SEVEN-LETTER NAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21325, 28 October 1932, Page 9

SEVEN-LETTER NAMES

SUCCESS IN RACING MELBOURNE CUP AS EXAMPLE TOTAL OF TWENTY-ONE WINNERS Superstition plays .a bigger part in -racing than many people believe, particularly when important events comp round, says tho Melbourne Herald. Hard-headed racing men have little use for' superstition as a rule.' but it weighs to sonio extent with many of them. With tho Melbourne Cup rapidly appronching, oil kinds of practices-uro being resorted to in attempts to locate the probablo winner. People will tell you after the race fhnt they picked the cup winner because they liked the name, that (ho number was a lucky one nnd a htindred-' nnd one different ideas which aro only revived as each Melbourne Cup comes round. Of all the various forms of divining tho winner, there appears to bo more than superstition undcrlyinir tho wonderful success that horses with sevenlettered names have had in the famous raco. The magic seven, as it is termed in racing circles, presents 0110 of the most unusual sidelights in tho sport in Australia. Its significance can be understood when it is stated-that no fewer than 21 winners of tho Melbourne Cup come under that category. Only this month tho remarkable sequence in events of importance was maintained when Rogilla won the Caulfield Cup. Rogilla is tho most prominent candidate in the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday- who lias seven letters in hia name, and nobody will deny that ho has more than an ordinary chance in spito of tho fact that ho has not yet been over two miles in a race. There are three others, Compris (New Zealand). Liberal and Oratory. Records of big races in Australia show a predominance of horses who went /through their turf career with a seven-lettered name. Why owners select such names of that length is difficult to understand. Tho two best racehorses, Carbine and Pliar Lap, of course, head a list which is amazing in its size, and sonio taken at random are:—Windbag,- Manfred, Carlita, Wynettc, Wolarot. Sasar.of, Poitrel, Bilalli. Lavendo, Rampion. Furious, .Chatham. A mmoll 11a. Textile, Amounis, Valiard. Wakeful, Luckhow, The Hawk, 'Murilloi Winalot, Rostrum, Panacre. St. Spasa. Out--look, Eubutus, Finland, Finmark, Concave, Bribery, Manuere, Silvius, .Gladwyn. Wallace, Biplane, Scarlet. Eurobin and Salatis. One man who adheres strictly to the practico of bestowing names of seven letters on his horses 5s tho Tasmaniaii ownertrainer, Mr. - George Canu.' Ho lias had many horses, over a fairly long period, and only ono of them that ho has owned himself, Danton, has failed to carry tho magic seven. Not so long ago ho purchased a horso in Sydney nnd bought on tho same principle. Ho purchased the New Zealandbred Star God, and that gelding won three races for him, including a hurdle race at a recent Moonco Valley meeting. / However, it is apparent that there are many other people beside Mr. Cann who believe there must be some element of luck in seven letters, and the recent victories of Rogilla and Chatham, two of tho outstanding performers of the spring, indicate further adoption of his policy. ■ There is nothing in a name when it comes to registering one for a racehorse, but the significance of seven is rather clearly shown in the following list- of winners of tlie Melbourne CupAuraria, Revenue, Acraeia. Tho Barb, Don Juan. Haricot, Briseis. Chester. Warrior. Carbine. Lantern. Calamia, Toryboy, Glencoe, Piastre, Sasanof. Poitrel, Bitallij Arsenal. Windbag. I'liar Lap. TAKANINI TRACK NEWS SPRINT FROM BARRIER ALIGNMENT -. PERFORMS WELL Training operations, at Takanini yesterday were carried out in.line wehthej-, "with good, track conditions. Tho middle -grass, with tho poles well out. was use'd for fast work, tho horses covering a little over the distances specified. . Gold Pocket (Taylor) was much too good for Expectancy (Gilmer) over half a mile in 545. Gold Pocket invariably does best when the track is firm. Ho has gone on in the right way sinco racing at Avondale. Exaggeration (Jones) was a neck in front of Huntingdon (Gray) at the end of five furlongs in J. 4 2-£. Exaggeration had a big pull in the weights, but it was a nice effort on (lie part of both horses. Thespis (McFarlane) beat the Lucullus filly (Clifford) over three furlongs in 41 2-ss. Thespis worked freely and could haVe done better, but tho Lucullus filly is still-back- * Lady Vone (Mclnally) started just behind Rid or a (Manson) and Foulwihd' (Crhig) and beat them over five furlongs in 1.6 4-5. She had an advantage in the-weights, but did her work well. J. L. Gray intends taking Lady Vane and Foulwind to the W hangarei '"Greek Gold (Taylor) and Holly Lu (Jones) decisively defeated. Imperial I rince (Gilmer) over six fuHongs in 1.19 3-5. Greek Gold going tho better at the finish, llie Great Northern Guineas candidate is fit. iio had ti good weight up and finished well, tinperial Prince is patchy m Ins track fcuOrts and this was one of his off mornings. Palaca (Gray) was stretching out while running eix furlongs in 1.20 3-5. He is a free worker that shapes consistently in ins tr Chief Joy'(Bagby). Prolyxo (Moore) and Gay Marigold (Gilmer) were on terms nt the end of seven furlongs in 1.35 3-5. the last six furlongs iu 1.20 3-5. Chief Joy. ort the outside, carried most weight and his effort was very satisfactory. Great Emblem (MansOnL with Arcll Ruler (Forsyth) to assist over the laatbntfmile. ran seven furlongs in 1.34.4-5 tlie last half-mile taking's 4 4-ss. .Great Emblem finished up very solidly. w V^Li\ rC going nicely beside him. Cleat Emblem appears io have progressed well sifice Avondale and iB a possible lightweight lor tlie Mitchelson Cup. . ~ ■ Pillow Fight (Gray), sent Out trt rlin furlongs at three-quarter pace. recorded 1.7. doing his work with the greatest, ease Ho looks improved and should bo eonal to> a very attractive effort m the Great Northern Guineas, in which race E. A. Jveesing has been engaged to ride him. Miss Rewa. (Crowley) ran half a mile in 51 *»-5s This mare has built up lately and with a little further experience may turn ° l Tea 3 Trader, Star Artist and Royal Artist were all out doing useful work and looking none tho worse for their trip.to Wellington Thev should strip fit for their engagements at Ellerslio next. week. , Principal worked a mile :i V' ( "half-mile the plough, coming homo the last half m e in r iS l-ss. lie is now in good order and lie may pay his way as a hurdler later m the SC! After breakfast nine horses, were sent away from tho barrier and four of them ran on for half a mile. Orenda, Diversion. Lorello and tho l'otoa gelding vent onlv a short when Ihcy were pule l un. Alignment (Gray) and Coronis (Moore) lumped out in front and ran two in °t 1-5 when Coronis eased off. Alien mcnt going on to lead Bell Topper (Clifford) the Wen thervajne- -Sennight colt (Baghv) and BischofT (Craig) over halt a mile in 50 4-ss. The time was aken fom the disc about 50 yards beyond the a barrier, so that it vac r f v c ", r , dcd n g ly moving start. Alignment went pleasingly and Coronis also shaped nicely as fai "''oiiT'top (Craig) jumped two hurdles in good stX Ho is working quite soundly and has a good stylo of aking his fences. Tligh Comedy, Speedmint., Rereatu. Lad> c "r'in«ions&o .v ? Gay Sheila were among thoso to do tasie la The three-year-old Sir Willonyx (Prince Willonyx—Krshutia) has gone soro and C. Morse has decided to tarn, him outfor a spell. This trainer has received