RACING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10432, 10 November 1919, Page 7

RACING.

(By "Carbine")

FIXTUEJE3. Nov. 12—Auckland li.C. Nov. 10. 12 15—Canterbury J.C. Nov. 12. 13—Winton J.C. Nov. 19— Ashhurst-Pohangina E.C.

THE NEW ZEALAND CUP

Saturday's New Zealand Cup was responsible for the downfall of one of tho hottest favourites that ever stepped out in tho event, for quite apart from the reading of the machine at the close of the betting. Gay Lad was supported to the ftctont of many thousands. Vagabond's Cup victory disposes of the theory that he cannot stay. Tho hie:, deop-ihested son of Martian looked every inch a stayer, hut thoro was an uneasy feeling against him that he might not be induced to do his best. Battle Song's second in the Cup was a good pei'.ormnnee. soeing that the Treutham horso had had very h"' o racing to prepare him for so severe a contest. He was given a. run in the Wellington Handicap last month, an event run over an eleven-furlong course. Ho ran a good race, and when heads wero turned for home he showed ■up among the lenders. Just as suddenly he faded out, and when the winnhiiT post was reached ho was not among the first three. All too little heed'was taken of this performance; nt.hnrwise the second dividend which ■•Mr Somes's" gelding returned would have been smaller. . SUCCESS OF THE MARTIANS. A notahle thing (regarding Vagabond's Cup win is that still another of tho- Martian family has succeeded in the race. Tho success of the. Martians in recent New Zealand Cups is remarkable: 191!) Vagabond, by Martian —Gipsy Girl. 1918 Sasanof, by MartianUkraine. 1917 Menelaus, by MartianLovelorn. 1916 Ardenhor, by MartianMary of Argyll. In Menelaus's year Martians tilled the places. Tho winner only got home by a heck from his stablemate, Johnny Walker, by Martian—Silkworm. When Sasanof won, the third and fourth places were filled by Menelaus and Mascot, both Martians. Second placo went to Hose Pink, by Kilbroney —Madder. This year, while a Martian (.Vagabond) was first, the third horse was Heathorcote-. by Boniform, a half-bro- i ther to Martian.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Royal Star, winner of the Riccarton Welter on Saturday, is a good horse, and a win in better company is not beyond- him. Evidently Cutts Bros.' stables was ai'ter the 'Cup and Stewards', double on Saturday. They put up a good lwvformance" by running third with Heathercote in the Oup and second with Onslaught in the Stewards. History repeated itself in one particular with -regard to Lucknow's Ca"lfield Cup. A few days before that race Lucknow cast a shoe, and for a day or two a report got going to the effect that he had bee-n lamed by the occurrence. Apparently there was nothing in it. A year ago a similar report gained circulation with regard to King Offa and the Caulfield Cup, but in his case the rumour -was more general, and it affected the betting market. But King Offa got there just as Lucknow did, and backers are likely to be on the look out for the nest-public fancy that happens to be reported amiss. Poitrel, Australia's champion at weight for age, will be rather unlucky if he does not get well into the five figure mark as a stake earner before the season closes. His total is already within a few pounds of it. 0 The Victorian jockey, F. Bullock, who will shortly return to England, will, it is stated, be attached to the stable of B. Jarvis at Newmarket. Jarvis has a comparatively largo number of clients, and many horses in training. Bod Pennant, who has been racing in Queensland, may not be seen on the racecourse again; having broken down. The trouble is in the round-bone. He was recently withdrawn from from the whole of iiis Brisbane engagements. According to an English writer probably never in tho history of tho English turf have race meetings been more crowded and the betting rings more congested than during tho present season, but the reaction is beginning to set in now that the money earned in munitions and war bonuses is coming to an end. But tho habit of betting "on the nod," once acquired, is apt to stick, as tho bookmakers are beginning to find to thoir sorrow, and, profiting by his experience of the non-settlers on tho Monday after Liverpool, wo hear that one well-known bookie hus invested in a large brass plato bearing in big black letters the pathetic plea: "Don't Knock!"