RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22953, 10 May 1938, Page 2

RACING NOTES

RACING. May 12, 14.—Wanganui J.C. ' May 14.—Ashburton County J.C. May 14. —Southland R.C. May 14, 16.—Marlborough R.C. May 19, 21.—South Canterbury J.C, May 21.—Manawalu R.C. May 21, 23.—Waikato R.C. May 28.—Paxton R.C. May 28.—Wairoa R.C. Juno 4,6, 11. —Dunedin J.C. June 4, 6.—Otaki Maori R.C. June 4, 6.—Napier Park R.C. June 6,9, 11. —Auckland R.C. Juno 11.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Juno 18.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 18.—Bay of Plenty J.C. June 18.—Greymonth J.C. June 25.—Waipa R.C.

FORBURY PARK MEETING Yesterday's rain was appreciated by the caretaker at Forbury Park and this morning a large number of horses wore worked next the rails on the course proper, which was in splendid order. With a rising glass, the indications aro for another fine spoil, and the track promises to be fast on Thursday. Already several visiting horses are at headquarters, and the balance of the Canterbury-trained horses aro due to arrive by special train to-morrow afternoon. Ginger Jack, after his good performances at the championship meeting, is the ruling favourite for the Ritchie Memorial Handicap, but he will require to be on his best behaviour to beat Carver Doone, Mqrello,- or Rocks Ahead. Should the track be very firm on Thursday the last-named promises to be the hardest to^beat. The first race each day has been fixed to start at 11.45, and, with only 35minute intervals between races, and the totalisatbr closing sharp on tune, speculators will require to make their investments early..

HAROLD LOGAN In the following interesting letter published in tho ‘ Press ’ Mr E. l'\ C. Hinds tells some facts concerning the champion pacor Harold Logan:— “ First and foremost, if a horse is tender or sore he immediately tells you so. No amount of doctoring will stop a horse from telling you that all is. not well and he is in pain. 1 challenge anyone to say that Harold Logan, during the latter part of his racing, was sore or in any pain,, and also that he is in any way unfit to race to-day, should we choose to race him. I admit that in his early racing he was sometimes not as fit as he might have been; that was due to the incompetence and ignorance of myself and others. By very close study and attention I claim to have repaired these ailments and defects. I honestly believe that Harold Logan's heart and lungs are in perfect condition; and his mind is next to human. ■ “ I. could name any number of horses that have raced as many times as Har(old Logan in about half tho number of years, and also horses that have established world records at 15 years of age. There are hundreds of horses more than 20 years of age in regular work, and I question whether any of them has had the care and attention that Harold Logan has. “ If the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals knew its, job and did it, a lot of horses would not be on the road or racing to-day. “ Harold Logan stands to-day, awake or asleep, as square and straight as a soldier—the only true test that the horse is as sound and true as Nature and hands could make him. Did anyone ever see a champion slouching or continually shifting his body, first off one leg, then the other? Look at any picture of a champion; see how true and straight ho stands! Harold Logan never raced till the time when, in some countries, the horse’s racing days are supposed to be over. Harold only twice raced twice in the one day, whereas the majority race often twice in the one day, a statement proved by the fact that nearly all programmes provide for two races for the same class of horses each day. “ It is a well-known fact that lots of horses that have never won a race or never really lost their maiden status have beaten Harold Logan in his training workouts. Here lies the secret of his success; he never worried himself in his trials, and would not be induced to hurry, even by a touch of the whip. All I judged his condition on was by his win'd after trials, and the- look and feel of his muscles.

“ A very well-known trainer and driver came to New Brighton to drive Harold before a race meeting, and evidently the workout did not impress him,, although I told hint that Harold was as fit as a fiddle. This trainer took his own opinion as against mine. In the race he simply kept Harold at tho back of the field and never asked him for an effort. Some interference happened, and that was the end of my money; but Harold should never have been there. This was one of the occasions when Harold was licked before he started, and I threatened to scratch him the next day. I knew he was' a cert.,’ the driver agreeing with me. I got my money back. I mention this, and could mention other instances, to show that I knew something of Harold. “ Harold was retired because of the handicapping in New Zealand, as he was the tightest-handicapped horse in the world, and because of the long starts he was asked to give. Being a professional cycle rider in my young days, f well remember how, after being asked to give long starts over a period of years. 1 got fed up with it and could not be bothered. I figured Harold was just like myself—could not be bothered. Put him among the field to-day and he would be ‘ as happy as a colt,’ and still fast enough to heat more than would beat him. “ I would have entered him in the championships had I known his marks over the one and a-half and one and five-eighth mile distances; hut I knew 1 was taking tho risk of being the sole back-marker in all the shorter races of the championships, and certainly in the one and a-quarter and one and a-half mile races. As a champion, and undoubtedly the fastest horse out of a barrier in New Zealand, I would like to have shown him to the Australians, but could not make myself believe I was fair to Harold in asking him to give away these starts to all the ‘ champions ’ of the Southern Hemisphere.”

[Br St. Claiu.]

June 25.—Ashburton County R.C. Juno 25.—Dannevirke Hunt Club. July 2.—Oaraaru 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.—Porbury Park T.C. May 13.—Marlborough T.C. May 14.—Waikato T.C. May 28.—Canterbury Park T.C. May 28.—Cambridge T.C.

JOTTINGS Meeting Postponed. On account of the floods in the Hawke’s Bay area, the winter meeting of the Wairoa Racing Club,, which was to be held on May 28, has been postponed. Reminder. Acceptances for the Southland Racing' Chib’s Meeting, to be held on Saturday, close to-day at 5 o’clock, and for the Ashburton Meeting, also to be held on Saturday, at 9 p.m. Hurdlers Amiss. Two hieh-class hurdlers in Collision and Hunting Star have both been put aside on account of unsoundness, and probably the last has been seen of them on a racecourse. Totalisator Returns Drop. Five meetings were held on Saturday and the totalisator investments showed a decrease of -£5,135 10s, as compared with the corresponding meetings last year. This is the first week-end this season that has recorded a decrease.

Two Great Stake Winners. Parisienne’s record now stands at 12 wins, eight seconds, and three thirds out of 34 starts, and her stake winnings without trophies amount to £6,271. Pot Luck’s record is 15 wins. 14 seconds, three thirds out of 64 starts, and his stake winnings total £6,317 10s.

No Racing in 1840. The Timaru ‘ Herald ’ says racing was first, held in Nelson in 1840., but that is not correct. The province ’was only founded in February of that year, and there were no thoroughbred horses imported or bred there for several years after the establishment of the province. True to Name.

The two consolation races at Addington on Wednesday were true to name, at least as far as the results were concerned. Tho last race Indianapolis won was the New Zealand Cup of 1936, and GJeurossie’s last winning performance was at Addington in January, 1936. A Successful Appeal. The owner and trainer of Nightguard, who was disqualified for 12 months by tho A.J.C. stipendiary stewards for allegedly not trying to win, proved that he put £6O on the horse. The disqualification was removed on appeal to the committee. Bracketed Horses on Thursday, The following horses will be bracketed on the first day of the Forbury Park Meeting:— Bayfield Handicap.—Jenny’s Guy and Blue Logan. Beach Handicap.—Dark Hazard and Great Divide. Victory Handicap.—Guywin and War Betty. St. Clair Handicap.—Blue Logan and Jenny’s Guy. Renown Handicap.—Aqua Bond and Nell Gratton. New Zealanders’ Successes. Edible, winner of the Novice Handicap at ißandwick on Saturday, is by Limond from Aspic, the dam of Tout le Monde, and Red Rosebud, winner of the. Welter Handicap at the same meeting, is by Chief Ruler from White Tulip, an English-bred mare by White Magic. Owners' Appreciation. The list of nominations published for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s Meeting to be held next week show that owners appreciate a two-day fixture. The nominations include horses from Riverton, in the south, to (Riccarton, in the north, and the best horses in training at the present time. To Be Spelled. Ashaway, who was recommissioned recently after a short let-up, has been turned out again for the winter months. The hard tracks_ troubled the Balboa gelding in his training, and ho was only seen out four times this season.' His half-sister, will also be gelled after the local meeting on Saturday. Right Again. Glcnmure, who was injured when contesting the Winton Steeplechase, has made a good recovery, and she looked big and well when taking part at a meet of the Birchwood Hunt last Wednesday. The Pnnmure mare has shown jumping ability in her few starts to date, and if everything goes well with her this winter she should win races. To Be Sold. The horses owned by l the late Mr G. C. Bain, of Riverton, including Bay Duke, will probably be offered at auction during the period of the Dunedin Winter Meeting. Barley Almond, now in charge of J. A. Rowland, will probably be linked up with her former stable associates for the sale. For the Great Northern Steeplechase. Royal Limond is reported to be doing well in his new quarters at Awanuni, and it will be interesting to see if a change of quarters will bring about a change of mood. Ho jumps Ijattens kindly enough for A. McDonald, and it is intended to keep him to hurdle racing in tho meantime. His mission is the Great Northern Steeplechase m June, and he will not be asked to face big fences until near the day. Not Going Out of the Game. It was reported during the interDominion meeting that several of the employees at Mr G. J. Barton’s stable hail received notice, as some of the team were to be sold and others turned out. This was magnified into a rumour that all the horses were to be disposed of (says the ‘ Timaru Herald ’). The truth is that Cloudy Range and Tempest are for sale, and others are due for a spell, hut there is no ground for the .suggestion that Mr Barton is retiring from the sport.

F, Voight Injured. Following a spill when schooling a horse . over hurdles for a brother trainer, the well-known horseman F. Voight had one of his own pupils rear back on him, with the result that he was confined to his room for some days with back muscles injured. He returned to the tracks with Johnny on Tuesday last, but it will be some time before he can resume operations in the saddle. Rider Suspended. When the field entered the straight in the Brackenfield High-weight Handicap at Amberley on Saturday some crowding occurred between Drink up, Paper Note, and Owlsgleam. At the conclusion of the race, A. Stove, rider of Paper Note, was called before the stewards by the stipendiary steward, Mr 0. F. Hartland, on a charge of striking J. Murfitt, rider of Drinkup, with his whip, and after both, riders had’ been heard, Stove was suspended for a month for foul riding. Murfitt was severely cautioned for crowding in on the field when entering the straight'. Change of Stables. ' The jumpers, Polar Star, History Paper, and Whaddon Chase, owned by Mr W.'D. M'Leod, of Gore (well known in light-harness circles), have left the care of T. E. Pankhurst, of Invercargill, for F. Langford’s establishment at Winton, but will presently be quartered at Washdyke with Trisox and other ’chasers under the Winton mentor’s care. The .. transfer of Mr M'Leod’s jumpers will leave Pankhurst free to prepare a number of flat racers for the sportsman named, including Triple Cone, Stone Frigate, Recall, and several embryo performers.* Reckless Riding. The stewards of the Jockey Club recently issued a general warning ih England that reckless, careless, and erratic race riding would not be tolerated. The practice of jockeys leaving their propcr,-*course and crowding toward the rails had their'strong disapproval, and the stewards at all meetings were asked to take note of what was in danger of becoming an established practice and to take necessary disciplinary action to check it. At a recent race meeting in England under Jockey Club rules a horseman carried an instrument made of a small length of cane with a small tin at one end to form a rattle. The stewards intimated that thev were not prepared to allow such a substitute for a whip to be used. An Appeal Lodged.

Mr H. Stafford, owner of Pot Luck, has lodged an appeal against the decision or tho New Zealand Metropolitan .Trotting;-Club -In dismissing ■ Jus protest against the stake in the third heat Of the Third Qualifying Event for the Interdominion Championship being awarded to U. Scott. Before the race was run, Mr J. R. M'Kenzie, ownei of U. Scott, applied for permission to race his horse in a closed bridle instead of the open bridle used in previous races. It is alleged that permission had not beeh given by the right authority for the change of gear, and a protest was lodged by Mr Stafford, whose horse, Pot Luck, finished Second. After a short sitting; consideration of the protest was adjourned until the following day, when the protest was dismissed and dividends were: ordered to be paid on the horses as they passed the post: U. Scott I, p Supertax 3. The appeal will probably be heard by the Board of the New Zealand Trotting Association during the first week in June. *