ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 November 1936, Page 7

ON THE TURF

Among the horses who appeared very favourably handicapped on the first day of the Waikato Meeting was Philemup. But, as is nothing uncommon in such cases, he ran unplaced and apparently made a moderate showing. The consequence was that he was dropped 31b for the Hack Cup, with the scale through other horses near identical to the first day’s. The public, accepting his first days form, allowed him to go out one of the outsiders, ninth choice on each machine, but it was false favouritism, as he proved by sharing the • race honours with Quadroon. Investors who noted the weighting of Star Artist for the meeting, and they were a big majority,- particularly on the first day, did not, as it turned out, profit, for -the mare lost all chance at the start on the first day, and then was beaten narrowly by' the improved Impasto on the second day. However, such thingse often happen in racing, for racehorses do not run with the precision of machines, and thefe are so many subsidiary factors that can bring defeat, even to Gloamings and Phar Laps.

. The first offspring of the Surveyor horse Croupier have appeared this season, mainly in the Trentham district, where Croupier stands, and they are an attractive lot. One of the foals in whom interest will be shown is a fine-looking brown colt out of the Kilbroney Snowstell mare Snowland, the dam of Arctic King and Arctic Star. Snowland, who is. now owned by Mrs G. E. Wood, of Trentham, is a splen-didly-bred mare -from one of the best Stonyhurst families, and she should have afforded Croupier' one of his likeliest opportunities in his first > season. Snowland has been mated again this season with Croupier. r

L. G. Morris, who will shortly be seen in the saddle again, was regarded by good judges as the finest apprentice rider ever seen in the Dominion, and when he graduated to the rank of a jockey his skill and good judgment were always in evidence. He rode with conspicuous success until he handed in his riding license last season in order to devote more time to the horses he was training. Morris has ridden winners of practically every race of importance in New Zealand and as vwell has been successful on jumpers and even trotters. In connection with the latter sport Morris can recall with some regret a fall from a trotter at Wanganui In 1927, when he broke an arm, and thus missed ’ a number of good rides on Commendation and other horses he had been engaged for at the autumn meetings. Although he missed a place at Levin on Saturday. Sanhedrim (Chief Ruler—Bent) will make atonement later on. He came from nowhere into fourth. The prize-money for the Melrose Maiden Race at the Takapuna Meeting on Saturday has • been increased from £125 to £2OO, £IOO to go to each division (£BO first horse and £2O second horse). According to a Dunedin report a good price could be obtained for Gold Boa, but her owner declines to sell. The former Riccarton jockey C. Hughes has joined the stable of the Hazlett brothers at Invercargill, filling the post vacated by A. J. Peart, Who has given up race riding. Radio Star, a half-sister by Robespierre to Great Star, was sold by J. H. Prosser during the progress of the New Zealand Cup Meeting to the Wingatui trainer F. Shaw. Grey Boy, a six-year-old gelding by Rosenor who has had some jumping experience in Central Ot&go, has joined D. O’Connor’s team at Riccarton. The ease of Essexs win at Levin on Saturday was a surprise even to those who had been noting his recent steady improvement. He may go on to be a really good staying three-year-old, for he is cast on staying lines. When luck is running against a stable it sometimes takes a long time to swing round. T. R. George raced four horses at Levin on Saturday, and except for the honest Darecolirt, who is never susceptible to a great deal’of improvement, they ran execrably. Two very likely early maiden winners were seen out at Levin on Saturday. Rotoma would have troubled Mittie with an even break at the start, and Gaystep, who was having her first race, just died out of the money in the final strides. Mush, an older half-sister to . Finnesko, n.s v y also be capable of winning races before long. Top Row, who won the Santa Anita Handicap of £20,920 in February was, up to the beginning of September, still America’s principal winner this year. Unfortunately he was injured in his next race after the Santa Anita Handicap, and it is stated he will not race again this year, if ever. It was, of course, certain that J. T. Jamieson would receive a renewal of his trainer’s license, and, with precedent against it, equally certain that, for a time, he would not be licensed for Randwick, writes a Sydney correspondent. In due course, he will again take his place at that track, and, until then, there are at least a couple of courses which will give him nearly all the training facilities he could wish. In fact, some of our trainers are so keen on those tracks that the wonder is they bother about No. 1 licenses. As Jamieson will resume with a strong string numerically, it may not be long before the books are paying some of his representatives the same respect as in the past.

For the James Buchanan Handicap to be decided at Forbury Park on Thursday the early favourites are Southern Smile, Grace McElwyn, and Pot Luck. For the Spring Handicap the most favoured are Ma Waro and Navy Blue. The racing that Navy Blue has done during the season has put her in nice order for immediate engagements, and she may add to her winning list • at Forbury Park. Since August, Navy Blue has been once second and once third in four §tarts, while last year she won three races, and was second once. For a four-year-old her record shows consistency. She is by Man o’ War from a Logan Pointer mare, and is in S. A. Edwards’ stable.

Southern Smile promises to go out a warm favourite for the James Buchanan Handicap at Forbury Park on Thursday, and her form since coming to Canterbury has been impressive. At the Cheviot meeting in April she won a mile saddle race in 2.14 2-5, and in May won the James Memorial at Forbury Park, and later the Ellesmere Handicap at Canterbury Park. During the present season her record is as follows:—Third to Village Guy and On Parade in the Trial Handicap, and third to Marie Celeste and Frisco Lady in the Belgium Handicap at Addington in August; won Dash Handicap at Oamaru; second to Big Author in 'Victoria Handicap, and won the Australasian Handicap at Addington I this month. Southern Smile has shown her ability to handle fast or heavy going, for she won at Forbury Park in the mud, and on firmer tracks has records of 2.41 for a mile and a quarter and 4.27 2-5 for two miles. Exclusive of match races, it is estimated that Harold Logan started in 99 races, winning 29, being second nine times, third 11 times, and unplaced in 50 races, while his total winnings in actual racing are £11,195, to which must be added £IOO for a match race at Was J dyke, an unstated sum for his four contests with Irhpromptu, and appearance money for other exhibitions. In all he must have earned more than £11,500. The following table, compiled by a Timaru writer, gives details of a wonderful racing career: —

Harold Logan is now in his tenth

year of racing, and for one whose legs have given so much trouble he is the, marvel of the pacing age. While Great Bingen, the champion of a few years back, generally raced for bigger stakes than Harold Logan, he raced for only eight seasons (two starts in the last year), but including £BOO won in Western Australia, he credited his owner with more than £14,000. Great Bingen also had a splendid record, and in the matter of starts and placed performances has a slightly better average than the present champion. Great Bingen’s record is as follows:

73, 22 14 8 Blair Athol, who,, put up a great race in the All-Age Stakes at Ashburton last season, and looked like developing into one of the best four-year-olds, has been troubled with recurring lameness. On occasions he works freely enough, and hopes are entertained that he will become quite sound again. The Australian pacer, New Ideal, now in F. C. Dunlevy’s stable, is pleasing by the manner in which he is doing his work at Addington, and he may have to be considered for the Progressive Handicap on the opening day of the Forbury Park meeting. New Ideal, who is big enough to be a champion, is by New Derby.

Age. Starts. Won. 2nd. 3rd. 5 1 1 - 6 4 -• 7 11 7 - “ 8 10 4 2 2 9 15 4 • 1 . 2 10 14 3 3 2 11 13 5 1 3 12 15 3 > 2 1 13 8 1 - 14 8 1 - 1 99 29 9 11

Age. Starts. Won. 2nd. 3rd. 3 6 1 1 1 4 10 4 2 1 5 11 3 4 1 6 13 ' 6 3 1 7 13 8 - ' 1 8 8 - 1 1 9 10 - 3 1 10 2 - - 1