TURF TOPICS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 June 1935, Page 3

TURF TOPICS

(By "Childers”)

RACING FIXTURES

June 29—Levin B.C. July 3—Dannevirke H.C. July 9, 11, 13—Wellington B.C. July 20—Hawke’s Hay H.C. July' 24—Bangitikei' HtT July 25—-Waimate District H.C. July 25, 27 —Poverty Bay T.C. July 27—South Canterbury H.C. July- 27 Manawatu B.C. Proposed. Aug. 2 —Poverty Bay H.C. Aug. 3—Christchurch H.C. Aug. 13, 15, 17—Canterbury j.C. Aug. 24—Pakuranga H.Cv Aug. 29—Egmont-Wanganui H.C. (at New Plymouth). Aug. 31—Taranaki H.C. Sept. 7—Otago H.C. Sept. 7—Mart on J.C. Sept. 12, 14—Wanganui J.C. Sept. 21 —Ashburton County H.C. Sept. 21-r—Poxton B.C. Sept. 21, 23—Avondale J.C. Sept. 26, 28—Geraldine B.C. Sept. 27, 28—Marlborough B.C. Sept.. 28 —Napier Park B.C. Sept. 28, 30—Taumarunoi B.C. (at Paeroa). It is a long while sinco there has been as much water lying on the ground at the Egmont racecourse as there is at present, in fact the local trainers have to go back several years to recall when the course was in a similar state. Both the inside and main ploughs, as well as the trotting track, are completely under water, while the oval is freely sprinkled with miniature lakes. In consequence the grass tracks are not lit for galloping and there will be little fast work until conditions improve.

Task Made Easy. While he won the hurdle event very easily at Napier Park on Saturday, Tahoma was rather fortunate that the favoured division, comprising Million, Lady Spy and. Arctic Star, all fell. However, Tahoma made quite a fair showing and he may win again before long, provided the field is not a strong one. It was his first success over the battens. He is an aged gelding by Hunting Song out of Kowerewere, and' a couple of seasons back was a useful stake-earner at the smaller meetings.

Trained Eighteen Winners. The Biccarton trainer, J. S. Shaw, certainly has reason to be well pleased with his efforts on the galloping side of racing, for since the start of the current season he has secured no less tr.ua 18 firsts, 15 seconds and 9 thirds for £1958 in stakes. He has also done well with his trotters, although he is not meeting with the same success in this branch that he enjoyed when in Auckland a few seasons ago.

Consistent But Unlucky. With a record of four seconds and two thirds in her ten appearances in public to date. Happy Hunting must be regarded as particularly unlucky in not breaking her maiden status. The consistent daughter of Hunting Song and Sanctuary -appears to be just good enough to get beaten, but her turn must surely "come soon. She handles the soft going well and, as the Held is not a strong one, she can be expected to run prominently in the Maiden Stakes at Levin on Saturday.

A Certainty? If the Australian spring handicaps are to be taken as criterion, Hunting Mars should be the nearest possible approach to a “racecourse certainty” at Levin on Saturday, where he has only 8.-1 in the Heatherlea Hack. Yet in the Epsom he is conceding lib to Grand Sport, 21b to Gay Sheik, 31b to Scratchmcre Scar and 101 b to Monanui. What price these at Levin on Saturday in the Heatherlea Hack under the same scale of weights! Hunting Mars provides yet another striking example of the Australian handicappers inability to judge New Zealand form. Riders at Levin. At Levin on Saturday W. J. Broughton will ride Happy Hunting, Kurapae, Cottesmore and Bazaine; W. E. Pine, Bodylino (twice), Royal King, Manawatu and-Lord Moutoa; S. Andersou, Hunting Bag, Gold Cure, Cardhu and Jean Batten; C. Thomson, Invictus; J. McFarlanc, Hunting Lodge; and B. H. Morris, Round Score. Australian Handicaps. The appearance of the weights for the main Australian spring handicaps once again draw attention to the big contingent of New Zealanders down to make the- trip across the Tasman. As usual, the weights of some of the horses from the Dominion show a wide difference from the assessments of our own handicappers. By far the most outstanding case is undoubtedly Monanhi, who has certainly been absolutely “tired” into her races. - It seems remarkable that this well-performed mare •should have been allotted only 7.0 in the Epsom, when moderate performers like Isaacs and Friday Night have been assessed at 7.0 and 7.S respectively. Carefully examined it is not hard to pick the handicaps of the New Zealanders to pieces, and it is safe to Bay that were they framed by one of the Dominion’s handicappers they would present a vastly different appearance. rorni was Fair. While the company she raced against was very poor, Dozie’s form at Hastings! and Napier Park suggested that this

TRACK AND STABLE CHAT

Hack Cup Candidate. 1 Arctic King, who -won a double at the Otaki meeting held on the Levin course earlier in the month, figures in the Grand Hack Cup, to be run on the same course next Saturday. This event is to be run over one mile and a quarter, and it will be interesting to see how Arctic King performs over that distance. So far he has not won beyond seven furlongs, but he has always shaped like a stayer, and the extra distance may not seriously trouble him, for he has had plenty of racing and is well seasoned. i Near Phar Lap’s Time. Phar Lap’s Australasian 10-furlongs record was scorched at the Q.T.C. meeting in Brisbane recently, when Thalwyn, in winning the Moreton Handicap, recorded 2min 2Jsec. Those figures were only a quarter of a second outside the record of the dead champion. As Tnalwyn ran his last six furlongs in 1.13, and came from behind to cut down the Sydney horse Bachiau and Scrlodi, there was considerable merit in the perfcrmance. Tor Sydney. A further shipment of horses will leave for Sydney by the Monowai next Friday, when King Musk, Gay Seton, Captain Bruce, and the rising two-year-oid colts by Iliad —Sunkissed and Night Kaid —Sennight, will be dispatched to join J. T. Jamieson’s team. King Musk, me four-year-old gelding by Musketoon from Queen Arch, has been purchased by Jamieson. Gay Seton is a smart sprinter, and is a four-year-old by Gay Shn-lu from Persis. He is owned by Messrs C. Matthews and J. Sklenars. Captain Bruce is a two-year-old colt by Captain Bunsby from Lady Bruce by Robert the Bruce. Miss Ethel is by Wariki Miss Rose by Dreadnought. Ho belongs to the same family as the speedy Gold Money, and is owned by his breeder, W. Kemp, for whom he will be trained by Jamieson. Captain Bruce displayed some promise in his early sprints; but he has been troubled at times with soreness, and has not yet raced.

The- colts by llaid, Suukissed and Nigh' - Raid —Sennight were purchased at tbo Trentham yearling sales in January for ISO and 675 guineas rcspectivclv, the latter being acquired by Mr E. A. McLean, for whom Jamieson previously trained Impudent. The youngsters have since been at Glenora Park, where they were broken in by R. Miller, Both are nicely bred. Sunkissed is an imported marc by Sunstar—Kiss Gannon, by Gay Crusader. Sunlight, dam of Weatberwise, is by Day Comet from the imported mare Week-end, by Holiday House. Champion ’Chaser. In- finishing fourth in a field of 12 fo-’* the Wanda Steeplechase at Caulfield, Membo would seem to have acquitted himself fairly. Eedditch, however, won the Wanda easily with 12.11 o:i his back, and as he has the fixed maximum for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase (12.7) lie looks to be a tough obstacle for the other competitors in the big Flemington event, which will be run on July 13. 'Eedditch won the National with 12.3 in 1933, and was runner-up with 12.7 last year. Grecian Prince Lame. Grecian Prince slipped twice in his race at Ashburton on Saturday, the lirst time when coming round the home turn, where lie and Capital were in the lead, and again when the straight was reached. He was lame afterwards, having had a recurrence of an old trouble in the muscles of his hindquarters. A spell will be accessary, with the possibility that the injury may this time be serious. Chidden m Work.

G. Murray Aynsley has made another start with his threo-ycar-old filly Chidden, wh'o has bccu spelling since early last month, when she bruised a foot on the eve of the Amberley meeting. She will now bo started on a preparation for spring engagements, which may includc nomination for the New Zealand Cup. Her owner-trainer has always been hopeful she would make good as a stayer.

former hunter may be capable of wining against much better class before long. She appears to stick on reasonably well, and with the minimum weight must be given more than an outside chance in the Wellington Steeples. Has her Share. Apparently the Wellington handicapper was very much impressed with the form of Sunny Maid at Na.pier Park, for ho has. set the Psychology mare a big task in the Woburn Hack at Trentha.m in allotting her 9.10. Certainly she was responsible for two very fineefforts last week, but nevertheless it comes as rather a surprise to find 1 her being asked to concede -lib to Astarth, who won in open company at Avondale recently and in her only subsequent starts just missed a place at Ellerslie each day against the best sprinters at present in commission. As yet Sunny Maid has beaten little of note. In. the Stewards’ Handicap also she looks to. be well up with 8.1, there being some decidedly useful gallopers below her who have proved their worth in open company.