RACING NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 198, 22 July 1926, Page 9

RACING NEWS.

FROM STABLE AND COURSE.

[By “Binocular.”]

July 24.—Gisborne R.C. (second day). July 24.—South Canterbury Hunt. July 31.—Christchurch' Hunt August 7.—Poverty Bay Hunt Meet-

ing. August 10, 12, 14.—C.J.C. Grand National Meeting.

Comical has jrrived at Riccarton to complete his preparations for the Grand National meeting. He is one of the ruling fa”ourites for the National Hurdles. ..

Indian Sage, who will be ridden by J. Barry in the Winter Cup, will be taken to Riccartoo by H. B. Lorrigan. The Catmint gelding’s victory in. the sprint event at W ellington has brought him into strong demand for the Cup race.

Waetea has rejoined W. Young’s active brigade at Trentham. There is .some doubt entertained as to whether the little mare will stand up to_ the rigours of racing, a suspicious joint being the cause.

At Riccarton oa Saturday Solferite, The Harp and R id Wink were sent a good working galop, the trio finishing in that order at the end of five furlongs.

Sunny Loch has been taken in hand again in the south-by J. McCombo. He is said to be very much in the rough at present, and some time is certain to elapse before he is ready to faco the starter.

When J. McCombe sold Forgery in Australia there was much speculation as to the price 1 e received for the Paper Money gelc ing. A Christchurch paper now states that it has been learned from a reliable source that the figure was 500 guineas. With the opportunities offerir g in the pony ranks in Sydney, an early return should come tho way of his owner.

Waterlow, who raced consistently at Trentham, is reported to be getting through good work and should perforin well in the hack events at Riccarton.

Llewellyn will iot be seen at the Grand National meeting. The Aucklander shaped so badly at Trentham that he was sent homo.

Orchid has resumed work at Trentham and is reported to be looking well after his liolilay.

Tho Taranaki sprinter Merry Jest is stated to be sl owing excellent condition and should bo well forward when raced.

The southern mentor, G. Feilding, has recommissioned Comic Song, while he has also Bonnie Winkie getting through easy tasks.

Kuhio, who wen the Winter Cup last year, was recently sold in Sydney, where ho has bee-i racing for some months past at tbe pony meetings.

Coupon made his reappearance on the training trac rs at Riccarton recently. Ho is stated to appear quite sound, and is under,the charge of his old mentor, F. P. Claridge.

Royal Elm, who has proved a useful animal over spriit and middle distance courses, is in light- work again. Although carryin; plenty of condition, he comes to hand quickly and it is anticipated that lie will bo ready for the Marton meeting.

S. Anderson, who has until recently been located in Taranaki, lias joined H. Hickey’s stable at Hastings.

G. Young, the veil-known Dominion horseman, contemplates settling in Melbourne. Young has enjoyed a great run of successes cn the • other side, having won races <n Tho Night Patrol, Spearfelt, Purser, Pilliewinkie and Gloaming.

A regular attendant on the Hawera tracks is lioyal Mint, who is stated to have consi'dcral ly improved in appearance. Tho or. inion has been expressed that Royal Mint will win good races next seasoif.

The Spearmint horse Last Dart is to go to the stud next season. One of his mates will bo Mantua, who has proved a brilliant mare despite tho fact that she has never been really sound in recent years.

Joy Bird, a winner at Trentham, cost tho Wellington sportsman, Mr AV. Higgins, 570 guineas as a yearling in England. She is a smart galloper, who looks like proving a good bargain.

Mr W. H. Gaisford’s present intention is to race Commendation in the Avondale Guineas and to then take on the Great Northern Guineas, a programme which, if carried out, willmean missing the chance of Derby honours at Riccarton.

Tho Absurd —First Class gelding, Preposterer, bred by Mr W. G. Stead at Flaxmero, Hastings, ran a second and a first in his engagements for the first two days of tho V.R.C. meeting. His outright success was in the second divison of the Gooparte Welter Handcap of seven furlongs, in which he carred. 8.12, started at a double figure price, and won easily by a length and a half.

The Banker raced 'unsuccessfully at Flemington on July* 10, tho third day of the V.R.C. steeplechase meeting. He started favourite in tho July Handicap, one mile, carrying 9.7, but could only finish eleventh.

The New Plymouth sportswoman, Mrs Graham, is reported to have received a cablo last week asking her to put a price on Te Monanui, but as Mrs Graham was not anxious to sell, a reply was sent accordingly.

A further addition to the ownership of Mrs Graham was made last week when she purchased a colt foal by Chief Ruler (imp.) from Wake Up, by Benzonian. AVako Up won several good races, but her racing career was cut short by meeting with an accident on the AVanganui track while training. A wide range of prospective winners of tbe AVinter Cup is offered early bettors and Sun Up, Rapier, Civility, Indian Sage, Nippy, Pink Note, Olympic and Le Clioucas are at short prices m some quarters, although, _in the opinion of others, Rapier, Indian Sage, Le Choucas, Kilbronsyth and Sun Up are tho ruling favourites.

Ngata, Comical, Frisco Mail, Lucullent, Zircon and Black Cruiser are all at short quotations in the Grand National Hurdles, but the _ selection has been reduced somewhat in respect to the Steeples, Birkenella, Omahu and Fireblignt being the shortest of a lengthy list of poor quotations.

The AA r ellington meeting showed how far astray early bettors can be in their selections, and it will be indeed surprising if a similar state of affairs is not forthcoming at Riccarton.

There was not a solitary Hawke’s Bay trained horse amongst tho runners in the AVinter Cup this season, states tho Telegraph, but there is a bit of a difference in regard to next season’s contest, as both Royal Diadem and Olympic, trained at Hastings by H. Hickey, are amongst the acceptors for the event, as also is Imitation, who is educated at Greenmeadows by H. Neagle for Mr AV. G. Stead.

The AA r inter Cup is one of the few races that fiave not been secured by a representative of Mr Stead’s. It assuredly appears as if Imitation,- a bold galloper of unquestionable gameness, will next month prove a worthy bearer of his racing badge.

Hawke’s Bay is, however, better represented in the Grand National Steeplechase than has been the case for several years previously, as Landbird, Fireblight and Ranui aro educated and owned in the Bay. In addition, Sturdee, who won in 1924, is trained there, which goes to demonstrate that if the quintette toe the mark in the race a great deal of interest will be taken in the event.

AA’hen Sturdee conquered a couple of seasons back ho had 9.4 on his back. He now has 10.1, a weight that Fireblight will also have to carry, the poundage on Mr Peacock’s game little mare being six pounds in excess of what she had on board when she filled tho office of runner-up to Tuki last August.

Landbird, Comical, Maunga and Crown Coin are the Hawke’s Bay representatives to the Grand National Hurdles. In the last contest for the event Maunga, carrying 10.1, finished in third place behind Penury Rose and Nukumai. Miss Douglas’s gelding is now set to carry three pounds less, but as he has not been seen since the latter part of August the want of racing will probably go against him.