L. F. Berkett Deprived of Leading Position on Winning Owners' List

Evening Star, Issue 26151, 12 July 1947, Page 9

L. F. Berkett Deprived of Leading Position on Winning Owners' List

Although Mr J. R. McKenzie is officially at the head of the winning owners’ list this season, the honour virtually belongs to L. F, Berkett, who is in the trotting records in second place. This position arises because Nyallo Scott, held on lease by Berkett from Mr McKenzie, races in the latter's name. The money earned in stakes by Nyallo Scott all go to Berkett, except 25 per cent, of first placings only, which means that of Nyallo Scott’s total of £6,395 this season for first placings only, £4,796 5s was collected by Berkett and £1,598 15s by Mr McKenzie. , Berkett’s total earnings for the season, therefore, are actually £ 14,403 ss, and Mr McKenzie’s £5.237'55. For the purposes of New Zealand trotting statistics, however, the full amounts must (according to the New Zealand ‘Trotting Calendar*) be credited to the owner in whose name a horse races. The leading owners on the official list are J. R. McKenzie £11,193 10s, L. F. Berkett £8,447, M. C. McTigue £7,045, V. Leeming £6,885, W. L. Parkinson £6,830, A. J, Kemble £6,685.

NEWS UNO VIEWS fJBy Observer,] Fixtures. July 39.—Wellington Racing Club. . July 19. —South Canterbury District • Hunt Club. July 19.—Manawatu Hunt Club. July 19, 26. Avondale Jockey Club, July 20.—Christchurch Hunt Club. July 26,—Rangitikei Hunt Club. August 2,9, 16.—Canterbury Jockey Club. August 9- Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. August.—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August.— Hunt Club (at' Hastings). The Stud Book, The president of the Racing Conference, Mr H. R. Chalmers, said at the annual meeting that it was hoped to publish Volume XV. of the New Zealand Stud Book by December at the latest. (.ady. Christine In Training. Lady Christine, who was the leading •take-winning two-year-old this season with a total of £3,800, has been re- . commissioned by A. Goodman, The Christopher Robin filly is still in big condition, but she will be ready to race at early spring meetings. She is engaged in several classic events, • and she impresses as likely'to develop into a first-class sprinter. Not so Wonderful. B. Meenan, Victoria’s ace rider of jumpers, was interviewed by a radio commentator on the eve of winning the j Grand National Hurdles on Euduhda. . He was asked how he would like to ride ; a horse like Attley over hurdles. v the . interviewer obviously expecting him to . reply that it; would be wonderful, “ I wouldn’t like it at all,” said-Meenau. ” He would gallop into his hurdles with head down and tail switching, and that would mean ——l” Five Shilling Bets, . The New ; Zealand Trotting; .Conferenqe was prepared to accept a.recom- . mendation for the, introduction of a totalise toi r v forJ.&L, be'j& if,, ,4 he . R oyaj. "’Commission ‘on Gaming and .'Racing made such a recommendation. This was r stated by Mr C. S, Thomas, conn- 1 sel for the conference. He added that! the installation should not be made! ■ obligatory, but that if it was there should be a safeguard enabling clubs to .< discontinue its use if it was found that it was not successful. , Coming to Addington. / Single-Direct,- who was ■ one of the most promising pacers in the Auckland district this season, is being kept in training with a . trip to Addington next month in view. Jiis eight starts this season resulted in three wins and four seconds. He is regarded as a particularly good stayer, and should not be hard to place, to advantage in Canter- j

bury, A four-year-old bv Bill B from Loyal. Direct, he is trained by E. N. Kennerley. Source of Income. The excess of income over expenditure for the year ended May 31 last, is shown in the general account of the New Zealand Racing Conference at £1,445. Income was derived mainly from levies on racing clubs £17,211, New Zealand Trotting Conference £1,235, registration fees £1,312, and broadcasting fees £9OO. Main items of expenditure were salaries and general expenses £4,070, New Zealand Stud Book Gaming Commission £1,500, stipendiary stewards £4,992, and racecourse inspectors £5,366. Rare Mudlark. ' The Monarch stifled himself while running in a hurdle race at Hastings last month, and as a result of the injury dropped out of his engagements on the first two days of the Wellington meeting. He has made a good recovery, and will probably be on hand again for the Winter Hurdles next Saturday. The Monarch has already proved a winner this winter, and being a rare mudlark, he may collect another stake before the winter is over. Unlucky in the Big Cups. Laugue d’O'r, /who added another £3.630 to his winning account this season, Lis ben recommissioned at Awnpuni following a brief spell since the autumn. The good-staying son of Lang Bian and Princess Doreen has vet to win one of the big cups, hut lie has run fourth.' third, and second in the last three New Zealand Cups, while he finished second and fourth in the last'two Wellington Cups. Langue d’Or is reported to be in good order to begin his preparation for the big spring events, and no doubt the New Zealand Cup will again be included in his engagements. . - Clockwork Retired. Clockwork, one of the Dominion’s best pacers, has been retired from racing.. Clockwork won his. way through the classes to reach a tight mark, and in eight seasons of racing earned, £7.208 . in stakes. . His best .performance was- to win the Free-for-All at Addington, in 1945, returning 3.9 4-5 for .the mile and a-lialf. The only horse to better that time in New Zealand was Van Derby, who recorded 3.9 3-5. Whereas Van Derby went from a flying start. Clockwork began from'a stand, making his feat a much better performance. Ages Qf Melbourne Cup Candidates. The 522 nominees for the Melbourne Cup next .November show a large variation in ages. Owners of two-year-olds evidently hold high hopes of their charges developing Cup form as three-year-olds, as horses of that age have the largest representation with 188. Four-year-olds (next season) number 110 and five-year-olds four less. In the veteran class, as far as Cup

horses are concerned, there are 10 eight-year-olds, three nine-year-olds, one IQ-year-ald, two 12-ycnr-olds, and Mr Phelan, a 14-yeav-old, is the “ old man ” of ;the field. In the past 20 years the four-year-old group has been ■ successful eight'' tinieis; three-year-olds have won four, five, and six-year-olds three each, and aged horses have prevailed twice.

Shipped to Australia. Equator, who was sold at the 1946 National Yearling Sales for 3,000g5, has been shipped to Australia under the care of F, IV. McCabe, who has prepared the youngster practically throughout his career. In his only two starts to date Equator revealed a brilliant burst of speed, but his campaign was affected .by his contracting a heavy cold, and it was decided to adopt a patient policy with him. He is a black colt by the imported stallion Neptune, from the Robespierre mare Lady Zephyr, a daughter of Lady Minerva, who produced the Auckland Cup winner Minerval. He is thus a half-brother to West Wind, a good winner in Victoria. It has been reported that there is a distinct possibility that the Auckland jockey, H, N, Wiggins, will ride the colt m Australian engagements.