STRONG TEAM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22604, 17 December 1936, Page 11

STRONG TEAM

WOODVILLE HORSES TO ENTRAIN FOR AUCKLAND CONFIDENCE IN WEROHIA [by TKLKGKAPII —OWN COIUtESPONDKNX] WOODVILLE, Wednesday 1'• W. Davis loaves on Saturday night for Ellerslie with Plato, Haut Monde, rancis Drake, Mandamus, Relative and Aiwai. W. MacKinnon, "who has boon at Woodvillo since the Feilding meeting, will leave on that day with Werohia. H. S. Greene is remaining at Woodvillo with Lord Hereford, Mata llari, lahoma, Nereus, En Videtto, Tractile and Hunter's Morn. Tho last-named, who raced at the Takapuna meeting, is a recent addition to the team. All these horses will do thoir Christmas racing at Awapuni. '1 ho two-year-old Geira, who outclassed those racing at Woodville, will not bo a starter again until tho Wellington meeting. Tho Auckland candidates were tho only ones to do any work of note at Woodvillo yesterday and they worked tho reverse way on the course proper next to tho rails. Francis Drake, Aiwai and Relative kept together over half a mile in 525. They all went well and handled tho reverse way in good stylo. Haut Monde covered six furlongs in 1.17 2-5 and was going on nicely at the finish. He should not tako long to reach his best. The Railway Handicap candidate Plato did strong pace work once round. He has done exceptionally well of late. Mandamus was sent a mile, tho last six furlongs in 1.20. He is looking bright, but is a very lazy worker on tho track. Werohia was sent a couple of rounds at half-pace. Ho has taken no harm from his recent racing and boars a more solid appearance this season. His trainer is confident he will run a good race in the Auckland Cup. SYDNEY TWO-YEAR-OLD BREEDING OF LYNCH LAW Lynch Law, winner of the Kirkham Stakes at Warwick Farm, was purchased by Mr. A. Lewis at tho last Trentham yearling sales for 500 guineas, and after his decisive defeat of St. Constant and Micawber is spoken of as the best two-vear-old in Sydney. He is a chestnut colt by Limond from Drastic, by Absurd from imported Drax, by Spearmint. So far the best of Limond's progeny have been brow-ns or bays, and there has been a prejudice against the chestnuts, of whom Golden Hair has been about the best. Drax is one of the most fashionablybred mares imported in recent years, and her dam is Suncroft, by Sunstar from Miramonde, by Desmond from Admiration, by Saraband. Miramonde was a half-sister to the famous Pretty Pally, who was beaten only twice in j 24 starts.

Drax is a three-quarter sister to Kopi, who Avon the Irish Derby, and is now doing well at tho stud. The family is a very live one, and its representatives in the last few years include Cresta Run (.One Thousand Guineas), Capiello (Grand Prix), and Arabella. Drax was the first mare of this line imported to New Zealand, but there have been two horses —King John, who was, unfortunately, drowned early in his career, and Foxbridge, who is by Foxlaw from Bridgemount, dam of Cresta. Run, and is now at the stud in the Waikato.

NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP Wino has now developed foot trouble. This was the cause of his absence from the races at Hororata. It is also almost certain to prevent his appearance elsewhere during the holiday racing. The English-bred mare Legality, dam of Bambury, Whirling, Singara and the deceased Queen's Counsel, returnod by the Avvatoa yesterday from Australia, where she had been on a visit to Heroic. The aged Catoma, who made only one appearance last season, baa not raced for over a year. He is entered for the Hurunui Cup, the chief race at tho Hurunui Turf Club's annual meeting on Boxing Day. Until Oriental King shows that he has been cured of his habit of bucking, he will not be supported again as ho was for the Trial Plato at Hororata. As soon as the barrier went up and the field got under way he stated to buck and A. Messervy was unseated, suffering an injury to a knee that prevented his riding for the rest of tho day. The five-year-okl Polygraph has been one of the" best track workers at Piccarton since he was put into training, but between these private efforts and his public appearances is a great gulf fixed. It is said lie was given his last chance of proving himself generous as well as speedy at tho Hororata meeting, and, as ho could only finish third in a very poor field, ho is now to be put asido. Hunting Queen's progress sinco her successful appearance at tho Feikling meeting, when she won the Kowhai Handicap over a mile and a distance, has been such that she is being referred to as a good prospect for an open handicap during the Christmas and New Year period She is on the minimum in the Manawatu Cup and has been allotted 8.1 in the Grandstand Handicap, nine furlongs. Mr. J. D. Bundy, Lyttelton, bred Pink Abbey, who won under his colours at tho week-end. This speedy filly is a half-sister to Some Shamble, who captured several good stakes for Mr. Bundy some years ago. Their dam. Some Abbey, was a most consistent performer during a strenuous racing career on the West Coast of the South Island, her supporters generally participating in a dividend. Prior to bis reappearance at Woodville on Thursday, when he nearly sprang a surprise in tho Mangarawa Handicap, P.ango had not raced sinco the winter of last year. In that season be won the Tararua Handicap, nine furlongs, at Avvapuni, and the Okainwa Hurdles at the Kginont summer meeting. As the winner of seven races and only £7 short of £7OO, he was nicely placed with only 41b. above tho minimum. During the four days of tho Now Zealand Cup meeting, apprentices earned only half the amount of tho previous year, and in this lack of opportunity as the result of the general application of the 7.7 minimum, a southern writer sees a bad outlook for young horsemen, and some owners and trainers are taking the view that it is not fair to lads to ask them to enter a business in which the prospects of apprentice riders aro so slight.