To-day’s Racing News

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 July 1932, Page 12

To-day’s Racing News

Galloping MEETINGS TO COME July 28, 30 — Gisborne. July 30, Aug. I—Manawatu. July 30 — Christchurch Hunt. Gray to Train at Takanini: Auckland reports that Hector Gray, who was granted a provisional trainer’s license for the coming season, will commence operations a. Takanini.

Nukuinai’s Record: Nukumai was having his one hundred and forty-first race when he won the July Steeplechase on the concluding day of the Wellington winter meteing. Of this . total 66 have been flat races over a total distance of SI miles U ■ furlongs. Fifty-four have been hurdle events over m all 102 miles 2 furlongs, and 21 have been steeplechases over altogether 60 miles. In the aggregate, therefore, Nukumai has raced over 243 miles 3B furlongs. He has raced on 23 courses.

Double Tote: Following a discussion on competition by bookmakers, the Auckland Trotting Club, at its annual meeting, yesterday, passed a resolution recommending* the Government to bring down legislation to introduce a “double” totalisator, and to permit the telegraphing of money to race meetings. • -

Nightmarch for Sydney: Arrangements have been completed to ship Nightmarch to, Sydney. by the Maunganui, leaving Wellington on August 12. He will be accompanied by True Shaft .and the rising two-year-old gelding Haere Tonu, by Hunting Song from Martianette. The trio will race in Sydney up to the conclusion of the spring meeting at Randwick, and will then go on to Melbourne.

Arikira: Arikira has had his Winter Cup engagement continued. The Limond gelding has not raced since he failed to run into the money at the Auckland winter meeting. His last time in the! money was his win in the Easter Handicap at Wairarapa last March. At a drop of only 31b from his last Auckland defeat, he has been kept on the safe side. She of Jumpers:

The stalilon Archiestown has been in the limelight recently through the wins of his two sons Billy Boy and Paddon, who now head the handicaps in their respective Nationals'. It would be surprising if Archiestown did not leave jumpers. When purchased in England for the Auckland Country Clubs’ Breeders’ Association by the late Mr E. D. O’Rorke, Archiestown was rated the best hurdler at Home. He had won over long carymg weight up to 12.10.

Picture of Health: Lucess, who was a runner on the flat at Riccarton on Saturday, meets Snowfall and Paris, who beat him in last year’s Grand' National Steeplechase, on 101 b and 31b better terms in this year’s race. He looks a picture of health and condition, and is expected to make a much better showing this season.

VV. 11. Dicol’s Mounts: If Adventus starts in the Grand National Hurdles, W. H. Nicol will ride him. If not, Nicol will be -on Pahu, on whom he. was successful at the Trentham meeting.

Nassock: In the Great Northern Steeplechase, H. Turner, on Nassock, was confident that his mount had the measure of dopey -when they began the descent of the hill for the last time, but his mount over-reached at the next fence and fell. Nassock had done well at Te Rapa prior to departing for Riccarton. He had two starts at the Auckland Winter Meeting, apart from the Great Northern Steeplechase. He won the Greenlane Steeplechase, and was third to High Pitch and Cruachan in the Campbell Hurdles. Nassock, who has 9.0 in the Grand National Hurdles, ran in the Racecourse Hill Handicap on Saturday. He started the extreme outsider of the field, there being only a fiver invested on his chance, and was one of the last to finish. N.Z-ers to Fore: New Zealanders rarely overlook anything reflecting credit on horses of their own breeding, but I have not come across any special mention (says “Pilot” in the Sydney Referee) of the fact that most of those weighted at over 9st in each of the principal Australian handicaps of the spring are Dominion representatives. That can scarcely be pleasing to Australian breeders, as it furnishes a reason for greater attention being paid yearlings bred in New Zealand than those bred here. Whatever the reason, New Zealand, though breeding fewer horses, has been responsible for a comparaively greater number of good class :han Australia of recent years.

Returned Home: W. Rennie, the well-known crosscouhtry rider, returned to Hamilton iast week after attending the Victoria Grand National Meeting, at Flemington, where he rode Malte Up and landmark in the hurdles and steeples ■esr ecvively. They failed to run prominently, he stated, having trained off since they left New Zealand just after the Great Northern meeting. They .vu/e further handicapped by the brief nterval between the time of their arrival and the races. If they were in form Renie considered that they would have good prospects of winning .aces on the other side. Copey and Japtain’s Gift, other New Zealand

crses racing at the same meeting, failed to show up,,and this wits due to .he fact that they were not taken over aarly enough. Prospects generally for racing in Victoria were favourable, and he may return thefre later n the year. If Luminary is taken to Riccarton, Rennie will pilot him in the Grand National Hurdle R/ice. Snowfall’s Progress: Considerable interest will be taken 'n Snowfall’s showing at Timaru on Saturday. The last time he ran, on the same course, his running was questioned. Snowfall had a long spell after tlie Grand National meeting last year ami he did not race again until May 28, when, in a hurdle race at Washdyke, he tailed the field. He was un'daced in the Dunedin. Steeplechase on June 3 and in the Pareora

Steeplechase at Washdyke on 18. It was in the latter race that an explanation was asked for. So far his form has been unimpressive, but he has had another month’s work into him, so he should be nearer the maik now. Snowfall is a good jumper, and, according to reliable reports, t3 - ai “er E. J. Ellis is confident that Ins chaige will be ready to do his best to win Ins second National. NOTES FROM RICCARTON. RACING AT WASHDYKE. [SPECIAL TO “STAR.”]

CHRISTCHURCH, July 27. The South Canterbury Hunt Club s meeting, to take place at Washdyke on Saturday, will arouse general interest, in view of its close proximity to the opening of the Grand National meeting on August 9. The South Canteibury Steeplechase will be in the nature of a dress rehearsal for the bigger event at Riccarton, as seven of the National candidates will be paraued, comprising Snowfall, Lucess, High Pitch, Lord Ranald, Calham, Lancer and Nylotis. Snowfall has not had much racing this season, but has done a lot of solid work at Washdyke. His connections have made no secret of the fact that their objective from the opening of the jumping season has been the National, and it is significant that he will be the only mount over sticks that A. E. Ellis will take at the gathering. A share in Snowfall has been acquired by Mr. P. C. Webb, but the gelding will continue to race in the name of Mr. M. Mouatt jnr. His effort on Saturday, when he will be ridden by Ellis, will be anxiously awaited by racegoers, who feel inclined to fancy his chance of winning his second successive National. ’ Ellis, by the way, has had offers of rides in the National Hurdles, but has declined, as he has made all arrangements to leave for Sydney in the week following the meeting. He has been specially engaged to go over to ride Peter Jackson and Gaine Carrington in their engagements, and as his expenses are being paid to make the trip, he does not want to take any risks of missing it, as was the case last year. It will be remembered he had been engaged to ride Autopay in the Epsom Handicap at Randwick, but suffered a severe fall off Make Up in the National Hurdles, and had to forego the trip. Snowfall, he considers, is a safe conveyance, and in any case, a rider has a much bettei' chance of escaping injury from a cross-country tumble than in a hurdle event. Lucess has done well since coming to Riccarton, and the race he had on the flat on Saturday would do him a lot of good. Ridden by D. O’Connor, he was schooled yesterday, in company with Billy Boy (J. Burgess), and gave an excellent display. Billy Boy also jumped well, and his showing was quite satisfactory in spite of running off at the second of the brush doube, and taking Lucess with him. The latter will be ridden on Saturday bV O’Connor, and should race well, although he may be at a disadvantage with the comparatively small fences at Washdyke. He is a big jumper and will probably do better at Riccarton. <

High Pitch was brought to Riccarton early twelve months ago, with the idea of schooling him over the country, but he was not tried out. On this occasion, however, he was given a run over the schooling fences yesterday, his first cross-country experience. He shaped exceptionally well, and gave evidence that the bigger obstacles will not. be much trouble to him. Ridden by R. Beale, he went with Apache, The Babe and Lancer, and was close up to Lancer and Apache at the completion of a round. He "will, of course, bo having his first race in a steeplechase on Saturday, and his chance has to be taken on trust. Should he, however, make a reasonable showing, he will add interest to the National, as there is no doubt about his gift of speed and staying ability.

Lord Ranald has not been schooled for a fortnight, but has got through plenty of strong work on the flat. He has invariably displayed lameness after ail his exercise, but it wears off quickly. Whether this comes against him in a race is a matter to be awaited, but should such not be the case, there is every reason to expect the big gelding to keep the field busy" throughout. He will be ridden by W. Scobie, who piloted him in his successes nearly three years ago, and Scobie . will also have the mount on him in the National. Lord Ranald appears to have lost some of the dash he showed when previously raced, but still retains his brilliancy as a jumper. A win for him on Saturday would be well received at headquarters, as he is Riccarton’s only hope for steeplechase honours during National week.

Calham did not fare well in the steeplechase at Riccarton last Saturday, but that event was not a true test, owing to the sharp turns and small fences. He raced so well over the Wingatui country early last month that he will have to be seriously considered.

Lancer did not go far in his initial attempt over country on Saturday. His evasion of the fourth fence, however, was not his fault, as the leader Peterette ran down the obstacle and left no option for Lancer but to run off. Lancer is a clever little jumper on well, and his followers would not be well advised to neglect him on Saturday. '

Nylotis has been a useful performer in the South, but is hardly up to the class he will encounter at this end. Giggleswick is likely to be a well supported candidate in the Claremont Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. He was the last of a big field to leave the mark at Riccarton last week, and after being in the rear for some distance, finished close up to the placed division. He has greatly improved in looks since last seen at Riccarton, and is likely to race prominently on the trip from now onwards.

Iceni, who raced oir the West Coast Christmas circuit, and won a race at Westport later, appears to have matters all her own way in the Parera Hack Handicap at Washdyke. She was out in front in her engagement last Saturday until her condition gave out, and as this was her first race for some time, she will be a better filly this week. Iceni is from the well known mare Boadicea, and is trained for Mr. Peter Watson by J. W. Jennings, who has ridden her in all her races.

Chickwheat, who is engaged in the Hunters’ Plate on Saturday, is another trained by Jennings. He has had a varied career, and his owner, Mr. E. C. Kaier, deserves' To have some success with him for his pluck in keeping him going. A couple of seasons ago no galloper in the district could better Chickwheat on the track, but ho was a

very expensive racing proposition. Put to hurdling, he was also a failure. His sire Buckwheat, produced Polygonium, winner of the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race this month, and evidently Chickwhea't’s owner has ideas now of bis gelding making good as a hurdler. Chickwheat has been qualified with the Brackenfield Hounds. There is nothing amiss with his jumping, and if be could be persuaded to use his pace in sympathy, he would win some good i races. AUCKLAND CLUB’S LOSS AUCKLAND, July 27. A loss of £2683, which includes f£2ooo balance of improvements written off and £54 written off on the dining room plant, is shown in the annual accounts of the Auckland Racing Club. The report says that the result may be considered quite satisfactory, considering the difficult times prevailing and the need for keeping up the prize money to as high a level as possible, I in order to encourage the owners and breeders to continue their participation in the sport. At the four race meetings held by the Club £41,740 was disbursed in prize money, which included £340 subscribed by owners as sweepstakes. The financial outlook for the forthcoming season still gave cause for grave doubt, and it would be necessary to again curb expenditure. The committee, however, felt a responsibility to owners, and would endeavour to provide prize money that would ensure the best horses being seen at Ellerslie.