ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 1 February 1936, Page 3

ON THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES February n —Tapauui R.C. February fi, B—Taranaki8 —Taranaki R.C. February (i, S —Poverty Turf Club. February S —Canterbury J.C. Fqjiruary S, 10 —Rotorua R.C. February 12. 13 — Kgmont R.C. February Ri, In —Dunedin J.C. February-17) —Tola pa Bay J.C. February 21, 22 —Wooilvillo D.J.C. February 21. 22 —AYintoii J.C. February 22—-Waiapu R.C. February 22, 24 —Waikato R.C. February 20 —Opunake R.C. February 20. 27 —Gore R.C. February 2S. 2!) —Marlborough R.C. February 20, March 2 —Te Aroint J.C. TROTTING FIXTURES February n —Tapanui R.C. Annual (two trots). February 5, B—Wellingtonß—Wellington T.C. February S, 12. In, 19 —Inter-Dominion Championship (Perth). February In—Canterbury Park T.C. February In, 17 —Auckland T.C. February 22—New Brighton T.C.

Had Silver Ring the benefit of a race before tiie Wellington Cup last week it is extremely probable he would have added the big event at Trentham to bis already fine day record. On the second day of the meeting racegoers saw the Silverado gelding win like a champion, but be bad missed the big prize only by tlie merest bad luck. In earlier years it was possible to prepare a horse for a middle-distance or two miles event purely on training* but nowadays handicap races are so solidly run that a- horse requires something more than the fitness which can be achieved by training, especially under the big impost Silver Ring was required to shoulder last week. Had bo raced on the West Coast as his connections intended, be may have reversed the placings with the Songbird mare Queen of Song in tlie Cup. Silver Ring lias always been a horse who required racing to fit him for hard tasks and nowadays lie seems to be more sound than at any other stage of bis career. Prior to this season it was thought that a mile and a quarter was as far as lie cared to go, but there was no question about bis ability when iic stepped out in the C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap in November. He had run only fairly in bis other races at tlie meeting, but, with 9.5 in the big race, on the concluding day lie came along at the finish and just swept past Cuddle. Silver Ring was a cracker-jack two-year-old in ins‘ year against good ones like 1n(1 at ion and Tea Trader, but, as a-three-year-old, lie lost all lorm. How ever, he came back to bis best again at four vears, winning seven and running second once in bis last eight starts. Last season lie won the rich Epsom Handicap, but lost form again and lus best effort for the remainder of the season was to win the Awapuni Cup, a race he was successful in twelve months before and in which he will be hard again this autumn. Lady Kyra’s gallops last week wore so impressive that it would sfeein bhely that, the Lord Warden mare will be found at. the very top of her form, at New Plymouth and Unworn. Lady Kvfa favours her home course and she is not without reasonable chances of success or two in the next fortnight. ' Lo Grand has been working well .since going into Fryer’s stable and the Posterity—Eulogy three-year-old will have to’ he considered if produced at New Plymouth or Ilawcra. Le Grand has done very little racing, hut he has developed into a line colt and should, live u]i to his great breeding. Tlie poor 'nomination and the acceptance of only’ four three-year-olds for the Trentham Stakes last week ma t \ •tempt the executive of the Wellington. Racing Club to drop this race in future. For tlie good of racing in general it is to be hoped that such a step is not taken. . Viewing the position dispassionately, one cannot feel other than that the Wellington Racing Club has IiJIL tins race at tlie wrong meeting. From every point of view the Trentham Stakes is an ideal race for the clubs spring meeting (writes “Aloturoa ). In "the first place the good class three-year-olds have, by Labour Day, been given the opportunity to become seasoned by racing in the Wanganui. Avondale, and Great Northern Guineas in the North Island, and the Dunedin Guineas in the South Island. Thus a race among themselves over ten furlongs late in October would provide an excellent try-out for the New Zealand Derby the following month. As well, such a race on the opening day would mean drawing more good three-year-olds for the’ ten furlongs Harcourt Stakes on the second day of the meeting-. when they could ho further tried out against older horses. It would he a retrograde step indeed if the .1. rontham Shakes were allowed to lapse simply because it has been ill-advisedly placed on the summer programme, when the majority of .the three-year-olds are being eased off after their exertions in the two Derbies and other w.f.a. races at the summer meetings in order that they can build up their reserves for the longer classic events of the autumn. The AAT'llington Racing Club has made such a success of its past three or four meetings, that the time is ripe for the consideration of the re-establishmcut of the Trentham Gold Cup on its autumn programme. That is a race which is urgently needed to keep the. good-class stayers in New Zealand. The each way favourite, Mazir, was responsible for an attractive performance in winning the Ralph Handicap at Takapuna, after being squeezed back to last at the five furlongs When that happened his prospects appeared far from bright, because Enge was out six lengths clear of Scotland who was ahead of Monanui. Royal Appellant and Knight of Australia. However, Mazir made up iiis ground very rapidly near the turn and lie was up on the outside of Scotland and Monanui entering the straight, where they were just behind Jingo. Continuing to gallop freely Mazir reached the lead at the distance ami staved off a very determined challenge from Royal Appellant to win like a good horse. Royal Appellant recorded anollier solid performance and he is one of the most consistent horses racing in Auckland at present. Huge attempted to steal the race, but alter being six lengths in front of the middle stages tired at the end. Scotland ran a creditable ’fourth. Monanui failed to stay on at the finish and Kelly was never really dangerous.

The Clifford owned mare Fracas is a really good miler, hut she is now receiving her full share of weight. She was well beaten in her first start at Trentham but ran a good race into fourth place behind Silver Streak on Saturday. If she wore to given a let up and prepared for the Thompson

NOTES AND COMMENTS On Gallops and Trotting

Handicap she would prove hard (o heal, for she would probably receive a weight that she would be able to handle comfortably. There is no doubt that she, is a brilliant mare and as honest as they are made.

Chief Rangei - , winner of the Melrose Handicap at Trontham. is comparatively little-known to racegoers, although this is his third season. As a juvenile, he raced three times, unplaced, and at four years he made only one appearance, with a like result. This season, he has been consistent, winning two races in the spring and running two thirds and two seconds in a row immediately prior to last Saturday's success. He si therefore, apparently, (|uite sound and his breeding suggests wide possibilities. He is a five-year-old chestnut entire horse by Chief Ruler from the Thespian—Sea Elf mare Miss Thespian, a half-sister to the great Mermin, crack two-vcar-old of his year, and to Watervings, dam of the Derby winner Agrion and the A.. 1.0. Metropolitan winner Waikarc. Miss Thespian failed"'Tierself on the race-track, but she had only four starts before going to the stud. Chief Ranger is owned by his breeder, Air r l. J. Evans, of Feilding.

The career of Vintage has been full of incidents. Before he was sent to Riccarton he had demonstrated that lie could jump fences, and it was anticipated' that with some education he would develop into a steeplechaser. It soon became apparent that lie had speed superior to that class, however, and a few months after lie had his first race he won the Dunedin Cup. From there he went on to other successes, including the Wellington Cup a year ago. At that stage he was the outstanding performer in the Dominion over a distance. lie had a trip to Australia in the autumn, but it was cut short when veterinary aid had to be called in during his stay at Melbourne. Following on a spell, ho returned to Riecarton, but he has had only one race this season, the New Zealand Cup, in which he was unplaced. A little later his owner, Air D. IV. Westenra, had him sent to his home at Dunsartdel, where ho is having a, spell, after being blistered. A few days ago he got out of his paddock, and while eating the tops of the hedge on a roadside he attracted attention as a. trespasser. Receiving no more consideration that would be extended to any other breaker of the law, he was taken to the local pound. His incarceration was brief, as Air Westenra soon had him home again, but it was another incident in an eventful career. The Takiinini trainer P. E. Pope is handling a two-year-old filly by Whirlwind from, Pellet. This youngster is therefore a half-sister to the brilliant Croupier. Her full sister Whirlette was a recent winner in Western Australia, and it is reported that Pope’s charge is also likely to be taken across the Tasman. C. Emerson should have a potential stayer when he comes to handle the yearling colt that Mr W. 0. Rutherford purchased at Trontham for 240gns (says a southern writer). He attracted favourable notice, and his relationship to Phar Rap was a recommendation. He- is by Nightmarch (son of Night Raid), while his dam, Gav Round, is a half-sister by Gay Lord to'Entreaty, who carped fame as the dam of Phar Lap. Petrarch, who won the high-weight event on the second day at Tpentham, has riot scored previouslv on the flat, but he had been successful as a hurdler and a steeplechaser. He is by the Sunstar horse Arausio and he comes from a great staying line, his dam. Waterlea, being by Boniform from Sunbird, a sister to the New Zealand Cup winner Ardenvohr, by Martia from the Austra-lian-bred mare Alary of Argvle, by Grafton.

Custos. by his win at Trentham last week justified the earlier prediction that he would develop with racing into a profitable proposition. He is a very free mover and straight goers and looks like being a good staying three-year-old. His win was well received, as it was the first credited to F. D. Jones’ stable for some time, and also to Mr C. N. Draper, who lias spent a good sum of money in the purchase of young stock.

One of the disappointments both this and last season lias'been the form of Kcwpie’s Bond, who, although gaining several placings, failed to win a race. There is some excuse for the chestnut mare, however, as she is troubled a good deal by soreness, and she has to .be taken very carefully in her work, especially on the firm tracks at present available. Kcwpie’s Bond is in steady work at Otahuhu under J. 0. Robertson, and the mare appears quite sound. Present intentions are to race her at the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting and she should be well worth remembering, as it is doubtful if there is a more speedy improver in commission.

Kibo has yet to race in Canterbury. Shortly after arriving to join 0. McKewlry’s stable she became unsound and only now is she coming right. Kibo is a Blue Mountain King mare, and as such .she will he expected to stay and go on with the promise she displayed by defeating Guy Junior in. the Gore Cup and registering a Southland record of 4.27 4-5 in finishing second in the Win ton Cup. While some of the glamour of these' pertormances was lost through her defeats by Wise Guy and Llewellyn’s Pride respectively at Forbnry Park, the subsequent form of the latter reveals that Kibo, who ran him to a narow verdict, is still as much as Southland writers claimed for ] ler —that she is the best mare bred in Southland for many years.

After being at the stud for a couple of seasons the ex-Auckland mare Arachne had her first race since rejoining the active brigade when she contested the mile saddle race at the Kew Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting. However, she did not receive much support and raced accordingly. failing to strike her gait at the start and not settling down until all chance was gone. Two years ago Arachne was sent to Man-o'-War and she produced a nice colt foal, but he met with injuries and had to be destroyed. Last year she was mated with Wrack, but proved barren. Her owner, Airs I. E. Sweetapple then decided to place her in work again and she was sent to .T. Bell. jun.. at Ashburton. At her best Arachne is a very speedy mare, but she is very big in condition and it will be some time before she is in real racing condition again. One of the most promising stayers raced on the Auckland district circuit this season is the bay pacer Our McKinney. This pacer is invariably doing his best over the concluding stages of a race, and for a horse with only about eight months’ experience lie has done extremely well to gain four wins and eight places. He was responsible for a

verv sound performance at Cambridge recently, when he gave a field of improvers (iOyds over a. mile and a half and then finished a close second to Proletarian. The manner in which he stayed on under pressure in. the last furlong augurs well for his near-at-hand prospects.