RACING

Evening Star, Issue 24296, 10 September 1942, Page 2

RACING

(.By Sr. Clair,].

It is'reported that £1 invested each way when Willow Wood'won on the second day of the Grand National meeting, which netted Mr J. D- Simpson oyer £IOO, provided most of the purchase money for Willow Wood. A. E. Ellis will miss the Ash burton'-meet-ing on Saturday, as he has been engaged to ride Bonny. Pay in the Avondale Guineas. Ellis rode Bonny Pay when he won, the Great Northern Foal Stakes and Auckland Champion Stakes last season. As the result of the meeting recently held by the executives of the Racing and Trotting Conferences, it is understood that the Racing Conference will recommend racing clubs to maintain the same number'of light harness events on their programmes as last season Southern Sail, who will carry No. 1 saddle cloth in the Spring Handicap on Saturday, won four limes, including the Dunedin Cup, last season, and with 8.8 over seven furlongs should prove hard to beat. She carried 7.13 when she won the Dunedin Cup, and will meet. The Raker on only 71b worse terms. Last year a field of nine contested the John Grigg Stakes, Palfrey winning, from Sir Gundi and Bird o’ Prey. A win in this race does not entail a penalty in the Dunedin Guineas, but Palfrey was comfortably beaten by Salutation, Sir Gundi, and Willow Wood over the extra furlong at Wingatui the following month, The Phaleron Bay—Golden Bod two-year-old purchased by Mr J. W. Pankhurst for 175rr S at tho last national yearling sales, who was sent down to T. E. Pankhurst at Invercargill to bo handled, has now returned to Yaldhurst, where he will be got ready for the two-year-old races on the New Zealand Cup meeting programme by C. G. Humphries. Thou"h no totahsator will be available for the fixture, the trotting meeting for patriotic funds to be held at Ashburton on October 3 promises to be a bn? success. Already tho Metropolitan and New Brighton Clubs have each promised £lo(\ towards the stakes, and the Methven .Trotting and Ashburton Racing and Trotting Clubs arc also exnected to make donations. Acceptances received for the Ashburton meeting on Saturday are good considering the nominations received, and on account of til* high cost of transport owners from outside distances require to have something pretlv good in their stables to patronise one-day fixtures endowed with only modcrate stakes. . If . . . A E Didhara went north this week to take possession of Courtdress who has been purchased by Mr D. M. Walker, o, 1 9?" oiel. Courldress is engaged m the mile hack race at Ashburton with- 8.11. Out of 13 starts last season Courtdress won a mile handicap at Matukara.ra last March, was once second and twice third. In addition to riding Courtdress in his cn^agftmont, Di<iha.m will also hnv© th© mount on 'Warrigal in the John Giigg Stakes. . , . Don’t Forget, who is top weight in tho Ashburton Handicap, 9.2, to be run c-ver a mile and a-quarter on Saturday, won over the same distance four times last season. the Tcsohemaker Handicap with 8.1 at Washdyke in October, the President’s Handicap with 8.2 at Oamaru, the Tiniaru Cup, carrying 7.12 J in April, and the Ashburton Handicap with 9.0 the following mouth. He has been working well on the tracks at Kiccarlcn since the national meeting, and the field he is likely to meet ir not a strong one. In past years the Waikouaiti Racing Club has not Irealod owners fairly in declaring the handicaps and closing acceptances for its meeting on New Year’s Day before Hie racing at Wingatui the week previous. This may have netted the club the best part cf £IOO, but at the expense of owners. With the restricted number of meetings and additional transport expenses owners are rigid, up against things this se.ason, and as the club is in a strong financial position, the management should remedy this mistake, and if the committee overlooks the importance of doing so the Dunedin District Committee should, have, something to say about the matter when the programme is submitted for approval. Because of his convincing win over six furlongs at the Christchurch Hunt meeting last month, and the good work he has been doing on the tracks since, Foxhaven is the probable favourite for the John Grigg Stakes on Saturday, but King Herod was a much better performed (wo-year-old than Foxhaven last season, and, if he has trained c-n. should again prove the better of the pair. King Herod is by Theio from tho Backhaul marc, Lacquer, and out, of nine starts last season won twice, was second once, and third twice. His successes were scored at Trenlham, where in March

he won the Pacific Handicap in 1.14 J, and at Riccarton last Easter, where he won the Champagne Stakes in 1.12, 1-oxliaven bein CT fourth King Herod ib owned by Mr J. H. Gngg, and success in a race named in memory of his father would be very popular. The following riding engagements have been announced fev the Ashburton meeting—c. T. Wilson—Wardress, Eulogist. Foshaven. Mauretania; A. Messervy—Good Scout, Straight Bat, Royal Writ, Eulogia, Bramble; P. Spratt—Don’t Forget, King Herod, Desert Lcvo, Impenunv. L. J. Ellis —Atro'us, Stabilise, John Gay, Junior; C. R. Mackie —Shikari. St Cloud. Lord Advocate; J- W. Jennings, Gay Parade, Turkish Patrol. V. Barrington, Pallid. XighMass; A Anderson, Sonneteer; I. WaUhor, Adina; D. Tbistoll, Arabian Nio-til; I). Stewart. Nulnrna; W. F. Ellis, Wedding Ring; A J Williams, Lincoln; H Were. Bramhall: A. E Didbam. CourlWarrigal: K. Ford, Hurry Girl: K. Wilson, Lady Midian; A. Loach, Donadca; M. Billingtou. Night Hawk.