TURF TOPICS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 29 March 1935, Page 3

TURF TOPICS

(By “Childers”)

TRACK AND STABLE CHAT

RACING FIXTURES

March 30—Hawke's Bay J.C. March SO—Birchwood H.O. April 4—Waimate E.C. April 11, 13—Whangarei E.C. April o—South Canterbury J.C. April 9, 10—Pahiatua E.C. April 13 —Taranaki J.C. April 13—Otatau E.C. April 13, 15 —Westport J.C. April 20—Tuapeka C.J.C. April 20, 22 —Wairarapa E.C. April 20, 22 —Feilding J.C. April 20, 22—Auckland E.C. April .20, 22, 23 —Riverton E.C. April 22 —Beaumont E.C. April 22—Waipukurau J.C. April 22—Kumara E.C. April 22, 23—Canterbury J.C. April 24—Westland E.C. April 20, 27—Greymouth J.C 1 . April 27, 29—Avondale J.C. May I—Beefton J.C. May 4, 6—Hawke’s Bay J.C. May 4, 6—Egmont E.C. May 10, 11—Southland E.C. May 11—Amberley E.C. May 11, 13—Nelson J.C. May 10, 18—Wanganui J.C. May 17, IS—Marlborough E.C. May 18—Ashburton. May 23, 25—Te Kuiti E.C. (at Te Eapa). May 25—South Canterbury. May 25, 27—Dannevirke E.C.

Bred at Hawera. An interesting candidate in the maiden event at the Birchwood Hunt meeting to-morrow is Waipounamu, Who was bred at Hawera by Mr A. Applcyard. Waipounamu is a full brother to those good galopers Plateau and Crown Area, being by Acre out of Moorelicld. Although now a four-year-old, he has started on very few few occasions, having raced for the first time at the Tapanui meeting last month. At the recent Dunedin fixture he was third after being rather unlucky in the running. Promising Novice. Pirst Chapter, who will be making his first appearance m public at the Hawke’s Bay meeting to-morrow, is reported to be showing decided promise in his training efforts and is expected to race prominently. He will be ridden by H. Goldfinch. First Chapter is by Hunting Song; out of that useful mare Epistle by Polydamon out of Communique. Country Cup Mare. If Monanui has gone on trie right way since winning the Opunalce Gup she should race prominently at the approaching Dargayille meeting, for the i opposition is by no means,, strong; Monanui appeals as a typical country Cup proposition. In the Thames and Opun'ake Cups she ‘ ha-s already won two such events and it would come as no surprise to find the Dargaville Cup making her third. A Likely Maiden. If Peggy Defoe starts in the maiden event at Hastings to-morrow in preference to the Novice Handicap, she is likely to touch a short price, for she has a most attractive : record,, although she has yet to win a race. After commencing her career by running three unplaced starts in the spring; she ran twice in the one day at Tolaga Bay last month to be second each timcj first to The Brusher and then to Malapert. A week later at the Waiapu fixture she was again second twice in the one day, first to Prince Henry and then to Bonnie Song. In her last start she was a close third at Napier Park to Fortene and Count Willonyx.

The Blue Ribbon. After winning the Awapuni Cup, Silver Ring Avas decorated with a blue ribbon (says the southern writer ‘ 'Sentinel”). This is a mistake, as the “Blue“ Ribbon” stands as the exclusive decoration of a Derby winner. The Red Ribbon should, go to the St. Leger winner. The historic question, “What is the Derby?” and the equally historic reply, “It is the Blue Ribbon of the turf,” stands for all time. The ribbon should only go to classic races, and they are the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby’, and the St. Leger. A weight-for-age race is frequently described as a classic ’race, but tlic distinction rests entirely on . the “Triple Crown” events forming the greatest honour that any horse can gain on the turf. Out of Hack Class. Knock Out was nominated last Aveck for a hack race at the South Canterbury meeting, but she is not uoav eligible, as on the same day, before the closing; of nominations, she ran herself out of hack class by Avinning at Awapuni. She has Avon six races, all this season, o%'cr distances up to nine furlongs, and she may go further. In the meantime, however,, she. will have to be rested, as there are no ..-.-races., available for her at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting. Deliiun for. Coast. The Recfton trainer A. J. Griffin has recently acquired from the North Island the three-year-old Delium, by Diacquonod from Degage, by Kilbroney. Delium, Avho will in future race in the interests of a Reefton resident, Avon the Novice Stakes at Carterton in November last.

Nightly’s Record. Nightly, who has been definitely retired to the .stud, won eleven races for his owner, Mr J. A. McDougall, and was placed second four times and third on five occasious. In New Zealaud and Australia he won stakes aggregating £(1450. Ilis principal successes w T ere gained in the New Zealand. Derby, AJC. Eaudwick Plate, Mooucc Valley Gold Cup, James- Hazlctt Gold Cup, Clifford Plate and Canterbury Cup. An Easter Prospect. Tuirau, winner, of the hack seven at Oamaru last Saturday, lias shown much improvement in her racing this season, and it is significant that she has been engaged in the C. J. C. Great Easter Handicap. She failed in her few starts as a two and tlirce-year-old, but this term she has Avon four times in eight appearances, her success immediately prior to last Aveelc being at the expense of Emissary (who, however, Avas conceding her a stone) and Capital at the Banks Peninsula meeting. She is a four-year-old mare by Silverado from the Lucullus—Persia marc Tuahine, a si-stcr to Lady Lois and Nucleus, and a halfsister to Eoyal Duke, Persham, arid: Gay Scton, and herself a good performer, her victories including the Avondale Guineas, so that the breeding is first-class. Tuirau is being raced ! by her breeders, Messrs W. O. and D. j O. Eutherford, for whom she is being, trained by C. Emerson at Kiccarton. Trophy for Feilding. The Feilding JocKey Cluo has been able to frame a particularly enticing programme for its coming Easter meeting. The stakes are up £1(55 on last year’s offering, with the increases going to the open events, the first day’s nursery, and the hack cup. The conditions and the order of the events are identical Avith last year’s. The Manchester Handicap, the open mile and a quarter item on the first day, now carries a price of £325, and the principal sprint a prize of £2OO, increases of £25 each The. Oroua Hack Cup, 11 miles, on the second day goes] up in value to £lB5, ail increase of £3s,'] part of the prize being a silver cup] valued at £ls, with another cup for the trainer of the winner if he is not also the owner.

English Racing. The value of stakes won in the United Kingdom in 1935 (excluding place money) Avas £726,603. There Avere 2421 races and 4560 horse in training. Of the total number of races, 1791 Avere run in England, 444 in Ireland, and 186 in Scotland. Approximately 35 per cent, of the races in Great Britain arc run over fiye furlongs. Less than 3 per cent, are of two miles or over, Avhile 35 per cent, aye handicaps, 35 per cent, weight-for-ugc events, and 30 iper cent, selling races.