Northern Notes

NZ Truth, Issue 994, 13 December 1924, Page 9

Northern Notes

(By "Renown.") Racing at Waipa to-day. ' - The Trial Plate at Taumarunui last Saturday^ took another of New Zealand's most capable and popular riders when Lilac Domino slipped and unshipped Con Reed at the three furlong post. • .''"■■■ " Reed landed on the rails and sustained injuries which ,■ subsequently caused his death m the Taumarunui Hospital on the following evening. The; deceased, although quite young, was one of • our most capable riders, having!, scored many notable successes m: : vthe';'sAadld-vduring recent years. : His,' death' will be "keenly felt by his many friends, and, like the late A; J. McFlinri, Con. was regarded as being a credit to the calling. The heavy showers of rain experienced throughout the morning before the races left room for doubt as> to whether the club' would proceed • \yitla the day's programme. ■■ .However, the races, , : went on. Reed lost his life,, and several other horses nearly fell when trying to handle the greasy going at the, turns. I W. Townshend intended to race JQuincoma m the Takapuna PTate at the recent Shore gathering, . but the Quin Abbey gelding got r caSt m : his box arid had to be" given a .'let-up! Quincoma has started* \ydrk once again at Ellerslie, but his tasks have been of an easy nature so far. Daylight was recently added to the number; of horses working- under ' the supervision of F. Gilchrist." Master Mind did .not go too well on the Takapuna course and the big Lucullus gelding knocked himself about a bit when galloping around the turns.

Candidates for honors at the Auckland summer meeting will be having their last outing before being asked to race at Christmas.

The handicaps for the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap will give punters plenty of food, for. thought between now and Christmas. Gold Light tops the' list m the Cup, and even with the big impost of 9.7 her chances cannot be disregarded. The Hymettus mare showed such great form at Riccarton and on her running there she will only have to be fit and well on Boxing Day to have a host of supporters m the Auckland Cup. Loughrea is next on the list and although he has proved himself -to be a great horse, his recent form, does not suggest that he will beat Gold Light at a difference of only two pounds.

Musketoon has been allotted the same weight which he carried into third place m the' New Zealand Cup, and is not harshly treated. Two miles may be beyond the reach of Limelight, but with five pounds less than she carried to success m the Metropolitan Handicap she should be handy at the finish. Last year Te Kara dead heated with Muraahi m this event. In this year's Cup, Te Kara has the handy weight and he looks like, being one of the early favorites, for the event.

the Auckland spring meeting Te Kara was made a good favorite ror the Mitchelson Cup, but he ran very sourly and was evidently not forward enough to do his best. With two races at the Auckland meeting the General Latour gelding went on to the Waikato gathering, where he surprised everybody by annexing an open sprint m his only start.

He has not had a race since then, but his connections are bound to give him a run at one of the country fixtures before Christmas, so that he will lack nothing on the score of condition for his Cup engagement.

Illumination would be more at home over' a shorter course, while Royal Present has his Mitchelson Cup success to represent the, only form he has shown for some time past.

The New Zealand Cup favorite, Tarleton, is bound to come m for heavy support, but he has yet to show that he is worthy of the support that was accorded him at Riccarton.

In some quarters Royal Divorce is spoken of as being the likely winner of this year's Cup. The imported horse will have to be taken on trust for the two mile journey.

Polonet and Bobmerday appear, to be the most likely of the lighter weighted animals m the big two mile event and the latter has been very well treated with only 7.3 to carry. The former has yet to be seen m action over a distance of more than one mile and a quarter or a mile and three furlongs, but • the way he finished m the Alison Cup at Takapuna gives him a show m this race.

Royal Blood is m the pride of position m the handicap for the Railway, and he will be one of the hardest to beat.

Rational does not seem to. be the same Rational we knew a couple of seasons back.

Of the Ford ell -trained pair, Tukia and Inferno," the former strikes as being the 'more suited for the big sprint.

Pavo is nicely treated with only 8.6 to carry. ,

Dan Quin won three races on end and then failed at,. the Shore m the heavy going. Too, much notice cannot be taken of his forni there as he is bound to do a lot better on the top of the ground.

Finelli is another that the heavy going at Takapuna would stop.

It is well to remember' that Hipo has an Easter Handicap to his credit and a good. beginner Hke him will always have to be reckoned with.

'Of those further down on the list the ; doings of Motley, Fool's Paradise and.Ballymoy 11. WuTbe watched with interest.

The Taumarunui meeting was held last- Saturday. The club was unfortunate m , striking wet weather and what, would have been an enjoyable fixture was marred by heavy showers of rain falling throughout the day.

Rahepoto was made a good favorite for the Trial, but was , never sighted during the race.

Illingar rushed to the front but was done with after five furlongs had gone.

The winner, Arch Opal, put up an attractive performance, being one of the last to get away and then won easily.

Waiwhakaata, who finished . second to Arch Opal, is a half-brother to Town Bank by Quin Abbey, and seems to have the family galloping trait. The bay gelding is not too sound, otherwise he -would be a good horse.

West Abbey went a fair race and finished close up to the placed horses;

Mr. J. McNicol seems to have a likely sort m Sea Comet, a gelding by Day Comet out of Seabird.

Li. Booth was not long m winning a race with Finnote. The Finland gelding was always m front and won very easily. •

Peter Rosa 'ran an honest race for second money, but had no chance with the winner.

Gala Day's win m the Taumarunui Cup was a popular victory as his owner, Mr. W. H. Wackrow, is the president of the club. The winner i§ a horse who should show up m much better company. ,

Zircon was always m a good position m the Cup, but when he was called on to make a forward move, the winner just cleared out from him.

One who received several nasty bumps and chops during the race was Peter Maxwell.

Aerofortis was finishing on very fast m the Cup and all but cut Glencairn p,ut of vthird money. The third horse, Glencairn, is showing signs of a return to form, but the company was too strong for him.

Muri'a was a good favorite for the Matapuna Hack Handicap. The Absurd mare' was slow to get going and would not have been second only for a lucky run on the rails at the turn..

M. J. Carroll supplied the winner m Athenry, a three-year-old gelding by Mullingar out' of Marie Odile. Athenry is reported to have been shovjing a lot of pace m. his work prior to the meeting, but his connections could not have had much confidence m his track work '■; otherwise he would not . liave paid such a big price.

WarnuLis a hack who may pick up a race at one of the country meetings. The Black and Gold mare was finishing, on well behind Athenry and Muria. ' Gold Clip claimed a lot of support m his engagement. He is only a little fellow and may be better suited with the tirack more firm.

After the race for the Matapuna Handicap was over, one owner picked up four five-pound tickets invested on his horse. - Needless to say, the horse had not won; The owner m' question stated that ha would be pleased to sell his horse for the amount the punter had lost over him. ?A ;

Velociform and Submerge monopolised the betting m the hurdles.. \

Submerge- ran- like a goat and his form .at the Thames m poor company was only a flash m the pan. '

The top weight, "Velociform, was very sore and ran; a fair race under the circumstances to finish m second position.

,' Silent Knight is on the small side, but the way he won left no room for doubt as to his being a class above the others engaged m the race.

Rang! Thompson was present at ,Taumarunui to. ride Automoana m iier

hurdle engagement there, but the Au> tumnus mare broke down a few days before the meeting. : ','

Kawais a promising- sort of hurdler who is . bound to do better.

Quinvardia was considered to be the best of good -things .m the Matieire Handicap. The Avondale-trained animal flattered his supporters for a while, but stuck m his toes a couple of fury longs from home and would not do his best at all. The race would do him good as he appears to have put on condition since he won at Whangarei.

Strongholt always seems to race better m her second up. In her first race at Taumarunui she was being kicked along over the last three furlongs, but m her second race she hit the front quickly and was never headed. • .

The Rangaroa Handicap saw Pas 7 sionless have her first race for some time. The Formby mare was with the leaders for three furlongs, 'but then commenced to go back. With another race she should do better.

The way Abbey Bell shapes m her races suggests that she will do better over a mile than over six furlongs.

Tinokaha jumped away smartly m the open sprint and won fairly easily.

Many inquiries were made as to Black Cruiser's chances, but he failed to materialise. . •

Loch Abbey showed a lot of dash for five furlongs, but tired badly over the final bit.

Smoke is an animal who showed a fair amount of pace. an the big sprint.

Broadwoqd had every chance to win the Rangaroa • Handicap. . He • only beat Loch Abbey for second, money over the last furlong. .

Arch Opal proved himself to be a useful sort of hack by .winning his second race for the day when he accounted for Peter' Rosa m the concluding event.

Lady Cintra showed a. fair. burst of speed m the Owhango Handicap, and is bound to do better later on.

Arizona Maid rioked a fetlock joint prior to the Taumarunui meeting and was not able to attend that gathering.

Multini and Ring Comet, two horses m the same stable got tangled m wire recently and had to have a let-up m their work.

To get the results of races, bookmakers' touts go to any old bother. At Taumarunui one of these gentlemen went to the caretaker of the course and informed that worthy that he was the representative of a well-known -newspaper, asking for the use of the telephone so that he could ring up the'results of the races to his paper. The dodge was quite successful until .ater m the afternoon, when he was caught and removed from the course. 'Truth wonders if the '^working pressman was supplied With afternoon tea, etc.

Strongholt has : . joined .L. Booth's team at Ngaruawahia. ,<

West Abbey nearly came down when the field was turning for home m the Trial Plate at Taumarunui.

Sea Comet slid along like a drunken man when going out of the straight during his -preliminary.. :

Sam 'Anderson showed good form on his return to the saddle at-Tau-marunui after his enforced holiday. Three wins and a second fell to. his lot He appeared to have a couple of lives when trying to navigate the bends on Arch Opalin.the last race of the day.