RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21254, 7 February 1931, Page 8

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. The Wingatui tracks have dried up considerably during the past couple of days and under favourable conditions the course proper will be in excellent order for the Dunedin Cup meeting next week. _ Training operations at Wingatui yesterday morning were restricted to hallpace work on tne inside grass. Handicaps for the Gore meeting are due on February 16. . _ „ The hurdler Lancer has rejoined H. Nurse’s stable after being treated to a lengthy spell. , The grass on the course .proper at Wmgatui was cut yesterday , morning and should result in helping to make going fairly sound for next week’s meeting. The Archiestown mare Otauru Lass, who raced over hurdles last season, has joined P. T. Hogan’s stable. The Paper Money gelding Gold Tinge has rejoined S. G. Ware’s stable. It is a -little over 12 months since Gold Tinge appeared on a racecourse. The- Tea Tray gelding Hot Tea was taken down- to Tapanui, .but did not start owing to the heavy going. Antrim Boy collided with and fell over a trestle at Wingatui on Thursday morning and gave W. M’Ewan a shaking. Historic is again in work at Trentham. He trained off prior to the Wellington Cup meeting owing to kidney troubles, but now seems right again. . Like most of Solferino’s -stock. Sailing Home requires time, and he is now furnishing, out and bearing an improved appearance. It is always pleasing to note that a New Zealand-bred horse wins when sold to go to Australia, as it certainly tends to keep the market in a healthy tone. The ex-Wingatui gelding Stealth was amongst recent winners in West Australia. He is now trained by C. Christie. After being treated to a spell of several months, Magna Charta is back in work and is, looking in good shape for another preparation. He was regarded as a particularly promising hurdler when, previously in commission.

Some' well-bred stock is booked to go under the hammer atWingatui next week •when the general atmosphere of the market should provide a bargin for buyers. It may surprise some people to know that, although Mr P. D. M‘Nab is one of the most successful starters- seen in this country, or, as some claim, in any part of the world, he dislikes the position, and hence his desire to'drop it. The Swinford colt Iliad, who recently joined the Elderslie stud, is said to have cost ISpOghs,, and he. reads as a bargain at the price, both from a breeding and performance point of view. Otairi, the winner of the Egmont Cup, was got by Paper Money from Isabel by Hallowmas (son of Martagon) from Cvucinellai by San Francisco, a brother to, St. Frusquin, the grand-sire of Paper Money. Cashier, a brother, to Otairi, also kept the family flag flying by dead-heat-ing on the same day with Llandudno in the /Wbarproa Handicap. Battle scre.en was regarded as a rather promising, sort when b® came. to. Wingatpi, but, he trained off, and became regarded ‘as a‘ bad bargain. At Invercargill he., ran a good second, and went better .-at Tapanui, and good enough to suggest that he might win again. The following horses remain in the Jackson Stakes:—Silvermine, Ceremony, Hunting Cry, No a Lap, Paganelli, Lady Quex,' Sporting Chance, Ammon Ra, Pegaway, Arisus, Karapoti, Hunting >■ Day, Love Song, and Vandyke. Some of these horses evidently have been left "in by mistake, but- the field for the' Wanganui fade promises to bb vei-v strong. Sonie "of" our local traindrs do not approve of the South Canterbury Jockey Club's decision to hold two' single day meetings towards the end 'of the season; The,Ashburton meeting, on the score of expense of travelling, have lost practically all patronage from Wingatui stables, and Timaru would be in danger of the same result. • , ; •

Fifty years ago sweeps were not illegal in Now Zealand, and two Timaru men advertised “ consultations ” on the Dunedin Cup. One promoter, a hotelkeeper, advertised an ambitious affair, of 5000 subscribers .at £1 each, the prizes including £ISOO for first. £IOOO for second, and £750 for third. Another man, a billiard saloon proprietor, advertised a 10s sweep of 5000 subscribers. Still another acted as agent for a Dunedin promoter of a £SOOO affair, in which non-starters were allotted £3OOO. - The publican’s “ monster ” £SOOO consultation evidently failed- to fill. Shortly .afterwards the Herald published a letter from a Mesterfon man who had drawn a horse, but discovered that only 118 tickets had been subscribed for. The drawer stated that he had not received his share of the £875 which was to be divided among non-starters,' and had not even received his money back. > During the last spring meetings Amounis toppled Gloaming off the pedestal of the greatest stake-winner of Australia

and New Zealand, but it does not look as if Amounis is going to occupy that coveted honour for many more weeks (says a Sydney writer). Had all gone well with him lie might have been able to keep Phar Lap at bay_ for a while longer, but the Magpie gelding has recently shown soreness after his work in the morning, and trainer F. M'Grath is recommending to the owner, Mr W. Pearson that he be sent away for another spell. If this plan is followed it will mean that Amounis will miss the. autumn carnival, and it is only a matter of Phar Lap reproducing his form of the spring to wipe off the deficit of £1455 10s separating him from Mr Pearson’s old champion. Since he came to Melbourne from New Zealand, says a Melbourne paper, A. Reed has bad many notable successes in the saddle, but it is doubtful whether he ever rode as well as he is doing this season. Like his brother Roy, who is best known to Melbourne racegoers as rider of Nightmarch in the Melbourne Cup of 1929, he has a nice pair of hands on a horse, but he is more vigorous than his brother. At Geelong, on January 24, Reed rode three winners in succession, and in each case lie showed, splendid judgment. His winning mounts were Caravena (Welter Handicap), Rudyard (St, Patrick’s Day Handicap), and Eastern Gold (Novice Purse) Poor horsemanship might have lost any of those races, and it was in the Purse that Reed distinguished himself, most. Drawn on the rails Eastern Gold missed the jump out, and approaching the turn.he was a long way from the pacemakers, Obcouica and Lysan. When the field turned into the straight Eastern Gold appeared to be well beaten, but using every ounce of energy Reed gradually overhauled the pacemakers. _ He settled the pretentions of Lysan .without any trouble, but it was much more difficult to dispose of Obconica. Inch by inch Reed gained on the leader, and the pair flashed past the post locked together. The decision went in favour of Eastern Gold by half a head. The crowd warmly applauded Reed for his unique feat.