RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21992, 29 June 1933, Page 5

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. Handicaps for the Grand National meeting are due on Tuesday, July 18. The once brilliant Paleta is one of the latest recruits to hurdling. Polydora is favourite, ior the Grange Handicap to be run at Oaraaru on SaturTown Major appears to be quite sound and may stage a come-back as he is a good horse in soft going. Master Anomaly at present looks a bit light in condition, and his recent racing evidently told a tale. Capiello, the winner of the Grand Prix de Paris, was not amongst the nominations for the English Derby. \ Palantua has created a favourable impression by her form this season and has by no means reached the full length or e There is a chance that Don Jose may develop into a useful hurdler. He was never too reliable on the flat but his pace should help him at hurdling V There was "a drop of £191.158 over the totalisator figures at Randwick this seaeon, as compared with the previous racing year. Heavy taxation is considered a great drawback to the popularity of the totalisator. ••', . ~ . The Thurnham gelding Tkurma, who is again in work at Riccarton and reporte-I to be well forward in condition, has Bhaped promisingly over fences. l-ast S he won the C.J.C. Hunt Cup and Avlesbury Hack Steeples with 10.10 fiom French Fleet, 10.2 and Pangolin 10.8. In this country some clubs are still charging as' much as possible for admittance to a race meeting, but m America they are doing almost anything in or dm to attract the public for the sake 01 the revenue, derived from the pari-mutuel. The management-of the Aurora racecourse, which opened the Illinois Turf Association meetings on May 1, free admission to the lawn and stands, while reserved grandstand box seats were available at 50 cents, and clubhouse admission at one dollar. Both prices mentioned included all .taxes. „ v. Kieh Grader's win in the Mokeo HacK Hurdles at Napier was rather an impressive performance, as he survived more difficulties than could reasonably be expected from a horse having his first experience in a jumping race In the nrbt place he cut out a very solid pace in front with Tahoma, and, despite a bad mmn . the second last hurdle, which cost him the lead, and.the giving away of three or . four lengths to Henry of Navarre, he came on again to beat the latter m. the concluding stage.. Admitting Henry of Navarre should have won, it does not detract from the merit of the performt ance of the winner. The race must have done him good, a 9 on the second day he had an easy win in the hurdle race. High Grader shows a tendency to hanging out coming to his fences, and he is undoubtedly in need of more schooling, but improvement can come to him (says an exchange) only through racing. He is without doubt one of the most promising recruits seen out for some time. High Grader is a five-year-old by Lord Quex from a Californian mare. When in Adelaide recently for the Cup meeting J. Scobie was a very disappointed man that Petau did not win him a race. He was particularly wrapped up jn the Cyklon colt for the S.A.J.C. Handicap, and went so far as to confide to a friend: "He's a good thing for this, and, whats more, you will see the winner of the next Melbourne Cup in action." Whether Scobie altered his opinion after seeing how greenly Petau ran, failing to secure a placing, is not known, but it is rather significent that Petau was soon taken back to Melbourne. Even leading trainers can be over-optimistic, but it was not so when Scobie won South Australia Tattersail's Cup with Bitalli. That was m July, and he said then that the October gelding would win the Melbourne Cup. And Bitalli did not let him down . One of the best two-year-olds in America last season was Swivel, a. nlly by Swift and Sure, brother to Bold and Bad and half-brother to Tea Tray. Swift and Sure has another big two-year-old -winner this season in Bonanza, a bay colt out of El Dorado. At Havre de Grace Bonanza won the Aberdeen Stakes, equalling the track record by running the four and a-half furlongs in 53 seconds. It was the colt's second start, and the ' American sporting press writers describe him as an impressive individual and the best youngster seen out this season. ine colt's great pace was shown by the tact that he ran the first. two furlongs m 23sec the second two in 23 2-ssec, and this settled the opposition. He won on the bit by five lengths. Swift and Sure is by Swynford from Good and Gay, by Bayardo from Popinjay, dam of Magpie. El Dorado represents a combination or old American and Australian blood. She is by Ultimus from Helen Barbee, by Peep o' Day (a son of Ayrshire) from Lady Bramble, by Bramble. Ultimus is ' by Commando, a son of Domino and Emma C, daughter of the Australianbred horse Darebin, by The Peer from the NeW Zealand mare Lurhne, one oi the finest stayers of a bygone generation, i Returns that have been made available snowing the revenue received by the (government from bookmakers for the four months they have been registered in Tasmania disclose that over £4OOO has been received from stamp duty and the proceeds of the turnover tax of 24 per cent. The amount received from the 2j per cent, tax waß £1039, which indicates that the .turnover of the bookmakersi hi the four months has been nearly £42,000. Of course, while bookmaking ha s yielded this sum to the Government there has been a decreased turnover on the totalisator (says the correspondent of the Australasian) , with a consequent decline in the amount received from this source. However, as the Governments cut from the totalisator is only 1\ per cent., and the totalisator patronage has not dropped materially, the income which the Government receives from racing is ot great assistance to the finances of the State. This is being recognised, even by former opponents to the licensing of bookmakers. It is noteworthy, too, that the turnover tax has increased each month, indicating that the volume of betting must. be growing. There is little doubt that material benefit has accrued to racing as a result of the registration of bookmakers and with the passing ot the football season a revival is looked for. The holiday meeting of the Brighton Jockey Uub last week attracted the largest crowd to the country course seen there for many years, and there was plenty of money in circulation. The totalisator turnover -was a great improvement on that of other recent meetings, and the club should make a profit that should cause it to look torward with keen anticipation to its fixtures next season.

At a meeting in America recently it was decided to revive the Thoroughbred Horse Association. It is proposed to make various amendments in the by-laws to suit new conditions. Only owners of one or more horses and trainers employed by owners holding membership will be qualified to become members, i'he state of affairs, unfortunately, existing in the American bloodstock breeding industry may be gathered from the following extracts from a circular which the association is circulating at all race tracks in the Central States:—" Fully realising the dire straits to which the breeding and racing of the thoroughbred has been brought by the financial depression of the last three years, that has brought the greatest distress to all of the world s business, the undersigned horsemen are anxious to rehabilitate this great sport and place it upon a plane of live and let live, by every means that are honourable and just. Believing with a firm conviction in the future of our country, and its gfeat resources, and its near recovery in prosperity and contentment, and that the sport of racing still lives in the hearts of our people; we desire to further such recovery as rapidly as poseible, and, for that reason, we desire to perpetuate and make useful the organisation belonging to the horsemen, 'The Thoroughbred Horse Association/ We realise that the only way this > can be accomplished is t>y the united efforts ot all of the horsemen, in co-ordination and co-operation throughout the country, and

to do this will require small, sacrifices from those of us who win races. To this end we do agree and request that the sum of 1 per cent, be deducted by any and all racing associations where we may win a race or races, from the net amount of such winning, and the same to be transmitted to the headquarters of this association at Lexington, Ivy., the same to be used to the best interest in the promotion of the above objects." The question of roaring continues to be widely discussed in Australia, and various theories as to the causes are expounded. In the Sydney Mail' A. B. Paterson, writes:—lt is disquietiug to find that two of our best locally-bred horses, Chatham and Winooka, have developed wind troubles, even though in Wiuooka's case the trouble seems to be slight. Let w hope that it gets no worse. Wind infirmity is one of the afflicatious about which the veterinary surgeons appear to be in a state of doubt. In Chatham's case the trouble was diagnosed as arising from inflammation of the system affecting the nerves which control the valves of the throat. Asked for an opinion, a leading veterinary surgeon refused to commit himself beyond saying he had noticed that horses who were suddenly stopped in their work were liable to develop wind troubles, either temporary or permanent. - It may be that Winooka was eased up a little too hurriedly when it was necessary to prepare him for his voyage to America, but this, after all, is merely supposition, and is only put forward as a possible explanation.' With the open-air life led by our horses it would be only reasonable Jto expect that we would be freer from wind troubles than any other nation. In England, owing' to the rigours of the climate, horses are shut up much more closely than they are here and it is not unusual to find English cracks in boxes that are made as dark as possible. In Australia we have no need to do anything, of the sort, and yet we find two or our cracks developing wind troubles. It is not known that any statistics have been collected on the subject, but it. would be 'interesting to know how many horses have been suddenly stopped in their work and sent out for a spell, and have come back with wind trouble. Two horses who turned roarers in an inexplicable way were the dual Derby winner Mountain King and the Grand National winner Grafnell. The following figures show an interesting comparison of the support accorded the principal events run in Victoria: — VICTORIA ItACING CLUB.

An interesting story is related concerning the sale of the Apremont horse, Pygmalion, who for many years afterward did duty on Hill River estate, the property of the late Mr James Hill. He sired a Derby winner in The Greek, raced by the late Mr John Barker, who was chairman of the S.A.J.C. It is said that Mr W, R. Wilson had hopes of Pygmalion winning a Caulfield Cup for St. Albans, and after a signal failure, which meant the loss of thousands of pounds, Mr Wilson decided to get rid of him. Such was his disgust that he advised the auctioneers to put a reserve of 6d on him, and if he realised only a modest penny over that amount to knock him down. Evidently people at the ringside had much better opinion of Pygmalion than did the Squire of St. Albans, for the horse brought 600 guineas, going to the bid of Mr J. Pile, of South Australia, who also found him of a roguish temperament. Like most' of Apremonts stock, Pygmalion was a high strung horse, and, in fact, some would say dirty-tem-pered. As a two-year-old he won the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes and Great Northern Foal Stakes and was sold at a big figure to Mr W. R. Wilson. Apremont sired five consecutive winners of the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes in Apropos, Silvermark, Somrneil, Cynisca (sister to Pygmalion), and Pygmalion. Other good performers he got were Dunkeld, Cajolery, Thackeray, Prime Warden, Mikado 11, Sierra, Fair Nell, Eavenswing, Retina, Huguenot, Sulton, Antelope, La Rose, Wakawatea, Strarth Braan, Blarney, and Palaver. Apremont mares were good producers at the stud and hia name in a pedigree represents a valuable infusion. His descendants in tail female are well represented at the present time and no better evidence of the fact- could be quoted than that Nightmarch, Ballymena, and Limerick trace back to mares sired by Apremont. This need not occasion surprise when it is recalled that Apremont was a grandson of Pocahontas, one of the greatest gems of the English Stud Book. She was the dam of Stockwell, the dam of King Tom. the sire of St. Simon’s dam, and no doubt imparted some of her great producing merit to Apremont.

Name of Rice. 1027 1028 1920 1930 1031 1932 1033 Melbourne Cup . 284 270 325 300 292 275 270 Cantala Stakes ., 234 231' 272 228 227 211 221 Name of Kace. 1929 1930 1031 1932 , 1033 JIaribjrnong Plate ) ..370 39(1 208 277 320 Sires' Produce Stakes 412 407 288 310 338 Ascotrale Stakes . . .. 479 569 382 389 400 V.B.C. Derby '.. . .. 048 711 452 451 477 V.K.C. Oaks . .. 207 294 230 232 233 S.t. Leger Stakes .. 580 644 401 394 417 VICTORIA AMATEUB TURP CLUB. Name of Ilace. 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 Caulfleld Cup .. 288 278 308 297 280 273 204 Toorak Haudicap 180 101 221 190 182 192 210 Caulfleld Guineas 477 42G 490 508 385 399 435 Futurity Stakes 160 103 125 221 137 173 175 Aust. Hur. Jiaco 74 59 60 60 62 64 57 Aust. Steeplechase 78 59 66 66 71 60 57