RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23501, 15 February 1940, Page 2

RACING NOTES

RACING-. February 16, 17,—Winton Jockey Club. February 17.—Tolaga Bay Jockey Club. February 17.—Opunake Racing Club. February 17, 19.—Waikato Racing Club. February 22, 2*.—Dunedin Jockey Club. February 2+.—Wniau Racing Club. February 24, 23.—Westland Racing Club. February 24, 26.—T0 Aroha Jockey Club. February 24, 26.—Woodville D. Jockey Club. March 2.—Franklin Racing Club. March 2.—Banks Peninsula Racing Club. March 2.—Uangiiikei Racing Club. March 7, B.—Taranaki Jockey Club. March 8, 9.—Cromwell Jockey Club. March 9, 11.—Bay of Plenty Racing Club. THE DUNEDIN CUP FIELD Next week’s race for the Dunedin Cup will be the sixty-seventh, the race having been established in 1874, that great mare Lurline, then a three-year-old, owned by the late Mr Henry Redwood, of Blenheim, carrying 9.9 to win, and being ridden by the late “ Dick ” Mason, who afterwards became one of the leading trainers in New Zealand and Australia. Lnrlinq’s impost remained the weight-carrying record for a winner until four years ago, ■ when Silver Ring carried 10.6 to victory. In the long interval since Lurline won 15 other three-year-olds have been successful, 19 four-year-olds, 14 five-year-olds, nine six-year-olds, and eight aged horses have been returned winners. In this year’s field Night Pal is the only three-year-old engaged, and there are three four-year-olds, four five-year-olds, five six-year-olds, four seven-year-olds, and two eight-year-olds. Queen of Song, last year’s winner, is the only horse engaged this year that started in last year’s race, and she has been allotted the same weight, 8.6, in this year’s race. Of the 19 horses engaged this year Capricious, Balmenter, and Valantua have not won this season.

The following shows the ages and this season’s records of the horses handicapped for next Thursday’s race;—

EARLY DAYS AT WINTON The Winton meeting, which will commence to-morrow, is one of the oldestestablished fixtures in Southland, and for nearly 80 years has been held on the same course, one of the best mile grass tracks in the Dominion. Originally covered with flax and niggerheads, those who assisted to prepare the track for the first meeting—now unfortunately all of them have passed on—used to tell interesting stories of their efforts and the racing. They little dreamed that a mile and a-quarter would ever be run in 2min 5 l-ssec (Loughrea’s winning time in 1923) or that a £SOO stake would bo offered, But Winton is the centre of the “ garden of Southland,” and has a strong sporting community. In the early ’eighties the town suffered several big fires and unfortunately in one of them the early records of the club were destroyed. The 1880 Cup was won by Atlantic, by Traducer from Atalanta, trained and ridden by J. W. Lowe, trainer of Yours Truly, winner of the last New Zealand Cup. The Cup of 1915 marked the first appearance of that good horse Rorke’s Drift in open company, and he followed that success up by winning the Dunedin Cup three mouths later, a performance ho repeated again in 1919. Since then some good horses have won the Winton Cup, including General Advance (1921 and 1922), Loughrea (1923), Overdrawn (1926), Celerity 11. 1927 and 1930), Kemal Pasha (1934), and others. Alex. MTtenzie, now training at Invercargill, holds a great riding record in this race, having won it on May King (1891), Milord (1892), Dora (1893), and Leinster (1894). JOTTINGS Answer to Correspondent. “ Old Timer.” —The first Dunedin Cup was run in 1867 and was won by Knottingly, a three-year-old colt by Send from Termagant, and owned by Mr W. Moorebouse. He carried 7.9, and was ridden by Monaghan. The Dunedin Jockey Club Handicap was first run in 1863, and was won by Mr H. Stafford’s eight-year-old mare Ultima, by Sir Hercules from Vesta. She carried 8.12 and was ridden by Ray. It w T as at the same meeting that the Australasian championship race, three miles, was run, and was won by Ladybird a five-year-old mare by 11 Barbiere from Moth fn this raco Ultima broke her leg and had to be destroyed. This meeting was held at Silverstream. Ante-post Betting. Mona’s Song and Peony Rose are the ante-post favourites for the Winton Cup, and King’s Chorus, Blissful Lady, and Counterlunch the best fancied for the Barkly Hack Handicap. May Abandon Meeting. It is reported from the north that owino- to the petrol restrictions, the Napier Park Racing Club is considering the advisability of abandoning its Autumn Meeting, set down for April 20.

Returning to Dominion. It has been definitely decided that Frenchv is to return to Invercargill from Melbourne to run in the steeplechases at Riverton. Ho is a good jumper, and it is hoped that he will be better suited by bigger obstacles than those in Melbourne. Frenchyis now eight years old, and is by Chief Ruler Trout Moulin Rouge, by Kilhronoy from Directoire.

[By St. Clair.]

March 9.—Birchwood Hunt Club. March 9. —Carterton Racing Club. March 14, 16. —Wellington Racing Club. TROTTING. February 17, 19.—Manawatu T.C. February 17.—New Brighton T.C. February 24;—Patriotic meeting, Addington. March 2.—lnvercargill T.C. March 9.—Timaru T.C. March 16. —Taranaki' T.C. March 18.—Cheviot T.C. March 16.—Wyndham T.C. March 23, 27,• 28;—New Zealand Metropolitan T.C. Great Star Dead. The well-known.galloper,. Great Star, who was living in North Canterbury in retirement, recently died at the age of 14 years. He had a strenuous career during his 10 years of racing, and won close on £IO,OOO. To-morrow V Steeplechase. At Wairio last month, Guste both outjuinped and out-stayed the opposition in the steeplechase. To-morrow’s race at Winton will be run over the same distance, and he should again bo seen to advantage. Sydney Easter Yearling Sales. Silver Scorn, winner, of the Dunedin Cup and James Hazlett Gold Cup seven years ago, will be represented by a yearling colt by . Royal Sun, a .Sunstar stallion, at the Easter yearling sales to be held in Sydney by Messrs W. Inglis and Son. A Good Gallop. Disdain, with Royal Chief as a mate, ran five furlongs at Riccarton on Tuesday iu 61 2-ssec, the best sprint of the morning. She was under restraint all the way, and this gallop gained her friends, for the Publicans’ Handicap, to be run next Thursday. The Cromwell Meeting. The committee of the Cromwell Jockey Club anonunces that in addition to free stabling being provided for horses visiting its meeting next month, the club will pay the full return fare, either by rail or motor floats, on all horses that do not win any money at the meeting. Nominations close on Monday at 8 p.m. Riders at Winton. R. Beale will probably ride Poinard in the steeplechase at Winton to-mor-row Poinard! won both steeplechases at this meeting last year. Other riding engagements announced are G. Barclay for Green Locket and Ashaway; P. Spratt, Ortyx and Pink Bond; C. T. Wilson, Royal Money and Counterlunch; T. J. Boyle, Guste; H. J. Stuck, King Willow; N. F. Ellis, My Song. Mona’s Song, and Aspire; _R. E. Humphries, Ackemraa, Sailing Lady, and Waitoru; M._ N. Caddy, Chirp, Cherokee, or Craiglea; L. J. Clutterbuck, Pink Dress, Swordstick. and Boaform; H. Phillips, Phalanx; and J. L. Stratbern, Colonel Rouge and Sparkle. / v • ••: Y --x. ; r Rider Questioned.

Though no intimatioiv’of the fact was supplied to the Press room at Gore last Saturday, the Timaru ' Herald ’ reports that F., Voight, rider of Heidelberg, was questioned by .the .stipendiary steward after that horse had run last all the way in the Longford Hack Handicap. F. Voight explained that under the big weight, 9.12, Heidelberg was not able to begin with the others, and would not gallop on the soft going. Tho first race Heidelberg won, a high-weight at the Southland spring meeting, was run on very heavy going, and at Wyndham on New Year’s Day Heidelberg won again on a muddy course. Winton Races To-morrow. The annual meeting of the Winton Jockey Club will be held at Winton tomorrow and Saturday, and, as that district is reported to have missed most of the heavy rain that has fallen in the districts nearer tho coast lino during the past fortnight, the course should be in fair order. A large number of tho horses aro also engaged at the Dunedin Cup Meeting nest week. The meeting will also open the steeplechasing season in the south, and an interesting field of nine has been paid up for. Betting will be on the win and place system. The following horses should be fancied in their engagements:— Winton Novice Stakes, six furlongs.— Royal Money, My Song, Cone Peak. Otapiri Harness Handicap (3.43), mile and a-half.—Happy Erin, Brown Cloud, Prince Echo. Winton Cup, mile and a-quarter.— Wild Career, Sparkle, Peony Rose. Flying Handicap, six furlongs.— Ortyx, Phalanx, Rodeur. Winton Steeplechase, about two miles and a-quarter.—Guste, Panara, Osculate. Barkly Hack Handicap, sis furlongs. —King’s Chorus or Blissful Lady (both in same stable), Counterlunch, Cherokee. Hokomii Harness Handicap (3.39), mile and a-half.—Stanza, Dunalister, Sinbad. Tradesmen’s Handicap, one mile..— Boaform, Waitoru, Chirp.

72 .g 3 rs d to ct & 2 •jjw S m H Sovereign Ladv 7 7 7 0 3 Willie Win ..." 8 (5 1 0 0 Norseman ... 6 15 3 3 1 Thermidor 6 15 2 . 0 4 Queen of Song 8 10 1 1 1 Capricious 4 9 0 5 2 Alma 7 8 1 1 0 Settlement ... 5 9 1 1 0 Mona’s Song 6 9 1 3 2 Sailing Lady 6 9 3 0 1 Peony Rose ... 5 G 2 0 1 Wild Career ... 7 9 1 1 2 Sparkle ... 5 10 2 •4 2 Night Dress ... 5 14 2 o 0 Sword Stick 6 16 1 4 2 Vnlautua 6 13 0 ’0 1 Balmenter ... 7 n 0 0 3 Night Pal ... . 3 15 1 2 3 Lord Puck-... 4 n 2 0 2 Atua Rere ... 4 10 I 2 1