RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22913, 22 March 1938, Page 2

RACING NOTES

RACING. 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. April 2.—Matamata R.C. April 8, 9.—Wbangarei R.C. April 9, 11. —Westport J.C. April 9.—Otautau R.C. April 16.—Tuapcka C.J.C. April 16. —Greymouth J.C. April 16, 18.—Wairarapa R.C. April 16, 18.—Feilding J.C. April 16, 18.—Auckland R.C. April 16, 18, 19. —Riverton R.C. April 18, 19. —Canterbury J.C. April 18.—Kumara R.C. April 18. —Beaumont R.C. April 18. —Waipukurau J.C.

OAMARU MEETING TO-MORROW'S CARD The Oamaru Autumn Meeting will open to-morrow, and an excellent day s racing is promised for the holiday. Passengers from Dunedin will travel by the north express (8.45 a.m.) to Oamaru, and then pick _up a special train to the racecourse siding, and return home by the evening express. The first race is timed to start at 12.30, and the totalisator will be worked on the win and place system. . The meeting will open with the Trial Stakes, five furlongs, in which two-year-olds will carry 7.11 and three-year-olds and upwards 8.8. Fayo, Master Dingle, Don Roy, and Lady Kinnoul have not yet started, and the best performed is Netherlea, who has two seconds and a third to his credit. He ran second to Spendthrift at Wingatui and second to Passenge - at Motukarara, and on these two performances is likely to he selected favourite, with Flame Queen and Lisnacree next fancied. The Autumn High-weight Handicap has attracted a field of eight, with Darecourt at the top of the handicap. He has not raced this season, but last year had a win, three seconds, and three thirds to his credit. M‘Heath has been racing indifferently for some time, but would only have to race up to his recent track work to have a royal chance. Poniard won a similar race at Gore, but has to be caught in the right mood to show his best. Nocturnus would be more at home over fences. Superex should prove one of the hardest horses to beat, and Drink Tip early in the season showed promise of doing well. Contract raced well at the Hororata Meeting, but has not done well since. ' Sir Rosenor will have to show much-improved form on Cromwell running to have any chance. Superex, M'Heath, and Drink Up are a likely trio. Thirteen of the 15 acceptors in the Weston Harness Trot will start off the limit, but if she gets a clear run, the back-marker, Smile Again, will be the hardest to beat, and her most dangerous opponents may be Token and Princess Rey. Eight have been paid up for in the Oamaru Cup, with Silver Streak and Galleon the top weights. Silver Streak is reported to be very well, and if so will be the hardest to beat on his own course. He meets Galleon on better terms than in the Dunedin Cup, and over a distance more to his liking. Galleon has ivon twice since that race was run, and is now showing his best form. Queen Dorothy will meet Galleon on 131 b better terms than when she finished a neck behind him in the Dunedin Handicap, and this shonld bring them together. With 8.1 High Glee has the same impost as he carried in the Dunedin Cup, but in a smaller field he is not likely to strike as much trouble as he did in that race. He has freshened up well lately, and must he hard to beat. Mungatoon has not won a race since he beat a small field in the Taumaranui Cup last October. Linguist has not run up to her early spring form, and Strathosphere may find open company a little too hot for him. The race bears an open appearance, with the chances of High Glee, Galleon, and Silver Streak most fancied. In a field of 10 for the Windsor Handicap Balmenter is likely to be selected

[Br St, Club.]

TROTTING. April 2.—Roxburgh T.C. April 2.—Westland T.C. April 2.—Manawatu 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. April 30.—Auckland T.C. May 7.—Oamaru T.C. May 12, 14. —Forbury Park T.C. May 13.—Marlborough T.C. May 14.—Waikato T.C. May 28.—Canterbury Park T.C. May 28,—Cambridge T.C.

favourite. He is reported to have been showing his last season’s form in his track work, and will only have to repeat that to be very hard to beat. Dracula, who won well over a mile at the Motukarara meeting, and Thermidor may cause him the most trouble. Should Silver Streak be reserved for the Stewards’ Handicap he is likely to see a short price, as the field is not a strong one. Double Gift and Haughty Winner look the most dangerous of the others. Fifteen have been paid up for in the Redcastle Harness Trot, and two recent winners in All Kings and King Dnisus are sure to be well supported. Lord Zetland and Great Don should also go well. The Parkside Hack Handicap has drawn the biggest field of the day, ,and the 17 includes recent winners in Silver Sail, Epic, and Astaire. The first named is now at the peak of her form, and promises to start favourite. Astaire and Amount may be found the best of the others.

JOTTINGS Otautau Nominations. Nominations for the Otautau Racing Club’s Meeting to be held on April 9 will close to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock. To Be Spelled. Combat was not brought hack from the Waipiata Meeting, and is to be given a good spell. To Ride Netherlea. The Wingatui apprentice, P. Spratt, has been engaged to ride Netherlea in the Trial Stakes at Oamaru to-mor-row. Change of Stable. The ‘ Australasian ’ says that Mr G. J. Barton’s horses, Desert Chief, Gay Circle, and Silver Bond, and Mr J. Royal Order Were to be transferred to J. Fryer’s stable at Caulfield this week. Roxburgh Trotting Meeting. The Roxburgh Trotting Club has received good nominations for its meeting to be held on April 2, and the class of horses engaged is better than usually seen at a non-totalisalor fixture. For Oamaru. . The following horses left Wingatui for Oamaru this _ morning; High Glee and Norseman, in charge of J. A. White; Strip and Epic (A. E. Didham); New Note (A. S. M'Kay) ; Roseman (D. J. M’Donald), and Peacock and Poetic (B. H. Brodie). Change of Plans. After the Cromwell Meeting her owner intended turning Nightwings out for a spell, but she has done well since, and it has been decided to keep her in work. This morning she worked over a mile at three-quarter pace, pulling hard all the way. An Off Morning. There was very little work done at Wingatui this morning, though the tracks were iu splendid order after yesterday’s rain. Spanish Lad easily accounted for Straight Del and Lumiere over half a mile on the outside of the course proper in 52 2-ssec. A Sale Ring Bargain. Royal Chief has proved to he a sale ring bargain, for he cost Mr A. K. Firth IGOgs, He has won £4,995 in stakes in 11 wins and 10 minor placings in 23 starts. Of this sum he has won £2,705 this term, and should add more at Awapuni.

Mr Barton’s Yearlings. The two youngsters purchased by Mr Barton at the last January national sales—the colt by Ringmaster from Anklet (half-brother to Royal Order), and the colt by Pink Coat from Victory Bond (full-brother to Silver Bond) —are now being handled at Trentham, and will be sent over to Melbourne for the spring racing.

South Island Stipendiary Steward. The appointment of a stipendiary steward for the South Island will not he made known for a few days. The Executive Committee of the Racing Conference considered over 60 applications on Thursday night, and the number was reduced to three applicants. It is understood that the applicants included solicitors, accountants, bank officials, radio announcers, trainers, and riders. Otago Hunt.

The annual meeting of members of the Otago Hunt will be held this evening, when a very satisfactory statement of accounts for the past season will be presented. The annual race meeting resulted in a net profit of £413 17s 7d, and on the year a surplus of £224 13s Id was made. The assets now stand at £1,671 3s Id, of which £969 4a is in cash. Messrs B. S. Irwin (president) and J. M. Samson (vice-presi-dent) will be re-elected unopposed, and Messrs J. Dick, A. Dickson, A. D. Edgar, R. 0. B. Greeuslade, J. J. Morris, W. N. Muirhead, and J. N. Murdoch are standing for the four vacancies on the committee. Riverton Nominations. The nominations received last evening for the Riverton Meeting must easily constitute a record for the chib, and the most pleasing feature of the list is the excellent response from owners in the five steeplechases. I'or the three open races 18 have been nominated for the Great Western, about three miles, 26 for the Riverton, and 33 for the Autumn, each about two and a-half miles. For the two hack steeplechases, each run over about two

miles, 24 have been engaged in the Waiau and 27 in the Otaitai. or the Riverton Cup 19 horses have been enand 31 have been nominated fo“the Southern Champion Hack Handicap. Handicaps for the first day are due on March 30.

Will Require a Long Spell. The Crooner, ivho pulled up very lame after the St. Leger Stakes at Trentham, was thought to have broken down; but the trouble ivas caused by The Crooner being kicked by .Royal Chief just as the pair walked out of the birdcage. It appeared as if The Crooner got too close to Royal Chiet when going through the gateway on to the course, and the latter let out with both feet, striking The Crooner ou a shoulder. During the running it was noticed that The Crooner, was boring out from the rails, and this no doubt was due to the effects of the mishap. It will mean a spell for him, and he will not race again till the spring.

Thompson Handicap Winner. Oratory, winner of the Thompson Handicap, can lay claim to some solid breeding. Her dam, ’Oratress ; won the New Zealand Cup and the Wellington Cup, and she produced Oratrix, another New Zealand Cup winner, and also Concentrate, who won the Auckland and Wellington Cups, and was generally considered unlucky not to have placed both a New Zealand and Melbourne Cup to his credit. Oratory opened her career as a late two-year-

old by a win, and carried on as a good performer as a three-year-old, but has recorded only three wins during the last two seasons. She was sent to Melbourne as a four-year-old, but failed in her two starts on the trip. Her record to date is eight wins, and 13 minor placings, in 29 starts, and. her stake earnings amount to £2,475, of which £1.205 was won this season.

A Suggestion

“ There is an aspect of the Thompsou Handicap that the Wellington (Racing Club might be wise to consider,”, says the ‘ Dominion.’ “ The field on Thursday was far too big for comfort, and it is inevitable that a. number of runners must Jose their chances by being drawn very wide out and also being hampered by crowding. This year’s number was exceptional, perhaps, but the race always attracts-a large entry and a fairly good field. To eliminate the clement of luck which undoubtedly exists under present conditions, it might be advisable to consider limiting the entry to horses who have won a certain amount in stakes, and by including another open race giving those who fall just below that standard a chance-of winning a consolation stake.”