GENERAL NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 147, 7 June 1932, Page 2

GENERAL NOTES

The public suffered a reverse in the Raukawa Cup Handicap, the main race at Otaki on Friday, when Atliolspear camo home well clear of a moderate opposition. He was sixth favourite on tho machine, and was at an over double-figure price. It was his first win for some time, but he usually goes good races, though customarily at slightly shorter distances than a mile and a-quarter. Statuary created an even bigger surprise when he won tho Ta Tatimi Kara Handicap ou the second day, he being eighth favourite in a field of thirteen.

Royal Gallant, tho double winner at Ellerslie, is a black gelding, 3yrs, by Top Gallant —Princess Ilona, and is owned by Messrs C. and W. J. Howard. He returned a double-figure dividend each start.

Tho Auckland “Star’s” report on the running of the Cornwall Handicap is:—All the acceptors went to the post in tho Cornwall Handicap, in which event Little Doubt (£1452) was in most demand, with Historic (£1039) and Sunny Sky (£928) also solidly supported. Historic was the early leader from Little Doubt, Vandyke, Sunny Sky, Good Idea, Protomint, Jaeldy Karo and True Shaft. Protomint ran to tho front along the back, with King’s Archer and Imamint next; then came Jaeldy Karo, Sunny Sky, and Vandyke, with Little Doubt, Bronze Tray, True Shaft and Historic following. Tho order was much the same across the top, where Little Doubt began to move up, and turning for home he was racing in behind Protomint and Sunny Sky, with King’s Archer, Jaeldy Karo, Good Idea, and Imamint next. In the run home Sunny Sky stayed on and beat Protomint by half a length, with Little Doubt two and a-half lengths away. Historic was fourth, with True Shaft, Good Idea, Gay Cockade, Jaeldy Karo, Gay Idea, Bronze Tray, and Imamint next.

The same paper’s report of the running of the Members’ Handicap:— Gold Money and Werata were not paraded for the Members’ Handicap, w-ith which the day’s sport, concluded. Manawhenua (£1099) was favourite, with Chromadyne (£947) ana The Tiger (£929) next best backed, while Tradesman was ninth in demand with £402. Consent, Psychologist, Refresher, and Tradesman were the first to show up. Consent leading across the top from King Ford, Refresher, Psychologist, Royal Bengal, Manawhenua, Baroscope, and The Tiger. King Ford had charge into the straight from Consent, Refresher, Royal- Bengal, Manawhenua, The Tiger, Psychologist and Chromadyne. Manawhenua then came through and went on to score easily by two lengths from Tradesman, who was a length and a-half in front of Refresher. Consent was fourth, followed by Royal Bengal, King Ford, Hampton Park, Psychologist and Silvermine. Manawhenua thus repeated his performance of winning this race twelve months ago.

The Kuku Maiden Flat Race on the first day at Otaki was the best of good things for the Trentham-trained Azure, for whom the race was little better than an exercise canter. He jumped out two lengths clear from number thirteen position at the barrier rise, and nothing ever got near him. Araios and Wild Heather camo in challenge in tho straight from five or six horses back, but their task of drawing him back was always hopeless, and he beat the foimer by nearly three lengths, a short head separating Araios and Wild Heather. The winner provided a family triumph, as he is owned by Miss I. Gunn, is trained by her brother, D. Gunn, and was ridden by another brother, J, Gunn. He is a four-year-old brown gelding by Sky Blue, whose stock appear to develop a lot of speed in their fourth year. He looks tho type to make a great jumper later on.

Entries for the “classic” which is to be run at the Arlington Park (Chicago) meeting i n July attracted nearly every three-year-old of note in America. Entries totalled 113, and as the added money is £14,000, there is bound to be a large field. It costs'£lo to nominate, and there is a sweepstake of £2OO for starters, all of which goes to tho winner. The second horse gets £l4OO, third £6OO, and fourth £3OO. The crack filly Top Flight, owned by Mr C. V. Whitney, was an entrant.

Everyone is aware that no certainty attaches to anything in breeding, and in this connection it is worth noting that while Backwood, a Melbourne Cup winner, has not yet sired a genuine stayer he has been responsible for some smart sprinters. If there was one thing Backwood seemed certain not to sire it was six furlongs horses. It is this sort of thing, in conjunction with the vast difference of many full brothers or full sisters in racing merit, that makes a stumbling-block for those breeding theorists who are always ready to teach the practical breeder, comments “Pilot.”

If the rider of a winner weighs in short in Australia or New Zealand, the backers lone their money. Some owners, acting in collusion with bookmakers, have turned this to advantage. But tho Kentucky State Racing Commission has a rule which safeguards backers in such circumstances. It reads as follows: “If any horse or horses should be disqualified for bringing in underweight, the money bet on the horse or horses so disqualified shall be deducted from the pool and refunded to the purchaser or purchasers of tickets on the horse or horses so disqualified.” In Kentucky the totalisator is the solo medium of racecourse betting, but there is a lot of straight-out betting with bookmakers away from the courses on meetings held in that State.

• • e •Splendid jumping proved of great assistance to Lucess in the Remuera Hurdles at Ellerslie and he scored narrowly from Arch Eagle, who was sixth fancy in a field of seven, and was paying double figures to win. High Pitch was a better favourite than Cruachan but his supporters were un fortunate as ho was interfered with and lost his rider at the second fence Advance Camp and Arch Eagle led over the first fence and they carried on the running to tho second, where Fernden fell and interfered with High Pitch, whose rider was unseated. Arch Eagle then drew ci'ear and led past the stands a few lengths ahead of Advance Camp, with Cruachan. Lucess and Patutahi following almost abreast. Turning along the back Arch Eagle held a lead of five lengths, but Advance Camp began to close up at the fence neai the five furlongs post, where Lucess and Cru.i ehan were also handy Arch Eagle jus. led Advance Camp with half-a-mile tn go and Lucess and Cruachan were within striking distance. Arch Eagle led round the bend, whore Lucess ran

up second ahead of Advance Camp and Cruachan. Lucess was first over the last fence and he held his own in the run home to win b.v halt a length from Arch Eagle, Cruachan was hve lengths away third and Patutahi was fourth, with Advance Camp well beaten.—The winner jumped in his best style and ho made a tine jump at the last fence, where he lauded ahead of Arch Eagle, who made a line showing at the first attempt over two miles in good company. Cruachan did not fence quite as well as usual and iVeakeuea at the finish after looking likely at the turn. Patutahi plodded on to get tourtn, out Advance Camp tired in the straight.— ‘ ‘Archer.”

The Cornwall Handicap winner, Sunny Sky. was responsible tor another good performance in winning the King ueorge Handicap. As a result of heavy support for True Shaft and Manawhenua she was allowed to start at a good price and she always had the race Hi hand over the last furlong, where Histone, who would have returned double figures to win. made a great effort to overtake her. Silvermine and Arikira were troublesome at the post and Arikira was badly left. Imperial Prince, Consent and Huntingdon were smartest to begin, Huntingdon leading along the back from Consent, Imperial Prince, Refresher, Sunny Sky, True Shaft and Baioscope. Huntingdon and Consent were still the leaders at the half-mile, where Sunny Sky had run up third ahead of Refresher, Silvermine, Baroscope, Imperial Prince, Manawhenua and Chromadyne. The field was well bunched entering the straight and Huntingdon just led from Sunny Sky, with Consent, Silvermine, Hampton Park, True Shaft and Baroscope following in close order and Manawhenua showing up on the outside. Once into the straight Sunny Sky made an effort and she assumed command at the distance to win by a length from Historic, who came home strongly on the rail's. Huntingdon was two lengths away third and True Shaft was fourth. Next to cross the line were ting’s Archer, Tradesman, Baioscope, Refresher and Manawhenu.—Sunny Sky is really good and she won handsomely after waiting on the leadei's to the straight. Histone came home splendidly from a long way back, for he was never in the picture until the last furlong. Huntingdon attempted to win from end to end and battled on well to get third. True Shaft ran a good race and so did King s Archer, who was closer at tno finish than at any other stage. Consent and Refresher faded out in the last furtong and Manawhenua did not finish as well as usual after being extremely wide out at the home turn. Tradesman and Baroscope both performed very creditably.—'‘Aicher.” * • • Among the many winners ol the English Grand National Steeplechase is Shaun Goilin, who ran his last race in the Scottish Grand National at the middle of last month, Shaun Goilin had a remarkable career, his outing in the Scottish Grand National was his fiftieth over big fences, and the story of his early life is most interesting. His sire is not known, while his dam is given as Golden Day. This mare was at a stud farm at Rathduff, County Limerick, with three colts, and it is reputed, says “London Sporting Life,’’ that one of them became the sire of a foal, which eventually became known as Shaun Goilin. The colt was sold as a two-year-old for 22 guineas, and his present owner, Mr W. H. Midwood, paid 1250 guineas for him, the seller, Mr J. Eidger, stating at the. time, “I have sold you a horse that will win the Grand National.” The horse fulfilled that promise in 1930, completed the severe Aintree course the following year, when he was sixth to Grakle, and this year he was third to Forbra and Egremont.