ELLERSLIE TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 13

ELLERSLIE TRAINING

USEFUL TASKS RECORDED LANDLUBBER'S HALF-MILE VERSANT ALSO SPRINTS The No. 3 grass was available for fast work at Ellerslie yesterday, when tho going was good and several smart sprints were recorded. On the grass Landlubber, lightly weighted, reeled off half a mile in 50s. Ho is making steady progress and should soon bo ready to race. Carrying a good weight, Versant sprinted half a mile in 50 2-ss. He is standing up to his work very satisfactorily and is steadily improving iti condition. Zane Grey encompassed a round in 1.49 1-5, the last six furlongs in 1.2 G. Pompous and Whirlmint ran half a mile in 53 l-ss. Black Marlin completed useful work with four furlongs in 52 3-ss. He has made satisfactory progress since returning from his spell. Valspear covered half a mile in 55 2-5s the last three furlongs in 40s. Poi Dance (Craddock) was given a schooling lesson over tho pony hurdles and shaped creditably for a beginner. WINNING SIRES SEASON'S SUPREMACY PAPER MONEY LEADS A very largo sum in stake money was given away during tho Easter meetings, and this, as usual, was v.ery widely distributed so far as the winning sires were concerned. Tho result has brought about a very interesting situation in the matter of the sire supremacy, as, for the first time, Paper Money is now definitely on top, a contingency which appeared very remote only a few months ago, when Hunting Song had a commanding lead. Tho principal winning sires at the two metropolitan meetings were as follows: Auckland Racing Club.—Gainscourt £625, Gay Shield £625, Appellant £575, Iliad £575, Windbag £475, Tidal £325, Paper Money £3OO, Marble Arch £2BO, Whirlwind £275, Illumination £250, Thespian £250, Acre £2OO, Kilbroney £2OO, Musketoon £IBO, Chief Ruler £l5O, Limond £IOO. Gainscourt's sum came from Oratory's two wins, while that of Gay Shield was contributed by Golden Shiela's victory in the Champagne Stakes and tho placed - performances of Gay Rose and Namakia. Iliad had the winners Greek Shepherd and Inver, and Appellant's amount represents the result of Royal Appellant's Easter Handicap win. The representatives of the other principal winners were:—Windbag, Knight of Australia; Tidal, Flood Tide; Paper Money, Rereatu; Marble Arch, King's Archer ; and Whirlwind, Light Comedy. Canterbury Jockey Club.—Paper Money £570, Balboa £420, Song Bird £420, Winning Hit £4lO, Lord Warden £360, Shambles £350, Day Comet £295, Limond £290, Chief Ruler £260, Polazel £2OO, Lord Quex £IBO, Silverado £]Bo, Rapier £l3O. Paper Money's winners were Wild Chase and Paper Slipper, while Col-, ombo and Dollar Bill earned place money. Balboa and Song Bird were represented by Concert Pitch and Queen of Song, winners of the principal handicap events, while Winning Hit had the winners Impersonator and Fracas. Lord Warden's quota was earned by the classic win and place efforts of Custos, while Shambles is credited with his amount per medium of Riptido and Execution. Day Comet was represented by the double hurdles winner Streamlino. At the close of the Easter racing Paper Money was approximately £350 ahead of Hunting Song on the winning sires' list. Chief Ruler is third, about £2500 behind, followed by Iliad, Lord Quex and Acre. Tho situation should remain full of interest until the end of the season, as tho competition between the two leading sires is sure to be very close. UNUSUAL SITUATION QUALIFICATION OF HUNTERS AUCKLAND WINTER PROGRAMME An unusual situation in the hunting and racing world occurs over the alteration of dates of the winter meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, which this year is being held a few days earlier than is usual. The change affects horses qualifying for the hunters' events. On the first day, May 30, a hunter will be qualified if he has three meets on his card. On tho second and third days, June 3 and 6, the hunter's card will have to show four meets attended. The qualifying meet of the Waikato Hunt will take place on Wednesday next. WAIPA RACING CLUB NEXT MONTH'S MEETING A programme of seven races has been arranged for tho Waipa Racing Club's Winter Meeting at Te AAvamutu on May 16, the chief events being the W. G. Park Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase of £l6O, 2% miles, and tho Woodstock Stakes of £l5O and a trophy valued at £2O, about 1J tnilcs and 110 yards. Nominations for all events close next Friday, May 1, at 5 p.m., with Blomficld and Co., Auckland, and at 8 p.m. with the secretary, Mr. J. G. Wynyard, To Awamutu. CONTROL OF RACING JUMPING EVENTS IN ENGLAND The vagaries of tho English winter have brought about a very interesting change in tho conditions of spring racing in that country; a change that possibly' may become permanent. Flat racing is governed under rules of which the Jockey Club is the guardian. The Jockey Club consists of 54 members and 22 honorary members, most of tho latter group being foreign sportsmen or the chief officers of tho racing authorities within tho Empire. This select body delegates its executive powers to three stewards, who may appoint deputies for a particular duty. Hitherto, excepting for tho Liverpool meeting in March, hurdle and steeplechase races have found no place.on flatracing programmes, and tho sanctioning of such races until next month on account of the restricted winter season is a concession that few thought would ever be mado. However, it is not difficult to visualise a time when jumping races will regularly be included on flat-racing programmes during the spring at least. The National Hunt Committee, which has control of that part of the calendar under the National Hunt rules, comprises 48 members, of whom six are stewards, together with the stewards of tho Jockey Club and of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, as honorary members. Ihe accepting of responsibility by the Jockey Club for jumping events probably will lead to a query in sporting circles at Home whether the time is not far distant when all racing will be conducted under one authority.