DIVOTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 79, 14 March 1936, Page 2

DIVOTS

(Dug by

“The Delver.")

Rex Beale, the hurdle and steeplechase horseman, has decided to make Riecarton his headquarters.

Lochlaggan was struck out of the Auckland R.C. Railway Handicap because she could not bo worked owing to tho bad weather.

Argentic was not nominated for the first day’s programme at Trentham, but will probably no north for the two concluding days.

A total of 618 yearlings will be submitted to auction by Messrs. William Inglis and Son at their annual sale in Sydney this year. This is a record number for one firm. The sales will be held on April 14, 16, and 17, beginning at 9.45.

Amongst the horses being schooled at Awapuni is the former Chokebore gelding Tail Light, who was sold by Sir Charles Clifford at New Year. The Day Comet three-year-old gave an impressive display over a round of the hurdle track at Awapuni a few days back.

Sylvandale registered 2 min 2J seer when he defeated Cuddle in the Essendon Stakes at Flemington. This is only a quarter of a second outside Phar Lap’s Australian record of 2 min 21 secs, established at Randwick. The New Zealand best is 2 min 2 4-5 secs., made by Bronze Eagle at Riccarton.

W. Townsend, who recently returned from Sydney, is located at Avondale with Silver Jubilee, Sporting Blood, Survey and the two-year-old Bonstar. Silver Jubilee and Sporting Blood have done most of their racing this season in Australia, where both showed winning form.

World’s figures for the two miles were lowered in the Pines Hurdle Race at Flemington on February 29, when Blackford narrowly defeated African in 3 min 34} sec. A head only separated the two leaders. The previous best, 3 min 35 see. was registered by Eatonwood at Randwick. Tho Flemington record was previously held by Pooley Bridge, who set 3 min 35} see. for the distance.

It is a curious fact that the latest winners of the V.R.C. Newmarket Handicap, six furlongs, and Australian Cup, 2} miles, both trace to the same imported mare, Fair Duchess, by Blair Athol. Alvola, dam of Amalia, is by Alawa from Miss Volo, by Benvolio from Politus, by Sir Tristram from Salutation, by Segenhoe, from Welcome, by Dutch Skater from Fair Duchess (1) by Blair Athol. Welcome was fourth dam of Regulate, dam of Regular Bachelor.

Considering his New Zealand record over country, Billy Boy can scarcely complain of the lOst. 91b. allotted him in the £3,250 Centenary Great Eastern Steeplechase, 3} miles to be run at the Onkaparing (South Australia) meeting on Easter Monday. The top-weight. Prismatic, has just a stone more to carry, while an ex-Maorilander, King Colossus, is set at list., Membo at lOst. 51bs., and Gascille at 9st. 51b.

Mr G. R. Hunter, who has been, ap-j' pointed a member of the Legislative Council (states Christchurch Press), is a well-known trotting enthusiast, and secretary of tho Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association. Mr Hunter has owned and raced a number of trotters and pacers, ineluding Hard Words, Isabel Patch, Shoelace and Philario, the last-named engaged in the Futurity Stakes this week, and in partnership with Mr P. C. Webb has owned the gallopers Gold Pit, Topere, Sapient. Merry Peel, Wino, Matunga and Forum.

Wexfordbridge, the Shambles gelding recently sent to T. H. Gillett by Mr .T. 81. Grigg, jumped four hurdles. With Turner in the saddle, he was responsible for an encouraging display, and showed the benefit of previous experience at the game. He is bred on interesting lines for a jumper, as his dam is bv Sylvia Park from Ruby, by Natator from Denbigh, dam of Meifaa, a Liverpool Grand National -winner, bred bv Mr Alf Ellingham at Hastings. She is more than 20 years of age, and this season was mated al Longhead with Dav Comet.

When Keith Voitre went to Melbourne early last year to commence his nhenomenal run of successes his first tm portant win was on Count Ito in the Newmarket Handicap at FleiUinffton. Australia's richest sprint race. Keith almost repeated his success this year on tho three-year-old Valiant Chief on February 29. The colt, who had been given a special preparation for the race , was the. medium of n big bettiii" plunge, and Voitre all but landed it home. Valiinnt Chief looked the winner inn yards from the post, b'ut just, succumbed to Regular Bachelor’s wonderful finish. Keith did his part, bn’/ was unlucky to encounter a freak galloper.

Thera would be no necessity for n schooling list if starters used tho power at I heir disposal and placed recognised kickers nnd fractious horses behind the rest of n field and not under any eircumstanees allow them to lino up nt the barrier. Starters will, however, persist in nllowing fractious horses to make an attempt to line un with the others and so r.metieullv hope to achieve an impossibility. It is almost a certainty that they will upset the

rest of the field, but still they receive more consideration than the well-be-haved horses. A more unsatisfactory state of affairs could not be imagined. Sending fractious horses to the outside and placing them in a pen is not a solution of how to deal with them, as some starters release the barrier only when the “rogues” are set after holding up tho rest of tho field. Tho Into Sir George Clifford once strongly condemned the “rogues’ pen” at a Racing Conference because, in his opinion, those placed there generally got all tho best of the start.—-" Sentinel.”