GOSSIP OF THE TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12395, 15 March 1926, Page 10

GOSSIP OF THE TURF

Talk from Track and Stable

(By

“CARBINE.”)

FIXTURES. March 17—Opunake Racing Club. -March 17—Wyndhara Trotting Club. March 18 —Waimate Racing Club. March 18, 20—New Brighton Trotting Club. March 20 —Thames Trotting Club. March 20—B.ay of Plenty Jockey Ciub. March 20—Masterton Racing Club. March 20, 22 —Westport Jockey Club March 23. 21—Oamaru Jockey Club. Match 24, 25—Rangitikei Racing Club. March 27—Wellington Trotting Club. April 3, s—Hawera Trotting Club. April 3, s—Wairarapa Racing Club. April 3, s—Auckland Racing Club. April 3. s—Feildings—Feilding Jockey Club. April 3, 7—Metropolitan Trotting Club. April 5,6, Canterbury Jockey Club. April 7—Westland Racing Club. April 10—Greymouth # Jockey Club.

Ballymoy 11., who won at Napier on Friday, had contested thirteen races without once saluting the judge. Mr T. H. Lowry won both the chief handicaps at Napier, with Oreum and Phoenix Park. The forward running of Father O’Flynn indicates that the Hawke’s Pay gelding will soon be ready to show his best. He should do well this autumn. Kaiti has won at last, but the price on Saturday was very snort. Hokioi is consistent. One should come his way soon Wednesday is St. Patrick’s Day, and there will be racing at Opunake and Ohinemuri. It is probable that Dobbin, Star of the East, and Valkon will be brought south after the Ohinemuri meeting. Will Oaklaud, who has won about £3OOO in stakes, cost his present owner six guineas. The crack steeplechaser, Sir Rosebery, is working regularly at Ellerslie, and is putting a lot of dash into his work. When Mountain Lion won the Southland Cup on Thursday he interrupted a run of 13 successive defeats. Last son Mountain Lion contested 37 races. The Masterton autumn meeting will be held next Saturday. Wairarapa nominations close with Secretary N. C. C. Shepherd, to-day. Rangitikei acceptances are due today. Royal Damon, who won at Napier on Saturday, is one of the Polydamon family, and is a member of the team with which H. Hickey has having an innings of late. Royal Damon is a solid tort, and is one of the best backs about.

It is reported from Southland that Valdamo has been sold to a northern sportsman, with a view to being raced oMer hurdles. Early in hi 9 career Valdamo showed promise of being very useful, and his recent form encourages the hope that he will yet win good races. He lias plenty of pace, and he is credited with being a smart jumper. On the second day at Invercargill Cbrn Money was backed in the Predent’s Handicap as if the race were all over, but he did not get out with his usual brilliancy and met trouble after going a furlonjf. Set Sail was taken along at a good paqe by Ecuador, who led until fifty yards from the post, where Set Sail caught him, and sho just reached the post in time to beat the fast-finishing Warhaven by a short he£d. Circulation finished very fast, and just beat Ecuador for third money. An inquiry wa6 held into the alleged interference by Set Sail with Corn Money about a furlong from the start, but after hearing the evidence no action was taken. Eridanus, who ran Robespierre to a head in the Farewell Handicap at the Victoria Racing Club’s meeting, is by King John from Starglow, and started on four occasions as a two-year-old last season without getting a place. Eridanug was bred in New Zealand, his sire. King John, being the English-bred horse who was drowned in Wellington Harbour when he was being shipped to Sydney for sale, while his dam. Starglow. is by Martian from Fire Queen, ''v Royal Artillery from Fireside, by Perkin Warbeck 11. According to the Sydney “Telerraph,” a well-known Victorian operaL cr entrusted with a Commission back-

ed the double for the'Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, Heroic and Pilliewinkie, to win £60,000. Though the downfall of such a hot favourite as Top Gallant in the first-named race relieved the pencillers of serious liabilities, their banking accounts were considerably depleted by the respective victories of Heroic and- Pilliewinkie.

The Cyklon filly Cyden, who won the Ascot Vale Stakes in rare style, is credited with possessing a brilliant dash of pace, and is ticked off as likely to set Rampion a stiff task when she comes to meet him at Randwick next month.

Llewellyn is among the regular workers at Ellerslie, .ana is making steady progress. All going well, the ‘ big fellow should be m good trim when the jumping season is at hand. In England last year, 4690 horses ran in flat races,; two-year-olds outnumbering those of any other age. They totalled ,1633, against 1175 three-year-olds, 712 four-year-olds, and 1170 of five years and upwards. The increase was only 104 over the total for 1924. To people who do not follow these things closely—and very few do—it will be something of a surprise to read that the A.J.C. “Racing Calender” shows that over 3000 different horses started at registered meetings in New South Wales alone during the first half of the current season—August Ist to January 31st. Then there are the unregistered meetings, with their hundreds of competitors during the same period, to be taken into consideration. It often amuses me when I hear people say, writes “Pilot”: “English racehorses are much more numerous than ours.” In the true sense of the word they are, but not in number of runners at race meetings. Between registered and unregistered meetings, this State’s runners for a year must be 4500, at a low computation, and, with the addition pf competitors at meetings in Victoria, Queensland. South Australia, West Australia, and Tasmania, the total must he tremendous.

GETTING OUT OF THE GAME It is unfortunate that an unpleasant incident occurred prior to the running of the AV>nter Oats Handicap at Invercargill, as a result of which Air A. S. Cambridge, the well-known Wingatui owner, has decided to go out of, racing. The whole of his horses, including the imported Rosenor, and several young ones, have been advertised for sa]e. — Christchurch “Sun.”

RUNNYMEDE DOING WELL The New Zealand gelding Runnvmede is reported to be training o:i very satisfactorily at Randwick. Referring to the King John gelding a Sydney writer penned the following :~ VWhen Runnymede was purchased at i high price by the Sydney owner, Air T. C. Trautwein, many racing men scoffed at the idea of Runnymede being a match for Manfred in the St. Leger. Now that Manfred has been repeating his tricks at the barrier Runnyraede looms larger in the classic picture. For the past couple of weeks F. Keith has been a regular visitor to Randwick with Runnymede. who has been much admired for hi* beautiful action when going fast.”

THE DISAPPOINTING KIPLING Kipling, the half-brother to Bobrikoff. has not accomplished much for the distinguished families to which ho owes descent. Tt ran, however, be said for Kipling that he has won on the flat, over hur' I, ' , s 1 and across country so that he Inrs s all-round certificate to his credit. Kipling’s most recent successes were recorded in the hrar» of Kt.oenh*- ' , hases decided at the Southland ineet»nrr this week; and, according to the telegraphed account of tho races. V had matters all his own way. When two years old Kipling was viewed in r-o promising n light that he was bought by Mr J. G. Collins for £IOOO. In the winter of 1924 Mr Collins sold Kipling to Mr J. AL 'Samson, and tli< horse is now carrying the colours of the latter Kipling was foaled in 1915, so that he is included among tho veterans of the turf.