NOTES AND COMMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 280, 10 November 1934, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “The Barb.”) Many racing authorities present at the running or the New Zealand Cup last Saturday have been busy slating the jockeys, other than the rider ol the winner, lor the indifferent tactics adopted, the chief worry being that they failed to recognise the slowness of the pace when the ultimate winner, Steeton, was striding out in front half a furlung in the lead. Certainly on the surface there appears grounds for this adverse criticism, but at the same time the owners and trainers, too, might be due for a little of this abuse as it is almost certain that many of the riders were following the instructions received before the commencement of the race. To my way of thinking the trainers were fully acquainted with the lack of stamina of their charges, so instructed their respective jockeys not to go to the front, but to lie in behind. Thus when the horsemen concerned saw that the unknown Steeton was the ono out in front, they continued to ride as ordered instead of perhaps using a little of their common sense. Maybe had it been Polydora, Red Manfred or Gold Trail out in front us was Steeton, then they would have quickly reduced such a glaring gap. So far the Hawke’s Bay horses are having a tough time down at Riccarton and have failed, so far, tio collect a first stake. Passion Fruit was second m the Jockey Handicap, and had it not been for the accident to Manetho, Mr Oswald Nelson’s gelding according to Riccarton reports, would have been first. In this race the progeny of Mr F. B. Donnelly’s sire, Lord Quex, were first and second, with Sweet Agnes aud Passion Fruit. Gold Trail was second in the New Zealand Cup, as all are only too well aware and she, too, judging by her jockey’s remarks after the race, was unlucky and she, too, should have won, as he was doing his best to set out after Steeton, but could not on account of being hemmed in in a pocket. This was unfortunate. R. Marsh appears to be the unlucky one, as he was on the backs of both Passion Fruit and Gold Trail. ♦ • Emotion has been rather disappointing as the class opposed to him was quite within his compass, yet he has foiled to get in the money in any of bis three starts. Haut Monde has not been started at tho meeting on account of jarring a joint on the eve of the meeting, and so trainer R. Alexander wisely refrained from running any risk with Mr T. H. Lowry’s handsome Lord Quex colt. It is reported that Mr T. H. Lowry has disposed of the Night Raid—linihanga gelding Aesculus to a South Island sportsman, and also that Kotou and Haut Monde have gone into Fred Davis’s stable, but confirmation is lacking aneut the second part of the repOlt - . McHath is another Bayite that has been s'ORl to a South Islander. Mr J. S. McLeod’s other representative that he took down, II Duce, has not been raced at the meeting. * * * Jack Cameron is leaving Sir Nigel and The Khedive up in Auckland until after the Takapuna meeting at least, as he may wait until after the Auckland summer meeting. Cameron himself returned on Wednesday, but went back to Auckland on Thursday. He arrived back homo here this morning to superintend his team that is competing in Hastings this afternoon. La Fleur (Arausio —Gurnfon) has been taken from the racing business and has been sent to the matron’s nnddock. Her male selected for the first season is Mr F. B. Donnelly’s Tractor (imp). # • • Queen Salute on Thursday morning went wrong, and this is the reason for her non-appearance to-day at Hastings. This inare when in work three years ago was a first-class galloper when she unfortunately wont wrong and was given a long spell Since being placed into work again she gave every indication of standing up to a searching nrenaration, only to go out sudden!' and, strange to relate, on tho “"ood” leg. She foo has joined up with Mr Donnellv’s Flaxmere stud. • • • Sabatini in every card you pick up (excepting H.8.J.C.) is given as by Arausio from Gumion and this is not correct, as his dam is Gortyn. The

mistake also appears in the Turf Register, this last two issues, so maybe the various racing secretaries are misled by that publication. w * • Dusky Crown has been turned out. Ho will be allowed a three months spell and then brought in after the New Year and next jumping suasion will be tried between the flags. This gelding is a half-brother to indigo, who deadheated with Warstep in the 1914 New Zealand Cup, but Mr W. Gooseman's fine-looking gelding has so far failed to show anything like that racing form. L. Gray is handling a fine-looking two-year-old colt by Hunting Song from a full sister to Threadneedle. This newcomer has just been broken in and impresses as one to develop later into a fine racehorse. He has of late been under the charge of Charlie. Chaafe at Tomoana, who, “knowing his unions,” has produced him into a race stable to be tried in rare condition. • • • Sunny 'Maid could not fulfil her Hawke’s Bay engagements on account of getting kicked and she was going very pleasingly too. As she is suffering no 'ill-effects from tho mishap she will soon be up and doing again. • « e Trainer C. J Stowe certainly has won a race or two this last year, but his bad luck is becoming proverbial and has been referred to before in the “Tribune.” In the above-mentioned paragraph Sunny Maid’s accident was mentioned and not to be single-handed Cuddle contracts a oold when showing exceptional form on the Hastings tracks, and many were considering her a certainty in either race she contested to-day, but the pen had to be put through her name. • • w Werohia, who last season was quite tho ideal makings of a handicap horse and who on the day proved to be a decent stake-earner and who was spelled at the end of last autumn, is now' working along impressively under W. McKinnon at Greenmeadows. Mr Frank Ormond should win a big handicap with the son of Grey spear later m the season. • ♦ • Peter’s Pence, who has been causing his owner, Mr G. D. Beatson, no end of trouble of late, has been turned put u and will not be brought in again for some months. • • • The same owner has a particularly fine two-year-old coming on, and although he has not been tried against the watch, impresses a great deal in his three-quarter pace work and in the one or two working gallops he has done down tho straight. He is by Defoe out of St. Anne and is one of the most striking looking thoroughbreds seen on the Hastings tracks for some time. Mr Beatsion strongly opines that ho has a class horse in the making and so this colt, who wilf race as Soho, is to have every opportunity and may not race until about Christmas time. • • • Sweep Clean, a three-year-old filly by Leighton from Fera, who this time last season ran second to her stable companion, Queen's Pride, at Hastings, is being reserved to the stud and is at the present time on a visit to Mr Lowry's horse, Gascony, who is making a name for himself of late by begetting that smart two-year-old, Symcony.

Abbey Feale met with a slight mishap at Wuipukurau which prevented her fulfilling her engagements at Hastings to-day, but she has been accepted for the Carterton meeting, which takes place to-day week on the Clareville course. • • • Gamble, who won the Trotting Derby at Addington on Thursday, has for some time been showing exceptionally fine promise in private, although in one or two of his races ho failed to materialise, mainly owing to the fact that he was a little too excited off the mark. Of late he has settled down, with the result that at the start of the Derby he was as quiet as the next. His win was well received in the Hawke’s Bay district, as his owner is well known in Napier and surrounding districts. Mr T. F. Butcher was for many years largely interested in the wool-scouring works at Greenmeadows. Charade, the full sister tb Cleaner (Lord Qucx— Charlady), yesterday morning was given a short sprint on the Hastings track and impressed as a fine mover. If action is any guide at all, her owner, Mr A. W. Meikle, looks like winning a two-year-old race or two in tho early autmn, as she is not to be seriously raced until then. First Chapter (Hunting Song— Epistle), a three-year-old, was another untried horse to be given a sprint and by the resolute and determined manner in which he struck out and grabbed the bit he cannot help but come good. The Hunting Songs arc all having a great “trot’’ at the present time, and there is no mistake that the progeny of the English horse are born gallopers. Hunting Star, who has been out n<>w for over six months, is to be brought into training against next week. J. Olsen will also be reciving a further addition to his string in a four-year-old (untried) half-brother to Hunting Star by Colossus. ♦ • • Royal Bengal, whb raced in the Spring Handicap this afternoon, is to bo spelled now until the autumn and then brought in for winter racing, when it appears most likely he will be tried as a hurdler. has been schooled to show promise.