ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 23 May 1936, Page 12

ON THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES Aray 21, 23 South Canterbury J.C. May 23 Carterton R.C. May 30 —Foxton R.C. May 30, June 3, 6—Auckland R.C. trotting fixtures May 30 —Canterbury Dark T.C. June 13—Ashburton I.C. June 20, 23 or 24—Auckland T.C. The new owner of Sky Pilot, the winner of several races at Nelson and Blenheim, resides in Canterbury, and it i, s understood lie does not intend to use the horse for racing purposes. Argentic has had a long run of placed performances this season in good races, but his turn came on Thursday at Wash dyke in the South Canterbury Handicap. At his best he represents good handicap form, but lie has generally met one just a bit too good for him. On liis last visit to Wellington lie was second to both Greek Shepherd and Spiral, and he followed this up by a. third in the Great Autumn. The Victoria Racing Chib has made

a start witn the work of erecting a : new grandstand. It will have seatin accommodation for 2000 people. Attached to it will he public luncheon ami tea-rooms, to seat 000. The cost will be £38,000. „ , . . Windsor Lad, winner of the steeplechase at To Awamutu last Saturday,.is a nine-year-old brown gelding by Little England from the Cuirassier—Gipsy mare Zak, who won steeplechases hen self in the Gisborne district more than 20 years ago. Zak was owned by Mr II Windsor and Windsor Lad is owned bv Mr F. It. Windsor, of Tamvliarc, who is racing him in partnership with Mr It. H. Townsend. lted Manfred has been turned out since he returned from Australia, but he is expected to rejoin the active brigade at Woodville in the near future. F. Davis, who will train him again, is confident that he will stand up to another preparation. The Haw era trainer-jockey W. Grindlay was responsible for a game niece of riding in the steeplechase at Marton. He lost an iron on lllawarra early in the race, but despite this handicap not only kept his mount croing but right up in front with the leaders until finally the saddle began to come apart, when he fell out of the contest. According to a Haw era report, Knock Out lias been turned out, and her place in O. Cox’s team has been taken by Dialogue, and a yearling i half-brother by Lackhain to Lowenberg. The last-named will do his | racing in future as a gelding. Probably Journet will not contest the Great' Northern Hurdle Race, but lie is likely to run in the Century Hurdle Race at Wanganui in July. The instruction issued by the Racing Conference that starters must deal promptly and effectively with unruly horses, seems to have done good already Some of the dispatches are made with much less delay than there used to be, and are at least as even as they used to

l>e. The Paladin horse Eabbi, purchased by Mr Goodfellow, of Melbourne, at the Corry dispersal sale, was shipped to his new home last week. On Parade was to leave Auckland for Sydney and join the stable of P. McGrath by the Wanganella yesterday. Marcus Cicero, whom T. It. George has taken in hand at Trentham, has not raced since he was a three-year-old. nt which stage of his career he went wrong in Sydney. By Hunting Song from Oratress, he is one of the best bred horses in the country, so it is to be hoped Tie stands training. He _ is owned by Mr It. J. Murphy, of Wellington.

Lavish, a three-quarter sister to J Davolo, was placed in her first two ; starts at the beginning of the season, j and was then turned out. She is again j in full work at Awapuni and looks improved, Dawning Light, an early two-year-old winner, is also being sent along in earnest. J. If. Mcßae is to have the mount on King’s Archer in the Great Northern Hurdles. So far he has made no definite engagement for the Great Northern Steeplechase, but Golden England will be his mount if started. W. Rennie has been engaged to ride Seotch Nation in the Great Northern Hurdles and Billy Boy in the Great Northern Steeplechase. It is probable that Scotch Nation will be ridden in the steeplechase by R. E. Thomson, who is making a good recovery from the. injuries he received in a fall at Mntanmta recently. The report of the chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Mr A. E.

NOTES AND COMMENTS On Gallops and Trotting

Klwort-hy, states tlmt tlic committee has pleasure in reporting a, success!ul result of the operations during the last season. As the balance-sheet discloses a profit of more than £2OOO was made after the usual deduction for depreciation, and in view of the considerable increase in stake money and the loss incurred over the mulsuinmei meeting, owing to adverse weather, the position must be regarded as very satisfactory. , ri , ~ The leg trouble of the Sydney ruler \ Knox is proving obstinate, and be is'still unable to accept riding engagements. When he had to give up r.djuiT be was 18 wins ahead of M. ALc(Airteu on the Sydney winning jockeys list, but McCarten lias been astride nine winners in the last three weeks. Also Knox is jeopardising lus chance ot being the iirst jockey to ride 100 winners oil registered Sydney a lid provincial couises in a season. His total to date is 81. c , .. \n innovation at the recent South Australia Jockey Clubs meeting was the. following of fields by one of the stewards in a motor-car. The cai' trayelled on the grass track on the msuK

of the course proper, and was never farther than 30 or 40 yards from the horses. : As one of the fit horses in the field Might will attract attention if raced In 'the Wairarapa County Cup. He scored at Nelson and Blenheim recently, but —unless the withdrawals from the field are heavy—he will meet stronger opposition this time. Might should run a good race, but the Carterton course may not suit him as'well as the larger one would. Taillight scored his first win for Mr K. McK. Duncan when he won at Marton but he had shown promise at Manawatu and Pahiatua. He will probably i now go on to Auckland and contest the Carbine Plate, run under the same conditions as the Marton event, iG. Price was at the Marton races en route to Auckland, whence he will depart for Sydney again this week. Manawatu is looking well, but lie jumped much below his best form at Jilarton. He is now owned by Mr Frank Armstrong aiul is in Mrs McDonalds j stable.

i Great interest is being taken in the Sapling Stakes, to be run on 13th June at Ashburton. Never before has there been such a number of really good two-year-olds, and the race this year should be the best in its history. While Southern Chief is tile present favourite, he will have no easy task, as other youngsters are putting up good performances which point to them being bard to beat. Less gear might very possibly mean better .behaviour from horses when lining tip at the start of a race, writes “Sentinel” in the “Otago Daily Times. Scan a field when marshalling at the post. Horses can be seen swingingtheir heads, and the apparent fight for relief inav be due to the overcheck being too'tight. So far, the Trotting Conference has never made the slightest protest about the superabundance of gear used on nacers, and the same charge can be laid on an ever more progressive body represented by the Canterbury Owners' and Breeders’ Association. Both bodies seem to be quite satified to see the artificial racer overwhelmed with gear instead of agitating for a recognition of a free-legged racehorse. A red-hot fancy goes to l!ie post and fails to leave the mark, probably through being geared to death. The cabled information that New Derby will come to Addington to contest file New Zealand Cup lias been well received by followers of trotting generally, although the presence of (lie Globe Derby pacer may not be welcomed bv trainers with horses engaged. Free Holmes, who saw Now Derby race in tlie nitor-Dominion championships at Perth, and afterwards drove Evicus as a companion to New Derby in bis ' record-breaking attempt, describes the

stallion as a particularly fine racehorse and a great stayer. It is possible that Logan Derby, by Globe Derby.—Belle Logan, will also be a starter at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting in November, for the owner Inis already written to the New Zealand Trotting Association asking for the horse’s assessments over all distances. With Logan Derby from Tasmania and New Derby from Victoria the spring meetiucf will have something of an international character. Although Evicus scored most points in the inter-Dominion championships, Logan Derby came through the series without suffering defeat, but* he was considered lucky to win the final from New Derby, who had all the bac luck of the race. New Derby is f handsome black stallion and one of tin best: pacers ever raced in Australia. ! The champion Indianapolis is practie tally all right, again, but is still idle. Hi

should' come up greatly improved by liis spell, ancl will be on. deck next New Zealand Cup day to thrill the thousands who take a delight in seeing the champion in action. Red Shadow is pleasnur It. Motz. lie is getting into racing trim and is doing liis work as if he enjoys it. It is a big taslc to ask him to concede starts to his younger oppovK3nt s > but should he stiike a muddy track he will keep them all busy.