RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21648, 19 May 1932, Page 2

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. The Hunting Song gelding Bclvoir is again in work at Riccarton. Copey has come into favour for the Great Northern Steeplechase as a result of his win at Wanganui. Otairi pulled up lame after running in the Century Hurdles. . . , As a result of his win at Wanganui the Redfern gelding Fernden has attracted attention to his engagements at the Auckland winter meeting. H. Nurse has taken in hand a three-year-old filly by Polazel from Sweet Smile, by San Francisco from Winning Hits dam. Sweet Smile is the dam of Lighthearted and Gigglcswick, two useful gallopers. „ , , It is reported that The Smuggler has been struck out of the principal race at the Otautau meeting, to be held at Invercargill on Saturday, as a result of dissatisfaction with, a penalty of 61b for winning the Southland Cup. . The Acre mare Easterly scored her third win in succession when she won the Century Hurdles, and is now in favour for the Great Northern Hurdles. Last season Easterly won four times and was once placed in 14 starts. Ball Dress has been retired to the stud. She did not achieve anything of note on the turf, and, if like breeds like, will not be much good as a matron. Still, she was got by Winning Hit from Equipment, by Martian —To-morrow, by Bill o' Portland, and should, on breeding, produce winners. The positive opinion expressed by Mr H. A. Wolfe, who is well-known under the pen name of “ Cardigan ” in Australia, that Phar Lap was deliberately poisoned creates a big field of thought. However Mr Wolfe’s opinion may be received, it is an undisputed fact that human life in America stands determined by gunmen in many cases, and a horse by comparison would be killed with as little compunction as a fly. R. C. Keeper has The Babe moving along in strong work. He is an accomplisher fencer (says “Argus”), who may pick up a steeplechase at the Dunedin meeting next month, provided he trains on. His stable mate (Gallivanter) may have his first race over country at South Canterbury next week. He is in good fettle, and only needs confidence to win steeplechases. It is reported that after a little preliminary education in his trainer’s paddock Taragona shaped well in his first school over the Riccarton hurdles. The fact that he is by Thurnham is in his favour, as many of this sire’s progeny seem to have a natural aptitude for jumping, so the future of Taragona will be watched with interest. A very interesting memento of Phar Lap is to hand, and acknowledged .with thanks. It comes in the shape of a biscuit or cake connister, with Phar Lap and rider engraved in colour on the lid, andhas been produced to the order of a firm in Hamilton by Messrs F. J. Lake and Co., with the assistance of the illustrations department of the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company. In its finished form it is both a memento and a useful household requisite. At the South Canterbury autumn meeting Weatherly beat Silver Salver and Craigavon over a mile and 35 yards. Over the same distance at the winter meeting Silver Salver has to meet both Weatherly and Craigavon on worse terms. Silver Salver has won in weak company in the meantime, but that is no reason why those who beat him handsomely when they last met should come in on more favourable terms. It is, of course, quite possible that Silver Salver may beat Weatherly and Craigavon when they meet again, but even so it does not supply justification for the Tea Tray gelding having to do so at the -worst of weights. In effect, the hamlicapper, by his figures, says that Weatherly and Craigavon have deteriorated since they beat Silver Salver at the Timaru autumn meeting, or that the last-named has improved. Amongst the spectators at the Invercargill meeting was Mr <L A. Williams, who is a-well-known and popular figure in Australian sporting circles. At one time Mr “Jack” Williams was well-known in commercial circles in Australia and New Zealand. He has just returned, from a seven years’ stay in England and intended to pay Dunedin a few days’ visit, but has been recalled by cable to Sydney. The late Mrs Williams (nee Miss Tui Stephenson) was once a very popular personage in local social circles. Most of the best horses that ever trod Australian racecourses (says an English writer), going back to the great Carbine, were bred and reared in New Zealand. Its moister and milder climate make the rich grasses grow and flourish, and so gives the young stock, whether Horses or cattle, the best of foodstuffs. Irish breeders will tell you the same about their country. , The following is a statement of the amounts won in prize money by celebrated horses: — Sun Beau, by Sun Briar, bred in America £73,348 Phar Lap, by Night Raid, bred in New Zealand ■ • *£70,140 Gallant Fox, by Sir Gallahad 111, bred in America £68,273 Ksar, by Sardanaplc, bred in France • £67,068 Isinglass, by Isonomy, bred in England • • ■ • ; ; • £57,455 Donovan, by Galopin, bred in England £55,153 *Phar Lap’s winnings comprise £56,440 in Australia and £13,700 in America. Great interest will attach to the price offered for Solario (Gainsborough—Sim Worship) when he goes to auction in England in July, with other horses in the estate of the late Sir John Rutherford. The Aga Khan was once prepared to give £IOO,OOO for Solario. Solario, who is 10 years old. won the St. Leger in 1925, and Ascot Gold Cup in 1926, and his list is full for this year and next at a fee of 500gns. Solario’s son, Orpen, who ran second in last year’s Derby and St. Leger, is another to be offered at the same time as Solario. He wag also owned by Sir J. Rutherford. In commiserating with Mr Paget, who would have landed a £4OOO double if his mount Egremont, had won the Grand National at Liverpool, instead of running second, Meyrick Good wrote as follows in the London Sporting Life:—“Mr Paget may not know what a near thing it was about Forbra. who beat Egremont, being entered for the National this year at all, let alone winning it. He would not have been put in the race, but would have run for the Stanley Steeplechase instead had not Golden Miller been disqualified at Newbury. The fact that Forbra was awarded the race made him ineligible for the ‘ Stanley,’ so a nomination was then made for him in the National, a bit of bad luck for Mj’ Paget.” Mr Sol Green lias owned some great performers in his time, among them being Comedy King. Gladsome (New Zealand), Gothic and Strephon. It is possible that he has another star in Oratory, a two-year-old colt who won at Caulfield last month. Mr Green not only bred Oratory, but imported both of his parents from England. Oratory is by Verbins, an exceptionally fast horse, by Swynford. Gallantry, dam of the colt, is by Lemberg (son of Cyllene) from Chivalry, by Amndis (son of Love Wisely) from Fair Nell, by Gallinule. Isinglass was the paternal grandsire of each of the parents of Verbius. The win at Caulfield was highly meritorious, as Oratory lost ground at the start and had to come round to his field. Admitting that Mr Green and his trainer, the New Zealander, Lon Robertson, are very (borough, it yet seems significant that although Oratory was not engaged in a race at Sydney at Easter, he was taken the long trip from Melbourne to Sydney and back for educational purposes. The colt is engaged in the classic races next season.

When it was decided to register all racehorses the object in yiew was to clearly establish the identity of every horse and eliminate the possibility of horses being “ rung in.” The weakness of the system was that after a horse had been registered steps were seldom taken to see that the horse tallied with the description given in the registration papers. The Victorian Racing Club Committee has taken steps to make the registration more effective, as Mr D. D. D. Mackinnon has been appointed to check the horses with the details given in the registration papers, so the substitution of one horse for another will be much more difficult than has been the case in the past. Mr Mackinnon is well qualified for his new duties, comments the Australasian. He has been associated with horses nearly all his life, and in his young days was not unacquainted with race riding in amateur events. He was interested in the Indian horse trade over a long period, and spent about 15 years in Madras in charge of the bazaar of the firm with which he was connected. Duping the war he was engaged in selecting, purchasing, and shipping army horses, so it will be seen that be nas all the qualifications necessary for the new duties he has undertaken.