OVERSEA NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 153, 14 June 1932, Page 2

OVERSEA NOTES

Ammon Ra for U.S. Aceoruuig to private advices received in Auckland irom byuney this week, says tlie '‘star,'' Mr. G. (J. bueatli intends taking his horse Ammon lia to America cany next year. It is understood that arrangements are so tar forward that a trainer aud jockey are being engaged to accompany Mr Sheatli’s horse. Ammon Ha is the greatest winner in stakes at Randwick this season, his total being £8721, inclusive of the £250 breeders' premium attached to the Derby. Mr. bneath gave a stiff price for Ammon Ito, but when he bought him he was aware he was getting a high-class galloper. On the whole, it seems a better proposition to pay well for a “made” horse than risk four figures in purchasing a yearling. Luck in Buying. “It rarely happens, however,” writes “Pilot” in the (Sydney “Referee,” “that anyone will part with a potential Derby winner, no matter how tempting the price. Sir S. Hordern displayed acumen in buying Violoncello and Pilliewinkie after they had proved themselves, but he had no cause to regret partnership in the purchase of a lOOUgns. yearling. X refer to the Melbourne Cup winner, Artilleryman. There have, of course, been blanks amoug horses that were bought at high prices on the strength of their wins. Glare certainly has not given his Australian owner any cause for satisfaction. Another high-priced New Zealand purchase iu Runnymede proved costly for Mr. T. C. Trautwein, who also has cause to be somewhat disappointed with Chide. Luck — and there is such a thing—is a great factor in purchasing horses, whether young or old.”

A Smart Yankee. Questionnaire, a five-year-old by Sting from Disguise, is one of the best middle-distance horses racing in New York this season. At Jamaica (New York), on April 23, he ran away with the King’s County Handicap, 8J furlongs, his weight being 9.4 and the time 1.46. The Jamaica record for the distance named is 1.42 3-5, and is held by Questionnaire’s sire, Sting, who, however, carried only 7.5. Back In the Saddle. Earl Sande, one of America’s most popular jockeys of recent years, who gave up riding for a couple of seasons, made his reappearance at Jamaica on April 15. He rode in only one race, and did not have the satisfaction of scoring. His mount ran third in a field of four. Earlier in the day Sande refused a mount or two, preferring to reserve himself for something he thought would give him a good winning chance. Sande rode at 8.3, and it was anticipated that when the weather became wanner he would be able to do 8.0. French Outsider Scores. The Great ’Metropolitan Stakes, 2J miles, run at Epsom, is the principal long-distance handicap of the spring in England. It was won this year by the French-bred horse, Roi do Paris (6.5), who cantered home ahead of Chelmarsh, on whom S. Donoghue said he never had a better run in a race. A week before the Great Metropolitan Roi de Paris won a selling race at Newbury, and so little was thought of the performance that

his owner was able to buy him in for 150gns. At Leicester a little earlier Boi de Paris was beaten in a selling race by Dahra, who made only 90gus. when he went to auction.

English Team for Australia. The ex-Aucklandcr Mr. Boyd Davis, sou of Mr. Moss Davis, the well known brewer, must be bringing a fairly large team of horses from England to Australia. They were booked to leave last week. Although it was stated he intended selling some prior to his departure, at Epsom on April 19 he bought Springbud for 400gns. for his daughter, Miss Nancy Davis, and stated he was for Australia. Springbud, who is a three-year-old colt by Bhuidhannach from Springshoot, won the Banstead Selling Plate, 6 furlongs, on the date mentioned, and it was on going to auction after the race that Mr. Davis pur chased him. As Springbud scored com fortably, and it was his third successive win, it is only a matter of his striking form to be very useful in Australia. Must “Keep on Doing It.” It was cabled that Mr. Davis had been “whistling” his horses home in England. Of course, that sort of thing quickly became a joke, and when Mr. Davis commenced to whistle to his horse, Signilier, in the Derbyshire Handicap, at Derby on April 15, there was immediately a pandemonium of whistling, the shrill note of the horse's owner from the Press stapd, being deadened by the whistles from the bookmakers, their clerks, jockeys, stableboys and others The combined whistling had the desired effect, as Signilier drew away at the finish and won by four lengths. “When Mr. Davis comes to Australia,” writes “pilot” “he will afford racegoers some amusement if he adheres to his fad, and if he whistles for a horse in one race and not in another we are sure to hear the comment, ‘That wasn’t a trier—you didn’t hear Davis whistle.’ Mr. Davis will have to keep whistling all the time in order to avoid suspicion.” Aa Efficient Machine.

London papers are enthusiastic concerning the totalisator machine recently tried at Wembley for greyhound racing. It is the Julius Automatic Odds Totalisator, and, in addition to adding up the total win pools, the machinery automatically deducts 10 per cent, nnd calculates the dividend payable on the winner. Odds prevailing at any time while betting is in progress are shown on six dials on the indicator. On these dials are declared the win and place dividends, less than a minute after the race, while payingout commences half a minute later. On the opening night, 70 selliiin windows and 70 paying windows transacted business.

English Betting Control. In the House of Commons in London on April 15, Mr. Hopkin Morris, Liberal member for Cardigan, attacked the Racecourse Betting Control Board in connection with totalisator finance. Ho said £2,000,000 was owing to the banks, that 75 per cent, of the board’s machines had been dismantled, and that those which wore built to be operated electrically were now, in the main, operated by hand. Mr. Morris went on to say that it was doubtful whether the board’s assets were worth anything. In supporting Mr. Morris, Lt.-Col. J. C. Moore-Bra-bazon said it was known the board was “broke,” and that while horseracing people were making a failure of the tote, the dog-racing people were making it p_ay. The board was set up to help breeding, but it. had not brought in a single pound.

Celebrating a Birthday. The victory of King Salmon in the richly-endowed Sandown Park Stud Produce Stakes, one of the first important races for two-ycar-olds of the English season, recalls the fact that his breeder, Lord Carnarvon, parted with his half-brother, Blenheim, to the Aga Khan, who won the 1930 Derby with the latter. A singular feature of the success of King Salmon, who scored most meritoriously, was that he won on the anniversary of the day on which he was foaled. This son of Salmon-Trout appears to be possessed of abnormal enduring powers and great determination, but for which he would never have caught and beaten Solar Boy in the last few strides. Ho is owned by his breeder (Lord Carnarvon), who has a yearling half-sister by Tetratema to him, of whom he has a very high opinion. Big-hearted Horses.

We have read a good deal lately about the weight of Phar Lap’s heart being the equal of that of the great Eclipse. A veteran Victorian sportsman, Mr. F. Whitty, has called the attention of “Beacon” (Melbourne “Leader”) to the fact that sixty years ago Melbourne had a horse that in this respect could beat either of them and that, like Phar Lap, came to an untimely end. “According to Dr. Stewart Maekay, ” writes the old-timer, “the heart of Phar Lap, when examination has been completed, will probably be found to equal in weight the heart of the famous English racehorse Eclipse, which had the record weight of 141 b. About February, 1874, Don Juan, who had won the Melbourne Cup in 1873, dropped dead, I think after doing a trial gallop, and in the press it was commented upon that his heart weighed, I think, 1441 b., and on this being the heaviest weight known of a horse’s heart.” “Beacon” then goes on to say: “Mr. Whitty wrote from memory, and asked me kindly to have his statements confirmed. He is correct in stating that Don Juan won the Melbourne Cup in 1873 and dropped dead early the following year. Don Juan was trained at St. Albans by the late Mr. James Wilson, senr., and was ridden in his races by one or other of Mr. Wilson’s horses, William and James. At Moonee Valley on Saturday I met the latter Mr. James Wilson, and ho confirmed Mr. Whitty’s statement regarding the weight of the heart of Don Juan.”