TURF TOPICS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 16 August 1934, Page 3

TURF TOPICS

(BY “LIMITED.”)

Track and Stable Comment

Grand National Meeting. The Canterbury Jockey Club had a most successful opening for its Grand National - meeting. Features of the meeting were the downfall of the favourites, huge dividends and the failure of totalisator facilities to cope with the rush demands.

Valpeen’s Win. Valpeen, vy his meritorious win. m the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase, joins the select band of ’chasers that have been successful in the big jumping events of both Islands, Valpeen' having also won the Great Northern Steeplechase. However, it is still questionable whether 'he is of the sfanlaTd of several of the others that harve achieved a similar task. Valpeen may go On to even greater achievements. His breeding on the dam’s side is somewhat obscure, but he is probably out of a Spalpeen mare as supposed. Valpeen fully deserved his win, as ‘he outpaced, outjumped and outstayed the rest of the field. The race is thus described by "“The Watcher”:—

Valpeen won the Grand National Steeplechase after a fine display of jumping, and in a thrilling finish with Memßo, who challenged strongly on the flat from the last fence home. _ It was a race without any outstanding incident. "Valpeen i e a practically all the way. Barrington went with him for a round from Thurina, Billy Boy, Riotous, Membo, Peterette, Callamart, Valves and Umtali'. Thurina went up to Valpeen at Cntts’s fence the last time with about ten furlongs to go, and they led to the mile post sod wall from Barrington, Billy Boy, Riotous, Membo and Callamart. Thurina led Valpeen over the last sod wall, with siix furlongs to go, from Riotous, Billy Boy, Barrington, Membo and Callamart. Billy Boy at this stage had begun to weaken, and at this fence Riotous hit hard and lost his Tider. This left Thurina in the lead to tne second last fence from Valpeen, Membo and Barrington, but Valpeen went up to Thurina, and giving him very little Toom at the fence Thurina made a bad blunder and nearly came down. He did not continue in the race, leaving Valpeen to run down to the last jump clear of Membo and Billy Boy. Membo made a great bid in the run home, but just failed to get up. Billy Boy was a moderate third, with Barrington fourth, and then a gap to Umtali, Peterette and Callamart. . Thurina was pulled off the last fence while Valves fell at Cutts’s and was destroyed, having. broken, a shoulder. Valpeen’s rider was nearly caught napping in the run home, and as it was he had»to do his best to get home. He fenced without a mistake, while Membo hooked Cutts’s badly the last time, and was also slow in jumping the last two fences. Billy Boy ran a good race but he was gone seven furlongs from home, just as soon as he had moved up third to Thurina and .Valpeen. Thurina was not handled with good judgment. Being somewhat short o± work, it was bad tactics to take on Valpeen so far from home. He ran a great race nnder all the circumstances attaching to his preparation. Riotous might have been in the money had he not blundered nt the third last fence, while Callamart was also going well until he hooked the second of the kennels double. . Valpeen’s record now stands at six wins, six seconds and four thirds out of 29 starts and in his racing career of 18 months his stake earnings amount to £2255 —-all gained in steeplechase events.

The Winter Cup. Princess 3>orct-n won the Winter decisively, redeeming her two-year-old promise and incidentally breaking the race record of 1.40 by l-ssec. Princess Doreen was iirst out from No. 7 position, but Palermo ran past her and, running to the top, these two led Slippery, Bay Tree, Water Power, Nlggerbhad, Yentrac and Great Star. ' Half a mile was reached in_ 4S 4-ssec, and about here Giggjeswick, Limbohm and Fracas improved their positions. Autopay made a fast run approaching the straight, where tne leaders were Palermo, Slippery, Bay Tree, Autopay, Yentrac and Princess Doreen. Opposite the false rail Bay Tree was in a slightly better position, while Yentrac was beaten. Princess Doreen ran past four horses to take charge before the distance, and Davolo followed her from the middle of the field, but the mare won, while Limbohm was third, finishing on. Bay Tree, stopping in fourth place, was followed by Southdown, Tiger Gain, Fracas, Prince Yal, Slippery and Passion Fruit. At the tail of the held were Kanelagh, Palermo _and Autopay. The winner paid oyer £SO on the "win machine. I. . , .. Princess Doreen’s success is a striking tribute to her trainer, A. M. Wright, who is now located at Otaki. As a two-year-old Princess Doreen was first class, but was always more or less sore, and last season as a three-year-old her career was very restricted. In fact, on veterinary advice, Mr Hill was advised to retire her to the stud. Princess Doreen was then handed to A. M. Wright, who told Mr Hill that he would stake his reputation as a trainer that she would stand up to training. Toward the end of last season she showed signs of recovering form, and won an event of minor importance at Foxton over seven furlongs, but Tuesday’s victory is a real triumph for her owner, Mr B. E. Hill, of Wellington, and the trainer.

Combined Hunt- Meeting. While not subscribing to the wholesale centralisation of racing, the writer is in perfect accord with the Hon. J. S McLeod's idea of amalgamation — a’ totally /different idea—'of certain racing clubs with a view to mutual Welfare and convenience of racing owners The Taranaki and lEgmontWanoanui Hunt Clubs have evidently met the position accurately as the list of entries testifies. ' Following the Combined Clubs' meeting a circuit of conveniently spaced meetings in the Mnrton, Wanganui and Foxton fixtures follow, and as horses front the Auckland province, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Bangitikci are engaged at New Plymouth the other meetings loo* assured of good fields. A notable entrant for New Plymouth at the end of the month is Lucess, -who last year ran third to Thurina and Luna Lux in the Grand National Steeplechase, and winning the Beaufort Steeples from Callamart end Billy Boy.

The Eight Stone Minimum. The suggestion that the minimum weight in°at races at Ellerslie during the winter should again be fixed at 8.0 was made by Mr C. E. Major at the annual meeting of t'he Auckland Racing Club. It would be better for the public and Tor racing, he said, as there would Tie a wider selection of o-ood horsemen available. All those to whom he had spoken on the subject, including owners and trainers, were unanimous that the minimum of. 8.0 should be reintroduced. The president (Mr O. Nicholson) said that the matter would receive the attention of the committee. Pakuranga Meeting.

With the approach of the Pakuranga Hunt meeting there is increasing activity on the tracks at Ellerslie and a good deal of useful work was accomplished on Saturday. The No. 2 grass was available for galloping and the going was slightly better than earlier in the week. .Some of the horses to work nicely were Imamint, Solomon, Gay Broney, Kelly, Versant and Lord Val. On the grass On Parade and Speareourt ran half a mile in. 52 l-ssec. These novices are both doing nicely. Air Lassie worked at three-quarter pace and Gay Marigold. completed a serviceable task by sprinting up the straight. , . Ruling King strode over a round in 2 1 3-5, the last six furlongs m 1.40 1-5. Moonfleet ran an easy half mile in 55 4-ssec. Moonfleet looks well, but his latest form has been very disapGay and Kelly, after running the first three furlongs in. 40sec, crot to the end of six furlongs .in 1.2-1-5. Gay Broney was running on strongly at the finish and Kelly also went nicely for a novice. .„ Versant encompassed a round in -*-.45 4-5, the last six furlongs in 1.21 4-5. Versant went with plenty of freedom and finished his work pleasingly. G. Holland has him in great heart.

Chief Cook’s Half-Mile. Imamint broke away a ‘couple of lengths ahead of .Solomon, but they were together at the end of five furlongs in 1.5. They ran the first two furlongs in 25 2-ssec and worked pleasingly,'"’especially Solomon. Lord Val covered a round m 1.48 2-5, finishing several lengths ahead of My Money, who assisted oyer the last six furlongs, which he ran in 1.21 ~-5. Lord Val was kicked up to his work at the end and ran on very resolutely. Haakon worked soundly over a distance and Desert Star strode over a round in 1.57 1-5, the last half mile m 55 2-ssec. Jaeldy Karo placed six furlongs behind in 1.21 3-5, the last halfmile in 54 l-ssec. United defeated Gay Sol over six furlongs in 1.22. They ran the first three furlongs in 39sec and Gay Sol held his own until reaching the straight, where United drew ahead. Sporting Song led Neil and Killadar over half a mile in 55. 4-ssec. 'Friar Albertus and Sir Abb ran an easy three furlongs in 44 4-ssee. Quien Sabe was another to work usefully and he completed his task with a sprint up the straight. Chief Cook finished his work b> sprinting half a mile in 52 4-ssec. He is hitting out with plenty of. freedom. Catoma pleased better than Miss Dazzle over a round in 1.51 3-5, the last six furlongs in f. 23 4-5. Catoma has been doing well lately and Miss Dazzle s work has been very satisfactory for a novice hunter.

Haakon. Haakon, wdio will carry No. 1 saddle cloth in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, won this race for Dr. McGregor Grant two years ago. At the last Great Northern meeting he w r as unlucky to fall the first day, but he Won A.B.C. Hunt Cup very easily and finished a good sixth in the Winter Steeplechase. He should be a warm favourite on Saturday. Voitre’s Bides.

Messrs Boulston Bros, have engaged the southern jockey, K. Voitrc, to ride Puss Moth and Gipsy Moth in their engagements at the Pakuranga meeting. Heroic’s Great Record.

Winning more than £32,000 in stakes during last racing season, Heroic topped the winning 3ires’ 'list in Australia for the second year in succession, and in. four seasons his stock have won more than £80,000.' It is a remarkable record for a sire whose progeny have been racing for so few seasons. Heroic has proved just as great a sire as he was a racehorse, and there are not many of his progeny who have raced that have not been successful They have won from all distances, from half a mile to two miles and a quarter, the last Australian Cup of that distance being captured by Heroic Prince. He and Hall Mark proved conclusively that Heroic can breed stayers. In their first three seasons on the turf, sons and daughters of Heroic won £47,936 in stakes, increasing from a modest £7550 in the first season to £25,251 in the_third year. Heroic has always been in the money, so to speak. He cost 1800gns as a yearling, and on the racecourse his earnings were nearly £14,000. When iMr C. B. Kellow purchased him he had to go to 10,000 gns. to secure him. Mr Ivellow still owns Heroic, who is held on lease between Messrs H. Thompson and P. C. Basche, of Sydney. Thinks Over-rated.

“Pilot” in the “.Sydney Referee,” writing of the Ilawera marc Golden Hair, has the following: Golden Hair won two races at Flemington, but as in. the Batsman Stakes Blixten proved he was superior to her when conceding 4lb, it would be impossible to say she was exceptionally good at three years. It is because of her defeat by Blixten that it surprises me she is so prominent in the Epsom betting, and I am not overlooking: her subsequent form in New Zealand

Highest Priced Colt. The colt that, brought the highest' price at. the Trentham yearling sales last January —by Limond from. Imprudence —has been named Egmont, and is not, intended for early racing, having been turned out shortly after his arrival at Sydney. Imprudence, the dam of the colt, is the dam of Davolo and is out Of Joanfax, the mother of Jonathan.

Marton J.C. Spring Meeting.

The Marton Jockey Club will hold its spring meeting on Wednesday, September 5, the two-day fixture at Wanganui following at a convenient interval.. The Marton Handicap carries £IOO and a trophy valued at £2O presented 'by the stewards, tne distance being a mile and a quarter. The Railway lHartdicap, tiie open ‘/‘six,” is worth £BS. The Open Hurdles is run over a mile and a half. The programme opens with the Juvenile Plato of £SO, four furlongs, for two-year-oTds, the Maiden Pace (wight 8.7) that follows bing reserved for three-vear-olds and upwards that have not won at time of starting, the. distance being six furlongs. The remainder of the programme consists of the Tutaenui Hack Handicap, of £7O, six furlongs; Spring Hack, of £BO, one mile and 137 yards; and Farewell Hack Handicap, of £7o;' five furlongs. The secretary, Mr Arthur Way, P.O. Box 3, Marton, will close down on nominations at 9 p.m. on Friday, August 17.