old by Winalot from Firecrest, and his former ■owner was the American, Mr Marshall '[Field. The trainer, Captain BoydRochfort, last season declared Enfield to be the best stayer in England, a statement that appears to be justified, (by his record over four and a-half seasons, Including such races as the Cesarewitch, Newbury Autumn Cup, .Queen Alexandra Stakes, and Keniprton Park Queen’s Plate, Enfield has won £6,420 in winning stakes, and with place money his earnings approximate £IO,OOO.

F. Dummett, who won the Grand National double _at Flemihgton recently on Triteleia and Last End respectively, secured the ride on Last End in the Steeplechase only by chance. A. Fullarton had the mount when the Drake gelding won the Steeplechasers’ Flat Race on the first day, but he had to decline the ride in the Steeplechase, as he had previously promised to pilot Seymour. Seymour beat everything in the_ Grand 'National except Last End. It is a coincidence that Fullarton secured the ride on Woodlace in the Grand_ National three years ago in almost identical circumstances. L. J. Hynes won the Steeplechasers Flat on Woodlace, but he had been engaged long before to pilot Redditch in the Steeplechase, and Fullarton was offered the ride on Woodlace only a couple of days before the race. Woodlace duly won, with Redditch second.

Mr R. Gray, of starting machine fame, who returned to Sydney last week, speaks highly of the way he was treated by a number of racing men in America, but, with good reason, reckons his machine did not get a fair trial in New York, where it was used in races for the older horses. Accustomed to the stall gates, they did not face up at all kindly to the Gray barrier. Furthermore, the fact of some trainers and many jockeys being opposed to it did not help the machine. Its fate in America greatly depended upon how it fared at New York meetings, and when it failed to find favour there that disposed of the possibility of its being used in

some other , States. In Florida, however, it is likely to be given another trial at Hialeah Park, and to those who_ have seen it give thorough satisfaction over a number of years in New South Wales it is incomprehensible it should not be a success in America.

As a rule racing officials everywhere will never discredit their own work in a fashion that is likely to imperil their employment. In the ‘ Thoroughbred Record,’ however, C. E. Brossman mentions one American exception. “ I recall a time,” writes Mr Brossman, “ when a man by the name of Fink was the starter at Eatonia, who became disgusted and quit in the middle of the afternoon, after a poor start. It was a large field with several bad actors in the bunch. So after a long delay at the post the starter finally got the horses away to a very ragged start. “ Immediately after the race Fink walked down to the judges’ stand and said: ‘ Gentlemen, I resign as starter at this track, here and now. Any man that can’t make a better start than I just made should be turned off,’ and he walked away. Many another starter would have shifted the blame, fined or set down a number of jockeys, and held on to his job.”