SPORTING.

Northern Advocate, 30 July 1924, Page 2

SPORTING.

There was a large gathering at Kensington on Monday morning to watch the work. Though the morning was very pleasant, £he course was still heavy, but tho outside grass was thrown open and a large amount of fast work was done. Comet King and his stablemate, the Demosthenes gelding Harpalus, galloped six furlongs, the latter having the better of matters at the finish owing to his superior pace in the early stages. Lacemaker and Fairlands sprinted threo furlongs together, the latter beginning more smartly than his opponent, though Lacemaker was going better at the end. She is capable of much improvement. Screw Bolt ran four furlongs alone. Take Take, Lady Lois, Shortland, Gum Chips, Snowflake, the Depredation colt and the Catmint colt were others that did steady work. • • • • Lady Patience has not been on the tracks since the early summer, but she appears to have wintered well and look 3to be well forward. It will be no surprise if she shows improvement this spring. • * * • Mr J. Hoey has again taken up his old favourite, Scrap o . Paper. ♦ « ■• • Gum Chips has made her reoppearance on tho local tracks after a good spell. * * * * Mr Teirney's Catmint —Delightful colt was on the track at Kensington on Monday morning and was much admired. Though leggy, he has built up a good deal, and shows his breeding, the Musket —St. Simon cross being much in evidence in his pedigree. With careful handling he should develop into something of class.

A Sydnoy cablegram to-day reports that the Auckland-owned Tactful, a winner at Rosehill on Saturday, came to grief while galloping at Randwiek, the ligament of a fore fetlock snapping. This means that the Lueullua gelding is not expected to race again. • * ♦ * Melbourne reports in a cablegram today that there are no New Zealand horses among the final acceptors for the Australian Hurdle Eace. • • • • Screw Bolt has been given a trial and Mr R. G. Hosking has decided not to have him persevered with at present. He will probably offer Screw Bolt for sale, and let Sunbar (Coaltrim —Sibar) take his place. • » # • Master Peter did all that was asked of him at Waimate last week, carrying his 12.3 to victory over two miles and a half of country. He beat no champions, and the big National race is a mile further, but he is evidently coming on. Even if the St. Petersburg gelding finds the National beyond him, he should gather some money at the meeting. • * w * A Wellington writer states that Tinokaha has been kept up to the collar since he raced at Trenthani and looks an improved horse. During the season that ends to-morrow he has contested 38 races, winning seven and being in the money on two other oceasions. • * « # A hunter named Swindassa, who earned place money at the recent Timnru meeting, is by the trotting sire St. Swithin, his dam being thoroughbred. • * « * Mr E. S. Luttrell has purchased from the Waikanae Stud a colt by Absurd—Procrastinate. The youngster is a half-brother to Pluto, who carried the Gloaming colours with some success. • ♦ • • Boadicea carried lOst lib when she ran second to Sunny Loch in the Winter Cup last year. She has lOst 61b in next month's race and on her recent form she will have to be seriously reckoned with, as she has never been better than she is at present. • * * • Wassail, who was among the winners at Trenthani last month, is among- the North Island horses in favour for the Winter Cup. He is a brilliant sprinter, but a mile may trouble him in the company he will meet at Riccarton. It is in his favour, however, that he is likely to be well placed J in the early stages of the race. ft ffl m « Night Song, winner of the Maiden race at Gisborne, is one of this season's two-year-olds, by Mghtvdatch out of Folk Song. It was only his second start, his first race having been an unplaced performance at the summer meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf Club on February 14, so it was not surprising to find the win resulting in a substantial double figure-dividend. • * * •• ~ • J. M. Cameron returned to Sydney on Friday with The Hawk, Molyneux, ! and Egyptian Flower. Some trouble j was experienced in getting Molyneux to enter the loading-box, and at one stage he resisted so strenuously that he threw himself when half in, and for some minutes there was every prospect of him being seriously injured. Happily he regained hia feet after some struggling and kicking, m which he did not hurt himself, and after some further persuasion he was forced safely into the box. The time occupied from the first attempt till he wus swung inboard was fully half-an-hour. A cable i to-day announces the arrival of the ! Ulimaroa with all the horses in good condition.

There was a good turn up in tho Winter Oats Handicap at Gisborne in tho little fancied Hyrax, an iaged gelding by Hymettus — Woodq,uest. Seeing that Hyrax was making Ms first public appearance since February, 1923, it is no wonder he caught punters unawares. * # ♦ • Vagabond is one of the popular fancies for the Grand National Hurdle race. In some quarters he is the actual favourite, with Lochson a good second choice, but in the North Island Nukumai is in as much, request. • • * Startle, winner of tho Plying Handicap at Gisborne, is a rising four-year-old half-sister to Scotch Mixture, owned and trained in Gisborne. Heather Sprig, who ran second, showed a glimpso of his old form. A season or two back ho was a notable performer at winter meetings, and ho twice occupied the position of runner-up in tho Winter Cup, in successive years, 1920 and 1921.

A. McAulay has just taken Tarleton in hand again at Biccarton, and will get him ready for spring' engagements. The big Nassau three-year-old only lias to go on right to be a good winner next season.

Horses owned by Mr W. H. Ballinger are seldom allowed to eat tho oats of idleness. The four-year-old mare Stream, by Sunny Lake —Killena, has started in forty-nine races this season and has been in the money twenty-two times. Her record is made of four wins, nine seconds, including a dead heat, and nine thirds, for a total of £802 10s in stakes.

Gloaming and Parody were shipped to Sydney on Friday. It is reported that the champion was looking bright and well, and his leg, according to Percy Mason, is as good as it ever has been since the trouble made its appearance. Parody is also well, but neither of them has. done more than half-pace work since resuming training. # * # * Critics in the South are somewhat divided in their opinions concerning the next meeting between Red Wink and Los Ambus after witnessing the latter's defeat at Timaru. Some say that Los Ambus will reverse the platings in the Winter Cup, while others are of the opinion that E-ed Wink will again prove master. "Sentinel," in the "Otago Witness," thinks that Los Ambus, who is yet a young horse, will find seven furlongs sufficient :it present when the company represents good class. • * • • W. Donaldson went out on Monday for Lady Arch and now has her in his care. She looks in go.od order to begin serious tasks. * • # # Though Solfanello was among the acceptors for the Grand National Hurdles and Winter Cup, he was not nominated for any of the events at Eiccarton for which entries closed recently. It is Stated in Wellington that he has not got rid of the soreness that affected him at Trentham, and he may not go to Eiccarton. » * # # Highway's win in the Gisborne Steeplechase is of more than ordinary merit, as it was his first start since injuring himself in tho steeplechase at t the Fleet meeting at Trentham, and "ie had only recently been sent home by W. Young, who looked after him during the time he was recovering at Trentham.* • • # Although Mr H. Nathan is now on the right side of the ledger over his purchase of Chrysostom, he made a bad deal when he gave 600 guineas for Rapine's brother Penitent, whom he purchased a few months after securing Chrysostom. Penitent was formerly trained by J. H. Jefferd for Mr K. S. Williams, and had the reputation of being very fast in private, but this he refused to reproduce in public, and after a number of reverses Jefferd was lucky enough to pass Penitent on as stated. However, the late successes of Chrysostom leave Mr Nathan with the best of the deal with the East Soast trainer. • • • •

New Zealand won the Australian ' Derby three years in succession, 191G Kilboy, 1917 Biplane, and 1918 Gloaming. In 1921 Cupidon. won, and in I 1923 Ballymena. Killocra has gone I across to make one of the contestants for this year's; honour, and if oil goes well Nigger Minstrel will be another. On account of Nigger Minstrel's brilliant achievements later in the season, there has been a tendency to overlook the claims of Killocra, who came to hand early. He won successively nt Wanganui, Avondale, and Trentham, and although defeated by Inferno at Kiccarton he ran well, won another j race, and has never been out of a, place. -As ho was growing fast it was recognised by his connections that he had probably more chance of develop* I ing into a good three-year-old if he were put away, so while others came I to the front and displayed their bril- , liancy he was given a rest and allowed ito develop. The wisdom of this policy has been evident if looks go for anything, and a Wellington writer states on the authority of his trainer that the Kilbroney throe-year-old has not lost any of his pace. He has given sufficient evidence of his quality in his races, and this assurance of his trainer is worth remembering when the chances of some of the more favoured candidates for the big Australian prize are tinder discussion, for there is little doubt that he will prove ! a stajreiv • i ■> •:: I