ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 28 March 1936, Page 4

ON THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES March 28—South Canterbury J.C, March 28—Birchwood Hunt Club. March 31, April I—Pahiatua R.C. April 2, 4—Whangaroi R.C. April 4 —Hawkes Bay J.C. April 4—Waimate R.C. April 4 —Otautau R.C. April 4, 6—Westport J.C. April 11 —Greymouth J.C. April 11—Tuapcka County J.C. April 11, 13—Auckland R.C. April 11, 13—Fcilding J.C. April 11, 13—Wairarapa R.C. April 11, 13, 14—Riverton R.C. April 13—Beaumont R.O. April 13—Waipukurau J.C. April 13—Kuniara R.C. April 13, 14—Canterbury J.C. April 18—Hawkes Bay J.C. April 18—Greymouth J.C. April 18, 20—Avondale J.C. April 22—Rcefton J.C. April 20, 30—Dannevirke R.C. (at Woodvillc),

TROTTING FIXTURES March 28—Cheviot T.C. March 28—Wanganui T.C. April 4—Wanganui T.C, April 11, 13—Ilawera T.C. April 11, 15—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. April 15—Rotorua T.C. April 18 —Ashburton T.C. April 18, 22 Manawatu T.C. April 30, May 2—Forbury Park T.C. Greek Shepherd and Entail are due to meet again in the Great Northern St. Leger Stakes, to be run at Ellerslie on Easter Monday. These two had a great race in the New Zealand St. Leger at Trenlham earlier in the month, Entail winning by half a head. Greek Shepherd accounted for the Autumn Handicap, ,one mile and three furlongs, the next day, but Entail did not contest that event. They came together again in the Awapuni Cup, run at wight-for-age over a mile and a quarter, and Greek Shepherd turned the tables on Entail by half a length. Greek Shepherd beat Entail easily in the Great Northern Derby at Christmas time, the latter being unplaced, but Entail has improved a great deal in the interim, and their next meeting will be looked to with great interest. Greek Shepherd is remaining at Awapuni till his trainer returns from Riccarton to bring him to Ellerslie.

Early in the week a cablegram from Sydney announced that Silver Ring had arrived by the Monowai in excellent fettle, and that his recent Nerv Zealand form had invested his approaching engagements with great interest. Silver Ring’s racing on this occasion is to be confined to weight-for-age events. He may have his first race in a little more than a week from now, in the Chipping Norton Plate at Wanvick Farm on 4th April. Tlie race carries penalties and

allowances, and is run over a mile and a quarter. At the Australian Joekev Club’s meeting, which opens a week after, there are five races, all at standard weight-ijr-age. On the first day there is the Autumn Plate, of £ISOO, one mile and a half. The third day provides a choice betw'een the AIl-Agecl Stakes of £ISOO, one mile, and the Cumberland Plate, of £1250, one mile and three-quarters, while on the fourth day there are the C. W. Cropper Plate, of £ISOO, six furlongs, and the A.J.C. Plate, of £1250, two miles and a quarter.

Princess Doreen was withdrawn from all engagements at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, and Greek Shepherd was taken out of the Great Autumn Handicap at 3 p.m. Greek Shepherd was left, at Awapuni in charge of W. Pine

after last week’s meeting, and will later be taken by T. H. Gillett to Auckland to race at Easter.

The Maori apprentice rider M. Kearns attached to 11. Rama’s stable, attracted notice at the Oamaru meeting by steering, three winners, Toolcy Street (twice) and Ilorotiu. lie is a strong lad i’i the saddle and. combines pluck with coolness, and is showing the benefit of being given plenty of riding on the track before his jockey’s license was taken out. His education last winter at Riccarton included rides on Free Air over the schooling steeplechase fences, and as weight may trouble him he will no doubt take up this branch in later years. One of the best hurdle horsemen New' Zealand could ever boast of was Rangi Thompson, who had his grounding in a similar manner to that being followed with Kearns.

Tlie Surgeon will not race at Washdyke. He was taken to Waimate after racing at Oamaru, and will remain there for next week’s race meeting. He will then go on to Riccarton for the Easter programme. This gelding is a decided possibility for the Great Autumn Handicap, but his prospects arc contingent on a strong horseman being in the saddle. He is a powerful horse to handle, and is too much for a light boy, as was shown at Oamaru. The Surgeon is also in the Great Easter Handicap. It is interesting to relate that his ownertrainer, J. J. Lewis, trained Lady Lillian, who won the two events in 1903 for her owner, Mr E. Gates.

Lady Graceful won the New Zealand Oaks at Riccarton last November and also accounted for the Stonyhurst Handicap, a race for three-year-olds, at the same fixture. She was taken to Auckland for the summer meeting, but was unplaced in her only outing. She has not done much since then, but is engaged in the Great Northern Oaks and St. Leger Stakes, to be run at Easter. The three-ycar-old Entheos, by Gainscourt from Enthusiasm, who was a good mare in her dav, put up two good performances at Trentham recently when he won the high-weight handicaps on the first and second days. It looks as though he may be taken to Auckland for the autumn meeting at Ellerslic, as he is engaged in the Eden Handicap on the first day, and remains in the St. Leger Stakes, to be run on the second dav.

The Woodville trainer F. Davis produced his fourth juvenile winner this season in the good looking colt Black Friar, who scored in the Stonyhurst Juvenile on the second day at Awapuni. By Gascony from the King John marc Orpzino, this colt was purchased by Davis at last year’s yearling sales for 300 guineas, and he later disposed of him to Mrs M. S. Curie, owner of Red Manfred A massive colt, this youngster has been given plenty of time, and is susceptible to a lot of improvement yet. It is intended to race him at Auckland at, Eastc;;. where one of his engagements will be the Chamnacno Stakes. The first half mile of the President’s Handicap at Oamaru was run at such a crawling pace (51. 4msec) that it looked as if Silver Streak would bury the opposition for pace in the run home. After the heavy rains experienced in North Otago during the past few weeks, the track was dead, and the Paper Money gelding did not handle

NOTES AND COMMENTS On Gallops and Trotting

it well with his 10.3, and though ho put up a good fighting finish, had no chance with Queen of Song, who scored very easily. Considering that Tooley Street had won under 8.1 at Stratford early in January and had run a good second at the" recent Banks Peninsula meeting he appeared to be generously treated with 'only S.O in the Windsor Handicap. at Oamaru. and the public evidently realised this fact as he was made a screaming hot odds-ou-chance. He never gave his backers any concern, and when it came to racing home he gave none of the others a chance. Tooley Street is engaged in the hack races at the ltivcrton meeting. During the past two months. D. P. Wilson has not only been the biggest stake winner, hut lias also amassed quite a collection of trophies. At the Vincent meeting, Mary Pratt won him a canteen of cutlery, and Trivet the Loehella Challenge Cup. At the Winton Jubilee meeting, Trivet won the handsome silver cup which went with the stake for the principal handicap. At the Cromwell meeting, Mary Pratt won the Barton Challenge Cup outright for him, and Surge the silver cup attached to the stake for the Eavnscleucli Handicap. Always a good stayer, Master Musk is now "jumping in improved style and this winter looks like being a first-class staying hurdler. He is very forward at the moment and will be one of the early fancies for the Brighton Hurdles at Easter. Te Hai has raced very consistently since he resumed activities. His win at Tauranga was well deserved, and he displayed the grit in his finishing effort* that suggests further possibilities for The Ace gelding. He is now trained by his owner at Ellerslie.

In his one essay at Pao'roa Scotch Nation showed himself to be firstclass hurdler in the making. Seldom does a novice hurdler fence with the confidence that Scotch Nation dis* played, and this was probably a reflection of the hunting practice lie is~saiii to have received early in his career. He is another likely to command some attention in the Brighton Hurdles. Since failing at the Takapuna summer meeting, Valmint has gone on steadily in his work at Ellerslie. This son of Vaals has not been over-raced and as there is no doubt about his galloping ability, some results may be achieved with him at the Ellerslie’ and Avondale autumn meetings.

An overdue win fell to Pound Sterling at Tauranga, but there was little of an impressive nature about the victory as he had a pull in the weights from the jumper Master Musk, whom he narrowly defeated. Pound Sterling is young enough to improve. He is a half-brother by The Ace to good performers in Mosque and Mosaic. One cf the impressive victories on the first day at Tauranga was that of Blue Needle in the Alt Brown Memorial Handicap. A four-year-old mare by Threadneedle—Blue Sea. Blue Needle; disputed the lead at a fast pace and ran the opposition off its feet. She may be an open handicap prospect with a little more seasoning. Two horses were unlucky at the harrier at Oaniar'u on Saturday, and had they got away on level terms with the others, both might have'returned winners. In the Autumn Highwcight Handicap, Grand Review was chopped out as the tapes were released and lost about six lengths. She made up the lost ground very gradually, and was right in the firing line a furlong from the post. It was only the lucky run that Rin Tin Tin got on the rails that enabled him to beat her a short half length. The other unlucky horse was The Surgeon, who lost half a dozen lengths at the start of the President’s Handicap, and then finished second. The first half mile of this race took 51 4-osecs., and tliis made it easy for The Surgeon to join up with the others.

Candico, winner of the Cloverlea Nursery Handicap at Awapuni is a filly by Nigger Minstrel from Tea Tattle. She is moderately smart and had winning form at Napier Park to her credit. Punters considered they were picking up money by backing her on the second day, but she did not, seem to relish her increase in weight and was beaten into third place. Candico has a handy turn of speed and with judicious placing should score again. Dungarvan enhanced his reputation by the manner in which lie won the To Matai Handicap at the Manawa’tu meeting. He cut the opposition down in great style in the straight, and made light of his !).0.

Andy Watson has been facing consistently of late and his form at Timaru and Oamaru draws attention to his prospects at the Waimate meeting next month. This gelding, trained at Waslidykc ■by 15.I 5 . Gallagher, is a grey by Snowy de Oro from a Roy de Oro mare. The breeding is not what might he expected to produce a good level-headed racehorse, but Andy Watson has so far shown a steadiness that is commendable. Possibly the strain of Logan Pointer blood which the sire carries may have something to do with Xis good temperament.

Cream Harvester has taken some time to develop his true form; hut he is a generous racehorse and his ownertrainer, Mr D. Rogers, will win races with the gelding before many months are past. At the Ashburton meeting on Boxing Day, Cream Harvester fell ancl brought down several horses, and at that stage a recommendation that he be placed on the schooling list was forwarded to the New Zealand Trotting Association. Before the association meeting, however, Cream Harvester started in several races and he behaved in approved style. lie is a particularly good type of pacer, and by Sonoma Harvester from a Petereta mare, he has something in the way of breeding to rocQininend him. When he ran second to Royal at Oamaru ho registered the good time of .'bnin 25 l-ssee for a mile and a half Royal Crescent, a winner at Oamaru is a six-year-okl son of Nelson Derby and Tiny Moon, the latter a useful trotter when trained by F. F. Robinson some .years ago.