SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 July 1924, Page 8

SPORTING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Maecenas.) The two- Lochellas have been supported for the Grand National double by those who should know; bat while this once great jumper may do well in the steeplechase, it is difficult to see a 13-year-old gelding win the Grand National Hurdles.

Paul Pry, which beat a Grand National pair in Tigerland and Palencia in the South Canterbury Steeplechase, was bred near Manaia. He is a wellbred gelding (St. Paul—Courier) and jumps country well, but will never develop into a high-class performer, although in short distance steeplechases he will pay big way. With M. McCarten, R S. Bagby, and the Reed brothers away in Australia, good horsemen will' be at a premium at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s, Grand National meeting, as the scale of weights does not warrant the engaging of light-weight or apprentice riders. '

Now that Miss Mickey is out of the hack class trainer J. Fryer intends racing the daughter of Spalpeen over the battens. As her dam, Lady Bibbero, was useful over steeplechase country, Miss Mickey should win races in this department. The acceptances received for the three leading handicaps to Tie decided at the forthcoming Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting are splenfid," as practically nothing of note has been allowed to forfeit engagement. In the Grand National Steeplechase Omahu (which ahs been accepted for in the Grand National Hurdles), General Advance, and Mahura (both of which have gone wrong), and the Aucklanders Sea. De’il and Glenotus, have fallen out, besides a lot of inferior cattle that -were out of their class.

The Winter Cup has drawn a splendid field.. The most noticeable defections are Pavo (which has left for Australia) and his stablemate Poinpey, L’Amour (the owner of which has Soliform engaged), ’ Sprinkler, and Lady Ben. None of the other non-acceptors had credentials that would warrant their being, kept in this difficult mile. For the Grand National Hurdles the field is reasonably good, and again one is justified in saying that every horse nominated that has “made good” appears in the list of acceptors. At the time of writing Lochson does not appear as an acceptor, but the writer from a private source learns that Lochson is an acceptor.. Whether this is so my readers should know by the time they read this. Tenteriield has been withdrawn in favour of his stable-mate Vagabond j but two fallen idols in Admiral Codrington and Molyneaux have been withdrawn.

Several writers have commented on the poor showing of the English-bred Musketoon at Trentham, overlooking the fact that he was not very artistically handled on the opening day, by being rushed from a rear position to the lead in a short distance, while on his second appearance none of the well, informed division wanted to be on Musketoon, which was paying about £13,, as compared with a dividend of less than £5 had he won on the opening day, on which he pan an excellent race under adverse circumstances. Mr. A. McDonald’s colt Killochra left Wellington on Friday last for Sydney, in charge of R. S. Bagby, who rode him in most of his races as a two-year-old. On his arrival in Australia. Killochra will join.F. D. Jones’ team, as that trainer has not got a Derby candidate under his charge at present. At the start of his two-year-old career Killochra- gave promise of developing into a high-class performer, but he later failed to race up to the high opinion formed by many of his capabilities. When bookmakers were licensed to bet on the racecourses of this Dominiorf,- some years ago, applicants were/not asked to show that they could pay if struck for a substantial amount. Hence there were many disreputable applicants, and “welching” was not uncommon. This, of course, was most distasteful to the more honest men of the “ring,” who, as a matter of fact, were strongly opposed to the licensing of all and sundry. The Australian Jockey Club are more cautious, in the interests of both honest bookmakers and the public alike, and last year demanded all bookmakers licensed to bet iu the paddock to produce assets worth £3OOO as security.

I enury Rose was finishing on well in her races at Trentham, and although she has often (ailed when expected to run well in important hurdle races, it is within the realms of possibility that Penury Rose will put up a good race in the Grand National Hurdles, as the class in that event lulls short of many former years.

At odd times one has seen horses jump badly in an important steeplechase and then win, but the chance of a competitor fencing badly in a race at Riccarton and then. winning, sav, a Grand National Steeplechase basuever been done, as the jumps are such that a lior.se may have a “life” at a jump, but rarely survives if liberties are taken with many fences. So with this in our mind it is necessary to select jumpers like Oakleigh, Pamplona, Carawock, Lochella, First Line, etc.— something that lui s proved itself a jumper.

Carawock has always done best when tho racing track was not too soft, and for this reason trainer Lowe did not like his charge to any extent in the Wellington Steeplechase. In spite of tlie bad state of the course on the last day of the Wellington meeting, Carawock gave a good and careful exhibition of jumping in the big crosscountry event, and a s the Riccarton course is often really good .during August, Carawock may be one of those horses that will show improvement on his Trentham running. Tigerland showed a return to form at the Ashburton meeting, and his second to Paul Pry, which wa s in receipt of 31b from Tigerland, would tend to show that the latter may run well at. Riccarton, although personally I think the Grand National Steeplechase above him.

After the Great Northern meeting mam- papers copied a report that stated Omaha had run badly at Ellerslie. The report also saJd that the son of Maniapoto was obviously on the down grade. These statements were not agreed with in this paper, it being stated at the time that but for an unfortunate happening, not caused through incompetency, Omaha might have won on the third day at Ellerslie. The decisive beating that Omahu administered to Sir Rosebery at Trentham practically proved this statement as correct. The success of Red Wink at the South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting "’ill naturally draw attention to his Winter Cup prospects, in which event lie does not carry a penaltv on the D. 13 allotted him. Red Wink’s best public performance to date has been registered over a mile course. . This was in the Inst Thompson Handicap at Trentham. Tn this event Red Wink ran a verv close fifth (less than a length from the winner) to Snnnv Loch. A 1 fort. Suggestion, and Sunart. "As the

mile was run in a fraction less than 1.39, and Red Wink carried 7.6, his performance was a- really good one. Los Ambus, who filled second place behind Red Wink at Timaru on Saturday last, is still eligible for hack races, but is undoubtedly a most promising gelding and is well bred (Solferino — Ambuscade). Los Ambus won on his previous three starts to that of Saturday, and even on his last race it is no certainty that Los Ambus will not. reverse places with Red Wink in the Winter Cup.

It is stated that Income has been supported for the Grand National Hurdles by those who should know whether he is a. certain runner for the event-. Some professed to have been surprised to find. Income’s name so high in the handicaps (11.5). Evidently these people do not know that Record Reign, a gelding with no better, if as good, a flat record than Income, carried 12.12 and won the Trial and Grand National Hurdles in his two efforts at Riccarton. Why, only lastyear General Advance, a maiden jumper, won,, and Rouen with 11.3 looked certain to have run either first or second, but for losing his rider after jumping the last hurdle. Taking a line through the last-named pair, Income should have an excellent chance at Riccarton, although it may be stated that a- race or two in public does wonders for most maiden jumpers. Judged by the writings in some papers, one night come to the conclusion that Boomerday was a “rod in pickle” for the coming Grand National Hurdles. As a matter of fact, Bomerday Avas much fancied by his trainer and rider for the Winter Hurdles at Trentham, and let his connections down badly, as at no stage of the race was Bomerday going like one with even a fighting chance. When Bomerday won at EUerslie it was pointed out in these columns that the win of the gelding AA-as nothing to enthuse oA-er, as up till a short distance from the post a non-stayer like King Abbey had Bomerday doing his best. If the going Ava s good at Riccarton (Avhich it sometimes is in August) Bomerday may haA'e an outside chance in the big hurdle race, but up to the present this golding is far from a success over the battens.

Prior to the‘late Wellington meeting the height and general dimensions of the jumps that had to be nogotiated in the race for the Wellington Steeplechase |ce(rfiainly looked difficult and Avorth.y of the fine prize offering; but, alas! in reality this “Aintree; of New Zealand only existed on paper. This statement is proved by the easy manner in Avhieh horses knocked over some of the obstacles, losing no ground whatever. Of course, some favour the light class of fence, hut in a race like the Wellington Steeplechase, with its historical name and a great prize (£1250) the jumps should he built more substantial Had the latter class of fence existed last meeting the runners would have been better suited.