ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 14 November 1934, Page 8

ON THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS Variant, "easy winner of the New Zealand Oaks, was bred by Mr G. M. Currie at the Koatanui Stud and she was purchased for 225 guineas at the January sales iast year by Mr A. Lquisson, of Nightmareh fame. She is a sister to A] Jolson and Midinette, and a half-sis-ter to Legatee, being by Limond from Motley, by Absurd from Pennon, by Corriander from the imported mare Eulogy, who has founded a great family. Variant had eleven races last season when trained by A. MeAulay, and though she won only twice, she was four times second and twice third, her form entitling her to rank as one of the best of her age. She is now under the care of P. V. Mason, who has not hurried her, as she did not do well in the early

stages of her preparation this season. Eor this reason she was not nearly so much fancied on Wednesday, as Mother Superior, but the result showed that she was much the better filly under the tactics that were adopted in the race. She can be improved a lot, and it would be no surprise to find her challenging the supremacy of Sporting Blood, Synagogue, and Gay Blonde in the Great Northern Derby. Sea Pox was reported to be, very light in condition when ho joined J. S. Shaw’s team at lticcarton last June, and consequently his preparation was not unduly hurried. At the New Zealand Cup Meeting Sea Fox ran second to Rebel Chief in the Limvood Handicap, and at the same fixture he scored an easy win in the Ashley Handicap. Those performances indicate that the half-brother to Seatown is training on in a satisfactory manner. He is likely to win in better company before the current/ season is over. Express, winner of the Spring Plate at the Whangarei meeting, is a four-year-old filly by Whirlwind from Holymond, by Limond from the imported mare Ilolyrood. It was her first appearance ibis season, therefore she started well and should will again around the country meetings. Express contested five races last season, and though she failed ed to win she was in the money on two occasions. She is trained by J. M. Buchanan, of Ellerslie, and it is pleasing to see that trainer having a change of luck. Lifeguard, who won the Kauri Handicap on the second day at Whangarei is a Chief Ruler gelding who lia.d previously been successful on the. northern course, winning the Trial Stakes, run over live furlongs, at the autumn meeting, held in April last. He was ridden by ’T. Green on that occasion, and the same rider had the mount on Saturday. Silver Sail, who defeated Symcony at Riccarton in the Irwell Handicap, was bred at the Elderslie Stud and sold as a yearling at Trentham to her present owner-trainer, T. llobbs, of Oamaru, for 140 gs. Tea Kettle, dam of Silver Sail, was never raced, but was bought at die Sydney yearling sales for her blood. She is by Tea Tray from Nuit, by Absurd from Afterglow, by Demosthenes from Sunglow, a half-sister to Bonifonii and Martian. Silver Sail can thus claim some very high credentials, and as there is no doubt regarding her pace and gameness she should be capable of winning many more races this season.

From a horse point of view, the N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club’s carnival produced some exceptional speed. The evergreen Harold Logan put up the best time of his career when he finished third in the fourth New Zealand Trotting Cup ho has contested, lie won both Free-for-all contests, his performances appealing io Iris thousands of admirers, who thronged the enclosures to applaud him as he came back to the birdcage on each occasion. Indianapolis was responsible for bringing the crowd to its feet on two occasions. He established a new world’s race-winning record for two miles when lie won the New Zealand Trotting Cup in 4.15 4-5, but two horses havo gone faster than that in a place, namely, Harold Logan 4.12 2-5, and lloi l’Or, who has 4.14 3-5 to Ins credit. Indianapolis is a big overgrown five-year-

old, who will he well served by another year, when lie can confidently bo expected to smash all existing records. Ho lias perfect manners, is a hundred per cent, racehorse from every point of view. By his marvellous achievement in winning the Christchurch Handicap at Addington Indianapolis gave the enormous crowd a. thrill not previously provided in the annals of light harness racing. For three-quarters of the two mile journey, Indianapolis paced with part of his gear dangling by his side, and tho public expected that' at any moment lie would bo pulled to the side of tho track and out of the race. But to the amazement of about twelve thousand people who were present, the driver decided to allow Indianapolis to _ continue in the race. The eyes of the big assembly became riveted upon Indianapolis, a ma jority expecting him to either make a, break, or fall at every stride. While this was going on nobody thought for ouo moment that it was possible for him to win. But lie did. Numerous old-tim-ers were bewildered at the horse’s performance; they had never seen anything approaching such a thing before, they did not think it possible for a horse to race with, two legs hoppled and two without, and with broken equipment (lying about and hitting hint upon the body and legs as he went along at a great speed. In the circumstances his faultless exhibition of pacing two miles in 4.16 1-5 and beating a field of high class horses will long be remembered. In War Buoy and Gamble the sport has two budding champions, and the performances of both pacers were a credit to the trainer, who educated and developed both horses. War Buoy was easily the host four-year-old seen out at tiie gathering, and Gamble occupies a pedestal all his own among the three-year-olds. Sea Gift gave two fine performances on tlie first two days of the Addington meeting, but in the Governor’s Handicap this fine trotter did not seem to be able to settle down at all. She commenced fast, but at tho end of a furlong broke badly. She usually gets to work quickly, but on this occasion she went a long way before hitting her gait again. Soon after she made another mistake and altogether her effort was a very poor one, especially in view of her line showing on the first two days. V. Alborn got a well-deserved win when Vesuvius won the Sprinters’ Handicap at Addington. The Matchlight pacer has been showing his best form in training work, and it was expected that he would havo raced better than he had dono in his previous races, The winner is equally at homo over sprint or two mile races, and now that lie is racing satisfactorily he may succeed over a two mile journey.