NOTES FROM RICCARTON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21252, 4 August 1932, Page 7

NOTES FROM RICCARTON

QUIET DAY ON TRACKS OKAPUA JUMPS WELL NO SCHOOLING FOR BILLY BOY [by TEiiEc;iw\fir —own coreespondknt] CHRISTCEURCH, Wednesday To-day was an off day ns far as fast work at Riccarton was concerned, practically all horses Genii;"restricted to easy exercise on the sand or on the available inside erass tracks, The main steeplechase course was open, but there was only one schooling task. Calham (E. Mackie), French Fleet (C.

Low) and Okapua (A. Skipper) were associated in ;i round of the country, starting ofT at the entrance to the back stretch and finishing over Cults' bush. French Fleet outjumped his mates ut the first four fences, while Okapua lost ground at each, but improved ns the journey proceeded. lie was up with Cnlhnm when the straight was reached, French Fleet drifting back nt (his stage. Okapua tind C'alham took tho last fence together, tho' former making the better effort. French Fleet was palpably tired at the obstacle and narrowly missed falling on landing. Okapua made n slow beginning, but gave an excellent display. He seemed capable of carrying cm in the same strain, and is undoubtedly one of tho hardy brigade, as ho had two rounds of the inside Steeplechase fences yesterday and was allotted a circuit at a solid pace on tho yrass prior io today's task. Callnun also impressed by his work, bu-t does not appeal over a long journey. French Fleet could not carry on at tho pace he set. He is a brilliant fencer, but I is only capable of mastering short journeys.

Billy Boy was not on the trucks to-day. It is not intended to attempt 1o school Jiini again over Ihe course jiroper fences. Hi 3 connections told out hopes that ho will cause no worry in Tuesday's race and are willing to take the cbanco rather than risk the consequences of adopting further forcible tactics with him. Town Beauty, in the charge of liis owuerirainer, (J. Wallace, of Papatoetoo, put in an appearance to-dny. He was restricted to trottin? and cantering in the middle and showed marked signs of soreness in front. Ilia owner bus bope3 that the trouble may pass off during the next few days, but he does not. intend to take any risks and will not start him in the Grand National Steeplechase unless the gelding is all light. Town Beauty is only entering upon his sixth year and Ims shown sufficient promise in his short career over country to justify tho waiting policy adopted with him Matu renewed his acquaintance with Tticcarton to-day and was given a couple of rounds of strong work on tho sand. His owner-trainer, F. Shaw, does not intend to school him over tho cotirso proper, as on previous visits Matu refused to tackle some of the big fences, but did bis work well in his races. However, he will be given some inmping over tho schooling course before Tuesday's race, in which he will be ridden by J. Kerr. Matu, now 11 years old. commenced his racing career as a three-year-old and has ryced every season since, his record being 8!l slarts for 12 wins, 12 seconds and 10 third placings Shaw also brought Palantua and Prince Tractor for tho meeting. Tho former is a three-year-old filly by Paladin from the wellknown maro Mantua, and is endowed with a lot cf the family sreed. Prince Tractor is a four-year-old gelding by Tractor from "Whipclash. He lias earned a reputation at Wingatui as a truck galloper, but lias yet to make good in public. _ Consono. trained by A. S. Ellis, has arrived. He is the sole Southland, represen-

tative in the Winter Cup. Consono won over n mile nt the Dunedin meeting in .Tune, beating Water Power and Royal Saxon. lie ij has not raced eincc. i NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP The three-year-old gelding Hunting March, by Hunting Song from Star Attraction, is workirfg regularly at Ellerslie, but in the absence of G. Holland in Christchurch Lis tasks lately have- been of an easy nature. Hunting March, who was in training for a short period las t season, is a half-brother to Karangapai and is of a more robust type than his relative. The five-year-old Dranylua, by Polymestor from Ottawa, who was not placed in eerioua training until near the end of last season., has made si good impression by the way lie has shaped in a couple of short 6prints lately. So far he has not been seriously tested, but he has shown enough speed to indicate that he has possibilities. Demylus has plenty of size, but bis liocka aio not the best. Some of tho novice thiee-year-olds in j training at Ellerslie have been making steady progress lately, and two who have been doing well are Kiltowyn and Jewelled Girdle. They have not done nnything exceptional on the tracks, but both have been working solidly and they will be well foiwarcb for the spring meetings. Kiltowyn and I Jewelled Girdle are both by Kilbroney, and the latter is a half-brother to Lomint and Catoma.

For some '.veeks after tho Great Northern meeting, -where he shaped. well for a, beginner, Haakon was restricted to steady work, but he is now being sent alone more seriously" with a view to contesting the Pakuranga Hunt Cup this month. Iwico lately he has been schooled over the steeplechase course and ho acquitted himself satisfactorily on each occasion, although ho ! did not f?o quite as fast ns m some pievious i bouts. Haakon is carrying more muscle | than formerly and should be an improved j horse for hi.s coming engagement. The Sydney jockey J. Munro lias been, en- | "aged to ride tlie Wellington colt Prince j Pombal in the A.J.C. Derby at llandwick. j When Head Rerang won the Waikanne Handicap at Gisborne last Saturday lie i egistered his first, success since he scored three-year-old in an en ,• p iq o o Af Hawke'a Bay Autumn Meeting in 1930. A jrut »*

season. A E. Ellis declined the mount on Full "\f-irk in the Grand National Hurdles, ilo will ride Snowfall in the < G . ra, ?{* Steeplechase, but it » unlike y that be handle any other jumper next week.

A tliree-yenr-old gelding by Oiby's Choice "t Lys , >&;" x? i i» b"VAMcFarlanc. The m-v.-comer is a half-brother to Bnf'Bli Kins ancJ v.ns imported from Australia "b"" 11 , 2 b ™ Tic •i"o Un to lie present lie h,is not teen quired to rlo a great deal. j, bly he a out along moic scnously in near future. The KUerslic horseman A. Parsons will attend the Cnnterbnry Jockey Club s jU ' r ™ National Meeting next week and will i:id'. Lord Vol in the Winter Cup and also pilot Wood full in his engagements. THE NEW ZEALAND CUP AMOUNT OF STAKE UNCHANGED

[IJV 'J']-; I. EG HA VI [-—OWN CO R HKSrON PKN T ] ('IIIMSTCTTURCII, Wednesday The <Olllll iMoo of Hie Canterbury Jockey Clul) has decided that tlio stake for (lie next New Zealand Cup will be JMOOO, the same an for !nsl. year's race. The amount will include a cup valued at .£75, as against u i'-jd eup Jmonths n;;o. Nominations lor the race, will be due on August 'JO. Tin 1 rchandicappins conditions of the next cup rn co have been slightly amended to meet tho l eriud of reduced ytakes everywhere. . i END OF GISBORNE CLUB J i-uture: use of property j Iteferencc io tho re r ret felt by racegoers j

at the passing of the (risborne Jtacing Club was made by Mr. K. ft. Williams, M.P.. in a brief speech on the lawn of the Course when the final meeting wan held last Saturday. Mr. Williams suggested that the <I is borne Gold. Cup. which in the Inst two years had been won by Mr. D. J. Barry s representatives, might well be tendered to him as a permanent, memorial of his long association with, and as a tribute to his personal services to, the club which was now going out of existence after strenuous efforts had been made to save it. The town of GisImnie would be fortunate to secure control of \ iie park properly, us was now proposed, and lie urged his hearers to do their utmost to carry the proposal through. TRIBUTE TO PHAR LAP NAME FOR MEXICAN RACF. "Although Americans saw PLar Lap race only once the champion made a great impression, and it is already proposed that one of the Agua Caliente races next year will be named after liim. In a letter to a friend in Sydney one of the Agua Caliente officials says: "One of our piincipr.l races iit the nes( meeting will bo named the Phar. Lap Handicap. It will bo one of our permanent slakes and will be run just as long as racing lasts nt our resort. It is in commemoration of the noblest horse of them all."