RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23103, 1 November 1938, Page 2

RACING NOTES

RACING. November 4, s.—Whangarei Racing Club. November 6.—Napier Park Racing Club. November 5,7, 9, 12. Canterbury Jockey Club. November 12.—Napier Park Racing Club. November 12, 14.-—Avondale Jockey Club. November 19.—Levin Racing Club. November 19. —Southland Racing Club. November 19, 21.—Waikato Racing Club. November 26. —Ashburton County Racing Club. November 26, 28. —-Auckland Racing Club, November 26, 28. Fcilding Jockey Club.

J&TTINGS Reminders. Nominations for tbo Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Meeting close to-mor-row at 5 p.m. Nominations for tho one-day spring meeting of the Southland Racing Club close to-morrow at 5 p.m. First Success Over 10 Furlongs. When Ajax won the M‘Kinnon Stakes on Saturday ho registered his first win over a mile and a-quarter. Ardchoille Withdrawn. . Having failed to run up to expectations at the Gore Meeting, Ardchoille has been withdrawn from all engagements at tlio New Zealand Cup Meeting Riders for the Stewards’ Handicap. It was announced at the Banks Peninsula Meeting that A. E. Ellis will ride Paper Slipper in the Stewards’ Handicap next Saturday, and that G. H. Humphries will have tbo mount on Counterblast. Pleased With the Track. Tho trainer of Happy Landing was present at the Banks Peninsula Meeting on Saturday, and remarked that had he known the course was such a good ono he would have raced Happy Landing at the fixture. New Zealand Cup. ' Early selections for the New Zealand Cup take a wide range (says the ‘ Dominion ’), but it is probable that finally the quartet worthy of strongest support will be Padishah, The Buzzer. Wotan, and Sly Fox.

Riding Engagements. T. Boyle has been engaged to ride Mount Val in tho Brush Hurdle races at Riccarton, and the apprentice F. W Ellis will have the mount on Land Raid in the Stewards’ Handicap. Janet Gaynor will be ridden by P. Spratt in the same race.

For Riccarton. Tho double winner at the Gore Meeting, Foxlove, is booked to race at Riccarton, and with the two-year-old Lady Blissful will leave in charge of F. W. Ellis next Thursday. During Ellis’s absence from Invercargill J. A. Rowland will be in charge of tho former’s team. Gore Spring Meeting, It is reported that the recent meeting held at Gore resulted in a profit of round about £I,BOO. The committee has decided to carry out several further improvements, including tar-sealing at the rear of the stewards’ stand, and also to plant an avenue of flowering shrubs. New Zealand Cup Riders. The following riding engagements have been announced in connection with the New Zealand Cup:—Willie Win, A. E. Ellis; Padishah, P. Atkins; The Buzzer, B. H. Morris; Arctic King, S. Wilson; Malagigi, H. N. Wiggins ; Tidewaiter, A. C. Messervy ; Milford, G. Barclay; Boomerang, A. E. Bennett; Mungatoon, M. N. Caddy; Sly Fox, J. MTnally; Valantua, C. T. Wilson. Costly Oversight. Maori Song, who has not left New Zealand, was left in the Cantala Stakes at Flemington through ignorance of the conditions. In New Zealand it is necessary to notify acceptance for all handicaps; in important handicaps in Victoria a horse has to be withdrawn or it is regarded as a potential starter. Silver Streak Well. T. Hobbs had Mount Val at Motukarara on Saturday, and in view of his small engagements at Riccarton it is interesting to note that he finished in front of all the New Zealand Cup horses engaged in the mile and a-quarter race except'Mungatoon. Hobbs stated that Silver Streak had done well since returning from the Dunedin Spring Meeting, and there had been no signs of tho recurring lameness. He is a definite starter in the Stewards’ Handicap next Saturday. Nervie's Last Goes Fast. Some idea of the task of Nervie’s Last from 60yds behind in the Jellicoe Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s Meeting can be gleaned from the fact that while he ran 3.13 4-5, which time is only four-fifths of a second outside the New Zealand record of Onyx, against time, he could not get closer than fourth, Noble Prince going 3.15 from the limit. Nervie’s Last also ran prominently in the sprint races without being placed. Generous Stakes. Tho Ashburton Trotting Cup, to be run on Boxing Day, will be worth £OOO. the limit being 4.26. The distance of tho Boxing Day' Handicap (£4OO, 2.44 class) has been extended to 10J furlongs, to avoid the start being made on a turn. The Champion Stakes, for throe-year-olds, is endowed to the extent of £750. and the total prize money for the day is £3,100. Valantua’s Cup Trial, Heavy rain during the night made the course proper at Wingatui dead this morning, and the only horses that worked next the rails were Valantua, who had only a feather-weight up, Our Pal, and Atua Rere. The Cup candidate was over a mile and a-half. Atua Rere, accompanied him for tho first three furlongs, then Our Pal picked him up. Pulling hard, and always in front, Valantua took 31sec to run the first two furlongs, 58 4-sseo for the half-mile, Imin 12sec for five, Imin 26 l-ssec for six, Imin 40 2-ssec for seven, Imin 54sec for tho mile, 2min 7 2-ssec for nine furlongs. and 2min 46 1-usec for the full distance. Valantua finished under restraint. and though the trial horses wore not able to extend him at any part of the journey it was a good gallop, and gave the impression that he will stay the journey in Saturday's race.

[By St. Olaik.]

TROTTING. November 8, 10, 11.—New Zealand Metropolitan T.C. November 19. —Wellington T.C. November 24, 26.—Forbury Park T.C. December 3. —Waikato T.C. December 3.—New Brighton T.C. December 3.—Wairio T.C. December 10. —Waikato T.C, December 26. —Ashburton T.C. December 26.—Wairarapa T.C. December 26. —Gore T.C. December 26, 27. —Westport T.C.

At Wingatui This Morning. A largo number of horses were worked at Wingatui, but none of them, excepting Vahmtua and Our Pal against the watch. Turned Out. Vantoon has been turned out for a spell, and Astaire, in tbc same stable, has also been let up, and will enjoy a short holiday in the paddock. A Good Field. Despite tho outstanding performances of Defaulter this spring, the owners of ; eight other three-year-olds have paid up in the Derby Stakes, including Our Pal, who galloped well with Valantua this morning. The Spring Plate. Tho small acceptance of only seven in tho Spring Plate is probably due to Disdain, who with 7.2 is likely to start a short-priced favourite. Both Bcaupartir and Kilrobo are capable of extending Disdain over a mile. Favourites for Riccarton. Sly Fox is the front line favourite for the New Zealand Cup, with Padishah and Malagigi in the next line, then Wotan, The Buzzer, and Arctic King. For the Stewards’ Handicap Counterblast is in a line by herself, with Gay Chou and Gay Sou next fancied. For Riccarton. F, Shaw leaves for , Riccarton on Thursday by Hoat with Valantua, Our Pal, and Moueymore, and by rail the same clay, Straightdell, Lord Nuffield, Attractive Note, Janet Gaynor, Roseman, Norseman, Gay Vixen, Disband, and Nightwing are booked to travel. Didham’s Team. A. E. Didham will have none of his team racing at Riccarton on Saturday, but they may bo on hand for the later days. Didham has been engaged to ride Kinhoull in the Stewards’ Handicap, and will also ride Lord Nuffield and Gold Salute on Saturday. His apprentice has been engaged to ride Janet Gaynor in the Stewards’ Handicap and Triple Cone. Good Acceptances. Excepting in the Spring Plate (for which 16 paid up last year) excellent acceptances have been received for the opening day of the New Zealand Cup Meeting. The only withdrawals from the Cup are Made Money, Ardchoille, and Hapiiy Night, and from tho Stewards’ Handicap, Dungarvau, Whirling, Mittie, Te Hero, Laughing Lass, Araboa, Brunhild, Cocksure, Waitaka, Moneyless, Second Innings, Florence Mills, and Golden Chest. Apt Naming. A good story comes from Australia. It is claimed that the name King Alfred given to a horse in Victoria is one of the most apt possible. The gelding is by King Heedless from Pastry, and the name was easily suggested by the story of King Alfred’s carelessness (alleged) in allowing tho cakes to burn and so betraying the faith placed in him by tho housewife who was giving him sanctuary from his enemies. Ajax’s Record. Up to the present Ajax has contested 23 races, and his record stands as follows:

, Ajax’s winnings in states to date amount to £23,125, made up as follows: At two years, £5,870; at three years, £13,000; at four years £4,175 (including trophy' valued at £100). Lawn Derby Fit. In a letter received by Mr E. G. Bridgens, president of the Auckland Trotting Club, Mr J. O’Shea states he expects to land in New Zealand at the end of this week with Lawn Derby. The pacer, ho added, is very fit, and at the Melbourne Show lowered his mile track record to 2.4. Lawn Derby also won the first Free-for-All from Logan Derby, Avho, in the absence of O’Shea’s horse, won the second Free-for-All. O’Shea will visit Auckland for the summer meeting and attempt to lower the grass mile record of 2.4 of Nervie’s Last. Logan Derby is already at Addington for his New Zealand Trotting Cup engagement. Purchase of Buzalong. The purchase of Buzalong was one of those lucky events of the yearling sales. Mr A. Leftwich had selected four yearlings at the Sydney sales in 1935 with the intention of buying one of them. ' Three came under the hammer, but Mr Leftwich found the opposition too strong, and he dropped out. Mr Leftwich said that when Buzalong came into the ring he was determined to get him. To his ■ surprise and his delight the opposition was weak, and

ho bought him for HOgs. Since then Mr Leftwich has refused big offers, including one of 5, OOOgs _ before Buzalong ran in the Metropolitan. He has always refused all overtures. The Two Derbies Double. The double, Australian Jockey Club’s Derby and the Victoria Derby, has been won on 26 occasions, the list of winners being as follows: —1869, Charon; 1870, Florence; 1872, Loup Garou; 1880, Grand Flaneur; 1882, Navigator; 1885, Nordenfeldt; 1886, Trident; 1892, Camoola; 1897, Amberite; 1900, Maltster; 1901, Hautvilliers; 1902, Abundance; 1904, Sylvandale; 1906, Poseidon; 1907, Mountain King; .1909, Prince Foote; 1913, Beragoon; 1917, Biplane; 1919, Richmond Main; 1920, Manfred; 1926, .Rampion; Trival ve; 1933, Hall Mark; 1934, Theo; 1936, Talking; 1938, Nuffield.

High-class Performances. Amono a number of high-class .performances at the Auckland Trotting Meetin" none stood out more boldly than those of the Australian horse Van Derby F. J. Smith’s horse, who looked the part of a champion, was very unlucky the first day to be beaten by Baron Alfonso, . a stable cast-off, as, after going away correctly, he had to be pulled up to avoid colliding with a starter’s assistant, who was kicked by Gold Circle and knocked into the path of Van Derby. The incident unbalanced and unsettled Van Derby, who lost a furlong; but he gave a taste of his quality by pacing the last mile in o 5 and the half in 1.2 to he second. On Monday he was conceding Gold Circle a long start with a mile to go, but again proved his worth by winning nicely, to run the last mile in 2.9 and the half > u 1-4 1-5 on a slower .track. Van Derby was handicapped on 3.34. and his respective times were 3.19 4-5 and 3-20. He will rise quickly to the highest grade.

1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unpl. At 2jrs ... 4 1 0 1 At 3yrs .. 9 •2 0 0 At 4yrs ... 6 0 0 0 19 3 0 1