RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23123, 24 November 1938, Page 6

RACING NOTES

[By St. Cxaib.]

RAGING. November 26.—Ashburton County Racing Club. November 26, 28.—Auckland Racing Club. November 26, 28.—Feilding Jockey Club. December 3.—Otaki-Maori Racing Club. December 10.—Hororata Racing Club. December 10, 12.—Woodville t>. Jockey Club. December 17.—Waipa Racing Club. December 24, 26, 27.—Manawatu Racing Club. December 26.—Waipukurau Jockey Club. December 26, 27.—Dunedin Jockey Club. December 28, 27.—Taranaki Jockey Club. December 28.—West Coast Racing Club. December 26, 28, January 2, 3.—Auckland Racing Club. December 31, January 2.—Wairarapa Racing Club. December 31, January 2.—Greymouth Jockey Club.

DIVIDED RACES The Itoslyn Trial Handicap, run at Invereargill last Saturday, was not a profitable race for the club, as owing to it being run in divisions the committee added £SO to the stake, and the totalisator bandied £427 less on the race than in 1937. With so many maidens in work this season other clubs may find themselves in the same position as the Southland Racing Club was placed. One "way of obviating this trouble would be to add a condition to these races providing that if the number of acceptors exceeds the safety number a eweepstak© of £2 or £3 be payable at the scales, the total of which would be divided between the winners of the divisions. The safety numbers on Otago and Southland courses in five, six, and 6even-furlong races are as follows:

December 31, January 2.—Hawks'* Bay Jockey Club. January 2.—Waikouaiti Racing Club. January 2.—Wyndham Racing Club. January 2, 3.—Stratford Racing Club. January 2, 3.—Marton Jockey Club. January 3.—Oamaru Jockey Club. January 3, 4.—Southland Racing Club. TROTTING. November 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.—Asbburton T.C. December 28.—Wairarapa T.C. December 26.—Gore T.C. December 28, 27.~Westport T.C. December 31.—Winton T.C. January 2, 3.—Canterbury Park T.C. January 5, 6.—Greymoutb T.C.

JOCKEY BLOWN OFF! There is nothing th.it cannot happen to prevent a horse winning, and the best laid plans have been frustrated in nil countries and on all courses by the unforseen incident. One of the best ever recorded in New Zealand must bo credited to a trotting meeting at Hutt Park, where a certain winner turning for home ran into a swarm of bees and rapidly had his mind taken off the race, with disastrous 'results for his confident investors. However, there is a Rood racing story to hand from the United States of America since the last hurricane/ of which New Zealand newspapers had vivid accounts. It was in September at the Rockingham Park (New England) race meeting. There was a sudden hurricane which blew down the room containing the broadcasting apparatus, ripped away all the awnings, and damaged several stands. Just as the sixth race was being run the hurricane increased in intensity. Singing Slave was the horse in front as the field turned for home, and appeared a certain winner. One hundred yards from the post she was caught by the hurricane as she had all feet off the ground and was blown sideways across the course and her jockey hurled to-the ground. It is said to be the first time a horse has been " blown " out of winning. The hurricane was so severe that the next two races were abandoned. Tt was a terrible experience, as all the stables were quickly demolished and the horses were terrified. The negro attendants fled, and many were injured by flying debris.

JOTTINGS Saturday’s Trots. Owners and trainers are reminded that the handicaps for the second day of the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Spring Meeting will be posted at the club’s office at 7 o’clock to-night, and acceptances close at 8. Fast Quarters. In his record-breaking essay, Greyhound trotted his quarters in 29£, 29J, 28, 28J. Billy Direct’s sectional times were 29, 29, 285, 28J. Two-year-old Trotting Record. The world’s record of 2.2 J for two-year-old trotters, established at Lexington by Nibble Hanover, was later equalled by Peter Astrid. Fined £5. For failing to ride Mazir out at the finish of the Waikato Cup last Saturday, and thereby losing third money for his owner, W. J. Broughton was fined £5. St. Bathans Club. The St. Bathans (Racing Club will hold its annual non-totalisator race meeting on Boxing Day, when stakes totalling £l2O will be given for a programme of six events. At the annual meeting of members a balance sheet showing £lO2 2s 6d in hand was adopted.

A Good Field. The Mace Memorial Handicap, to be decided at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s Meeting on Deccniber 3, has drawn a fine list of nominations, and included are no fewer than 11 of the field that contested the New Zealand Cup. North Island Trip. Dictate was doing bettor work than Manetho over the final stages of six furlongs in Irain 17 3-ssec, the first three in 3Ssec, at Rieearton on Tuesday. The latter will bo ridden by A. E. Ellis in the high-weight event at Ashburton. Dictate is booked to go to Ellerslie, and on the way up may have a race at the Woodville Meeting on December 10 and 12. Record Yearling Sale. A preliminary list giving the order and brief particulars of the yearlings to be offered at the Trentham sale on January 18 is to hand from the auctioneers. The entry of 204 for the sale constitutes a record, the previous highest being in 1931, when 188 lots were catalogued. Copies of the list can be obtained from the auctioneers, and catalogues will be available next month. American Champion. A month before his defeat by Seabiscuit at level weights at nine furlongs and a-half at Pimlico (Maryland) ■this month, War Admiral won the Jockey Club Cup at Belmont Park (New York). It is one of America’s new long-distance weight-for-age races, and War Admiral, settling his only opponents, two three-year-olds, in very

easy fashion, won by 10 lengths in 3min 24 2-sscc for the two miles. The first mile was run in Imin 44 4-sscc. War Admiral’s share of tho stake was £1,375, and made the total for his career £65,950. ’ Another Divided Race. In the event of the number of starters in the Lagnihor Plate at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s Meeting on Saturday being 19 or more, the race will be run in two divisions, and £2O will be added te the stake, which will be divided into £SO for_ first and £lO for second for each division. The divisions are ns follows: First Division.—Sportsman, Rora Hiko, Chateau Briand, Spartan, Improvident, Great Baby, Keen Sight, Escort, Shanghai Lily, Avenal, King Gustavo. Second Division.—Polroger, Real Lady, Chanteur, Alcatraz, Miss Tasta, Blazealong, Nigella, Neptune, Leaderette, Shepherd. Sale of Quite Sure Filly. Mr R. H. Butterick, owner of Peggotty, was in Southland over the weekend and purchased the Quite Sure— Logan’s Pet yearling filly from her breeder. This filly is well related. Logan’s Pet is a full sister to Kid Logan (2min 8 2-ssoc) and a half-sister to Waitaki Girl, Stanley Bingen, and Bingen Chief, etc. The filly has been nominated in all the northern classics and will be under the care of J. Behrns. Mr Butterick was so impressed with Quito Sure that he expressed the intention of mating Peggotty with tho Peter Volo horse when she is retired from racing.—‘ Southland News.’ An Optimistic Owner. Nuffield’s three-year-old supremacy will be challenged again by Tempest in tho autumn, and the Adelaide colt’s owner, Mr F. G. Scarfe, declares even this early that Tempest will turn the tables on Nuffield in the Victoria St. Loger next March. “ After the Victoria Derby running T am convinced that Tempest is the host staying threo-ycar-old in Australia, and I intend giving him a summer spell and then starting him on a solid autumn preparation, so that he can prove it,” said Mr Scarfe, who prophesied that Tempest will bo favourite for the next Melbourne Cup. A ” Record ” Meeting. The Grand Circuit Trotting Meeting at Lexington (Kentucky) was a recordmaker without precedent. V2 world’s bests being recorded. The full list is as follows; Billy Direct, ] .55, pacer. Greyhound, 1.55? f, trotter. Her Ladyship, 1.561, pacing mare. Rosalind, 1.57, trotting mare. Chief Consul, 1.573. three-year pacer. Dean Hanover, 1.58, four year trotter. Little Pat, 1.583, pacing gelding in race. Nate Hanover, 1.59, four-year gelding pacer (three heats, 1.59, 1.59-J, 2.1). Del I'nsco. 1.59;], threc-yar pacing mare. Nibble Hanover, 2.2-J. two-year trotter (two heats, 2.33, 2.2).

Boyne, four-heat trotting record, 2.0 J, 2.2 J, 2.2 J, 2.5 J. Mr J. R. M'Kenzie’s Purchase. At' the annual sale of yearlings at the famous Walnut Hall Stud, Kentucky, 95 trotters made an average of 1,221d01. Top price was 10,200d0l for Gay Song, a colt by Volomite from Evensong. The next highest figures were 7,600d0l and 7,100d01. Mr J. R. M'Kenzio paid 5.500d0l for Spangled Maiden (Volomite, 2.3J —Margaret Spangler, 2.23). Volomite is a trotter and Margaret Spangler a pacer. Light Brigade (Volomite —Spinster, 2.5) was knocked down to the New Zealander at 2,500d01. Light Brigade is trotting bred all through. New Fancy (Volomite—Lena Moko) was secured for 1,300d01. Spangled Maiden is a full sister to Chief Counsel, now holder of the world’s record, 1.573, for three-year-olds. Silver Sight’s Record. The announcement that tho little Silverado gelding Silver Sight has been retired—this time finally—recalls his extraordinary sequence of placings before lie managed to win a race. Commencing as a two-year-old, he started six times, one third falling to him. In the next season he again failed to win, but was in the money on 15 occasions in 29 attempts. Ho was making his forty-second appearance at tho barrier when ho broke tho ice in a high-weight handicap at Wyndhara. He won three other races in that season, but again was 10 times in a minor place. Silver Sight’s last good performance on the fiat was his victory in the Tiinaru Cup. As a hurdler he was much more successful, his earnings in a comparatively short career as a jumper exceeding £I.OOO, while his total winnings for 144 starts amounted to only £2,885., The Victorian Handicapping System. Tho New Zealand system of handicapping iias its anomalies, but it ts much to be preferred to that in vogue m Victoria. A recent case occasioned' much discussion in Melbourne. A pacer named Barney Doolan won from 3.21, averaging 2.16’ t (all marks are assessed on mile rales). Tho maximum penalty was 3sec, and he was pegged back to 2,18. From this line ho won again, averaging 2.193, but as he did not “ beat his handicap ” be went back only Isec to 2.17. Next bo won at a 2.16 i gait, which for handicapping is regarded as 2.17. As a penalty is imposed only once when a horse does not beat bis handicap, Barney remained on tho 2.17 line. Again he won at 2.163 rate and escaped a penalty, the upshot being that he has collected three stakes and still starts from tho same mark. Under this rule a horse might win a dozen times on soft tracks without altering his assessment. Reserved for Gore and Winton Cups. Voloma did not pay up in her engagements at Forbury, and she is to bo reserved for the Cup races at Gore and Winton next month, The Adioo Guy mare injured a leg a short time back, but it was not serious, and she is now working as well as over. Voloma will be giving away starts of upwards

of 96yds in the Gore and Winton Cup races, and while there is no doubting she is probably tho best mare to race in Southland in recent seasons, it would appear that her connections are unduly optimistic (says the ‘ Southland Times’). It has to be remembered that improvers of tho class of Gold Bank, Sydney Grand, and Salalon will be on or near the front line, while usually promising young pacers from Canterbury add interest to these races. Voloma won the Invercargill Cup from 60yds back, but had her handicap been a greater one it is unlikely that she would have defeated Salalon. The Betting Bill. The Stevens Government has succeeded. almost overnight, in reducing the starting-price betting evil by 75 per cent, in New South Wales. On the advice of the police, who were much troubled by gaping loopholes in the law, it framed and forced through Parliament a special Act which almost entirely fills the/gaps. Drastic penalties are provided for “ outside ” bettors and bookmakers, and no publication of betting prices may be made by radio or the newspapers until the finish of the last race of any racing programme. The result is that Sydney and the larger towns have ceased to be universities for “ racketeers.” Another consequence of the reform is that attendances at all racecourses have increased enormously, with benefit to the State revenue and the funds of various racing clubs. So gratified are the latter by tho turn of events that they have decided to recommend that the prize money for mid-week and Saturday meetings should be raised by at least 25 per cent On that basis horse owners will enjoy an additional benefit of £20,000 a year.

of. 6f. 7f. Beaumont ... 10 15 16 Cromwell ,.. 29 29 29 Wingatui ... 29 29 29 Kurow 19 19 19 Oamaru ... ... 30 30 30 Tapanui 13 13 13 Lawrence ... 11 12 12 Vincent ... -... 14 14 14 W aikouaiti 13 19 14 Clifdeu 19 19 19 Gore 23 21 22 Otautau 29 29 29 Kiverton 26 26 26 Invercargill Wairio ... 19 19 19 17 19 19 Winton 19 19 19 Wyndham .... ... ,.. 19 19 19