RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 16

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. June IS—Napier Park Racing Club. Juno 22—Hawko'o Bay Hunt. June 24, 25 —Hawko's Bay Jockey Club. June 25—Oamaru Jockey Club. July 2—Ashburton Racing Club. July 12, 14. 16 —Wellington Racing Club. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Forgetful," Ellerslie.—Lightning is not incliided among winners of the Christinas Handicap. "Wager."—Three-year-olds who have won the race in question are as follows:—Fusillade (6.7), Manton (G. 10), Tirailleur (6.5), St. Hippo (7.7), Eurocb'don (7.0), Seahorse (7.7), and Noctuiform (7.7). Indigo (6.12), who ran a dead-heat with Warstep (7.11) for first place in the decision of tho New Zealand Cud of 1914, was included among the three-year-olds at that stage of his career. NOTES BY PHAETON. TUKI. THE BARGAIN. The Dunedin sportsman Mr. J. M. Sameon can be counted oue of tho lucky ones in the purchase of racehorses. In the spring of last year he bought Tuki at auction for SOOgns, and in the space of something like 48 hours the Quin Abbey gelding won the Lincoln Steeplechase at Riccarton. the winner's portion of which amounted to £l9O. Tuki made another handsome addition to his previous record under Mr. Samson's colours when he won tho Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslio on Wednesday list, for the dinner's stake was worth £IOOO. COMICAL AS A STEEPLECHASER. " Well, how will you range up Comical as o. steeplechaser now?" was the question addiessed to me at Ellerslie on Wednesday by a. keen follower of the sport after the Merry Moment gelding had failed to complete the course in the Winter Steeplechase. A fall in the Wanganui Steeplechase, a weak effort in the Green Lane Steeplechase «t Ellerslie (a slovenly jump four fences from home sending his rider out of the saddle), eased up in the Great Northern Steeplechase, and a fall in the Winter Steeplechase constitute Comical's initial displays across country. Not an attractive record, truly. Possibly a mistake has been made with Comical in bustling him into steeplechase contests too hurriedly, and, given proper time, I will be prepared to find him playing his part over the big fences in a very much more impressive manner than has been the case at Wanganui and Ellerslie during the past few weeks. MEMSAHIB. From a quarter that knows all about Memsahib I have obtained the following particulars bearing on the career of the Quin Abbey mare: At Two Y'ears Old.—Unplaced in Ruakura Stakes at Hamilton: then broke down. At Three Years Old.—Unplaced in Putaruru Stakes at Matamata. Broke down again. At Four Years Old.—Unplaced in Putaruru Stakes at Matamata; unplaced in Novice Handicap and Miners' Hack Handicap at Paeroa; unplaced in Maiden Stakes and Rewa Hack Handicap at Feilding; unplaced in Trial Stakes (Waikato);. then went sore. 'At Five Years Old.—Third in Hunters' Hurdles at Pakuranga. being in receipt of 14lb from Praiseworthy, whom she beat by a nose: then went sore till April, 1927. Unplaced in Hunters' Hurdles and Hunt Cup Steeplechase at Ellerslie. THE TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS London papers now to hand bring full details of the contest for tho Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on April 27, and revea! that the victory of Adam's Apple over Call Boy was a big surprise. Call Boy always ruled favourite, while 20 to 1 was on offer about Adam's Apple. The favourite got off well at the start and gave his followers a big run for their money, but Adam's Apple just lasted long enough ,to score a short-head victory. It was generally held that the short head should have been the other way about, the contention being that Call Boy is a superior colt to his victor in the Newmarket classic race. Mr. C. W. S. Whitburn, who owns Adam's Apple, iB a partner in a firm that is spoken of as one of the biggest international bill brokers in the world. ROMANCE OF THE TURF. An interesting story is woven into the career of Cartoon, tho winner of the Otago Steeplechase last "week (remarks the Christchurch Star). Mr. R. Acton Adams bought Cartoon with several other yearlings at one of the Warrington Stud sales, hoping to produce a steeplechaser out of the batch. They were turned out for two years, then mustered and inspected, and Mr. Acton Adams could not see one of the lot that he liked unless it was tho Chinook gelding, and he was too small. So the whole gang of three-year-olds were got rid of. Chinook's eon happened to be handed to a country dweller to see what he could make of bim. As a matter of fact, Mr. Acton Adams forgot all about this horse until someone ■wrote to say that a horse of bi3 was cn a certain farm. Charles Christie. the trainer, identified the horse, but by this time it had got into the hands o! the assignee, and it was a question as to who ■was tha actual owner. The assignee was ■willing to sell his rights for £5. and by paying that sum Mr. Acton Adams regained the horse, which was put into training and named Cartoon. Training was e troublesome job, and three times it had to be suspended. Cartoon's racing career being supposed to be ended each time. But ho had a wonderful knack of recovering, and, thanks to Christie's patience and knowledge, ho has won several races, now adding to his trophies the principal steeplechase in Otago. Special interest attaches to one of Cartoon's wins up-ccnntry. Mr. Clare, president of the Vincent Jockey Club, when congratulating Mr. Acton Adams on winning the Grand National with Lochella, asked if he would give a challenge cup to be run for at Vincent. Ho replied that he would, and " the j Lochella Cup" was instituted. Being anxious to secure good entries, Mr. Clare put a Question as to whether Mr. Adams would eell or lease a horse good enough to compete. The answer was that he would neither fell nor lease, but he would give him a horse for the purpose of the race. Thus it came about that Cartoon was entered for and won the Lochella Cup in the colours of Mr. J. Clare. The circumstances are uncommon, if not uniaue. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. Commenting on R. J. Mason's coming trip to Sydney, an Australian writer has the following:—Most of Mason's trips to Sydney have been profitable, and it might be safe to bet this would not be cue of the exceptions. It would be equally safe o wager that he will not express himself optimistically concerning the prospects of his charges. According to the"s^d7 e y Referee the New Zealand filly Eulalie is in the market for sale at 0000 guineas. At two years old Eulalie won three good races, and her stake earnings to date under Mr. G. D Greenwoods colours amount to £3200. The filly ,s well engaged at three years old and she figures m the Australian Jockey Club .; Derby and the Victoria R ac i ng Club> Oaks. Jt would probably be regarded as unsafe to offer the prediction that the two veterans, Omahu _aiid Dick, can now both be counted out of important events, but it is quite clear that both geldings have 80en their best day. Considering ihat both ai e rising 13 years old, there is. of . course, nothing rema.rkaDle a 3 to age having im_ caired iheir powers. This much, however, said for the two. veterans—toey both the course in tue two steepleCompJet«t vne the recent meeting andf further, that they walked at ana. i C& . EII ] B journey m on Wednesday.