RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21390, 18 July 1931, Page 8

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. Mr G. M. Currrie’s new importation Posterity arrived from England last week, and was taken by motor float to Koatonui. Red Fuchsia pulled up lame after running in the Wellington Steeplechase, The eight stone minimum will not be used in connection with the Winter Cup, for which nominations have already closed. The minor flat races will, be based on the new rule. Owing to the disqualification of S. Malone, the engagement of Clareraore in the Grand National Steeplechase becomes cancelled. The crack New Zealand two-year-old, Amnion Ra, who was sent to Sydney recently, created a favourable impression when he made his appearance at Randwick. He has furnished very much since he was in Sydney in the spring, and he is regarded as likely to do well in early important events. Lieutenant-colonel C. W. Birkin, owner of the English Oaks winner Brulette, holds a very high opinion of hie filly, whom he believes is something out of the common, Brulette is a French-bred filly by Bruleur from Seaweed, by Spearmint, and like her brother, Hotweed, she is a genuine stayer. Brulette did her previous racing in France, and was taken across to England inly a few days before the Oaks contest.

The Manawatu sportsman Mr E. Trevor suffered a stroke of misfortune recently when he lost a rising two-year-old filly by Nigger Minstrel from Sleeping Beauty. The youngster slipped and broke her pelvis while galloping in the paddock and had to be destroyed. Others of the progeny of Sleeping Beauty in Glenrossie and a filly by Bisogne have also been in trouble lately, and the latter has had to be thrown out of work on account of unsoundness.

Interviewed after he had won the English Derby on Cameronian, F. Fox said; “Throughout the race I felt that I had the winner under me. Cameronian went well all the way. At only one point was he seriously threatened. That was by Orpen, but I knew that my colt would answer when I called upon him, and he responded gallantly ip the final stages.” The time for the race was 2min 35 3-ssec, against Blenheim’s 2min 38 l-ssec the *’revious year, and the record of 2min 34 2-ssec jointly held by Call Bov and Felstead.

At least one visiting trainer has not been altogether satisfied (says the Post) with the Trentham tracks as he has found them the last week. But the officers in charge were hardly the butt of hia “complaint.” When the Ashburton ownertrainer, J. J. Lewis, brought Punchestown out to gallop he inquired for the grass track. On being shown a strip of mud by the attendant, he exclaimed: “ That’s the grass, is it ? Why there’s not a blade on it.” The attendant, however. had a quick retort. “ Oh, you want grass, do you? I thought you brought your horse out to gallop him, not to graze him.” Punchestown worked on the “ grass.” but went back to his stable for his feed. From June 8 last, backers of the totalr sator daily double in England have had the option of making one alternative selection in the first leg, and two alternative selections in the second leg of the double. The races selected for the daily double are now the third and fifth, except where otherwise notified. Tickets are issued with spaces for the alternative selections. The new procedure overcomes the difficulty that was caused when a horse selected was not declared to start or was withdrawn. In the event of the alternative selections for either race proving to be non-runners, the bet on the double is considered a losing bet. The ticket, however, remains eligible for a dividend in the event of the winning combination being unbacked, and the winner of one or other race having been selected. ■ The remarkable record set up by F. Darling in England this year in training the winners of the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby in Cameronian, and the One Thousand Guineas in Four Course, has been improved on by the French trainer. F. Carter. Following the successes of Indus and Pehrl Cap in the French equivalents to the English Two Thousand and One Thousand Guineas, he took Brulette to England to score an easy victory in the Oaks Stakes at Epsom, and at Chantilly on June 7 he carried off the French Oaks with Pearl Cap. He thus saddled the winners of four classic events this year, as against the three of the Beckhampton trainer. Brulette was one of the favourites for the Grand Prix de Paris subsequently, but did not finish in a place. The Derby victory of Cameronian firmly consolidated the position of F. Darling at the head of England’s winning trainers list, the master of Beckhampton having to date won 11 races with 10 horses for £37,610 in stakes. Nearest to him was J. Lawson, with 17 wins with 13 horses for £14,144 in stakes. At the Epsom meeting the jockey Gordon Richards added five winners to his season’s record, and with 48 successes in 269 mounts was an easy leader on the jockeys’ list. Follow ing him were H. Wragg (32 wins in 203 mounts), P. Beasley (27 wins in 109 mounts). W. Nevett (24 wins in 128 mounts), R. Dick (23 wins in 157 mounts), M. Benry (23 wins in 19~ mounts), and F. Fox (23 wins in 243 mounts). Fox headed the list last season beating Richards by a point. Cameron ian’s successes have given Mr J. A. Dewar a substantial lead among the owners, and to the end of the Epsom meeting he had won £23,860 in stakes. Lord Ellesmere was next with £10,141, and then followed Lieutenant-colonel C. W Birk in with £9067, Mr Anthony de Rothschild with £5047, and H.IL Aga Khan with £5045. Those who backed Cockcrow in the Grand National Hurdle Race, rum at Melbourne recently, can thank “Bill” Howson’s long legs and one of Cockcrow’s long ears for having saved them (says the Sporting Globe). When Cockcrow crashed into the last hurdle his jockey lost the reins as the gelding’s head went down Fortunately the jockey’s long legs kept him in the saddle, and, as the weight on Cockcrow’s back did not shift, he was able to recover himself. Having retained his balance, Howson grabbed the reins and all was well. Howson modestly does not take any credit for haying saved Cockcrow from a fall. He said that he was lucky enough to be riding in a 71b saddle with good kneepads, and when his mount “ went through ” the hurdle he was able to remain practically seated in the saddle, shifting only a few inches. Had Howson fallen out on Cockcrow’s neck the weight there would have prevented the gelding from recovering. With a shorter-legged jockey in the saddle this probably would have been the case. It was- a fine piece of horsemanship on the part of Howson, irrespective of the advantages with which Nature has endowed him. After a controversy lasting over a number of months a definite decision has been reached in Australia that no restriction will be placed on the broadcasting of race descriptions direct from the racecourse. It has been claimed that the advent of wireless has greatly increased the amount of illegal betting, and that hundreds of starting price bookmakers have flourished because of the facilities provided by the wireless. It is admitted that the police secure many convictions, but the campaign against illegal bookmakers cannot lie regarded as successful. Many of the small racing clubs complained that the broadcasting of race descriptions interfered with their attendances, and it was mainly on that ground that the Postal Department was invited to take action. The Director of Postal Services, who controls wireless, said the other day that there would not be any interference with a service which seemed to be so greatly valued by a majority of the listeners. He regretted that facilities for an extension of gambling among people who could not afford it was objectionable, but he would not recommend a discontinuance of race broadcasting. Many people secured licenses so that they could learn the race results promptly. The depart-

ment was called upon to provide a service that was acceptable to all people.' If racing broadcasts were stopped there would certainly be a falling off in the number of licenses issued, followed by a fall in the revenue, and that would affect the general quality of the programmes. A curtailment of the service now provided would be reflected in the wireless apparatus trade. Fewer sets would be sold.

Few of the many thousands who saw the English Derby on June. 3 or who were directly interested in the race, had the slightest conception of the extent to which the racecourse at Epsom was damaged by visitors on foot, and in motor cars, on the Sunday before the meeting opened (says the Sporting Life). Mr C. J. Langlands, the clerk of the course, stated in a report subsequently that policemen and men carrying appeals on sandwich boards, were engaged on the Sunday with the object of keeping people off the track. Notwithstanding 'his, there were three lines of motor cars, each stretching for nearly a mile, and thousands of people on foot, along the course. Colonel G. E. Wilkinson, the official inspector of racecourses, in his report to the executive, said: “The long-distance course was in very good order, and 1 am sure the straight would have been so had it not been for the enormous crowd which congregated on it on the Sunday before the meeting. Now that the course has been put into such good order, it seems a great pity that something cannot be done to preserve it. I feel sure if the public knew the damage they were doing they would refrain from spoiling it.” The Epsom stewards and executive have since appealed to the public to re* spect this vital part of the course, and they hope that, as at Doncaster, where the same trouble was at one time experienced, the track in future will be kept clear, particularly on the Sunday before the Derby.