WELLINGTON NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20889, 3 June 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON NEWS.

CANDIDATES FOR OTAKI. TOBACCOLAND'S PROSPECTS. FIJI'S CHANCE IN MAIDEN. [fkom our own correspondent. 1 WELLING TON. Monday. Trnck work at Trentham in view of the Otaki meeting this week has been interrupted by wet weather and heavy tracks. There has not. been an/thing outstanding accomplished, while the schooling lias been practically nil, Staghunter's effort over three hurdles being tho only activity in this direction. Staghunler runs about a bit coming to his fences but ho appears to be improving. He ran a fair race in his first attempt as a jumper at Masterton. He ran right through a fence at tho six furlongs post and later hit a fallen horse, so tlint under the circumstances his showing, although against woak company, was not bad. * The feature of recent track work is the decided improvement shown by Tobaccoland, who, after winning three races in the spring, /ailed to show any form during the summer and autumn and sinco then has had a little let-up. He always carries his trainer, T Young, so that he has the best part of 9.7 in the saddle, yet he returns excellent times and does it well. Over six furlongs on a very heavy track on Saturday morning his gallop was exceptionally good. Ho will run at Otaki and will be ridden by R. Reed. Although he has 9st and the hacks ho has to meet are a pretty good lot, ho should be very hard to beat. Henry ol Navarre. Another improver nt Trentham is tho Arausio—Malty threo-year-old Henry of Navarre. He has not dono much racing and sinco coming into A. Goodman's hands ho has gono on steadily until ho now looks like furnishing into a winner. Ho has not been shown up in his track efforts but they have been good, and with a race into him on the first day at Otaki lie should bo prominent on tho second. The dam's side of Henry of Navarre's pedigree is one of the best in the country. Matty is a halfsister to Prim and Artillerie and sistor to Marsa (dam of Nightnmrch), Spnnglo and Nnnnn. In years past at Otaki the Messrs. Duncan have had a great innings in the maiden events, horses from Fordell putting up n fino record. This week Mr. T. A. Duncan has Fiji engaged, and while he is not now actually at Fordell, as L. G, Morris has just moved to Marton, all his preparation has been done there. Fiji is a rising three-year-old brown gelding by Nigger Minstrel from Isabel, thus half-brother to Cashier and Otaivi. So far he has not had a race, but ho ran down the straight at both Marton* and Wanganui and went to the barrier on 'tween days at tho latter meeting so his experience is not negligible. Fiji is a well-grown one and he gallops well. Ho will have tho services of R. Reed oil tho opening day. Arrowzone Working Well. The Bisogio gelding Arrowzone, who had to be placed on tho easy list through striking himself a few weeks ago, is doing good work on the tracks. When ho created a big surprise at tho spring meeting hero last year the ground was soft and in its present condition Arrowzone again has it to his liking. He may run well at Otaki this week. Among the maidens down to run nt Otaki on Wednesday is Parkland. Parkland is a two-year-old sister to Playground. She started her career at the Manawntu autumn meeting where she ran unplaced in the race won by View Halloo and then ran in the two-year-old race at the Hawke's Bay meeting at Trentham. On the last occasion she carried 15Hb overweight in order that R. Reed's services could be utilised and she ran an excellent race. After being up in front throughout tho running she finished seventh, tho race being won by Riohborough, from Goy Court and Acis. This is good form and with the experience gained Parkland should mako a showing at Otaki. THE ENGLISH DERBY TO-DAY'S GREAT EVENT. FANCIED CANDIDATES. The Derby, the great race of the English turf, will be run at Epsom to-day. Tho entries were a record, the total being 404, as against last year's 317, nnd the 312 made for next year's race. Prior to that the greatest number of subscriptions was 372, which was in 1914, tho French-bred and American-owned Durbar ll.'s year. Tho penultimate payments two months ago, left 103 in, and last Wednesday the field was finally reduced to 32. This number in itself would not mako a record field, for in 1862 there were 31 at the barrier. Nevertheless, it is very many years since moro than 30 horses went into the starter's hands, and those larML fields embrace a comparatively short P.sygfet} 19 J' e nrs. On five occasions. betweel|BS!Bls and 186,3, the runners exceeded 30. Trie smallest field, of four horses, contested the race in 1794. The prize-money for this yenr's Derby, with tho Epsom executive's added £3OOO, should be well over £13,000, which will be a record for the race. The second horse will receive 10 per cent, of the total prizemoney nnd the third horse 5 per cent. Until last year tho place-fillers received only £IOO and £2OO respectively, and it will not bo disputed that the new distribution is much moro equitable. It has recently proposed that something should be set aside for tho fourth horse, nnd with that idea also few will be disposed to quurrel. Fancied runnors arc Mr. J. A. , Dewar's Canieronian (Pharos—Una. Cameron), winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, M. Marcel Boussac's Goyescas (Gainsborough—Zariba), second in the Two Thousand, Mr. Marshall Field's Jncopo (Snnsovino —Black liay), last season's crack two-yenl-old. Sir John Rutherford's Orpen (Solario—Harpy), who was third ill the Two Thousand, Mr. AV. M. Cazalet's Shell Transport (Pommern—Scriburna), who made an attractive unplaced performance in the Free Handicap in April, and the Aga Khan's Pomme d'Api, because he will be emulating Blenheim's last year's achievement. It is rather a disappointment not to find His Majesty's representative, Ashridge, nmong the final acceptors, for it was fully expected that the Royal colt would bo a contestant this year. Lord Derby is also without a candidate this year. The former New Zealander, Mr. Boyd Davis, has three representatives in tho race—To Ilau, Te Ituru and Kiatere.

Lightning Star, who has been drawn by a Wanganui syndicate in the Irish sweepstake, is owned by Mr. J. B. Leigh and is by Hurry On—Twinkling Star. Until this year the death of the person making the entry automatically cancelled the eligibility of the horses in his name, and thus last year the four candidates of the late Lord Dewar (Golden Dawn, Challenger, Lovat Scout and The Recorder) were struck out. This provision has since been voided and one of the lato peer's four entries, Cameronian, remains in this year's race.

LATE MR. SOLLY JOEL. RACING STOCK TO BE SOLD. (Received June 2, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 1. The Daily Telegraph says it understands that tho late Mr. Solly Joel's oxecutors shortly will sell his racing stock, including 35 horses in training at Newmarket, 30 yearlings, which probably will be offered for sale by auction in July, and sires and brood mares, to be sold in December. KING MARCH BREAKS* DOWN. King March has broken down in one of Ilia front pasterns and has been turned out. He was to have been a member of J. T. Jamieson's team for Australia, but will now be a compulsory absentee. DOMINICAN RESUMES WORK. The grev horse Dominican, who has had some experience in the hunting season. has again joined J. T. Janiiesoii 6 active team nt Takanini. MEETING AT OTAKI. Tho Otaki Maori Racing Club's meeting will open to-day. Our Wellington correspondent states that the following horses are likely to be well supported:— Tararua Hack Hurdles.—Freehold, Full Kuku Maiden.—Fiji and Parkland. Waitohu Handicap.—Tobaccoland, NaVt ßaiikawo. Cup.—Playground, Pahu. Otaki Handicap.--Royal Black, Spearful. Huia Handicap.—Aston, Ridgemount, Te Horo Handicap.—Nightmare, Chief Savage.