DIVOTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 126, 14 May 1935, Page 2

DIVOTS

(Dug by “The Delver.”) The president of the Te Aroha Jockey Club, Mr R. L. Somens, has been the recipient of the King’s Jubilee medal.

It is yet too early, says the Auckland “Star,’’ to discuss the prospects of Ammon l!a making a comeback, but he is a regular visitor to the tracks, and is doing work of a light nature. Hopes are entertained that he will reproduce some of his old form.

According to the same writer Greek Gold looks as well as ever, and from now on should be worth keeping in mind. Not only is ho a good mudlark, but some of his recent efforts among the sprinters, and the good race he ran in the Easter Handicap, lead to the conclusion that his turn is not far off.

View Halloo, whose Cornwall Handicap was his only wetory last season and who is topweight lor the forthcoming contest, will have a preliminary race in the Winter Oats at Wanganui. If he runs well at the riverside course, he will again be in general demand lor the Cornwall.

Although Aga Khun wa* not produced at ilaneia, that there is nothing amiss with him lie demonstrated on Saturday when he went attractively over seven furlongs, being well out from the rails on the course proper, in luiin. 33secs. After running evenly throughout he finished (strongly, covering the last half-mile in 53secs.

That good little mare Gay Rose will most likely be again seen out at winter meetings, as racing has improved her considerably, while she has proved that a yielding turf is nut detrimental to her prup<cts. Her recent track work goes to show that she is in first-class trim, and she should be worth keeping in mind during the winter season.

Ruaform, tecond-day hurdle winner at riawera, has not been paid up lor m the Century Hurdles, but it is said the Kuapapa gelumg will contest the Muy Hurdles on Saturday next. Rualurm shaped like a goqd stayer and a game uii at Haw'era, and he should gum further successes over the hurdles.

It has been reported that Hunting Jay is to be placed in L. Knapp s iiuudis at Awapuni to be prepared 101 a jumping career. The Hunting Song ge.d.ug has a good turn of speed on the flat, and he will be in the right hands to be converted into a jumper.

Nominations for general events at the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting, to be held at Ellerslie on Juno 3, 5 and 8, show the number oi entries for the 15 races is 440, a decrease of 70, compared with last year. But this fall is confined almost entirely to the three hack flat events, which have attracted GO fewer nominations.

Four yearlings Lave made their appearance at Woodville and are undergoing their early education. H. E. Russell has two colts by Lackham from Signal March and Lucretia, respectively. F. Davis’s two are a filly by Gainscourt from Marion’s Birthday, owned by Mr T. H. Lowry, and a colt by Gascony from Orozino, which Davis purchased at the January sales.

After his appearance at Marton, where he showed no improvement in barrier manners and was hopelessly left Golden Wings was thrown out of work, and the last has probably been f.een of this brilliant sprinter. Golden Wmgs had recently been, leased by Mr C. T. Keeble to the Woodville trainer H. E. Russell, who has also purchased the remaining members of Mr Kecble’s team.

Hybiscus broke a leg at Trentham a week or so buck ana was destroyed. I he injury was received through a kick from auouier nurse while running in the paddock. Hybiscus was a five-year-old gelumg by Hymesti’a from Egyptian I'lower, and was bred, by J. M. Cameron, wnose colours he curried until recently, when ho was bought by Mr Walter Stuart, of Wellington. Hyoiscus was a speedy gelding, but a poor stayer.

Boughal does not appear to be a very reliable horse, writes “Hurry On.’’ He fairly bolted home in the laying Handicap at Hawera on the opening day, leading from end to end. His connections fancied him strongly again in the Mokoia Handicap on Monday. He jumped out smartly again but after leading for half a mile he commenced to drnt and failed to beat a single runner home. It was a most inglorious display.

With a month’s suspension from riding W. J. Broughton can now have little chance of overtaking the slight lead held by L. J. Ellis in the race for the jockeys’ premiership. The meetings which Broughton will have to miss include the Nelson, Wanganui, Te Kuiti, Dannevirko (second day), either Auckland or Otaki, and the Foxton fixtures. be able to ride at the Hawke’s Bay meeting on June 13 and 15.

Whirlette, the two-year-old daughter of Whirlwind and Pellet, thus a halfsister to Croupier, has been sold by her owner, Air Norman Wade, to a West Australian sportsman, and she is to be shipped to Perth this week. Whirlette, who is a member of E. Pope’s Ellerslie team, shaped very encouragingly in her only start at the Pukekohe meeting, and she possesses plenty of speed, so that something may be expected of her next season.

There was a decided suspicion during the A. J.C. meeting, writes “Vedette,’’ that illegal and cutting plates were being used. Winooka’s injury in the Doncaster Handicap was serious and during the four days several horses were cut about. On the last day the Chief Ruler mare Miss Nottava was a victim, her near hind leg being cut as if by a razor just below the hock, and her heel was bruised so badly that she could not put her foot to the ground. She was ruined for racing. The stewards ordered an inspection of all plates in the later races, but naturalls nothing was found then.

Chang is reported to bo schooling exceptionally well at Te Rapa and will be seen out at the forthcoming meeting of the 'HkKuiti Racing Club, to lie hel<| nn that course. When first tried in

this department Chang displayed more than average ability for a novice, running third in his first two races, which were at Egmonf laet year. In his next effort he won the Waitara Hurdles at the Taranaki meeting, beating, among others. Constant Sun and Invictus. The half-brother to Paddon is very partial to heavy ground, and he will only have to keep sound to win some good races during the present jumping season.

The season’s two-year-olds, writes “Hurry On,’’ have had. followers of racing form well puzzled. Stars have made their appearances on the horizon only to bo eclipsed quickly and, with one exception, all the leading juveniles have tasted defeat on at least three and in most cases moi’o occasions. The one exception is Wotan, who was successful on the occasion of his only appearance. In most cases when the leading youngsters are continually beating one another, it is safe to conclude that the season’s crop is only moderate, but there is a decifled impression that this season is likely to prove an exception to this rule and that next spring will be rich with three, year-olds of class.

After reviewing the season’s two-year-old performances the New Plymouth writer sums up as follows: “Though it would be difficult to say which ol this list was the best, if one were r Honed to take one’s pick the choice would fail on Wotan 'lbis ball-brother by Siegfried to Gaine Carrington and Peter Jackson won his only race like a champion, Both his breeding and bis style of galloping suggest that he will stay on and he looks the ideal cut of a Derby colt. Certfinly he only beat a weak field at Wanganui but in a special trial at Trentham nearly a month later, he galloped a good half-mile completely outclassing his companions. His trainer T. R. George has a big opinion of Wotan whom he considers to be the best- colt that has ever passed through ins hands.' 1