SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 6 September 1939, Page 3

SPORTING

Racing Notes Royal Star II: An interesting entry for the New Zealand Cup is the imported gelding, Royal Star 11, sold at 25 guineas at 'the July sales. Grandson: . At Moonee Valley on August 19, the Siegfried colt, Grandson, created a sensation by defeating Pure Grid over a mile. Pure G°ld is one of the ruling fancies for important events on t’he spring programme. Grandson was got by Siegfried from Bonrina, by Boniform—Desina, by Desmond. High Caste: Defaulter rules as a strong fancy for the Melbourne Cup, but if High Caste, who is bred to stay, was set for the race he would give the son of Defoe a heap of trouble. The reason for the opinion rests on the fact that a good three-year-old can generally beat an older horse over two miles at such a margin of weights. Mounting Up: When Ajax won the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday he brought his stake-earnings to £32,500, which now places him ninth on the list of outstanding stake-winners in New Zealand and Australia. Those above Ajax in the list are: Phar Lap £66,738; Amounis, £48,297 10s; Gloaming, £43,100; Limerick, £38,729 10s; Heroic, £38,062 10s; Eurythmic, £36,891; Windbag £35,939; Peter Pan £34,938. / A Challenge: J. T. Jamieson is throwing down the gauntlet to Defaulter and intends with High Caste to tackle the New Zealander in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick next Saturday. Likely Maiden:

'R. Johnston’s stable also has another likely looking maiden in Eupatrid, who carries the same colours as Ned Cuttie. Eupatrid is a three-year-old by Hunting Song .from Lucky Alice, a mare by Lucullus out of Miss Alicia, who was a sister to First Born. For Classic Events: Though Beaulivre will not be unduly raced this season, his progranmi? wifi extend over the whole of the flat racing season in leading classic events, and his form at New Plymouth suggests that he wil 1 maintain the high standard he showed as a two-year-old. After the Wanganui Guineas this week he will go to Avondaie for the Guineas there, and though there will then be an interval of five weeks befor the Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie, it is likely that lie will remain at Ellerslie’ during that period instead of doing the trip twice. Orleio:

Orelio, who is doing fine work at Takanini, may be one of the likely contenders for classic honours this spring, his next engagements being in the Champion Plate and the Avondale Guineas a fortnight hence. This time last spring this colt was racing splendidly, but he was doomed not to win a classic, although he was unplaced only once in seven starts. The Limond-Waterwings colt has yet to return the full 1,000 guineas paid for! him at the national sales, but he should turn out a bargain in the end.

Royal Abb: I Having run several good races last season in the best hack company, winning only once but finishing in the money on no fewer than seven other occasions, Royal Abb may come into his own this term, for he is back in solid condition and looking as if he may earn promotion quickly to open handicap class. He has at times proved expensive to backers, but they may have only loaned the money out. Royal Bachelor Fit: After leading for seven and a half furlongs of the open mile at the Pakuranga Meeting, Royal Bachelor will rot lack friends when he is produced among the sprinters at Avondale. He is a very fit horse and as the going at the suburban track promises to be soft, he should be in his element. He won this race as a three-year-old. Fils de Vaals: The sprint event on the first day at Avondale usually furnishes the previous season’s two-year-olds who were successful in winning sufficient to put them out of the hack class an excellent opportunity of having a race in public prior to taking on the Guineas two days later. It was the case when Royal Bachelor won, I but the younger division on this occasion is apparently not going to be over strong, the only three-year-old entered being Fils de Vaals. Two Hacks: Two hacks who are possible winners at Avondale on the form they showed under difficulties . at the Pakuranga Meeting a fortnight ago, are Valdene and Clipper. Clipper had been doing consistently good track work prior to that fixture and in the race itself he received a bad spin when becoming entangled with the large field. Valdene shaped very well and it was only in the last fifty yards that she was relegated from a possible winner into fourth place. Well-Bred Novice: Lady Bambury, one of the novices entered for Avondale, revealed a lot of pace in the two events she contested last season and she was wisely given plenty of time -to mature, a policy that should bring its reward. Only a three-year-old, she is one of Bambury’s stock arid she seems to have inherited her sire’s brilliance. She is a half-sister to Royal Bachelor, and so it is not surprising that she should have the pace. Francis Drake: Apparently Francis Drake is not considered sufficiently forward to take on a hard race such as the Avondale Cup, as he has not been nominated for the big event on either day, his engagements being made in the sprint class. The son of Chief Ruler had an easy time last term, with only five outings for one third placing. Now a five-year-old, he should be at his best when it comes to competing among the stayers. Foxmond: Foxmond appeared to be an excellent staying two-.year.-old last season, for .in all her races she was generally running on at the end. She ran a • second, a first and a third in her first

three outings, after which she seemed to lose form, and she was only getting back to it when she was put aside for the winter. This Foxbridge filly has been entered for the hack sprint at Avondale on the opening day and she has survived the forfeit for the second day, so her owner apparently still holds a high opinion of her. Trotting Notes Return to Form: Aircraft showed a return to some- > thing like his old form when he ran two' good races at New Brighton on • Saturday. In the'Pacific Handicap , he was with the leaders in the early j stages,, and in the mile saddle race he was the only one ever within handy distance of the winner, Repeal. Aircraft has had several changes of trainers, but C. Isaacson is the only one who has had any success with him. A Back Number: Grand Mogul' made a re-appearance at New Brighton after a good spell; but thought he appeared to have done plenty of work he made no showing in the race. . His owner, Mr G. J. Barton, was present to see his horse race, but he must have been disappointed with the exhibition. Disappointing: Harold Guy, after his good efforts at Methven and Addington, looked to have a royal chance in the Pacific Handicap on Saturday, but right from the start his chances of winning appeared to be very remote. Early in the race he lost ground, and at no stage appeared likely to take a hand in the finish. He has possibly had enough racing for the present. Not in Form: Blaydon is possibly not yet wound up for a stern contest, and this must be put down to lack of training facilities caused by the bad weather. He was going better at the finish of the Belfast Handicap than at any other stage of the race. Another disappointment. was Special Edition, one of the crack three-year-olds of last season. Driven by the stable apprentice, H. Smith, Special Edition gave a very poor display, but as this was his first race since July he possibly lacked condition. A Good Win: It is said that the owner of the winner of the Wingatui Trotting Handl- 1 cap, in which Allan Wrack paid close ‘ on half a century, lifted in stakes and 1 dividend around £5OO.

POL ROGER DESTROYED. RICCARTON, September 5. Pol Roger had to be destroyed this morning, owing to breaking a fetlock when nearing the end of a gallop. A half-interest in her was recently acquired by Mr \V. S. Mitchell, formerly of Greymouth and she was a likely prospect for the hurdle race at Omoto on Saturday. Lady Middleham broke down yesterday and will not make the West Coast trip. Most of the horses racing at Omoto on Saturday, were galloped to-day Lady Don ran half a mile in 50 3-5. Sir Gladsome and Ferriby ran three furlongs in 37 3-5. Fascinator and Sunny Dawn covered a half in 51 3-5. Great Memory an f ] Nightdress galloped six furlong? in 1 18 1-5. .fan Ridd beat Complexion over half 'a mile in 50 1-5.

RACING FIXTURES. September 7, 9—Wanganui J.C. September 16—Foxton R.C. September 16—Ashburton R.C. September 16, 18—Avondale J.C. September 21, 23—Geraldine R.C. September 23—Marton J.C. September 30—Otaki-Maori J.C. ' September 30, October 2—Ohinemuri J.C. October 5, 7—Dunedin J.C. October 5, 7—Hawke’s Bay J.C. October 12, 14—Masterton R.C. October 14—South Canterbury J.C. October 14, 16—Auckland R.C. October 19, 21—Poverty Bay T.C. October 19. 21. 23—Wellington R.C. December 2—Kurow J.C. In Australia. September 6 —Rosebery R.C. September 9—Tattersall’s Club. September 9—Moonee Valley R.C. September 13 —Ascot R.C. September 16—Rosehill R.C. September 16 —Mentone T.C. September 20—A. J.C. (Warwick Farm). September 23—Hawkesbury R.C. September 23—Moonee R.C. September 27—Rosebery R.C. September 30, October 2,4, and 7—• A.J.C.. October 2 —V.R.C.

In England. September s—Great Yorkshire Handicap. September 6—St. Leger Stakes. September B—-Doncaster Cup. September 23—Newbury Autumn Cup September 28 —Jockey Club Stakes. September 30—Duke of York Handicap. October 21—Cambridgeshire Handicap. October 21—Newbury Autumn Handicap. October 25—Cesarewitch Handicap. TROTTING FIXTURES September 2.—New Brighton T.C. September 23—Wellington T.C. September 30.—Methven T.C. October 7.—New Brighton T.C. October 21, 23—Greymouth T.C. October 21, 23 or 25.-—Auckland T.C October 23.—Oamaru T.C. October 28 —Wellington T.C. October 28 —Invercargill T.C. November 7,9, 10.—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 23, 25.—Foroury Park T.C. Dates to be approved by New Zealand Trotting Conference.