SPORTING Attractive Schooling by Dumbo

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1946, Page 5

SPORTING Attractive Schooling by Dumbo

Preparing for Saturday Big Top and Olga’s Choice Jump, Well [SPECIAL TO STAR.] RICCARTON, July 31. The main steeplechase course at Riccarton was made available this morning, but there was only one schooling task in which five horses took part. Dumbo went to the lead after the first fence and carried on over the kennels double from Roman Son, Bronze Night, Lady Premier and The Raker. They approached the big brush in this order, but Bronze Night hit heavily in front and turned a somersalt, while The Raker, following behind him, stopped at the fence. Dumbo led Roman Son over the carriage paddock'brush and completed the journey with an excellent effort over Cutts’ brush, two lengths in front of Roman Son with Lady Premier tailed off. Dumbo attracted attention by his dashing display, while Roman Son showed considerable improvement in his jumping. Lady Premier bled during the latter part of the task. J. Winder, the rider of Bronze Night, suffered an injured shoulder. Blue Title and Big Top were companions over six hurdles. The latter gave his usual smart display, and was in front at every fence. Blue Title also jumped well, but was inclined to be sluggish and required vigorous riding to keep him up with his mate. Olga’s Choice followed this pair at an interval and was close up to them al the finish. His showing was also impressive.

The only other jumper out was Lynden Lea who showed a marked improvement in a task over four hurdles.

The course proper both for galloping and schooling will be open tomorrow.

Arabian Night has been restricted to road work since his mishap, and is to be given an easy gallop to-mor-row. It will then be decided whether he will contest the Jumpers’ Flat race.

News from Track and Stable

Poor Display. Kilmanagh carried half the investments in the Park Steeples at the Napier Park meeting, but she was. so completely routed that the decision of her connections to continue her Grand National engagement does not appear to justified. The Siegfried mare did not jump one fence right and was under a hard ride to take second place seven furlongs from home. Her rider lost an iron at the next fence, but that did not materially affect the result.

Equine Birthday. Although the racing finished last Saturday, the 1945-46 season ends officially to-day, and all horse's automatically become one year older tomorrow.’ With the commencement of the new season, accident fees also become due. Retired.

Sonja Henie, who had one win and one placing for W. Rush this season, has been retired, and will be mated with Logan Derby. Bred by J. T. Paul, Auckland, Sonja Henie is by Great Parrish from Lou Pronto, by Don Pronto from Lou Dillon, by Valdamar from Firefly 11, by Judge Huon from Polly. Endurance Scratched.

Endurance was scratched for the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap next Saturday at 2.5 p.m. yesterday. He looked to be slightly lame behind after his fall at the last hurdle in the Longbeach Hurdles last Saturday. Australian Statistics.

Though he had not ridden a winner in the past two weeks, A. G. Mu Iley easily won the 1945-46 Sydney jockeys’ premiership, which closed yesterday. He had 57 winners in Sydney, and seven in other States. W. Cook, with 42, was second,’ and J. Thompson, last year’s winner, third, with 41. The leading apprentice was G. Podmore with 18 firsts. Bayly Payten again headed the winning trainers’ list with 34 wins, beating Maurice McCarten, 26, and J. McCurley 16 . A. Br'easley headed the Victorian winning jockeys for the third successive season with 52f wins, against 29 by his nearest rival, H. Badger. F. W. Hoysted led the trainers with 21 and Mr. O. R. Porter was the most successful owner with 15 winners for £17,167 in stakes.