TURF IN ENGLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22538, 1 October 1936, Page 9

TURF IN ENGLAND

FAME OF FAIRWAY

QREAT SUCCESS THIS YEAR LORD ASTOR LEADING OWNER Fairway's fame as a sire has been made secure by his wonderful record in England this year. Up to August 17 he had been represented by 14 winners of 23 races, their total value being £43,594. Last year lie was second to Blandford with 14 winners of 26 races and £24,758 his oldest progeny then being three-year-olds. With anothefr crop this year he has naturally been given much wider opportunities as a winning sire, and, although most of the principal races had been run by the middle of last month, he is likely to pass Blandford's total of £57,538 before the end of tho season. Pharos was not in tho first 25 winning sires last year, the progeny of tho son of Phalaris having won only £5415, yet in the first half pf the present season he was responsible for 11 winners of 15 races worth £20,128. Another noted sire who sult'ered a temporary eclipse in 1935 was Solario, who has been much more prominent this half-year, having secured third place with 16 winners of 22 races worth £19,771. Although Blenheim in the period had had only four winners' of five races, their value £14,230, enabled him to retain fourth place, in which he was at the end of last season. On the other hand, Blandford, with 15 winners and 20 races won, had been relegated to twelfth position, with stakes valued at £6699. With barely six months of the flat racing season in England completed, Lord Astor had won £33,264 from 10 races, this figure placing him at the head of the owners' list. Second was the Aga Khnn with £28,267 from 14 races. Lord Derby was third with £21,668 as the result of 24 wins by 19 horses, the greatest number of successes and winning horses in the period under review. J. Lawson's stable had won £49,651 from 29 events; F. Butters, with 25 wins, had secured £32,324 for his patrons; and C. Boyd-Rochfort had won 26 prizes totalling £29,041. The veteran M. Peacock had won 49 races with 31 horses, but he was only in seventh place as a stake-winner with £14,949. Up to August 17 G. Richards had ridden 122 winners, W. Nevett 64 and J. Sirett 61.

ASCOT GOLD CUP NEXT STAKE OVER £IO,OOO LONDON, Sept. 2S To mark the Coronation meoting at Royal Ascot the authorities are increasing the "Gold Cup by £2250, and the prizes are now approximately £BOOO for the first horse, £ISOO for the second and £750 for the third. DARGAVILLE CLUB'S RACES CLOSING OF NOMINATIONS Nominations for the Dargaviile Racing Club's meeting, to be hold at Avondale on October 17 and 19, close with Mr. J. Lawson at the office of the Avondale Jockey Club at 5 p.m. to-morrow. SIGURD CATCHES CHILL * -MAY NOT RUN ON MONDAY SYDNEY, Sept. 20 The New Zealand colt Sigurd caught a chill while coming over from the Dominion last week and it is doubtful whether he will run in the Breeders' Plato at Randwick next Monday.

VETERAN TRAINER RETIRES F. HILL IN WEST AUSTRALIA West Australia's 82-year-old trainer, Fred. Hill, has retired, and the West Australia Turf Club has honoured him by allowing him to retain his trainer's badge. Hill has been connected with horse racing in some form or another since just before entering, his teens, and has had experience not only in Australia, but also in New Zealand and India, while in the years that he took horses overseas he made a trip to America, taking Sir Modred there from Australia. Prior to taking up residence in West Australia he had been training in New Zealand. Hill will bo remembered by old Auckland racing identities, as lie was located here about 1910 and trained at Ellerslie.

PLANS FOR TREASURE BOND TO, COMPETE AT EPSOM Unless present intentions are altored, tho consistent Christchureh pacer Treasure Bond, who attracted attention by his sound efforts at Hamilton, will race at the Auckland spring meeting on October 24 and 2G. W. McDonald, owner-trainer of Treasure Bond, stated early in the week that he made the trip north with the idea of qualifying at tho Waikato meeting for the two-mile events at Epsom. Although Treasure Bond did not succeed in liiri mission and would be giving away handicap, it is McDonald's intention to bring the pacer to Epsom at tho weekend. THAMES TROTTING CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD [by TELEGRAPH —OWN* correspondent] THAMES, Wednesday Members fully discussed the question of increasing stakes for the next fixture at the annual meeting of the Thames Trotting Club last evening. Mr. R. M. Rhodes advocated giving stakes as high as possible. Ho said that the totalisator figures had increased all over the Dominion, and it was evident that more support for trotting would be forthcoming. Mr. W. S. Clark supported the proposal, but advised caution. He considered that tho club's next meeting should put £IO,OOO to £12,000 through tho totalisator and stakes should be raised from last year's figure, £685, to at least £9OO. To give over that amount, lie thought, the club would be courting disaster. Several other speakers supported the suggestion and it was resolved to recommend the committee to go into ways and means of raising stakes. A member stated that he had been offered a gold whip for the winning driver of the principal iaco. Mr. J. Twohill, who presided, paid a tribute to Mr. E. J. Clcndon for his interest in the club since its inception. A vote of sympathy with Mr. Clcndon in his severe illness was carried.

The olection of. officers resulted as follows: —Patron, Mr. J. Thorn, M.P.; vice-patron, Mr. Bon Faithfull; president, Mr. J. Twohill; vice-presidents, Messrs. D. Mackay, R. M. Rhodes, E. Watson and E. J. McLoughlin; stewards, Messrs, 11. Bax, J. Casey, J. H. Corbett, C. J. Garland, E. J. McLoughlin, J. J. Smith, T. G. Tizard, H. A. Vollemaero and four others to be elected by the committee; committee, Messrs. E. Elliot, G. Gray, H. G. Murray and W« B. Teasdale.