OVERSEA ODDS AND ENDS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 211, 26 August 1930, Page 2

OVERSEA ODDS AND ENDS

It is expected that the Victorian Government, in its search for new sources of revenue, will impose a tax on all winning bets on horse-racing.

w * • Among the three-year-olds in work at Bandwick is Sweet Tea, by Teo Tray—Babe, and so half-sister to Mr G. D. Greenwood’s Cupidon, winner of the A.J.C. Derby of 1921.

It would appear that the Ellerslie trainer “Jack’ ’Williamson had something more than horse-racing in view in his latest trip to Sydney. An exchange states that over there, on 14th inst., he took unto himself a wife.

Among A.J.C. Derby candidates that are reported to be doing excellent work at Randwick is the consistent two-year-old performer Veilmond, by Limond—Veil, bred at Mr G. M. Currie’s “Koatanui” stud farm.

The Hawke’s Bay-bred gelding Home Made, who has been having a spell since his unexpected win in the big A.J.C. Steeplechase last June, is now back in work again at Randwick with a view to spring jumping events.

Signs of the times in Australia are to be found in the facts that paddock bookmakers on A.R.C. courses round Sydney are accepting fiveshilling straight-out bets, and also that managements are also reducing paddock “tote” subscriptions to the same amount.

A cable message yesterday menttioned that Mollison, one of the early fancies for the A.J.C. Epsom Handicap, was making good recovery from an injury he had received. Australian exchanges show that he was to have had his first run for the season last Saturday in the Underwood Stakes at Williamstown, which was won by the Maorilander. Waterline. He was then going to Sydney to meet his spring engagements, including a race at Warwick Farm next Saturday. Probably his accident will interfere with this programme.

L. Robert French, a trainer, won the French Derby with Chateau Bouscaut on June 14 and a week later took the French Grand National Steeplechase with De Fils de la Lune, who was backable on the course at 66 to 1. The race wag worth £4400— over half a million in French francs—to Madam Fpckenberghe, the owner of the winner. The lady named made the journey from Gibraltar by automobile, and arrived just in time to see the race.

Owners Pay. hi New Zealand we aro acvuslomcd to hear owners grumbling about the cost oi nominations, acceptances and lurfeita, but m coinparisuu with conditions in the Old Country wo are infinitely better off. At the Ascot .Meeting in June the hue sum of 4170,755 was competed for in four days, but of that total the owners themselves contributed no less than 4143,900. For the Coronation Stakes the “added money” provided by the club was only £lOOO, but owners’ forfeits and sweepstakes brought the total up to £6OOO. The division of the stakes seems unfair also to New Zealanders, the winning owner taking £6OOO. while the second and third shares were only £4OO and £2OO respectively. Racing is a rich man’s game in England.

Gray Horses

There is generally a prejudice against grey horses, but this is not the case in America. The Tetrarch and Roi Herode family have a good deal to do with removing the prejudice against this colour. Royal Minstrel, who was bought by Mr J. H. Whitney for £17.500, and won about £ll,OOO in slakes for him before

being sent to the stud in America, is one of the grandest types of the grey Thormanby branch of Herode. As a racehorse, Royal Minstrel’s highest performance was when he defeated Fairway in the ten-furlong Eclipse Stakes. The great success of Tetratenia, son of The Tetrarch, at the stud gave the greys a great lilt. In America., a grey that was highly thought of wais Stefan the Great, by The Tetrarch from Perfect. Peach, who was a full brother to Sarcliedbn. In Australia, greys have never been prominent, though Suwarrow won the V.R.C. Derby ; and no grey horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup. Ou the contrary, there have been a number of fair performers of this colour in New Zealand. Canteen, a NewZealand Cup winner, Mira. Queen of Trumps, Pahui, The Dancer. Bluestone, and Trumpery were all good winners. j