NOTES BY PHAETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21876, 11 August 1934, Page 9

NOTES BY PHAETON

AUSTRALIAN STEEPLECHASE FIELD FOR TO-DAY'S EVENT REDDITCH TO TRY FOR DOUBLE The Australian Steeplechase, about three and a-half miles, to be run under the auspices of tho Victoria Amateur Turf Club at Caulfield to-day, was for several years known as tho Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase, and tho distance was about four miles. In 1892 Redleap scored a memorable victory by Carrying 13.12 home in front of ten opponents. Another great performance was that of Daimio, who in 1895 scored under 13.5.

Dating from 1020, horses carrying over 12.0 have won on only four occasions, tho winners including Kinlark 12.7, Palbi 12.7, Roieel 12.9 and Redditch 12.13. In to-day's race Redditch again heads the list with 12.13, under which weight he scored a brilliant victory last year. It. docs not look as if ho will be confronted with opposition as strong as that which ho encountered last year, when ho beat the doughty Mosstrooper, couceding him 161b., and it looks as if thero is every prospect of him taking rank as a double winner. NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL NORTH ISLAND HEADS LIST The New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase next Tuesday will be tho 58th contest in tho history of tho race. Horses hailing from the North Island hold tho record with 36 victories. Tho following is a list of winners as between tho North and South Islands:— North Island.—Mangaohano, Chemist, Norton, Waterbury, Mutiny (twice), Levanter, Dummy, Blackberry, The Guard, Gobo, naydn, Awahuri, Inniskillen, Eclair, Nadador, To Arai. Paritutu, Captain Jingle, Bercola, Ngatoa, Waimai, Master St.rowan, St. Elmn, Coalition (twice), Oakleigh (twice), Sturdee, Tuki, Peter Maxwell, Beau Cavalier, Wiltshire (twice), Aurora Borealis, Billy Boy. South Island.—Royalty, Fakir, Mousetrap, The Agent (three times), Clarence, Kosciusco, Moody, Canard, Faugh-a-Ballagh, Daddy Longlegs, Freeman, Ahua. Slow Tom, Phaetonitis, Eurus, Tim Doolan, Lochella, Snowfall, Thurina. TWO SONS OF NIGHT RAID WHERIKO AND BLIXTEN At the Trentham yearling sales in January, 1932, two colts by Night Raid from Satisfaction and Receipt were sold for 450 guineas and 325 guineas respectively to Mr. E. A. Connolly, of Melbourne, and Mr. E. Moss, of Sydney. Much curiosity was evinced as to which purchaser made the best deai, and a meeting between tho two colts was awaited with interest. Unfortunately something went amiss with Wheriko at an early 6tnge of his three-year-old career and ho was taken out of all engagements, 6o that the expected meeting with Blixten did not eventuate. The fact that Mr. Connolly ha 3 now sold Wheriko points to tho colt not having trained on satisfactorily, and a meeting between him and Blixten may never tako place. As to Blixten, ho disappointed his party on several occasions last season, but ho won tho Rosehill Guineas, nine furlongs, in a manner that showed him up attractively and his prospects at four years old are regarded by some keen judges in a favourable light.

A PROMISING COLT AUSTRALIAN-BRED HYPERION In England last year Hyperion won tho Derby and St. Lqger, and in Australia this year a colt bearing a eimilar title is regarded as a most promising candidate for classic race honours. Hyperion, bred in New South Wales, distinguished himself in Western Australia last 6eason by winning four races, and ho was only once out of a place in nine starts. Transported to Victoria a short time ago, Hyperion was produced at Caulfiold to run his concluding race at two years old and he-distinguished himself by winning a sevenfurlongs race, carrying 8.13 and running tho distance attractively in 1.28, On all hands Hyperion is accepted as a colt in every way fitted to aspire to classio honours. Hyperion has a high-class pedigree, which is well studded with illustrious names, Tho loading lines are n8 follows:

Sire: Pantheon, by Tracery, eon of Rock Sand and grandson of Sainfoin, from Scotch Rose, by Your Majesty, son of Persimmon, by St. Simon. Dam: Opera, by Comedy King, son of Persimmon and grandson of St. Simon, from Ellen Graeme, by Tarporley, son of St Simon.

Hyperion was one of the prizes among tho yearlings sold at Randwiok in the autumn of 1933, for ho was bought for the moderate outlay of 250 guineas.

STUD ITEMS

ENGLISH DERBY WINNER Windsor Lad was held to have proved himself a stayer when ho won the Derby. Comment by a London writer suggests that his breeding on the maternal eide does not favour him, in that respect. The writor says: Windsor Lad is tho third foal of Resplendent. Her first filly ran four times unplaced and was then put. to the stud. The second was another filly by Warden of the Marches, who started ill 15 races. Her only bracket was secured as the • result of a walk-over. Resplendent was sired by tbo sprinter By George! She was half-sister to that smart hqrse Soldumcno, also by a e re whoso offspring lacked stamina. A GREAT PRIZE In a reference to horses purchased in England who were regarded as culls and whe proved marked successes as »ires in Australia a Sydney writer remarks: Grandmaster, a son of Gladiateur, was bought lor 50 guineas. Ho sired Sussex 1 , Sting, Stanley, Gipsy Grand, Gibraltar, Paris, Invader, Highborn, Reginald, Ensign, Australian Star and Bungebah. There is a collection for a student of racing to enthuse over. Sussex was one of the greatest steeplechasers that graced tho Australian turf, .. .- uiul Highborn won notable cup honours, Ensign and Gilbraltar scored ns Derby winners, and Sting and Bungobah wero high-class "over middle distances. MALFORMATIONS IN HORSES Commenting on alleged malformations in horses, (he German breeding authority Mr. F. Brocker says that many are not such at all. In America, ho writes, they loath a bent hock; in Franco they 'love it, A elightly turned-in or turned-out 100 at times may be an advantage rather than otherwise, having developed in adaptation to the moßt expedient action. Some of the bost racehorses of The Tetrarch tribe have " Charlie Chaplin" feet, a formation I have also noticed in some good performers by Man-o'-War. A good racehorse cannot bo faultily formed. Wcro it formed " correctly," lie probably would oever havo become a good one. Bay Ronald was almost the caricature of a thoroughbred. He was hanging in the knees like a worn-out cart horse—which, though to a milder degree, also St. Simon did—but this and other malformations did not prevent him from establishing the stoutest —and the most honest!—there it at prerent in England. Actual faults of a disturbing nature are in the first line, such as are hereditary, like pavin, curb, navicular disease, ringbone and roaring. SIRES OF HURDLERS The three placed horses in the Australian Hurdle Race, run last Saturday, are the progeny of imported sires. Laiiiroi. the winner, is by Laniijs, son of Llangihby. who ''started favourite for the Melbourne Cur in 1017. He carried 9/2 and finished sixth. Laniua died last year.