TURF TOPICS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 January 1935, Page 3

TURF TOPICS

(BY “CHILDERS.”)

Racing Fixtures Jan. 9, 10—Reefton J.C. •Tan. 10, 12—Thames J.C. Jan. 11, 12 —Vincent J.C. Jan. 19—Bay of Islands R.O. Jan. 19—■’Wairio J.C. Jan. 22, 24, 20—Wellington R.C. Jan. 22 —Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C, Jan. 20, 29—Takapuna J.C. Jan. 31, Feb. 2—rWairoa R.C. Jan. 31, Feb. 2—Wanganui J.C.

Eoyal Dance Looks Useful. Royal Dance won handsomely at Stratford on Tuesday, bearing out the promise he showed at Takapuna. He is a racy-looking customer and, as there should still be plenty of room for improvement in him, he should have little difficulty in paying his way among hack company in the north. Vintage the “Star” Handicapper. Vintage stood out among the long distance handicappers seen out at Ellerslie and appears to be the logical “star” of the autumn racing. With Nightly and Jonathan spelling, and Master BrieTly in Australia, there is nothing in the Dominion at present capable of bearing comparison with Vintage, and it is rather difficult to estimate exactly how good he is. Should either of the trio mentioned be on hand for the autumn racing the Shambles gelding should be fully tested. Ex-Hawera Colt Wins. Referring to the victory of Radiant Star at Moonee Valley in a six furlong event on December 22, an Australian writer comments: “Having his first run since he ran unplaced in the Caulfield Guineas, Radiant Star was made the medium of a big betting plunge at Moonee Valley on Saturday and put up a remarkable performance to bring; the coup to a successful conclusion. I witnessed nothing more brilliant for a long time than the effort of this three-vear-old colt by Hunting Song from Spotlight for whom Mr G. L. Scott paid 1500 guineas only a few months ago. There wore eighteen runners in the Three-Year-Okl Handicap and the start - left much to be desired. One of the chief sufferers was Radiant Star, whose barrier position of No. 6 proved a drawback. He was squeezed out when the barrier was released and was quickly relegated to the tail end of the field. In fact, he had only two horses behind him when they passed the four and a-half furlongs. To make up some of his lost ground he had to be taken wide out. This difficulty he overcame, and managed to get within striking distance and closed in with two to go. Disappointed in a run through as they approached the turn, he had to be taken outside five horses before he could g.et a clear run at the leaders, Buteman and Last Rub. Buteman was done with once they straightened up and left Last Rub with what looked like a winning lead. Radiant Star, however, finished brilliantly and, catching Last Rub about 20 yards from the post, went on to win running away by half a length, in 1.15. The time is nothing to enthuse over, but it must be remembered that Radiant Star covered a tremendous amount of extra ground, and also that it w r as his first run for two months. His owner, Mr G. L. Scott, who has a good string of horses under the care of J. E. Smedley, including La Trobe, must now regret that he did not enter the colt for the Standish Handicap.” The Ark is Smart. "When The Ark won at New Plymouth he showed a fine turn of early ( speed which pointed to his doing better over sprint courses than in distance events. However, in the Ladies’ j Bracelet of 1 mile and 137 yards at ( Marton, he finished very solidly to win. Certainly the class was not strong, but } The Ark won attractively without being fully extended. On this effort he should have litle difficulty in winning ( races among middle distance hack com- . pany. A Wise Step. 1 ( In deciding to abandon rather than postpone the second day of their meet- ■ ing, it seems that the Marton Jockey ; Club made rather a wise move, for there appeared to be very little hope of the day being a financial success if put off for one or more days, and the , Marton body is finding it very hard to carry on as: it is, without suffering j further losses. If possible, the Marton Club will hold a one-day fixture early. in April with their spare day. Apprentices do Well. One of the features of the holiday meetings was the riding of two young j apprentices, 11. McKinnon and G. 1 Cameron. In 23 rides McKinnon scored j nine firsts, four seconds and four! thirds, being out of a place on only j seven occasions. Cameron, did remark- i ably, well to win five races at the 1 Ellerslie fixture and this should give l him a great start. Other better known i riders to have a “trot” over the holi-j days were S. Anderson (Manawatu! and Wairarapa), 10 wins; W. .T. \ Broughton (Auckland and Manawatu),! six wins; L. .T. Ellis (Auckland), five j wins; L. Dulieu (Stratford and Ncwj Plymouth), six wins; W. Shand (West-! land, Wyndham and Greymouth), nine j wins; R. Marsh (Manawatu and Has-! tings), five wins; and E. Leckiei (Southland, Dunedin and Wyndham), seven wins.

Track and Stable Comment

One to Remember. When M. J. Carrol took a team t Australia in the early spring he ex peered big things of the three-year-oh Lionheart, but unfortunately it con tracted laryngitis and could not star on the trip. He had his first racinj since his return at Ellerslie, and afte showing pace both on the first and sec ond days, won impressively on th third day. He is one to keep in mint as likely to be a good winner during the autumn. Lionheart is by Ga; Sheild out of Shebang, therefore a ful brother to the defunct Tavern Knigh and a half-brother to Sargon. ■ King’s Lancer Bred to Stay. ! King’s Lancer opened his winning * account in good style at Marton, anc the manner in which he won suggests ! that more will be heard from this gelding in the near future. King’s Lancer is a good type of a horse and his breeding suggests that he will be seen to advantage over a distance, foi he is a son of Greyspear and Regal Star by Martian out of Lady Kinlock, King’s Lancer is owned and trained by the well-known Dannevirke sportsman, Mr W. 11. Gaisford. Matomi is Good. When trained at New Plymouth last season Matorni gave promise of being a cut above the average, and at Ellerslie ho fulfilled the expectations of his many admirers. He seems to be improving steadily and although he will be required to do his future racing in open company he should not be long in winning again. “Just a Trifle Slow.” During the past few months there have been numerous complaints from many quarters about the late hour at which certain meetings finish, and at Stratford on Tuesday a fair amount of grumbling was heard. One wonders what many of these persons would have thought had they been racegoers in 'the “good old days.” In “Sentinel's” sporting notes in the “Hawora Star” of January 22, 1901, the following paragraph appears: They’re a bit slow down South. At the Vincent. Club’s meeting the last race was run at ten minutes to nine.” Inflation a Cot Case. Inflation was in a bad way when he returned to the enclosure after running second to West Tor in the Wairarapa Cup. He was fame after, both his Manawatu successes, but was much worse at Tauhercnikau. and it will be a wonder if much more is asked of him. It is a great pity, for he would take his place in the best company were he sound, says a Wellington writer. Advertising HJ.Z. Horses. Enterprise is always deserving of recognition, and Mr C. E. Robertson, manager of the bloodstock department of Wright, Stephenson and Co., Wellington, is bringing New Zealand horses well under notice in America. In a last month’s issue of the Lexington Thoroughbred Record he had a column article touching on the recent doings in Australia by New Zealand horses. Incidentally, he drew attention to the coming yearling sales in Now Zealand, and only that the month (January) from which American horses take their age places them at a disadvantage, there might be some buyers from the States. New Zealand breeders, however, may be gainers by Mr Robertson’s article—it may lead to the sale of elder horses. Race or Get Out. At Bay Meadows —one of the new Californian tracks—on a couple of days last month some of the races did not fill at all wcli. In America horses , are stabled on the courses, and as the lack of response on the part of some owners was not to the liking of the management they were told they must run their horses or get out. The manager, W. P. Kync, said he had made up programmes to suit the horses on the ground, and had offered liberal prizes. “If those on the grounds,” he said, “do not enter for the races prepared for them, they must move elsewhere, and we will give our stabling to owners and trainers who will run their horses.’’ Has His Own Ideas. Robert C. Lyle, in his book, “Brown Jack the Life Story of a Great Racehorse,” recently published in England, says: “If it is early afternoon and you look into Brown Jack’s box you will see a curious sight,” he goes on. “Brown .Tack will be sitting on his manger fast asleep. “The manger is of iron. . . . Ivor Anthony got a nice piece of felt and covered the cold iron, but the next morning the piece of felt, looking much the worse for wear, was found outside Brown Jack’s box. Brown Jack had torn and Litton it off. “A saddler laced the felt to the manger with strong leather laces. . . Next morning, once again the felt was lying in the yard outside Brown Jack’s box. After that Anthony gave it up.’’ In the way of eatables Brown Jack has a weakness for bread and choose.

Bred in N.Z. Tlie ITaka, a four-year-old New Zealand-bred horse, was among' the winners at the big meeting at Capetown (South Africa) last month. He won a mile and a-half race, The Tops, after being badly placed approaching the straight. The llalca is by Lord Quex front Dominant, by Martian.

Sale cf Capris. Mr C. M. Emanuel, of Auckland, lias disposed of Ilia threo-year-olfl filly Capris, by Captain Bnnsby from Charis, to the Australian sportsman Mr A Cooper at a substantial figure. Capris has been in C. Price's stable at Randwick for some months past and lias won twice this season. She won the Now Year’s Gift at Eandwiek on Wednesday and it was after that victory that negotiations for her purchase were opened by Mr Cooper.