To-day’s Racing News

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 April 1932, Page 11

To-day’s Racing News

' Trotting MEETINGS TO COME April 9—Cheviot. April 9—Wanganui. April 16—Ashburton. April 21—Nelson. April'23—'Te Aroha. April 29— Marlborough. April 30—Auckland. May 5,'7— Forbury Park. May 7-p-Cambridge. Just a Hack: . Gold Jacket has been noticed on the track at Epsom, but he is not m steady work, and L. McMahon is merely using him for a hack at present. Like other good horses, Gold Jacket will have only an occasional opportunity to race in Auckland, as there are no classes tor the best horses, and to do any good he would have to be taken South.

A Good Trotter: That good trotter Worthy Queen took on a field of pacers in the Taranaki Trotting Cup on Saturday and ran a slashing race to get third, .only two and a-half lengths behind the winner, Sister Rose- From * mark Worthy Queen went 4.36 2-5, which suggests that she is unlucky there are no trotters’ races to suit her-

A Smart Maiden; There are several smart maidens in work at Epsom, but few would have any chance of beating Gold Seam, in L. McMahon’s team. Gold Seam has taken a long while to come right, but McMahon has him going particularly well just now, and if he paces as well in. his races as he does on the training track he should have little difficulty in winning some of the stake-money when next stepped out. A Second Surprise:

When Dark Denver won at Westport on the second day, he returned a dividend of over a third of a century. At Reefton on Wednesday, he was well suppqrted for. the mile race, but' did not go smoothly, and when produced in the Reefton Trot, his chances were not given serious consideration by many investors. He never left the issue in doubt, and led all the way, pacing evenly throughout to win comfortably, and return another dividend of double figures. Dark Denver fs not reliable, blit when he does decide to keep down, his speed is sufficient to make- him difficult to overhaul in moderate class.

Attacked by Bees: The, trotter Roi Grande, who had an unusual experience recently, is now all right again and doing steady work on the tracks. He was out walking on the roads when a swarm of bees was disturbed and dropped on Roi Grande’s neck. The bees made full use of their stings, and for a time the gelding’s neck looked like a blue bagWith the Pacers:

As the clubs have practically cut out the fast trots in Auckland, WClifton has decided to again put the hopples on Explosion, and the chestnut will take his place with the pacers once more. Explosion looked like, being one of the best straight-out trotters, but he has won races at the pacing gait.

Showing Improvement: La Rinkie, a five-year-old mar© by Man o’ War, is showing improvement in her racing efforts. At the summer meetings, she was a failure, being unable to show any promising form. During the recent carnival, however, La Rinkie performed much better, and secured a third placing at Westport, and went a steady race to get second in the mile at Reefton on Wednesday. S. Griggs is giving a lot of attention to the pacer, and in time his patience should be rewarded.

Expensive Favourite: Town Crier was brought from Doylestown, for the second day at »Omoto, where he was the warmest favourite of the day, but finished unplaced. At Reefton, the public decided that he should again carry support, and he was again installed a warm first choice. He proved expensive once more, for he broke when going down the back, as he did at Omoto, and although placed third, many considered that the judge had erred in not giving the third placing to the fast finishing August Pointer, who caught, and appeared to pass Town Crier just before reaching the post. Town Crier’s speed is unquestionable, but it is of little use in a race, unless he can pace smoothly all the way.

Galloping MEETINGS TO COME April 9—Hawke’s Bay. April 9—Oamaru. • April 9, 11—Te Kuiti. April 15, 16,—Masterton. April 20, 21— Manawatu. April 28, 30— Whangarei. April 22, 23—Nelson. April 23—S. Canterbury. April 30 —Marton. April 28, 30— Marlborough. April 30— Amberley. May 4, s—Egmont.5—Egmont. Big Stake Missed: Had Admiral Drake won the Sydney Cup, his owner, Mr J- M. Samson, would have landed a big stake, as he had him coupled in doubles with Jacko, the winner of the Doncastei Handicap- Admiral Drake returned to New Zealand on Tuesday. C. Giesier also brought back the yearling co by Rampion from Down South, purchased by Mr Samson for 200 guineas at the sales.

Booster Breaks Down: That once brilliant sprinter, Booster, was produced in the Stewaids Handicap at Reefton, but he broke down during the race, and was very lame on returning to the bird cage. He is now in his tenth year, and it is now certain that he will be permanently retired-

Going Never Suited: The hard tracks did not suit Thursby ,and he failed to win a race over the circuit. He was in good condition, but his only chance of leading a field home was to have a soft track. It was difficult to understand why his party decided to start the gelding twice at Reefton, when they must have known that galloping on the hard track would not be to his benefit.

Silver Ring: Silvei* Ring is only the second two-yehr-oid that has won the Canterbury jockey . Club’s treble—Middle Park Plate, Champion Stakes, and Challenge Stakes. By completing the treble last week he equalled the feat of Autumnus, owned by Sir George Clifford, in 1912. Silver Ring was purchased for 300 gs, and has now won £1,239 in stakes. He concluded his season’s racing at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Meeting last week, and he is now enjoying a spell. Aesculus Failed:

A feature of the racing at Hastings was the complete failure of Aesculus, the promising Night Raid colt beloriging to Mr. T. H. Lowry. He did hot jump out well and was bustled to get a position. This did not appeal’ to suit him, and in the straight he failed absolutely and was even unable to secure second place.

Chrysology is Well: Chrysology is a better horse now than he has been at any other stage of his career. He is staying on better than he used to and should win another good middle distance race before the end of the season. He is sure to run a creditable race at Hastings on Saturday and will not be neglected by those who witnessed lus good performance last week.

Australian Best Youngster: Kuvera added further lustre to lus consistent record by taking the Champagne Stakes from Closing Time and Vauntry, says the “Sydney Morning Herald”) This was Kuvera’s third successive win, in that he neadheated for first place with Oro at the Bridge Celebration meeting, and has accomplished the big autumn two-year-old double at the A.J-C- meeting. His Champagne success brought Kuvera’s earnings to £11,529- In 13 starts he has had five wins and a dead-heat for first, and three thirds. He is an exceptionally robust youngster, for he has been in training since he was broken in last April- Before the Breeders’ Plate he developed a cold, and had a slight let-up for about a week. Early this year he had. a fortnight’s respite from serious training, but did not leave his trainer s stable- Kuvera and Molilson are the only horses to win the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes double in the past decade.

Winning Owners: Owners who participated in the stake money provided by the Greypiouth, Westland, Reefton, and Kumara Clubs, during the carnival just concluded are: —R. Adamson £351, Colvin and Thomas £283, J. Adamson £238, P- Thorpy £177, M. R. Spiers £146, T. Pritchard £143, H. Duggan £ll9, F. Fenton £lO9, E. Kaier £lO3, W. Stewart £B7, F. Holmes £B2, M. Johnston £741, J. Stewart £73, T. H. McKenzie £72, Miss M. C. Wilson £691, W. Reid £6.5, F. Scott £65, L. A. McNeill £63, 11. McNeill £6O, W. C. Clark £6O, E. W. Spencer £5B, W. Gleeson, E. Russell, V. Albori £56, L. Workman £55, L. J. Kirwan £54, J. Marshall £53, G. Fulton, A. Goodman £5O, L. W. Morgan £4l, T. E. Coates £36, J. Brown £241, H. Wanden £lB, W. J. Lane, Mrs W. Stewart, Miss J. Baillie £l6, H. C. Newman, D. Spence £l4, Mrs W. Monteith £l2, A. W. Johnston, S. Griggs, W. R. Simpson £lO, B. F. Spiers, P. James, F. Escott £B, W. H. Ballinger £7l, J. W. Burridge, W. J. Doyle £5, L. R. McFarlane £3.

RACING AT OAMARU.

PROSPECTS FOR TO-MORROW. [SPECIAL TO “STAB.”] CHRISTCHURCH, April 8. The interest of South Island racegoers will be centred in the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting to be held tomorrow. Reasonably well-filled fields will parade and recent winning form is strongly represented in all the galloping events. The following horses can be expected to race prominentlyHighweight Handicap: Countermarch, Appeal. Novice Stakes: Silver Sight, Metal Bird. Gardner Memorial Handicap: Ramo, Juniper, Night Effort. Oamaru Trot: St. Felix, Margaret Bingen. Hack Handicap: Red Royal, Kerbside, Pakitere. Flying Handicap: Al Jolson, Arrowmir. Waikaura Trot: Black Jester, Harvest Girl. Farewell Hack: Weatherly, Trek, Crash. The Chokebore stable will be repre-

sented at Oamaru to-morow for the first time for many years, Sailor’s Love and Porlock making the trip. The former has failed to come up to expectations and will find the opposition in the Highweight Handicap a little too strong. Porlock engaged in the Novice Stakes, is a. three-year-old filly by The Ace from Red Hind. She showed a lot of promise in her track work last season, but has not been raced this term, owing to oft-recur-ring soreness. She cannot therefore in the absence of any public form, be recommended for this event.

Countermarch will carry. the colours of his new owner, Mr M. d’Brien, in the highweight event at Oamaru to-morrow, and on his form at Riccartpn, his chance looks hopeful. After the meeting he is to be handed over to the huntsman of the Christchurch Hunt, to be schooled, and qualified.

Taku Tama and Monastic were not accepted for at Oamaru, and are to be treated to a few weeks’ spell. With any luck, both should have won at Reefton on Wednesday. Arrowmir, now in the veteran stage, retains his pace to a marked degree, and very few horses in training would settle him over six furlongs on the track. He will be pitted against some smart' sprinters at Oamaru to-morrow, but, at the same time, he is deserving of special attention. A likely candidate in the Hack Handicap at Oamaru to-morrow is Execution, a 'three-year-old filly by Shambles from Sopra, dam of Reonui, and like that good horse, trained by F. D. Jones. She has only had a couple of races but is endowed with a rare turn of speed and although she 'may not win to-morrow, she will be a useful member of the team later on.

. PHAR LAP’S SKELETON.

FOR NEW ZEALAND MUSEUM

[PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, April 7.

. Arrangements have been made for the skeleton of Phar Lap to become the property of the Dominion Museum. The Prime Minister received an offer from Mr Davis part-owner, to present the skeleton to New Zealand, and Mr Forbes has replied accepting.

Representatives of the Stud Breeders’ Association and the Racing Conference express appreciation of the offer. It is considered that the gift will be of scientific and educational value, and it is regarded as a graceful recognition of the fact that the champion was bred in the Dominion.

POISONING POSSIBILITY.

[BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

NEW YORK, April 6.

A Menlo Park message states that although colic is generally accepted as the cause of the horse’s death, ru mours flew thick and fast in some quarters hinting that the horse died from poisoning that was placed in his feed bag. Mr Davis said: “I cannot conceive any fiend who might have been vicious enough to poison Phar Lap, but I never heard of a horse dying of colic in just the way that Phar Lap did, and I believe that 1 owe it to other horsemen to make a thorough examination. ■ There is also a chance that he may have been poisoned accidentally, and if this is the case, we want to know about it.”

LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS

MENLO PARK, April 7.

That a chemical examination of the stomach of Phar Lap will be made, was announced\ by Dr. William Nielsen, who said that the stomach and intestines had been taken to the laboratory of Dr. Karl Meyer, director of the Hooper Foundation, for Medical Research, at the University of California. Investigation had also started of the plant life which the horse may have eaten.

A. N. Chisholm, Director of the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department Agriculture, took samples of the grasses of alfalfa shrubs and even leaves from trees. He said that he was particularly interested in some leaves, which appeared to have been sprayed with arsenate of lead, which is used by orchardists and truck gardeners as a pest spray.

MR TELFORD’S GRIEF.

MELBOURNE, April 7,

Mr Telford says that he is brokenhearted at the death of Phar Lap. He would far rather the horse ended his days loafing about the paddocks on his estate at Braeside, where the horse was a familiar figure in other days. “As I know the horse —“Bobby” we called him—he was never sick, sore or sorry; and the news of his tragic end is almost unbelievable. I have cabled Mr Davis to bring back Phar Lap’s heart and hide.” Mr Telford received a brief cal)logram from Mr Davis last night saying that Phar Lap died unexpectedly.

U.S.A. EMOTION.

NEW YORK, April 6.

The deaths of famous horses have pince antiquity, offered the occasion for remarkable eulogies, but it is safe to say that the emotional appeal made on the American people by Phar Lap's tragic ending is extraordinary. When the first news was flashed over the wires of two great American news agencies, it was in the form of “an unverified report,” and, even after they had been verified the details, the circumstances were for a considerable time unavailable. Then, finally, when the story was written, it was brief. His illness was sudden. The end came quickly. All through the night, however, there was the task of communicating with figures representative of the turf —those who, in some way, were concerned with Phar Lap’s American venture, or those Whose interest in thoroughbreds enabled them to speak with authority. Thus, by trunk line, by telephone and by messenger comment poured in .through last night*and to-day. The man under whose aegis Phar Lap ran his only American race, Mr Crofton,' Said: “His death is a great blow to the .turf. I mourn with the Australian turf lovers the loss of a super horse.” Colonel Winn, the head of Arlington Park, Chicago, under whose aegis the •horses was to run his second important race, said: “His loss is great to tlhe racing interests of the United States. He would have been a wonderful stimulant to racing here this • year.”

Various newspapers carry leading articles recounting the horse’s ; achievements, and expressing regret. .1 The "New York Sun” says: .“The

big gelding was to Australians, what Man o’ War was to Americans.” The “New York Times” says: “Thousands not connected with the turf were attracted to him by the stories of, his .remarkable good temper and playfulness.” The newspapers throughout the United States of America, of course, gave the news of his death the most prominent display, many of them on their front pages; Both yesterday and to-day, following the Agua Caliente Handicap, a news reel cinema, giving extensive views of the race itself and close-ups of the horse playing with his trainer, has been shown throughout the country, arousing even in the least turf-minded of Americans close interest in the animal. Something of this is also reflected in the fact that one American magazine with the widest circulation, will carry in its next week’s issue cabled accounts of how the news of Phar Lap’s death was received in Australia.