RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22952, 9 May 1938, Page 2

RACING NOTES

[By St. Cl air.]

RACING. Miy 12, 14.—Wanganui J.C. Mav 14.—Ashburton County J.C. Mav 14. —Southland R.C. May 14, 16- —Marlborough R.C, - May 19, 21.—South Canterbury J.C. May 21.—Manawatu R.C. Mav 21, 23.—Waikato R.C. May 28.—Foxton R.C. May 28. —Wniroa R.C. Juno 4,6, 11.—Dunedin J.C. Juno 4. 6.—Olaki Maori R.C. Juno 4, 6.—Napier Park R.C. June 6,9, 11. —Auckland R C. June 11.—Hawke’s Hay J.C. June 18.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 18.—Ray of Plenty J.C. *• June 18.—Oreymouth J.C. June 25.—Waipa R.C.

' FORBURY PARK MEETING E very thing; Is excellent trim for a successful meeting at Forbury Park on Thursday and Saturday next, and punters obtained a good guide to form by the racing at Oamaru on Saturday. The track lias never been in better order for a winter meeting, and if the present spell of fine weather holds the racing should be fast as well at interesting. Quite a number of well-fancied candidates at Oamarn _on Saturday failed to race up to their recent form, but a dead grass track was probably the excuse, and a return to a clay track should favour them. The. following rehandienps of winners at Oamarn have been declared:— Beach Handicap.—Doubt 12yds (now on 12yds bhd). St. Clair Handicap.—Sagamore 12yds (now on 12). Renown Handicap.—Vologda 36yds (now on 108). JOTTINGS South Canterbury Meeting. Nominations for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting close to-night at 9 o’clock. Good Work. Mr F. Legat, of Wiuton, was in charge of the starting barriers at Oamaru on Saturday, and his work was very favourably commented on. Going against Favourite. Colonel Grattan started the heaviest backed horse at the meeting when he went out to contest the Enfield Handicap on Saturday, but the dead going did not suit him, and after leading for a mile retired well beaten. His Third Success. Vologda, who made the opposition look very cheap when he won the concluding event at Oamaru, scored his third win this season out of 16 starts. In each of these successes he has returned hig dividends, and has been a very profitable horse to follow. Did Not Like the Going. Morello was well fancied in certain’ quarters for the President’s Handicap at Oamarn, but appeared to be all at sea on the dead going. On a firm track at Forbnity next Thursday he should put up a much better showing. Sylvie’s Best. The winner of the Advance Handicap at Oamaru was having his 42nd start, and previous to that race had finished second twice and third three times in five seasons. Though ho returned an outside dividend on Saturday any backer who had supported him in each start would still be a loser of nearly £B.

Juno 25.—Ashburton County R.C. Juno 25.—Dannevirke Hunt Club. July 2.—Oamaru J.C. July 5,7, 9.—Wellington R.C. July 9.—Westland R.C. (at Riccarton). July 16.—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. July 16.—Waimate District Hunt Club July 28, 30.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. July 23,—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 23.—Matamata R.C. July 28, 30.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. July 30.—Christchurch Hunt Club.

TROTTING. 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. Unlucky. Regal appeared to be the unlucky horse in the Advance Handicap on Saturday. Ho finished close up fourth after losing about a dozen lengths when half’a mile had been covered. Regal began will, and was lying second when ho met trouble, and at the finish was travelling faster than the placed horses. A Good Trotter. Sagamore, winner of the AVaikaura Handicap on Saturday, was the only starter in the race that did not go to a break, and scored a very easy win. He has now started five times this season for three wins and a second, and looks like taking a high place amongst the straight-out trotters. A Slow Run Race. The President’s Handicap at Oamaru was run at a crawling pace for nearly a mile and a-half, the first mile taking 2min 31sec, and the mile and a-half 3min 40see. The pace was cracked on just as the leaders entered the last lap, and the last half-mile was run in 63sec. Considering the dead state of the track this was a very good half-mile. Favourites Fared Badly. Backers of first favourites at Oamaru experienced a disastrous day. only one, Cantata, scoring, and she started at an odds-on price. Only three dividends returned by winners were under £B, and the average for the day was £lO 7s 6d. This no doubt accounted for the decrease in the totalisator' turnover. Not Engaged at Forbury, Escalado, winner of the Innovation Handicap at Oamaru, is not engaged at Forbury Park, but Jo elk M'Grath, Great Mountain, and Kilmorick, who finished close behind the winner, are. As Great Mountain meets Jock M’Grath on 36yds better terms in next Thhrsday’s race, he will probably be selected favourite. Kilmorick has a lot of pace, but is inclined to leave his feet when hard pressed. Will be Hard at Forbury. Doubt recorded one of the easiest wins at Oamaru when he beat a big field homo in the Papakaio Handicap, and has been penalised 12yds in the Beach Handicap on Thursday. It is reported that his connections threw in for a good win on Saturday and collected most of the good dividend he returned on the win machine. Carver Doone. After running third in the principal race. Carver Doone looked a good bet in the EnfieQd Handicap on Saturday, but he only just_ got up in the last stride to beat Waipahi, who is a muchimproved horse in harness. Carver Doone misses a penalty in the big race at Forbury Park on Thursday, and Saturday's form will bring him into demand for that event. An Unusual Price. It is not often that a winner trained and driven by M. Holmes returns such a good price as Wynan was allowed to pay when he won the Stewards’ Handicap at Oamaru. Taking charge early, he was never headed, but had little to spare from Black Art and Red Pigeon at the finish. The latter got badly pocketed half a mile from home when Great Divide Van up on the outside of him, and was kept there until the post was passed. Red Pigeon looks sure to turn the tables on Great Divide in the Beach Handicap on Thursday. Silver Streak. Previous to Easter Silver Streak was working very attractively, but a few days before the holiday meetings showed signs of soreness after a gallop. Rather than run any risk, his trainer decided to spell him, and the Paper Money gelding is now enjoying a rest on his owner’s farm. It is not likely that Silver Streak will be brought in again for a few months, so that the joint will have plenty of time to make a complete recovery. Should be on Schooling List. When lined up to start for the Waikaura Handicap on Saturday, Axiom suddenly wheeled round and capsized his sulky, hut his driver, G. M'Kendry, retained hold of the reins. Lined up the second time. Axiom repeated the performance, but on this occasion AFKendry was not able to hold on to him, and Axiom galloped more than a circuit of the galloping track, about a mile and a-half, before ho was caught. Though taken hade to the start, Mr Legal sent the field away without him and Axiom’s backers, who invested £253 on his chance, failed to got a run for their money. A Costly Mistake, Silver Guy did everything right in the Stewards’ Handicap on Saturday until about a furlong from home. He made up his handicap very gradually, and was just behind the three leaders turning into the straight. About the distance post he appeared to bo going so well that he looked sure to catch the loaders, then nearly fell, and Townley did will to get him back on to his feet, but it was too late then to have any chance of winning. Silver Guy promises to be hard to beat the next time he starts, but is not engaged here next Thursday. Retiring from Office. Though ho iiad recently been laid up for seven weeks, Air M. J. Hannon, president of the Oamaru Trotting Club, was in his usual place on Saturday, and received many congratulations on his recovery. On account of health reasons Mr Hannon docs not intend to continue in office after the present year. He will retire after a long term as president, during which period ho lias guided the affairs of the club most successfully. The club is strongly entrenched financially, and largely duo to Mr Hannon’s personality and bis co-officials’ good management the club’s meetings are among the most popular sporting fixtures in the South Ista)|fl.

Disappointed His Backers. After the pace ho showed at Waimate last month it looked as if Quest had only to leave his mark smartly in the Advance Handicap on Saturday to win. After giving a little trouble he went away well, and his backers wore on good terms with themselves. Always in the lead, he looked a good thing, but about five furlongs from homo Devotion ran up alongside of him and kept Quest doing his best right into the straight, and when Sylvie's Best and Black Art tackled him in the run home he had nothing left in reserve to hold them off. Stakes for Championship Meetings. The prize money for the first interdominion “ championship ” at Berth totalled pist over £4,000, and last year at Adelaide £4,350 was distributed in the series. At Addington a sum of £lO,450 will be paid out. At the Australian meetings the supporting events were worth not more than £l5O each. No supplementary race at Addington carried less than £325 in stakes. On these figures it looks as if the committee has made the task of the Tasmanian clubs a very difficult one in setting the minimum of stakes at -£7,000 for the next championship meeting.

Cantata Again. When Cantata collected the President’s Handicap on Saturday, she scored her third win in succession, and her record this season is now five wins, a second, and a third out of nine starts. It is a coincidence that in each of her last three wins she has been chased home by horses owned by Mr J. Richardson, Colonel Grattan twice and Iraq once. On Saturday the early stages of the race were run at such a muddling pace (3min 40sec for the first mile and a-half) that it was really a sprint over the last five furlongs, and Cantata ran the last half-mile in 63sec, a good performance on a dead track. She is not engaged at Forbury Park this week. “ Undesirables.” Among the people who should he excluded from racecourses as “ undesirables ” are the dozen or two who attempted to incite a hostile demonstration when Indianapolis won at Addington on Wednesday (says the Timaru ‘Herald’). A champion who is probably “ over the hill ” staged a courageous performance to win from a mark which in best company would be an impossible one, only to have an ovation marred by a leaven of hoots. If the booing had been directed at the winner of the other Consolation it might have been understandable, but it was an outrage when aimed at Indianapolis. Rehandicaps. The following are the re"handicaps for the first day of the Wanganui Meeting:— Puma Hurdles. —Iddo 11.10. Century Hurdles.—lddo 10.7. Balgownie Hack Handicap. Joe Louis 8.5, Disturbed 7.10. , Grand Stand Steeplechase. Don Erma 10.0. Winter Oats Handicap.—Alunga 8.9. Borough Hack Handicap.—Vivacious 7.10. The following rehandicaps have been declared for the Ashburton Meeting:— Eiffel ton Hack Handicap. Lady Leigh 8.4. Ashburton Cup. Mungatoon 7.5, Wine Card 7.3. Fairfield Hack Handicap. Lady Leigh 8.3, Gillie 7.12.