RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23882, 12 May 1941, Page 4

RACING NOTES

COMING EVENTS \ [By St. Clair.] RACING. May 15, 17.—South Canterbury Jockey Club. ; May 17, 19.—Otaki Maori Racing Club. May 17, 19. —Waikato Racing Club. May 24. —Fox ton Racing Club. May 31, June 2, 7.—Dunedin Jockey Club. May 31, June 2.—Napier Park Racing Club. May 31, June 2.—Wanganui Jockey Club. June 2,4, 7.—Auckland Racing Club. June 7.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. ■ June 14.—Bay of Plenty Racing Club. June 14.—Greymouth Jockey Club. June -4.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. June 21.—Waipa Racing Club. June 2 1. —Ashburton Racing Club. June 21. 23.—Manawatu Racing Club. June 28. —Dannevirke Hunt. June 28.—Oamaru Jockey Club. TROTTING. May 24. —Ashburton Trotting Club. May 24, 28.—Auckland Trotting Club. June 2. —Canterbury Park Trotting Club. June 7, 9.—Nelson Trotting Club. JOTTINGS Reminder. Acceptances for the first day of the South Canterbury meeting, to be held on Thursday and Saturday, close this evening at 9 o’clock. Big Totalisator Figures. Six racing and trotting meetings were held on Saturday, and the aggregate amount handled on the totalisators was £108,215 10s, as compared with £93,569, an increase of £14,646 10s. Only one fixture, Egmont, did not show an increase. Only Just Won. Bush Laddie was backed as if unbeatable in the St. Clair Handicap, and, though he had the run of the race and was able to take the lead with nearly a mile to go, he only just landed the stake by a very narrow margin. He went 8 l-sseo better than his assessment, but was doing his best all the way. The Big Dividend Payer. Worthy Cross, who returned a dividend approaching half a century when he won the Renown Handicap, ran unplaced and unsighted in the two-mile race at Oamaru the previous Saturday. His chance appeared to be hopeless at the home turn, but he was going right away from the others at the finish. Worthy Cross is trained by A. J. Bromley at Otama, near Gore. Bad Day for Punters. At the Franklin meeting last week-end the average of the win dividends was just on £25, and the best that favourites could do throughout .the afternoon was to fill two of the third places. One winner returned over £7O and another over £6O, while two others also returned prices well up in double figures. Three of the place dividends also ran into double figures. Turco. The Southland champion four-year-old, Turco, was reported to be suffering from a slight cold on Saturday, and this probably was the cause of the poor showing he made in the Renown Handicap. Turco is under offer to a South Island sportsman at £7OO, delivery tc- be taken after to-day’s racing, and the sale is likely to be completed. On , his past performances he looks a good pur-, chase at this price. : ; A Poor Display. The four-year-old All Gallant was considered the best of pood things for the Renown Handicap, and had everything in his favour, 1 as he was able to take charge from the rise of the barrier. But-at the end of seven snd a-half furlongs, when tackled by April Direct and Night Beam, he collapsed like a pricked balloon, and gradually drifted to finish last'. This was easily All Gallant’s worst display, and is difficult to explain. A Good Three-year-old. Ronald Logan proved himself an outstanding three-year-old by his win in the Victory Handicap. In the big field of 17 he was not prominent until after a mile had been covered, and entering the finals run home he was two or three lengths behind Embargo. Then he showed a great burst of speed and was going right away from the others at the finish in nearly lOsec faster time than he. was assessed to go. Favourite Wins Last Race. Special Edition gave J. B. Pringle his second win during t[ie afternoon when he led nearly all the way and won the Flying Handicap, Happy Locanda headed him for about a furlong along the back, but Special Edition easilv cut him down and stayed on to beat Worthy Need, who showed improved form as compared with his racing in the big race. Fremont, t who finished third. did_ not appear to get a good run in the middle stages of the race. Looks Deceived Them. Loyalist won the Beach Handicap op Saturday from end to end, and had something more than the • three lengths margin in hand at the finish. This mare looked light and rough in the coat when paraded for the race, but that did not put Southlanders, who know her ability, off her, and they lauded a nice win. But many others, who were told of her speed, refused to support her on account of her looks. Too Fast for Him. The connections behind Lustrous were very confident that she would at least finish in the money in the Domain Handicap, and, beginning very smartly, this mare had every chance. But Coleen Travis cut out the first mile in Imin 17sec, and had Lustrous struggling all the way. With the first half-mile covered Lustrous had drifted back to fourth place, where she remained to the end. Shipping to Australia. It is reported that there will be limited accommodation for horses going from the Dominion to Australia during the next two, or three months, but none for hc«rses that want to return to New Zealand. In all probability Kindergarten’s owner will take advantage of this chance of sending his horse over to Sydney. Proud Fox, who dead-heated wth Chatoona in the City Tattersall’s Cup last week-end, was under orders to return to New Zealand, but fortunately for his owner there was no accommodation available. Well Handled. There was a lot of merit in Royal Worthy’s win in the Bayfield Handicap on Saturday, as he lost over 60yds by failing to strike his gait just shortly after the start. He was verv patiently handled by the veteran. Free Holmes, and it was his

good driving over the last 100yds . thatigave Eoyal Worthy his head margin ah the finish. With half a mile to go Eoyal Worthy was atilt giving Westcliffi several lengths start, yet the latter came hom* over the last half in 66 3-saec. Pocketed. Shadow Maid was backed down to nearly, an odds-on price to win the Beach Handle cap, add when she ran up and joined, the field before the first half-mile had beeia, run her-backers were on good terms with, themselves. Entering the last lap, Shadow; Maid ran into a pocket next the rails. She was still well pocketed after turning out of the hack straight, and in an effort! to get dear broke and was pulled up. Shadow Maid, who was assessed at 3min 35sec, would have had to break 3min 22seo to beat Loyalist, who appeared to have something in reserve at the finish. * Much Money Shut Out. Though £29,902 10s was handled through', the totalisators at Forbury Park on Saturday afternoon that sum does not nearly represent the money that was offerings buff could not be taken. Both the committeeand totalisator management made every, effort to keep to schedule times, and the totalisator closed only 13 minutes late oa the last race. Big queues were still , in. the, totalisator races when the windows were closed each time. Previous meetings have shown that all the money offering cannot be taken with only 35-minute intervals between' the .races, -, particularly , when the fields Sre 'as big'as they were ; in most the races on Saturday. Selling win i and place tickets at the same windows might! make it possible, but until that system is adopted the committee should arrange for longer intervals if they wish to take all the money offering. Gold Gar. Though there were only six starters in the principal handicap at Forbury Park , on Saturday the total of the two pools wa» over £4OO larger than on the same race last year. From the time the programme was drafted it was voted a good thing for Gold Bar, and on the two machines ho carried slightly over two-fifths of the total investments. The race was one of the poorest contests ever seen.on the track, and though his winning margin at the • finish was only two lengths, it is difficult to esti-mate-what he could have won by had hi» driver let him- run along. At the end of six furlongs he was fully 15 lengths m front, but according to ! the sectional time* was never extended. It was a poor race for the club to place on its programme, and it was fortunate that the large crowd present was in such a generous betting mood. Talking Through His Pocket. It has always been alleged that the best jockeys remain on the grandstands, and no doubt the same remark applies to driver* of pacers and trotters. It was particularly interesting to listen to one of these critic* at Forbury Park on Saturday afternoon. He must have backed Indian Clipper, who, by the way, would ■ have returned his backers round about a score had he been placed first instead of third. When ha noticed Indian Clipper making - np his handicap very fast on the outside of the field in the early stages of the race his driver was doing splendidly, but, unfortunately, could not get on to the rails at any stage. Despite this Indian Clipper looked the winner after heads were turned for home, and only failed to hold off Eonald Logan and Embargo in the final furlong. Earlier" in the day the same critic had backed Shadow Maid, whose driver, through sticking to the rails, got badly, pocketed. What ha had to say about the ability of these two experienced drivers —one for sticking to tho rails and the other for covering extra ground—cannot be printed, but it certainly convinced his audience that he has yet a lot to learn about driving. ;