RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22895, 1 March 1938, Page 11

RACING NOTES

RACING. March 3, s.—Napier Park R.C. March s.—Franklin R.C. March s.—Banks Peninsula R.C. 1 March , s.—Rangitikei R.C. 'March 11, 12.—Cromwell R.C. t March 12.—Carterton R.C. March 12.—Opunake R.C. March 17, 19.—Ohinemun J.C. March 17, 19.—Wellington R.C. March 23, 26—Oamaru J.C. March 25, 26.—Manawatu R.C. March 26.—Birchwood Hunt. March 26, 28.-Bay of Plenty R.C. March 31, April 2.—Hawke s Bay J.C, April 2.—Stratford R.C. April 2.—Waimate R.C.

A SPORTING GESTURE . Whatever the fate of Midday Sun, last year’s whiner of the Derby, tluriug the coming flat term in England, it is a sporting gesture on the part of Mrs G. B. Miller to keep him in training over another season, says an English exchange. . It is admitted that the temptation is great to put a Derby winner to stud at the end of his three-year-old career. Post-war Derby- winners in Mahmoud, Bahrain, April the Fifth, Blenheim, Trigo, Felstead, Manna, Humorist, and Grand Parade never ran as four-year-olds. Those who did comprise Windsor Lad, Hyperion, Cameronian, Coronach, Sansovino, rapyrus, Captain Cuttle, and Spion Kop. Probably Spion Kop was the worst of the group enumerated his an individual Derby winner. Ho ran twice without winning as a four-year-old. The winnings, as four-year-olds, of the others quoted were Windsor Lad (£10,689), ran and won four races, including the Eclipse Stakes; Hyperion (£1,225), won twice and placed twice in four outings; Cameronian (£1,470), one win and three thirdsCoronach ( £4,353), two wins and twice placed; Sansovino (£523), one win, once second, and twice unplaced; and Captain Cuttle (£858), won his one race. Papyrus had four outings as a four-year-old, being three times second and <jnce unplaced. On the occasions on which he was runner-up to Poisoned Arrow (Burwell Plate), Polyphonies (Eclipse), and Teresina (Jockey Club Stakes), the winning stakes amounted to £18,538. It will be noted that Windsor Lad was the most successful four-year-old performer as regards stakes, but had it not been for the dapper colt Colorado, Coronach would have added the Eclipse Stakes (£12.203) and Princess of Wales Stakes (£2,550) to his £4,353.

There arc many prizes of good value to be won by classic four-year-olds. Newmarket offers the Chippenham Stakes, March Stakes, Burwell Stakes, Princess of Wales Stakes, Dullingham Srakes. Great Foal Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes, Champion Stakes, Limekiln Stakes, and Jockey Club Cup. Ascot’s lures are the Gold Cup and Vase, Churchill Stakes, Ribblesdale Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes, and Rous Memorial Stakes. Sandown provides the Eclipse Stakes, and Goodwood, Newbury, Chester, Epsom, and Kempton feature prizes worthy of classic challengers.

JOTTINGS Wellington Autumn Meeting. Nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s Autumn Meeting to be held on March 17 and 19 close to-mor-row at 5 p.m. Indisposed, His many friends in Otago will regret to learn that Mr George Marray-Ayns-ley has been confined to his room since be attended the midsummer meeting at Riccartou early last mouth.

[Bx St. Club.]

TROTTING. March 5. —Invercargill T.C. March 5. —Wellington T.C. March 12.—Timaru T.C. March 12. —Wairarapa T.C. - March 19.—Wyndham T.C. March 19.—Cheviot T.C. April 2.—Roxburgh T.C. April 2.—Westland T.C. April 9.—Taranaki- T.C. April 9. —Ashburton T.C. April 16, 18.—Hawera T.C. April 16, 20, 21, 23.—New Zealand Metropolitan T.C. A Successful Stud. The Koatauui Stud, founded and owned by Mr G. M. Currie, is included with the most successful breeding establishments of this Dominion. Yearlings from tho Wanganui estate sold at Trcntham from 1931 to 1938 realised 39,170g5. Ashburton Trotting Classics. On Thursday at 5 ip.m. tho secretary of the Ashburton Trotting Club, will receive entries for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes (1939), for two-year-olds, and the New Zealand Champion Stakes (1939), for three-year-olds. Another for Southland. It is reported that a patron of T. E. Pankhuvst’s stable has purchased Recall from Mr J. H. Prosser. Recall is a three-year-old gelding by Robespierre from Call Girl, a mare by Diaquenod from the imported Half a Brace, by Bachelor's Double. Getting Ready. Riccartou reports show that both Jolly Beggar and Noctnrnus are well forward in their preparations for the approaching jumping season. Jolly Beggar will probably be seen out at the Banks Peninsula Meeting next Saturday—his first start since last August. Record To Date. Ajax’s win in the Newmarket Handicap on Saturday brings his total to date 10 wins out of 14 starts. His record Ist. 2nd. 3rd. Unpl. , At 2 years ... 4 1 0 1 At 3 years ... 6 2 0 0 Totals ... 10 3 0 1 Racing Badly. At the New Year meetings at Wyndham and Invercargill Daring Deed promised to return to her best form, but since then has been racing very badly, and her showing each day at Winton and Gore was about the worst this mare has shown throughout her racing career. Southland Trotting Meetings. Two one-day trotting meetings will be held in Southland this month, at Invercargill on Saturday, and Wyndham a fortnight later, and the nominations received show how strong Southland stables are in pacers and trotters, as practically all the horses engaged at both fixtures are trained in the province. Not Her True. Form. Amelita won the Winton Cup from end to end, but had only 7.3 on her back. At Gore on Saturday she had Sib more, but missed the jump out, and after the first few strides never looked like a winner. This Australian-bred mare, like a number of other horses, appears to run her best races when out in front. Early this season Amelita was mated with Nigger Minstrel, but is reported not to be in foal.

Bred at the Koatunui Stud. Elanagc, who finished second to Dam alls in the Essendon Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, _is a three-year-old colt by Posterity, by from Impetuous, by Liraond from Pennon. He was purchased at the 1936 national sales by his present owner, Mr M. Steinburg, at 275g5, and bred by Mr G. M. Currie. Dam 22 Years Old. At Washdyko F. Trilford is at present educating a three-year-old by Pink Coat from En Parole, bred by Mr H. Elworthy. En Parole, a sister to Bobrikoff, was 22 years old when this foal was produced, but there is no evidence of this in the appearance of her offspring. Welcome Change of Luck. During the first half of the present racing season the Invercargill trainer, F. W. Ellis, failed to lead l in a winner. Commencing a change of luck with a double by Amelita at the Clifden Meeting, he turned out six more winners last week—Galleon at Wingatui and Winton, Amelita and Mona’s Song at Winton, and Mona’s Song and Fox Love at Gore. Silver Ring Reappears. The reappearance of Silver Ring at the Westland Meeting last week-end created a good deal of interest, and though a third in yesterday]s race was the best he could do it is satisfactory to note that he pulled up sound. He carried 11.4 on Saturday and 11.0 yesterday, and under these imposts was set a very severe task. His Day Out. In addition to driving five winners at the Wairarapa Trotting Club’s Meeting last Saturday, M. B. Edwards also trained Wino, winner of the principal race at the Westland Meeting. Wino was having his fourteenth start this season, and the only times he has finishedl in the money are two wins he has scored at West Coast meetings. First New Zealand Success. The first Newmarket Handicap success .at Flemington by a purely New Zealand visitor was achieved in 1887 by Mr G. G. Stead’s five-year-old Prince Charlie horse Lochiel, who in the following spring added the New Zealand Cup to his excellent record. Lochiel was the favourite in a field of 24. The Weight-carrying Record. In 1888 Cranbrook won the Newmarket Handicap with 8.12 (beating 26 opponents), and set a weight-carrying record for the race that had remained undisturbed for 50 years. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the three-year-old Ajax was set a pretty severe task when he was weighted at 9.0 in this year’s race, which he won from a good field. Nightcalm Sold. Nightcalra (Night Raid Sweet Memory), who made a big impression when he won at Riccarton, is reported to have changed owners. The halfbrother to Membo and Paladino was leased by Mr G. F. Scott to Mr F. C. Christie, of Central Otagp, with a purchasing clause, and it is. understood that the lessee has exercised his option to purchase. A Son of Carbine. In an interesting article on prolific sires of stake-winners, “ Warrawee,” of the ‘ Referee,’ Sydney, singled out Pistol, the English-bred son of Carbine, for special notice for a remarkable record in the following figures:— For the eight-year period 1912-13 to 1920-21, Pistol sired the winners of 842 races, or an average for the whole time of over 105 per annum. In one year ho had 1-32 winners, in another 115, and in another 109. In his eighteenth year at the stud (1925-26) he had 32 winners of 78 races.

First Time Over a Middle Distance. When the brilliant mare Stretto won the Merries Memorial Handicap at Te Aroha ;pn Saturday afternoon she was making her first appearance in a race over a middle distance, and in running the mile and three furlongs in 2min 17 4-ssec created a new record for the, track. By Hunting Song from The Begum this tour-year-old mare has j had a very successful season winning six of the 10 races she has started in and finished second once. Ellerslie Hurdles Too Stiff, The type of hurdle in use at Ellerslie and Avondale was discussed at some length at a special meeting of hurdle riders called by the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association and held at Hamilton, when the vice-president, L. Dulieu, presided. It was the unanimous opinion that, having regard to the pace at which hurdle races were run and to other relevant features, the hurdles in use at these two courses constituted a very definite menace, not only to the horses, but also to those who had to do the riding. It was decided) to approach the Auckland branch of the Owners, Trainers, and Breeders’ Association and seek their co-operation in an effort to have safer fences provided at Ellerslie and Avondale. Assisting the Starter. An innovation at Wanganui on Thursday that was helpful to the starter was the mode of operating the balloon signal, states the Wellington ‘ Post.’ When the totalisator closed the balloon was hoisted, and when the clearance sign was ready the balloon was lowered only halfway, instead of wholly. The starter therefore always knew without doubt when the fields could be despatched. The practice with most clubs is first to hoist the or other signal, and then lower it when the _ totalisator is cleared. If the light is bad, as when the balloon is between the startingpost and the sun, _ the starter sometimes misses the hoist, and_ then there is a long wait till information is borne to the starter that all is clear. The Wanganui procedure might well be adopted by other clubs. Prolific Sire of Winners. In an article on prolific sires of stake-winners, “ Warrawee,” of the Sydney * Referee,’ singles out Grafton for special reference as follows:—“In the matter of siring a great number of winners season after season, there was never a horse whose record was comparable with that of Grafton. He was a half-brother (by Galopin) to Polymelus, whose line is predominant in England, mainly through Phalaris. He was one of the worst roarers imported to Australia, and as a turf proposition was not of much account. Yet he was a remarkable sire. He sired winners of 2,400 races, and they _ included stayers. sprinters, middle-distance horses,, and jumpers, among them Grand National winners. He was four times at the head' of the winning sires’ list, four times second, and twice third.” The amount won in prize money by the progeny of Grafton i$ estimated at £260,232.