RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23065, 17 September 1938, Page 9

RACING NOTES

racing. , September 19.—Avondale Racing Club. September 22, 21. - Geraldine Racing bib. September 21.—Marion Jockey Club. October I.—Otaki-Maori Racing Club. October I.—Kurow Jockey Club October 1, 3.—Ohinemuri Jockey Club. October 6, 8.-Dunedin Jockev Club. October 7, B.—Auckland Racing Club. October 8, 10.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey lub. „ . . October 13, 15. -Masterton Racing Club. October 15.—South Canterbury Jockey October 20, 22, 21. -Wellington Racing Club. „ . October 22. 21.—Gore Racing Club. Club. TOTALISATOR AND STAKES The total turnover at racing and trotting meetings for the season 1937-Jo ended on July 31 last was £i ,-01,8-0, as compared with £6,220,520 during the previous 12 months. Of this amount £5,945,365 was paid out in dividends, and the balance was divided as follows :—Retained by the clubs, £612,loo; paid on totalisator tax, £288,073; on dividend tax, £314,992; and im unpaid fractions, £41,235. The 1 per cent, refund on taxation granted to Citibs amounted to £47,056. The number of days racing and trotting, 320, was the same as in the previous season, but the number of races run was 2.506, as compared with 2,497 in the 1926-27 season. The total stakes given amounted to £527.545, as compared with £443,638 in 1936-37. and £368.112 in 1935-36. The average stake per race last season was £2lO 10s, in 1936-37 £177 10s, and in 1935-36 £147 10s. The average investment per race last season was £2.850, in 1936-37 £2,491 10s, and in 1935-36 £1,864 10s. The unpaid fractions amount to l.ooa in each £1 paid out as dividends. DIVIDED RAGES The prospect of big fields, especially in races for horses that have not yet won a stake, at many meetings this season makes the chief stipendiary steward’s ruling at the recent Wanganui Meeting on the question of divided races of special interest. The stewards announced, after they had taken the acceptances, that the Durie Hack Handicap, for which the field was two above the “safety ” margin, would not be run in divisions; but on the eve of the meeting the chief stipendiary steward (Mr C. Gomer) advised the club that if there were not at least two scratchings on the day the race must be divided. . , The official card made no provision for divisions, so if there had not fortunately been three scratchings there would undoubtedly have been much confusion among investors as to what the divisions were. Many doubtlessly would still have lodged their investments not knowing that the race was to be contested ini-divisions. The rule of divisions is that the first division comprises all the odd numbers in the book and the second division all the even numbers. . . The Wanganui stewards originally decided not to heed the rule os to divisions because the course had been improved at the six furlongs barrier, and thev therefore considered on their own initiative that there would be no danger in running the big field in one heat if necessary. However, there had been no official inspection of the course since the improvement was made and no official amendment in the “ safety ” number. Mr Comer's view was that in such circumstances his discretionary powers should not he used to allow a racing principle to be set aside. The attitude which was taken up by Mr Gomer cannot be criticised. In big fields there is always the danger of an accident, and. if any such had occurred, he and the Conference, for which he acts as agent would have been placed in an awkward situation at a subsequent inquiry. The case should serve as a precedent to he remembered by any other club which thinks of avoiding its obligations under the Rules of Racing. As it was. the field of 22 that faced the barrier in the Durie Handicap was too large for security. One of thg, horses which drew, a very wide marble came' right over very sharply after the start to be running just behind the leaders on the fence within a furlong. In doing so it cut across almost the whole line. STAYING BLOOD IN THE CLASSICS After the success of Rockfel in the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks, the English writer, “ Audax,” commented on the consistency with which horses by staying sires have scored in the classic races in the last twenty years. Rockfel comes of the Musket line, through a strong staying strain of the Carbine branch. It is to be hoped, wrote “ Audax,” that English breeders will begin to realise that to win the Derby, Oaks or St. Leger, it is necessary for them to have their mares mated with sires which stay. These three races, together with the two shorter ones, the Two and One Thousand Guineas, both run over the Rowley Mile, constitute the chief events of the year for three-year-olds. Since racing was resumed in 1919, after the conclusion of the war, the following have been begotten by horses that stayed well: Derby (1920), Spion Kop, bv Spearmint; (1922), Captain Cuttle, by Hurry On; (1923), Papyrus, by Tracery; (1924), Sansovino, by Swynford. In 1926 and the following year, sons of Hurry On. Coronach, and Call Boy were successful, and in 1928 came Felstead, by Spion Kop. The next two winners, Trigo and Blenheim, were bv Blandford (son of Swvnford), while Gainsborough begot Hyperion, the easy winner in 1933. Two excellent stayers were Windsor Bad and unbeaten Bahrain, the winners in the two following years, and they were by Blandford. ivhile Mahmoud, winner of the 1930 Dorbv in record time, is a son of Blenheim. Last year’s hero, Midday Sun, comes from that very good staver, Solario, and the male line of the latest very easy winning Bois Roussel is full of staying blood.

[By St. Clair.]

October 24. —North Canterbury Jockey October 24 -Wavorley Racing Club October 24.—Waikato Hunt Club. TROTTING. September 24.—Wellington T.C. October 1 Melbven T.C October B.—New Brighton T.C. October 15. - Waikato T.C. October 16.—Manawatu T.C. October 22. 24. —Greymoutb T.C. October 22. 24.—Auckland T.C. October 24.—Oamaru T.C. October 29 —lnvercargill T.C. October 29.—Thames T.C. November 8. 10, 11.—N.Z Metropolit*n T.C. November 19. —Wellington T.C. November 24, 26. —Forbury Park T.C.

Turning to the Oaks, Bayuda, sired by Bayardo, was an easy winner in 1919, as was Solario. in the St. Leger and Ascot Gold Cup. Charlebelle, the 1920 winner, was by Charles O’Malley. A. great stayer, Son-in-Law, sired Straitlace, the 1924 Oaks winner. The next five winners of that race were sired by stayers. Saucy Sue was by Swynford; Short Story by Buchan, first home in the Ascot Gold Cu]f though subsequently disqualified; and Beam, by Galloper Light, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris; while Toboggan and Eennycomequick had the unbeaten Hurry On as their sire. Rose of England, the 1930 winner, was by Teddy, and the next French winner, Brulette, was a daughter of Bruleur, a notable stayer. " In 1932 came Udaipur, by Blandford, while two years later the winner was Light Brocade, by Galloper Light. Quashed, the 1935 winner, a great stayer, also won the Ascot Gold Cup. Her sirs, Obliterate, stayed very well, being by the St. Leger hero. Tracery. List year’s Oaks winner, Exhibitionist, was sired by Solario.

The St. Leger record over the same years tells a similar story. The winners of the final classic, after the war years, were Keysol (1919), by Swynford; Royal Lancer (1922), by Spearmint; Tronqiiil (1923), by Swynford; Solano (1925) by Gainsborough; Coronach (1926) by Hurry On; Book Law (1927) by Buchan; Tri-go (1929), by Blandford; Singapore (1930), by Gainsborough; Sandwich (1931). by Sansovino (easy winner of the 1924 Derby in a sea of mud) ; and Hyperion, by Gainsborough, was the easy St. Leger hero of 1933. AVindsor Lad and Bahrain were both by Blandford. (Boswell, the 1936 winner, was by Bosworth, the Ascot Gold Cup victor of 1930. while Trigo only defeated him by a short head for the previous year’s St. Leger. Last year the -winner was Chumleigh, a son of the 1930 winner, Singapore, by Gainsborough._ All this -goes to prove, without any room for argument, that in most instances these classic races have been won for many years by the stock of staying stallions. If breeders _ think only of speed, instead of stamina, it will be so much the worse for the supremacy of the British thoroughbred in the near future. GOLD ROD AND STRETTO A failure in the autumn, Gold ißod, at Canterbury Park on September 3, returned to his former greatness by a decisive win at weight-for-age in the Canterbury Stakes, of six fufilongs. says the ' Sydney Morning Herald.” Gold Rod gave a dazzling display of pace, and was untroubled to win by a length from Stretto, with King’s Head a length and a-quarter further away third. Neither King’s Head nor Stretto were disgraced, and both should show to better advantage over a longei sprint. Each thrives on racing. The barrier draw for the Canterbury Stakes favoured Gold Rod, who drew the position next to the rails. Stretto, considered his most formidable opponent, drew No. 6. There can be no question that, if the positions had been reversed, the result would have been the same. Gold Rod showed all his old brilliance and was the first horse to show out from an even start. Stretto also got away well, and was into her stride a tittle more quickly than Gold Rod, for she led him after 50yds had been covered. M. M'Carten gave Gold Rod an opportunity to become balanced, and a furlong was covered before his mount got the lead. Nearing the half-mile, Gold Rod stretched out fully and bounded to the front with a three lengths’ Head. On the turn Stretto reduced the gap a little, but Gold Rod was never in danger of defeat. At the post he was galloping comfortably, and none of those behind him was making any impression. Gold Rod won the Epsom Handicap last year, but was not entered for that race this year, his only major handicap engagement at Randwick being in the Metropolitan, in which he has 9.0. In many of his previous races, which generally were confined to sprint events, Gold Rod appeared to carry a good deal of condition, but on this campaign G. Price, his trainer, has reduced that surplus. Gold Rod, well as he looked at Warwick Farm a week earlier, was even -better at Canterbury Park, and with room for more improvement, Gold Rod should reach the peak of his form this year. The New Zealand form of Stretto indicates that she has outstanding ability over six furlongs, and that she thrives on racing and develops stamina with each outing. She wound up her autumn campaign by winning over a mile and a-quarter and then being placed over a mile with 9.6. That is a pleasing feature for her Epsom admirers, and the only drawback to her Epsom prospects is that the spring of the year is not the best time for mares. King’s Head’s effort was encouraging from an Epsom point of view. He made a long run from the three furlongs to the last half-furlong, where his effort had taken him into third place. King’s Head ran second in the last Doncaster Handicap, and has firmed for the Epsom Handicap. Mohican ran about a little in the finish, suggesting that he found' the pace too strong for him. The outing should harden him, and his trainer, C. A. Russell, was not displeased with the run. (Mohican won the Tramway Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.) EPSOM AND METROPOLITAN Forty-two horses remained in the Epsom Handicap and 43 in the Metropolitan after first forfeits were declared at the Australian Jockey Club’s office last week. The events are to he run respectively on the first two days of the A.J.C. Spring .Meeting. There were no unexpected scratchings from either race. Most of the withdrawals in each event were of horses weighted i at 7.7 and under. £

The following remain in the two big handicaps:— EPSOM HANDICAP, £2,600. One mile. (To be run on October 1.)

JOTTINGS Reminders. Acceptances for the first day of the Geraldine Meeting close on Monday, at 8 p.m. Nominations for the Kurow Jockey Club’s annual race meeting on October 1 close on Tuesday, at 8 p.m. Handicaps for the New Zealand Cup are due next Friday morning, and the first acceptance closes a week later. Much Needed on Most Courses.

The Southland Racing Club has completed an additional motor entrance to its course. Motor traffic to racecourses nowadays is so heavy that quite a number of clubs have had to make alterations to their entrances to prevent congestion at the gates, and both the Gore and Riverton Clubs are now carrying out improvements in this respect.

Wellington Spring Meeting. The programme for the Wellington Racing Club’s Spring Meeting, to be held on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, October 20, 22, and 24, has been approved by the stewards, and it will be identical in all respects to the excellent programme of events provided for last year’s meeting. The total to be distributed over the three days is £9,600. Member for 45 Years.

During his 45 years of membership of the New Brighton Trotting Club Mr O. von Sierakowski has missed only one day’s racing on the New Brighton course. He has seen the sport there develop from the days when the horses arrived in the shafts of bakers’ and butchers’ vans. He is the senior member of the club, of which he is a steward.

The Derby Winner Injured. Mr Peter Beatty lias at last experienced a setback. His Derby winner, Bois Roussel, recently bumped his ikuee in his box at Beckhampton. This has caused his preparation to be interrupted, but fortunately the injury is not serious. But the colt had to be scratched from the valuable Hyperion Stakes at Hurst Park, and it is not certain whether it will be possible to send him to Berlin to fulfil his engagement in the big German race.

Won Nearly £68,000 in Stakes, The C. V. Whitney horse Equipoise, second to Sun Beau as the greatest money winner in turf history, died last month on Whitney’s blue grass farm after two days’ illness, states an American exchange. In 51 starts the chestnut son of Pennant—Swinging by Broomstick finished in the money 43 times, winning 29 races, and earning 338,610d01. Sun Beau won 376,744d01. ‘‘ Ekky,” as he was called, also held the world’s record for the mile, running it in 1.34 2-5, June 30, 1932, at Arlington Park. Many turfmen rate Equipoise on a par with the great Man o’ War. They point out “ Ekky ” raced five years longer than Big Red, accepted high imposts, and defeated many of the best horses of his time. Fast Times in America. The American trotting champion, Greyhound, continuing on his winning way, won his third race of the present Grand Circuit season on August 5, and also trotted the fastest mile of the season, when he scored in the Free-for-all trotting division of the National Stakes. The champion was such an outstanding favourite that there was no totalisator betting on the result. Rosaling trotted a good race, but it was not good enough to make the grey trot to his limit. After going to. the half in Imin in the first heat, ho came on to finish in Imin 59Jsec, and ho came back to win the second round in 2min Oilsoc, the final quarter in 28;|sec. The real race of that day was the Free-for-all pace, which brought about the downfall of Billy Direct, unbeaten since the first race of the 1937 season. Fri-eo Dale was the one to take the measure of the champion, and he entered the 2min list in the second heat, which he paced in 2min flat. With Jane Azoff making the early pace in the first heat and Billy Direct tucked in behind her, it looked that the champion was in a soft spot. He took the lead at the head of the home stretch, but Frisco Dale came from fourth place to hook up with him in a finish which brought the crowd to its feet, the chestnut getting the decision by a nose in 2min 2Jsec, the official time of the final quarter 27i|8ec, paced by the winner considerably faster. The second heat brought another brilliant finish with Lone Ace in the fight this time, and as Frisco Dale moved to the front in the last few yards to win, the gelding nosed Billv Direct out for the place monev, the time 2min, the final quarter 28iscc. The result in the final was the same, with Frisco Dale winning and Lone Ace again beating Billy Direct for the place, the time being 2min 1-iscc.

Invercargill Horses for Geraldine. The apprentice rider R. Humphries, who can still claim the full allowance (71b), has been encaged to ride Milford and Jedburgh, and G. Barclay will ride Paladino and Doubleack in their engagements at Geraldine. After a Lengthy Spell. D. P Wilson has taken up Rifle Range, who had been hacked about on a farm in South Otago for over a year. During his spell from the tracks Rifle Range has built up well and resumes work in first-class condition. The same treatment is to be tried with the Philamor mare Bad News, and she was sent out to the country this week.

Seriously 111 His many friends will regret to learn that Mr S. Higgs, of Riccarton, is on the dangerously ill list in the Wanganui Hospital. He became suddenly indisposed while attending the spring meeting in that town last week.-, Jolly Beggar Dead. While exercising in one of his trainer’s small paddocks on Wednesday Jolly Beggar came into contact with a .fence and sustained such serious injuries that he had to be destroyed. He holds a record of having won the Grand National Hurdles twice. Jolly Beggar, who was 10 years old, was by Nigger Minstrel from Glencroes.

Favourite for Melbourne Cup. When the last mail left Australia Avenger was the straight-out favourite for the Melbourne Cup. Strong support had been forthcoming for I’Riglon, winner of last season’s Sydney Cup. The latter is one of the best proved stayers racing in the Commonwealth at the present time, and is reported to be a much better looking horse than ho was last season. Betting on the Epsom and Metropolitan. The latest advice from Sydney shows Publicity to be the favourite for the Epsom Handicap and Cooranga and Bristol equal first fancies for the Metropolitan. The stable double Denis and Gold Rod has been backed for £‘2o,000. Nightguard was recently supported to the tune of £5,000 for the Epsom, and coupled with Cooranga, Royal Chief, and Bristol for £IO,OOO each in the Metropolitan Handicap. To be Trained Again. Though Air Blow was mated with 0. Scott last season it is doubtful whether she is in foal, and she has joined B. C. Dunlevoy’s team. When racing a couple of seasons ago this Amencanored mare showed a lot of pace, but was latterly troubled in one of her hips. As high-class straight-out trotters are scarce just now this mare will catch good stakes if she remains sound. Interdominion Championships. Stakes to the value of £3,500 will be given for the interdominion championships at Launceston, Tasmania, on December 31, January 3,5, and 7 next. A total of £1,900 will be given for the championship events, provision being made for two heats over distances of one mile and a-quarter, one mile and a-half, and two miles, each heat being of £l5O, and a final of £I,OOO will be held on January 7 over one mile and a-half The points-system will be used in deciding the horses eligible for the final, and full details are shown in the conditions. A consolation race of £l5O on the final day, over one mile and a half, for horses which competed in the lic;jls over each distance, and which did

not gain first, second, *qr third in the final, will provide something additional for disappointed owners. Nomination fees have been kept as low as possible, and for most of the events 'acceptance is at scale ; this will find favour with owners. Some of the events have been named in honour of sportsmen who helped to put trotting “on the map.” The Doolan Handicap is named after the late Mr W. T. Doolan, for some years secretary of the Northern Tasmanian Trotting Association, while the J. T. Weaver Handicap is in honour of the great old sportsman who for many years was the outstanding trotting personality in Southern Tasmania. The late Mr James Brennan has not been forgotten either. A Good Seller. During Sir Charles Clifford’s career as an owner of racehorses lie was always prepared to sell a horse provided he’secured what he considered a reasonable and fair price according to the animal’s capabilities, and it was very seldom that he came down on that figure. He, however, made it a rule not to put a price on any horse who had not been tried out, and so it was verv seldom that any youngsters wore quitted. Sir Charles was always very fair in his dealings, and nobody was more pleased than he was when one of his cast-offs won races for the new owner On the other hand, he felt the ncsition when a horse sold by him did not turn out a payable proposition, ,ml there was a case last season in which he took back a mare that did not shape up to the new owner s anticipations, and be refunded the full purchase price. Sir Charles was never keen on selling his best horses unless ho got big prices for them, and it was onlv the tempting offers which were made on behalf of Australian buyers that persuaded him to sell Waterline and Hivnl Hit, who were bought for Australia for 2,000 gs each. Waterline paid his way, while Rival Hit, after winning two races and repaying most of his outlay, would have been a much bigger winner in Sydney but for meeting with an accident a few months ago which has kept him off the scene until just recently.

Young Idea 9 7 Mark AnKing’s Head 9 4 tony 7 11 Strotto 9 4 Ainaranthus 7 10 Mohican 9 1 Bobby 7 10 Spear Chief 9 0 Bull Ant ... 7 10 Buzalong 8 10 Creditor ... 7 10 Nightguard 8 6 Cid 7 9 Rodborough 8 4 Denis 7 7 Tliurles Lad 8 4 Let Slip ... 7 G Curator ... 8 :J Kai Tere ... 7 b Courage ... 8 3 Geebung ... 7 3 St. Constant 8 3 Goliath 7 3 Othello 8 3 Manilla’s Sir Regent 8 2 Pride ... 7 i Rival flit 8 2 Love From Highborn 8 2 Maggie 7 0 Jocular 8 ] Fearless 7 0 Micawher 8 0 Publicity 7 0 Disalto 8 0 Milos Falcon 6 12 Korimako 8 0 Morning Bodley Head 7 12 Gift 0 12 Bonnie Red Rosebud C 10 Legion 7 12 Tony 0 7 Delmestor 7 11 THE METROPOLITAN, £5,000. Ono mile and five furlongs. (To be run on October 3.) Genetont 9 4 Tuckerbox 7 10 Stretto 9 0 Sidcup 7 9 Gold Rod 9 0 Dutiful 7 G Royal Chief 8 13 High Class 7 5 Old Rowley 8 11 Old Folk ... 7 5 Young • Gold Spark 7 5 Crusader 8 8 Cooranga 7 4 Silver After Six 7 3 Standard 8 7 Perimond 7 3 Buzalong 8 5 Head Check 7 2 Cerne Abbas 8 5 Will Rogers 7 2 Bristol 8 4 Braidwood Nightguard 8 4 Boy 7 0 Sir Regent 8 3 Bachelor El Scnorita 8 3 King ... 7 0 Mananui 8 2 Knight Curator 8 1 Follv G 12 Gav Knight 8 1 Love From Silenus 8 0 Maggie 6 12 Highborn 8 0 Cragite 6 12 Golden Miles Falcon 6 10 Treasure 7 13 Red Sails 0 10 Billy Boy 7 12 Sine Cera 6 10 Jocular 7 11 Bullaire ... 6 7 Bourbon 7 11 Gimme 6 7