RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22718, 4 August 1937, Page 4

RACING NOTES

RACING. August 7.—Poverty Hay Hunt. August 10, 12, 14.—Canterbury J.C. August 21.—Pakurauga Hunt. August 28.—Otago Hunt. September 2.—Egmonl-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,—Marion J.C. October 2.—Otaki-Maon R.C. October 2.—Kurow J.C. October 2, 4.—Taumarunui R.C. October 7, B.—Dunedin J.C.

JOTTINGS Tho Waikouaiti Racing Club had eight honorary life members and 104 ordinary members last season. Tho annual general meeting of the Waikouaiti Racing Olub will bo held on Saturday, August 28, at 7.30 p.m. To Ahuarangi developed a bowed tendon in his race at Riccarton last Saturday, and has been returned to Wingatm. Signaller broke clown badly during tho running of tho Longheach Hurdles on Saturday afternoon, and has been sent homo to Invercargill. Clarion Call, Brigadore, Fleeting Arrow, Catalogue, and Old Surrey were due to arrive at Riccarton to-day.

The Auckland Racing Club announces that tho stakes for the Auckland Cup this season will be £2,560, an increase of £BOO on tho amount given last year.

' It is reported from Oamaru that Salient Knight will not be a starter in any of the hack races he is engaged in at the National Meeting.

Owing to the minimum in all handicaps at tho Grand National Meeting being Bst, no apprentices will he able to claim allowances.

Wrackler, who had done most of his recent racing as a straight-out trotter, will make his reappearance in hopples in the Selwyn Handicap (class 2.47) at Addington next Saturday.

The sporting writer to the Timaru ‘ Herald ’ selects Nocturnus, Burglar, and Cock o’ the North to ho the baldest to I lent in tho Grand National Steeplechase, with Irish Comet tho most dangerous of the others.

Owing to tho classes for straight-out trotters not being suitable on Saturday’s programme, Air Flow and Sea Gift will be seen racing with the pacers at Addington.

It is reported that Grey Boy has been lam© since he fell at Riccarton on Saturday, and that he will be a doubtful starter next week.

At the. annual meeting of members of the Vincent Jockey Club held last Thursday afternoon, Mr R. E. Butcher was unanimously re-elected president. Tudor, who broke down during the running of the Homeby Steeplechase on Saturday, and Valpeen are to he returned to their respective homes in the North Island this week.

The 1937-38 racing season will he opened next Saturday with the Poverty Bay Hunt fixture and trotting by the New Zealand Metropolitan Club’s first day of its August Meeting at Addington.

Despite the recommendation from the Racing Conference that judicial committees should he composed of only three members, the Vincent Jockey Club has appointed Messrs R. Butcher, T. A. Clouston, W. Harper, J. M'Knight, and O, Glassford.

For its spring meeting, to be held on October 9 and 11, the Auckland Racing Club has decided to increase the stakes by £7OO, and for the cup meeting, held at Christmas and New Year time, the increase'on last year’s figures will be £3,300.

Mr C. Gieseler has born reappointed starter to the Vincent Jockey Club and Mr A. O. Wellwood judge. The appointment of handicappcrs was held over. Messrs J. M/Ginnis and Co. were appointed to work the totalisator on the same terms as last season.

The Grand National carnival will open on Saturday, when the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club will open the programme at Addington. Splendid acceptances have been received' for this day’s racing, and if the present weather holds the track will be in first-class order.

It was unanimously decided by members of the Egmont Racing Club at the annual meeting held at ilawera to recommend to the committee that the single pool (75 —25) system of betting bo used at its meeting next season, in preference to the win-and-place method.

The question of permitting horse owners to hold trials on the track proper caused a lengthy discussion at the Vincent Jockey Club’s annual meeting, and a recommendation was made to the Management Committee to permit same.

L. G. Morris is to ride Trench Fight in the Winter Cup next Tuesday, and despite his unauthorised gallop over nearly three miles at Riccarto'n last Saturday afternoon, ho still holds his place _ as favourite for the big mile race in Christchurch.

The Australian Hurdle Race, which ranks next to the V.R.C. Grand NaHurdles, is to be run at Caulfield next Saturday. The course is the longest for any hurdle race in the Southern Hemisphere, being slightly over 3.} miles.

The Grand National Steeplechase is decided over 21 fences, which is one less than tho number in the Wellington Steeplechase and four less than in the Great Northern Steeplechase. The obstacles, however, are the most formidable in tho Dominion.

Two South Island horses that did not race at Riccarton on Saturday and that have good chances in the \Vmter Cup next Tuesday are Silver Streak and Epris. It is reported that A, E. Didharn will have the mount on tho latter, which means that Epris will carry a pound or two overweight. R. J. Mackio will ride Silver Streak.

Last year only eight starters went to tho post for the Grand National Steeplechase, but that did not spoil tho wagering, as ,€8,303 was invested on that event. Though Tudor, Manawalu, Sautoft, Valpeen, and Black Banner are unlikely starters in next Tuesday’s race, tho field should be larger than started last j^ar.

[Br St. Coaih.]

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.—Greymoulh T.C. October 25.—Oaraaru T.C. October 30.—Wellington T.C. October.3o. —Invercargill T.C. October 30.—Thames T.C.

It is reported that F. E. Baker rode Nocturnus to stable instructions in the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday, but will be allowed to use his own judgment in the Grand National. Tho only sound instructions an owner or trainer can give an experienced horseman like Baker in a race over" three and a-holf miles of country is “ do your best.”

Tho chairman, at the annual meeting of members of the Southland Racing and Invercargill Trotting Clubs, advocated the introduction of the five shilling totalisator in their presidential addresses. There is nothing in the rules preventing either of these clubs installing five shilling totalisators if they wish to do so, but the experience of those clubs in the North Island who gave it a try out showed that it was not a success.

The improvements contemplated by the Vincent Jockey Club include a new totalisator house, estimated to cost £350, the shifting of the judge’s box, a porch over the secretary’s office, and other minor works, and after a great deal of discussion at the annual meeting it was decided that tho Management Committee, with the totalisator proprietor, meet on the racecourse to consider same.

At tho annual meeting of the Vincent Jockey Club Mr C. White said that lie would like to see the Stakes increased so that every race on the programme would be of value of at least £IOO. To enable this to be don© the stakes would have to be increased by £6O to a total of £1,400. He moved accordingly. Mr R. Meo seconded, and tho motion was carried.

While the yearlings that are shortly to be sent from Trentham to Singapore were being sorted out for purchase, a commission was also fulfilled to secure an older horse for the Hon. R. Williamson, a member of the Singapore Turf Club. The horse bought was a two-year-old chestnut gelding by Balboa out of the Woodend—Sabor mare Linwood (a sister to Enwood), and he was despatched to his new home by the Van Rees, which left in May. Advice has new been received from Mr Williamson that the gelding arrived in splendid order after a five weeks’ trip, and that he (Mr Williamson) was very pleased with him.

‘ N.Z. Turf,’ a journal exclusively devoted to racing and published in Dunedin, has mad© its appearance, and in future will be published monthly. It is well got up, and in addition to reviews of the big national treble to be decided at Riccarton next month con tains articles dealing in an 'interesting manner with racing in the Otago Goldfields in the early days, and the influence of hunting on making gobd steeplechasers. A number of illustrations are included, and the journal, whose motto is, “On the turf and under the turf all men are equal,” is a welcome addition to the racing literature of the Dominion,

Starwyn experienced a heavy fall on Saturday morning when working with his stable-mate, Bill 8., and though he was knocked out for a few minutes, the American pacer is hot likely to suffer any ill-effects. The assumption that he shied at something on the track can be discounted (says the ‘Press’), and it is possible that Starwyn merely stumbled and came down. He has had a deal of experience on a training track, and his fault was not that of a novice. His trainer-driver, F. O. Dunlevy, was up and about yesterday, and while he has received injuries to hands,, head, and shoulders his wounds are not in any way serious.