NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 7

NOTES BY PHAETON.

CAULFI ELD FUTURITY STAKES INTEREST IN TO-DAY'S RACE. PROSPECTS OF AMMON RA. The Caulfield Futurity Strikes, to be decided at. the Victoria Amateur Turf Club'o meeting to-day, in included among the big events on the Australian calendar, for it carries the fine stake of £3500. of which sum £2500 goes to the owner of the winner. Tho race is run over seven furlongs at weight-for age, with a scale of penalties and allowances, and a feature of the records is the number of victories registered bv horses under the maximum penalty. Eur.vthinic 10.7, Top Gallant 10.2, Gothic 10.0. Amounis 10.4, and Phar Lap 10.:! comprise tho doughty quartette that have accomplished the feat. The leading veteran engaged in to-day's race is Grecnline, who will carry 10.2. In 10150 CJreenline carried 9.13 into second place behind Amounis. 10.4. With a dozen three-year-olds engaged, including Ainiimr. Ra. Chatham. Gallantic and Middle Watch, prospects seem bright, for a brace in that division fighting out the finish. Amnion Ra. 9.3, and Chatham, 8.12, are the popular selections, but Middle Watch was given credit for a display of truo grit, when ho worried Greenline out of first place in the William Reid Stakes at Mooneo Valley recently, and he is voted a very fitting rival. At, Caulfield last Saturday Amnion Ra placed the St. George Stakes to his credit in such style as to make his prospects appear especially br.iuht. and. nil being well with him, it would seem safe to conclude that New Zealand will once again furnish the favourite. New Zealand-bred horses have won the Caulfield Futurity Stakes on six occasions, and Gladsome, by Seaton Dclaval, has the record of scoring two wins. In 1905 she won under 9.7. and in tho following year she carried 9.13 to victory. At an interval of four years Soultline. by Soult, who carried 9.8, was successful. Thirteen years then elapsed before another victory was credited to a hoiße hailing from New Zealand. The Hawk, by Martian, winning under 9.5; and in tho following year Father's Voice, 8.5, and The Hawk, 10.4, fought out the issue, the former winning by a narrow margin. Last," year Phar T up, by Nipht Raid, gave New Zealand another win, and as lie carried the maximum 20lb. penalty, which brought his impost to 10.3, his victory was highly meritorious. THE DISTANCE QUESTION. HOW MATTERS HAVE CHANGED. The deletion ot the Canterbury Cup and the Trentham Gold Cup from this season's racing at Riccarton and Trentham respectively reduces tho number of long-distance races in New Zealand to two, the New Zealand Cup and the Auckland Cup beiuc now the only events run over a two-miles course. It, is when one searches the records of the past that a true idea can be gained of the much-discussed question of the curtailment of distances. To mention the season of 1884-85 may be termed ancient history, but that was the period when loncdistance races were a feature of the programmes in New Zealand. At that time no fewer than 41 races extended from two miles to two miles and a-quarter, many country clubs being among those, to promote two-miles event 3. It can no doubt be validly contended that races are now run very differently compared with the eighties, entailing greater demands on the contesting horses. To that cause may be largely ascribed the curtailment of distances. CRICKET BAT V. NIGHTMARCH. HONOURS FOR THREE-YEAR OLD. ' It uas a. rase of history repeating itself when Cricket Bat defeated Nightmarch in the derision of *!io .Tames Har.lett Memorial Cup at Wingatui last Saturday. At Riccarton last April the pair met in tho Challenge Stakes, when tho Winning Hit colt disposed of hia five-year-old rival. In both the racer, in which Cricket Bat, defeated Nightmarch the distance was seven furlongs, and, as good timo was registered in each case, Cricket Bat. must bo accorded full credit for his victories. Cricket Bat has yet to win honours as a stayer, but it is pleasing to find Winning Hit claiming a good winner, for he was a first-rater up to a mile and a-quarter, and he held the New Zealand and Australian record for that distance up to 1930. it, heine only by a fifth of a second that Phar Lap bettered his time. Winning Hit's time was 2.3 1-5. Phar Lap's record being 2.3. STUD ITEMS. GREAT SIRE RECORDS. In a recent, note, mention was mado of tho remarkable record in classic events of the progeny of the Australian-bred sire Wallace, which, comprising 21 victories, is claimed to stand as a world's rerord. We have to go back to ancient history to find a close rival to 'Wallace, and the horse of great merit to be cited is Stockwoll, whose progeny won 17 classic events on the English turf. Tho following i 3 the record of Storkwell's progeny:— Tho Marquis.—Two Thousand Guineas and St. Lcger. Lord Lyon.—Two Thousand Guineas. Derby and St. Leger. Bothwell.— I Two Thousand Guineas. Gang Forward.—Two Thousand Guineas. Repulse.—One Thousand Guineas. Achievement.—On© Thousand Guineas and St. Leger. Lady Augusta.—One Thousand Guineas. Blair Athol.—Derby and St. Legor. Doncaster.—Derby. Regalia.—Oaks. St. Albans.—St. Leper. Caller Ou.—St. Leger. HIGH-PRICED MARES. Records in connection with the sale of bloodstock in England show that for any young brood mare of class spirited biddingmay be looked for. At tho sales last December Mara, a six-year-old daughter of Alan Breck and Maranon. topped tho list at 5000 guineas, Sister Clover, by Friar MarcusMiss Sainfoin, realised 3400 guineas, and Doushka, by Telratema Dorval, 3000 guineas. The record price rtalised for a brood mare in England is 17.000 guineas, paid for Straightlace, a four-year-old dijughter of Son-in Law, nt the dispersal sale of the late Sir Fdward Hnlton'B stud in 1925. Straightlace was bought by a breeder in France, but so far she has not, produced any performer of note. FILLY THAT WON FAME. It is often remarked what great romance is bound up in tho paces of the English Stud Book. In referring to sensntional happenings at tho ringside, a London writer says:—" Alalanta, when a, frail foal, was carried into the sale-ring in a blanket and was purchased by Lord Roslyn for 2s 6d. Alalanta, who was a Highly-bred mare bv Galopin from Feronia. won thousands in stakes for the Duko of Portland, but she was destined to win greater fame. Mated with Hampton she threw a bay colt. who. known as Ayrshire, won the Derby under the Duko of Portland's colours, and when ho retired from racing Ayrshire's earnings in prize-money amounted to no less a sum thnn £'35,915. Ayrshire subsequently won a good place on the sires' list.