RACING

Evening Star, Issue 24482, 17 April 1943, Page 3

RACING

[By St. Claiu.] Reminders. Nominations for the Forbury Park Trotting Clirb's Winter Meeting, to be held on May 8, close on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Acceptances for the first day of tho Canterbury Jockey Club's Easter Meeting close on Monday at 5 p.m. Jottings. At Wingatui This Morning. The centre of the course, trestles out about 25ft from the rails, was open for fast work at Wingatui this morning, but the going was too hard for most of the trainers to spin their horses out on, and the sand track, which was in splendid order, was used more than is generally the ease. On the course proper Night Scout, who is coming to hand well, ran seven furlongs in 1.38 3-5. Sir Saladin was much- too good for Golden Tide over half a mile on *the sand track in 54 4-5. Money Bird took 56 for the same task, but did not pull u,p well, and can be marked off as a doubtful starter at Riverton.

On the course proper Night Lancer travelled fast over the first three furlongs, 38, and was then steadied and completed seven furlongs in 1.38 1-5. Silver Lily was well on her toes, and it took her rider a long time to get her to the five-furlong post. She was well outside the trestles, and ran the first two in 24 3-5 and the five in 64 1-5.

Paladeo was much too good for Paper Smith and Miss Sally over the same journey in 63 3-5. Prince Flaneur (C. Robinson) was schooled over three fences, and jumped very fast and clean. He is well forward in condition for his engagement at Riverton next Saturday. Jottings.

The rising two-year-old colt from Cuddle by Beau Pere has been named Beau Cheval.

At the Melbourne yearling sales 11 lots by Enfield (a grandson of Sou-in-Law) averaged 652igs. Though Gold Bar was allowed to drop out of both his engagements at Addington to-day, he is reported to be quite all right, and is being reserved for the Free-for-all next Saturday. The Canterbury District Committee did not only uphold S. J. Green's appeal against tlie suspension imposed by the Judicial Committee of the Waimate Racing. Cluib, but also ordered the return of his £5 deposit and the club to pay all the expenses. There will be five races on the Wellington Racing Club's winter programme carrying four-figure stakes. On the first day the Wellington Steeplechase is worth £1,500, and the Whyto. Eandicap £I,OOO. On the second, day the Winter Hurdles, July Steeplechase,, and Parliamentary Handicap each have had £I,OOO allotted them. In reply to representations made by the Canterbury S.P.C.A., the Canterbury Jockey Club has written to the society stating that excessive use of the whip oh horses approaching the finishing post is against the Rules of Racing, and that the cTub did not countenance such action.

' Southern Sail, who is more than a possibility for the Riverton Cup, is a six-year-old mare by Iliad from Set Sail, the latter one of the best mares up to a mile and a-quarter ever bred in Southland. In hoth races she has won this season Southern Sail has finished very strongly, giving the impression that she will stay on. The firm tracks at'Wingatui have.not suited Strip, and he appears to be sore in one of his shoulders. A. E. Didham intends taking him south for the Riverton Cup, but he will only be a starter if the going suits. Sally Sage will be the only other of Didham's team for Riverton.

A correspondent asks if the weight-for-age scale influences handicappers in making their adjustments. The question is a difficult one to answer, but generally speaking it is safe to answer "No." In framing the adjustments for the leading handicaps in the Dominion it niay -act as a guide, but not often in minor handicaps.

There will be a general exodus from Wingatui early next,week. A. McDonald and G. A leave with their teams for Riverton on Monday, and H. A. Anderton on Tuesday. A. E. Didham, who will divide his team between Riverton and Beaumont, will leave for Rivertoii later on in the week, 'and D. J. McDonald, with Paladeo and Silver Lily, is booked for Riecarton next Saturday.

Southland's veteran trainer, Alex. McKenzie. who won the Riverton Cup on Wild Wave (1894) and Leinster (1895), and owned Sir Patrick when he won in 1896, will be represented in this year's race by Southern Sail. Andy McKay, who won on Tugela in 1903, and again the next year, will be represented by Amorlad. R. E. McLellan, who rode Burrangong when he won in 1920, and trained First Song, winner in 1935, will have Macedoine, and F. W. Ellis, who trained winners in . Bilbo (1927), Red Sea (1930), and Royal Lancer (1941), will be represented with the last named again in this year's race. The Works Committee of the Forbury Park Trotting Club is a very live body, and the improvements the members have suggested (and obtained the approval of the General Committee) will be much appreciated by the club's patrons at next month's meeting. One of the.most important of these will be the increased number of turnstiles at the admission gates in Plunket street. For some years past there has been : much congestion at this entrance, at which all passengers by the tram service alight, and it is will known to racecourse managers that where congestion exists losses in the takings invariably, occur. The members of the Works Committee of this club are to be congratulated on the good work they are doing. Forty years ago the Riverton Steeplechase course was generally admitted to be the most severe testing circuit for a jumper in the Dominion. There was only one fence less than sft high, but it was not only the high gorse fences that made it such a severe test, but. being laid out, over the paddocks surrounding the course, all sorts of going had to be contended with, and this further tried the judgment of riders. It is on record that on one occasion in the Otaitai Steeplechase at one stage of that race every saddle was empty. About the beginning of the present century the first alteration in the course was made, and though the distance still remained at about three miles the slightly easier course reduced the average time by the running of the

race by over a minute. Some 20 years later the present course was laid out, cutting out the road doubles, which proved the downfall of many horses, and the size of all the fences, excepting the big post and rails in front of the stand, reduced. This alteration, which provided, much better going between fences, gave many horses that would have never faced the original course chances, and took about another minute off winners' times. . The present course is a comparatively easy one, and has provided some fine contests.