DIVOTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 143, 2 June 1936, Page 2

DIVOTS

(Dug by “Thu Delver. ”} The New Zealand Racing Conference will sit in Wellington on Friday, Julv 10. * * * Since 1895 Liberator, Lochella, and Royal Limond are the only South Island horses that have won the Great Northern Steeplechase. ft * ft The New Zealand rider Turoa Webster, whose activities are limited by weight, rode two winners at Moonee Valley on Saturday week, and is given credit by the critics for his masterly handling of his mounts. * * « In running first and second in the Derby with Mahmoud and Taj Akbar, the Aga Khan repeated the performance put up in the St. Leger of 1932, when Firdaussi and Dastur ran first and second. « * •» llluminagh, who won the Hunt Club Hurdle Race on Saturday, had been oil the scene for some months prior to running third at the Waikato meeting a week or so earlier. Limond has been claimed as New Zealand’s greatest sire. With all due respect to the merit displayed by the son of Desmond, writes “Sentinel,” it may be mentioned that Martiau got winners of £.372,1)07. Limond got winners of £225,787. # * •» The Auckland Racing Club will attempt at the next Racing Conference in July to have assumed names allowed again. Previous efforts to revive the ■jse of such names have been defeated. ft « » In the last five seasons, including the present term to date, £475,741 has been handled on the doubles totalisator in Adelaide, and of this the clubs receive 7} per cent., or £35,080, and the Government 5i per cent, or £24,970. Debut, whose jumping has hitherto been confined to' hurdle racing, is to be given an opportunity over the big country at Wanganui. Last week, with W. Grindlay in the saddle, he gave a capital exhibition over four brush fences, * * • A Bad Swop, According to earlier advice Steve Donoghue was to have ridden Mahmoud in the Derby, but he changed mounts for the French colt Bel Aethcl. That enabled C, Smirkc to get off Bala Hissar for the mount on Mahmoud, and thus secure his second Derby victory, ft ft ft A Possible Scoop. Four races in Melbourne this spring well in the aggregate be worth £22,450. They arc the Melbourne Cup, of £io uoil and a £2OO trophy; Caulfield Cup’ of tfi.loo and a £l5O trophy; the Moonee \ alley Gold Cup, of £3OOO, including a trophy; and the Williamstown Cup, of £2500 and a £lOO trophy. It is just possible for the one horse to win the lot. • ft » Por Hastings Vet. The two-year-old colt Gay Night, half-brother by Night Raid "to Greek Shepherd, purchased as a yearling by Mr Fred Armstrong, of Christchurch, for 230 guineas, has been senf to too North Island to be operated on for his wind trouble by Ml A. M. Brodie, of Hastings, who has had some recent successes with cases entrusted to him,— Christchurch “Press.” *• w ir Two in Three, Two wins in three starts form the record of the aged Day Comet—Lady Faithful gelding Allegret to since he took to racing over country. He is owned by the Waikato sportsman Mi J. R. Vereve and trained by .1. H. King at Te Rapa. No doubt, as with many others, his experience in I he hunting field has stood well to him iu Jus new role as a steeplechaser. * » » Half a Million! fhe Aga Khan’s worst year was the 1 I. i.limi he Con 13 rr.ecs worth

£13,133. His best year was 1934, when be won 45 races worth £64,897. Only four times in 14 years have his winnings fallen below £20,000, and to the end of last year his aggregate was 3J7 races and £478,242 in stakes. With ui accumulations of the present season these winnings must now exceed half a million. * w * Craganour’s Derby. Craganour’s disqualification after winning the Derby has resulted in endless discussion and hostile criticism of the stewards. A snapshot of the finish shows that Aboycur appeared beyond doubt to bo the offender, as it depicts him to be boriug in on Craganour. The result of the race not only led to the disqualification of Craganour, but it also lost England a particularly successful representative of the St. Simon line. Craganour was sold to au Argentine slud at 00/lOOgus. « * * Aga Khan's Classics. Two Thousand Guineas: Diophuti, 1924; Bahram,. 1935. One Thousand Guineas: None. Derby: Blenheim, .1930: Bahram, 1935; Mahmoud, 1030. Uaas: Udaipur, 1932. St. Leger: Salmon Trout, 1924; Firdaussi, 1932; Bahram, 1935. The Aga Khan has been a consistent winner since he began racing in England in 1922. How much the pursuit of these rich prizes lias cost him it is difficult to estimate, but having- practically a limitless purso lie was able to securo the best blood for the establishment and maintenance of his studs, and the tree so firmly planted is now in full bearing. -a- ■2s’ A Lucky Reserve. Mahmoud was bred by 1,.e Aga Khan, who was certainly lucky that he did not dispose of him as a yearling. He offered some yearlings at the Deauville (France) sales, including- two by his .1930 Derby winner Blenheim, son of Blandford. These two were Maumoud and Vanbrugh, and F. Darling wantod one of them for Mr John Dewar. He preferred the former, but the reserve on him was so high that he had to be content with Vanbrugh, as nobody would give the sum wanted for Mahmoud, he remained the property of his breeder, and was sent to Newmarket to be trained by F. Butters. As a two-year-old Mahmoud won three races and earned £5092. Vanbrugh showed promising form, but w-m only once, to earn £320. » » • Weathervane Dead. The English-bred horse Weathervane (Lemberg—Vain Air) died in the I’overty Bay district a few days ago. Weathervane, who was first quartered in New Zealand at the Elderslie Stud, v. us foaled in 1919, and was bred anil meed by His late Majesty King George V., among his few successes being tne Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot Weathervane's sire, Lemberg, won the Derby and other races to the value of £4.1,694 His grand-dam, Vane, was a sister to the great Flying Fox. -For all his fashionable breeding, Weathervane did •lot leave any outstanding winners, al though he sired many useful horses, including Baroscope, Perfect Weather, Weatherwisc, Lady Vane, Fnir Weather, Meta 1 Bird, Miladi, Weatherly, Midian, Wonderful, Warvnnc, and S':9dancer.