JOTTINGS FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20137, 5 January 1940, Page 3

JOTTINGS FROM TRACK AND STABLE

LEADING HORSEMAN WIGGINS RETAINS LEAD WINNERS AT ELLERS! .IE MR, ROWAN HEADS' LIST By “Trenton” The season’s leading jockey. H. N. Wiggins, maintained his good form at Ellerslic by steering the four winners, Bronwen, Beau Vite, To Kawiti and Royal Descent, and was the most successful horseman at the meeting. C. G. Goulsbro and R. W. McTavish were well to the fore with three wins each, while P. Atkins, V. Gollop,’ H. Long, G. Smith and L. J. Ellis each saluted the judge on two occasions. The following each rode one winner:—D. Craddock, J. Winder, G. Cameron, N. R. McKenzie, F. Cleaver, F. E. Baker, A, C. Messervy, W. J. Broughton, R. Stockley, J. H. Mcßae, A. E. Ellis, G. Gilchrist, and W. J. Mudford. New President Through the death of Mr. J. S. McLeod, Mr. A. S. Elworthy, chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club, becomes president of the New Zealand Racing Conference. The constitution provides that in an emergency such as has just arisen the vice-president shall become president and hold office till the annual meeting of the conference (next July). To the executive committee falls the duty of filling the vacancy in the vice-presidency, a matter which will be included ! in the business of its next meeting. Racing- Editor Retires The racing editor of the Star-Sun, Christchurch, Mr. A. Dickson, has retired after 53 years in journalism. For many years Mr. Dickson, who began his career in Otago, edited the racing columns of the Canterbury Times, the Lyttelton Times and the Star-Sun, and in addition he holds the position of judge for the Canterbury Jockey Club, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trolling Club, and a number of other racing bodies in Canterbury, During Christmas week the members of the stall' of the Star-Sun presented Mr Dickson with a smoking stand and a silver server for Mrs. Dickson, and the company, New Zealand Newspapers, Limited, presented him with a cheque. Hostile Reception A mildly hostile reception met Fine Art on his return to the birdcage after winning the Selwyn Handicap in his best manner at Addington on Tuesday. On the first day Fine Art gave an indifferent display, racing with little solidness, but on this occasion he was always going well, to run on under punishment and defeat Blair Athol, who was slowly away, by a head. A feature of the race was Southern Chief’s outstanding brilliancy into third place, after losing at least 72yds. when he broke soon after the start. Although wide out, Southern Chief ran the last mile in 2.5. N.Z. Owner’s Purchase The New Zealand owner, Mr. W. Devon, paid 1050 guineas for O’Raklo, a two-year-old colt by Lo Zingaro from Recuperator, at a sale of racehorses and untried stock in Sydney on Tuesday. O'Raklo is a half-brother to the good performer Respirator. Mr. W. Hackett purchased Micawber from Mr. A. E. Cooper for 500 guineas. Gold Standard, a four-year-old gelding by Iliad from Ann Shakespeare, realised only 20 guineas. Australian Trotters The Sydney trotting trainers W. J. and W. A. O’Shea left Auckland today with their respective charges, Lawn Derby and Springfield Globe; who have engagements at meetings in South Australia later this month. Although Lawn Derby did not win a race, he succeeded in establishing a new course record of 2.2 2-5 at Claud-e----lands, and at New Brighton ran 2.3 3-5, equalling the record he made last season. Springfield Globe raced only at the Auckland meeting, earning £7O for fourth place in the Trotting Cup. Springfield Globe is a good type of .pacer, who was unlucky in being a little beyond his best Aus-, tralian form by the Handicapping Committee of the New Zealand Trotting Association. The visitors were accompanied by Uenuku and Icevus, who are being taken to Perth by their respective trainers, R. A. McMillan and J. Young, to fulfil engagements at the inter-Do-minion championships to be held at Gloucester Park on February 7, 10, 14 and 17. Although Uenuku and Icevus did not run to their best at Epsom they only require to strike form to

have good prospects in Western Australia.

Owners and Trainers

The Auckland Cup winner, Clicval do Voice, and Fils do Vaals, who won the Summer Cup and was third in the Great Northern Derby, earned for their owner-trainer, Mr. A. Rowan, £2900 and a gold cup valued at £SO, which placed him at the head of the list of winning owners at the Auckland Racing Club's summer meeting. The Wellington sportsman Mr. R. Stewart came next with £I9OO as a result of Beau Vito’s wins in the Great Northern Derby and Clifford Plate, and second in the King’s Plate. Mr. A. E. Lennard received £IOSO as a result of the successes of his brilliant two-year-old Lou Rosa. Dr. M. G. Pezaro and Mr. E. C. Harnett were each rewarded with £IOOO by the efforts of Royal Appellant and Beaulivre respectively. The Gisborne owners, Messrs. E. Fitzgerald and A. Mclntosh, each won £3OO. Other good winners were: —Mr. W. Townsend, £950; Mr. T. Impey, £900; Mr. C. W. Anderson, £800; Mr. C. W. Jackson, £800; Mr. R. T. Reid, £580; Messrs. A. W. and R. H. Townsend, £450; Mr. A. J. F. Walker, £400; Mr. T. H. Lowry, £370; Mr. F. Ormond, £350; Mr. A. Russo, £350; Mr. S. J. Wood, £350; Mr. G. R. Grace, £350; Hon. E. R. Davis and O. Nicholson, £350: Mr. A: J. McGovern, £320; Mr. W. H. Gaisford, £315- Mr. F. Smith, £300; Mr. N. Suter, £300; Mr. R. G. Reid, £300; and Mrs. A. and C. H. Bartleet, £3OO.

The Takanini trainer F. Smith had a successful meeting with seven wins, his winners being Arvafcur (2), Full Hand, Cornish, Proud Fox, Gladynev and Sunola, and he easily headed the list of winning trainers. S. J. Reid, A. E. Lennard, T. R. George, A. Rowan and P. E. Pope each produced two winners, while A. G. Walker, W. Townsend, T. F. Verner, J. Winder, Roulston Bros., W. Kirk, H. Gray, A. J. Julian, I. Tinsley, W. J. McLean, H, Goscomb, L. G. Morris, R. S. Bagby, J. Buchanan, J. F. Tutchen and A. W. and R. 1-1, Townsend each had one success.

Racing Bargain Bought for £l5O, Colonel Grattan, second to Southern Chief in the Canterbury Handicap at Addington, has proved a money-earner for his owner, Mr. J. Richardson. Since he struck winning form on Boxing Day 12 months ago, Colonel Grattan has returned his Dunedin owner an average of £SO a week.

. When bought, Colonel Grattan was running in a paddock with two other young pacers bred by the late Mr. E. C. McDermott, who regularly drove Colonel Grattan until he died. Any one of the three was offered to Mr. Richardson. “You wouldn’t sell me the best, would you?” he asked, and Mr. McDermott’s reply was: “Yes. You can have him for £150.” And as Mr. Richardson lias said, Mr. McDermott did not realise that he was- selling a champion at that price. Although he was in business in Dunedin at the time, Mr. Richardson spent some hours daily educating the horse. He gave him his early training at Forbury Park and, as with the other horses he has owned, nothing was too good for “the Colonel,” whose diet regularly includes eggs. A patient owner—and, incidentally, a very lucky one—Mr. Richardson did not hurry Colonel Grattan in the early stages, and the rewards for the early care and attention are now being reaped. With D. P. Wilson, he raced Roseday, an Auckland Cup winner, and he has Royal Order and Aranui racing in Australia at present. He has two other pacers, Iraq and Toorak, in training at Addington. Colonel Grattan has won £3365 for Mi’. Richard* son in a little more than two years.

Selling for £250,000 The Aga Khan has decided to sell all his racehorses, including his two Derby winners, Bahrarn and Mahmoud, and ail his mares, yearlings and foals—for £250,000. American, owners and breeders are planning to form a syndicate to buy them. Reduction of racing prizes and consequent lowering of the value of bloodstock have influenced the Aga Khan in his decision to sell out. He is estimated to have spent more than £1,000,000 on horses since he began racing in England in 1920. He has won the Derby three times, with Blenheim (1930). Bahrain (1935) and Mahmoud (1936). His greatest failure was a yearling named ■Feridoon, which he bought for £21,000 and sold two years later for £l7. Pie maintained breeding studs in France and Ireland. Plis horses were trained in England by Frank Butters at Newmarket.

Charlie Smirke was the jockey who wore the Aga Khan’s famous choco-late-and-green racing colours. It was Smirke who rode Mahmoud to victory in the 1936 Derby. His retainer has not been renewed for next season.