WINTER SPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23101, 28 July 1938, Page 11

WINTER SPORT

OUR JUMtMNC; TALENT NO CHAMPION IN SIGHT THE BREEDING QUESTION 11V I'HAKTOX ' Whence arc the steeplechasers to ('inner ' is a quest ion that is asked at various periods. At times the situation has lieeii such as to occasion much thought. Still, as the seasons come and go, the calls oil the steeplechase division are lairly well met, and. with "JO paid up lor the approaching New Zealand (irand National to lie run at liicearton on August !), that can lie viessed at satisfactory, so far as numl)er is concerned. However, it has to be recognised that the Dominion lias Jiot heei: able to claim an outsl milling champion lor a good many years. rhirty-one years have aped their lliglil since the Aiickland-bred Kiatero placed himsell in I lie champion class by carrying the steadier of I'J.I-'i to victory m the (ileal Northern Steeplechase. -Viler the I'aslor gelding, Coalition is entitled to worths reference, for ho won tiie Great Northern under 1 ..") and in successive yours won leading hiMiours in lho .New Zealand (irand National ull <ll •i- the respective imposts of 11. Ii and PJ.7. I lie hunting held still plays an important part in fostering crosscountrs racing, and the assistance and cncourageiiieui that New Zealand hunt clubs receive must be borne in mind. Still, something lurtiier is re<piired to brine about an increase in tile number of noteworthy performers. That breeders now do not specially shape a course for the breeding of steeplechasers is generally admitted, and, with people less trustlul to chance anything in that line, it seems that the recruiting of our steeplechasers will continue to lie invested I a reels' Willi the element of luck. Tiie proposed introduction of prclniiiins for stallions is a move entitled to warm approval, and, with low Ices lor services, owners of farms will be encouraged to take up the breeding of horses of the proper stamp, which in a few sears should raise the standard of jumping horses.

THE MELBOURNE CUP FOPB-YKAB-OLI) DIVISION. With Una scratched and uncertainty ruling in regard to Ajax being submitted to the test, chief interest is centred in the prospects in the Melbourne Cup of Avenger, !J.l, and L'Aiglon, iS.o, in viewing the four-year-old division. Some ot the gilt svas removed from Avenger's victory in the A..1.C. Derby by subsequent defeats, but it is argued that condition played a part with him and in support ot that contention then 1 is tlio tact that, alter running third in the \ ictoria Derby, he svas eased up and svas not raced for over three months and that after a race in February it was doomed advisable to treat him to a further rest. He has not boon raced in the interval. Avenger is stated to he training on svell, and, that being .so, his prospects are deemed especially bright. On all hands L'Aiglon svas given credit for an attractive performance when he led the field home in the Sydney Cup. With (5.8 he svas advantageously weighted and lie had to bo ridden out to ssin from the four-year-old Apollo, 7.5. However, it was a solidly-run race, for the two miles were encompassed in L'Aiglon is credited ssitli being u horse of very attractive physique, and as he is by the Buzzard, son of Spion Kop and grandson of Carbine, from Concise, by Svce, who traces to the celebrated Cyllene, there is a groat deal to impress in a perusal of his pedigree.

LUCK IN RACING REVFBSK PI OTPBPS Mr. A. F. Cooper, whose retirement from racing svas announced recently, has been a prominent figure in Australia since buying the Magpie colt Talking tor £19,000 in the spring of PJoti. talking svon the Victoria Derby under Mr. • Cooper s colours, but a leg trouble came against him early in his four-year-old career and he has not boon raced in the interval. Last spring .Mr. Cooper bought Mala for 7000 guineas. The prospects of the Nosv Zealand-bred horse svinning at least one of the important handicap events at that stage of the season svero recarded as especially bright, but such hopes svero completely shattered and the fall 'he suffered in the closing stage of the Dooniben Cup led to a collapse, svhich he survived only a fesv hours. Against this ill luck is the fact that -Mala svas insured for £OOOO.

Mr. Cooper's experiences in connection ssitli the turf comprise a couple of years only, and the courage lie displayed deserved a more happy turn ot Fortune's wheel than that svhich came to him.

j'igure.s published recently in Australia bearing on amounts won by horses owned by prominent sportsmen place Mr. E. JO. I). Clarke at the head of the list with £1(30,000. That sum embraces a period exending over U0 years, i'or a good number of years Mr. Clarke controlled a private stud, and, with good luck experienced both in breeding and racing, the large figures <|noted are not in advance of what might he expected. Trivalve, who was bred by his owner, was Mr. Clarke's greatest winner, lie captured stake-money to the amount ol furious, another whom lie bred, won £20,172.

The late Mr. (I. I). Greenwood could justifiably lie cited as the luckiest owner this Dominion has known. fancy the great luck experienced in securing yearling colts in successive seasons, whom he had never seen, at, a cost, of 7:i(l guineas and who hoth won Derbv honours! Tim two Australian-bred colts bought by Mr. Greenwood were Biplane, Ij.v Comedy King, 500 guineas, and Gloaming, by The Welkin, •J.'iO guineas. Gloaming's prizetnoney amounted to C 13,'100 and Biplane, after capturing stakes to the valuo of £ 13,596, was sold for 3000 guineas. During (lie 22 years jn which Mr. Greenwood engaged in racing his horses won over £169,000.

STUD ITEMS STRKTTO'S HIGH BKEKDING Stretto, who is now included with the New Zealand-bred division likely to keep up the credit of tho Dominion in Australia, can boast a high-class pedigree. Her sire, Hunting Song, is by unbeaten Hurry On, who traces to stout-hearted liarcaldine. Her dam, The Begum, is by Chief littler, son of The Tetrareh. from Lueelht, by Lucnlliis, soli ol Ard Patrick, from Seatonella, by Seafon Delaval. son of Melton. The Knglish-hred sins Colossus, owned in New Zealand, has a promising juvenile son liim ii jj;ood iidvertisement in Autstralia. Tltis is Dannevtrke, who has won a couple ol races attractively and is expected to play his part well at three years old. Danne- \ irke hav ing been added to the list, be is not engaged in any of the classic events.