RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22022, 3 August 1933, Page 5

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. Gay Crest has been eased up owing to a development of tendon troubles. For landing 10 wins, two seconds, and five thirds out of 21 starts Foreign Queen has won £670 in stakes. Applications from 352 bookmakers for permission to bet at Caulfield in the 1933§4 season have been received by the V.A.T.C. Last year 376 bookmakers were licensed. During the season of 1932-33 the stakes distributed in Victoria amounted to £209,702. The stakes at Flemington amounted to £67,668, Cauifield £45,808, and at Moonee Valley £26,225. The Solferino gelding Paris will pay a good price if he wins the Australian Steeplechase run on August 12, as he was amongst the long-price division in the latest quotations. ' When the last mail to hand left Sydney Silver Scorn had become a firm favourite for the Caulfield Cup. Peter Pan ranks as favourite for the Melbourne Cup, with BHxten and Hall Mark nest in‘ demand. “ Silver Scorn was 'the largest stake winner in the Dominion last season. She started 13 times for 12 wins and a second, earning £4270 in prize money. The English-bred sire Diacquenod, who was at the stud in New Zealand for several years before being sold to a New South Wales breeder, changed hands again recently, and is now located at the Sunnyside Stud, Cudal, New South Wales. During last season 76 horses who were trained at Riccarton scored one or more wins outright, while another ran a dead heat for first. In all, they won 189$ races, while they were second in 181$ and third in 171, their total stake earnings being £30,820. A new lady owner is in the field, as Mrs E. T. Stead has registered her racing uniform as follows: —First, yellow, black cap; second, yellow, yellow and black cap. The colours more particularly have been borne by some great horses, as the livery was used by the late Mr G. G. Stead in the old days, and in more recent ' years by one of his sons, the late Mr W. ■ G. Stead. Snow Prince, a recent recruit to steeplechasing, who distinguished himself by winning a double last Saturday week, traces to St. Simon on both sides of his pedigree. His sire. Snow King, is by Willonyx, a son of William the Third, who is by St. Simon. Gipsy Quin, his dam, is by Quin Abbey, who is by Morganatic, son of St. Simon. It will, therefore, be seen that Snow Prince is inbred to the famous Galopin horse. . Royal Ascot’s all-electric super-totalisa-tor claimed to be the most modern and up-to-date mechanical totalisator in the world, broke its own fecord with a turnover of £298,891 16s. Tim growth in the popularity of the machine is indicated by the following comparisons for three years:—

During the four dayg of the meeting the total amount awarded in. prize money wag £70.360. ..... ■ • • The interest in the. Grand National meeting will advance another step to-day as the final payments and acceptances fall due. Wiltshire will drop out of the Grand National Steeples, and possibly one or two more, at present engaged may be missing. Pahu will be absent in the Grand National Hurdles, and the fact is a piece of bad luck for the owner, as the Warplane gelding was_ entitled to an .excellent chance on his display in last years race. Magna Charts is defunct, and others may fall out at the final payment. The fields in the above named races will not be large, but they look fairly open at present. The Winter Cup field can stand a further shrinkage without robbing the race of any interest. On recent form •ome of those engaged look a bit flattered in being in such a field, and probably only good enough to get into one another s way in the dash from the barrier. Foreign Queen, who has won five races on end, was also fairly smart when racing as a two-year-old last season, she started seven times and apparently trained on as a win did not come until her fourth race. Foreign Queen opened the season by running third to Chief Marionette and Ythan at Dannevirke in March. She was unplaced in her race at the Hawke's Bay autumn meeting, and then came a third at Manawatu. Foreign Queen scored her first win by landing the Novice Stakes at Marton. She followed on by winning at the Hawke’s Bay winter meeting. A Trial Plate came her way at Napier Park and she finished the season by winning the Trial Plate at the Wellington winter meeting fi‘om Ida Merling, Shanifight and 17 others. Foreign Queen was got by Mercian King from Megan, by Solferno —Success, by The Officer—Content, by Dreadnought—Lullaby, by Apremont—Hanmock. Included in the team being worked by T. H. Gillett is a- good-looking novice, who may develop into a useful galloper. s He was bred by Mr E. Hay, being a four-year-old by Silverado from Prue, by Masterpiece from Foil, by Martian from Assegai* by Benzoin froin Corslet, by Cuisaseier from Rubina. This is a family that has not been much in evidence lately, but (says the Christchurch Times) it was much discussed in earlier days, a« Rubina was the dam of Machine Gun, a brilliant sprinter. He was a big horse who achieved some great performances m Aew Zealand under big weights and later showed his class in the best sprinting company in Australia. _ Following the discussion at the recent Conference of .Premiers in Melbourne regarding the prevalence of starting-price betting, the chief secretary (Mr Chaffey) announced that he had written to other State Governments, the Postal Department and the Broadcasting Commission asking them to appoint representatives to attend a conference to deal with the question. When replies are received a date will be fixed for the conference, which it has been suggested should be held jn‘Sydney. The broadcasting of startingprice betting will be among the subjects discussed. Among the foreign-bred horses at the stud in Australia is El Cacique, a son of Tracery and Indecita, who was bred in Argentina to English time. El Cacique -lias a somewhat cosmopolitan pedigree. His sire was bred in the United States and his grandsire in England. His dam, Indecita. by Val d’Or, was bred in France. Another feature is that large figures were paid for horses that figure prominently in his pedigree. Tracery was bought for £53,000, Val d’Or for 30,000 guineas, and Flying Fox, sire of Val d’Or, for 37,500 guineas. A three-year-old colt by El Cacique has won two important races in France recently. Opinions differ among trainers at to the wisdom of reintroducing brush hurdle races on Sydney courses. However, the hurdle riders view the altered conditions with considerable satisfaction, for _it means more engagements for them during the winter months. With nine inches of brush surmounting a hurdle two feet six inches in height, the danger of fatal accidents should be lessened, for the brush will “ give ” sufficiently to enable most aceI’dents 1 ’dents to be averted. Yet several trainers are of the opinion that the number of accidents will be increased owing to the fact that the horses will be ridden faster at the brush hurdles than they were at the stiffer battens-. In the last year there has been a considerable decrease in the revenue from the paddock totalizator at Randwick. At present only 10s tickets are issued from this machine. The Australian Jockey Club has suggested to the Treasury Department that the 5s unit should be permitted in the . Randwick paddock. It is likely that the department will agree

to give the suggestion a trial. Earlier in the season the Rosebery, Kensington, and Ascot Clubs were granted permission to alter the unit from 10s to ss, and it is claimed that the innovation has proved successful.

Five years ago, when the last day of the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting at Randwick did not coincide with the first day of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting, the V.A.T.C. made arrangements with the New South Wales and Victorian railways for a special train to leave Sydney after the A.J.C. meeting with horses which were to compete at the VA.T.C. meeting. This train left Sydney on the Sunday afternoon, and arrived in Melbourne the following day. If possible, similar arrangements will be made this year, as the meetings do not coincide for the first time since 1928. Thirty horses are required to ensure the running of the special train. Although N. L. Price is best known in the trotting sport, he is no stranger to the handling of gallopers. He has two under his care at present, owned by Messrs Hunter and Webb, and placed with this experienced trainer to be educated. One of them is a two-year-old sister to Gold Pit, by Cockpit from Gold Bound, by Gold Reef from Edith Cureton, by Castor from Frailty. The other, a three-year-old half-sister to Grecian, is by Cockpit from Ennea, by Demosthenes from Kilworth, by Gold Reef from imported Kilmorey. They are a goodlooking pair and in nice order to start serious work. The Ennea filly hits out well and she may be seen to advantage before the season is far advanced. Mr A: Douglas, of Waikouaiti, has Cockpit now. Not many of his progeny have raced, but practically every one that has started has earned money. It will be interesting to note how Croupier shapes if saddled up at the Grand National meeting. He has been a long time off the scene and horses are generally a bit clogged inside after a lengthy spell. Still he has been in work for some time and may be more forward than generally anticipated. The writer does not altogether hold with the frequently expressed opinion that a horse requires a race or two to sharpen them up to winning form. Some do, and some do not. Croupier was a brilliant two-year-old as he won three times and got placed once out of four starts in nis first season. As a, three-year-old Croupier started in 11 races and recorded five wins and five places, and as he has been off the scene so long it may be of interest to recall his form. Croupier commenced his three-year-old season by winning the Cashmere Plate at the Grand National meeting when he won with 8.0 in Imin 13 l-ssec. Then came a win in the Longbeach Hack Handicap with 9.2 in Imin 13 2-ssec at the same meeting. He then commenced to show his class by winning the Wanganui Guineas in which Cricket Bat (handicapped to give 71b in the Paparua Handicap) was unplaced. At the Avondale spring meeting Croupier (7.8) was beat in heavy going by Manawhenua 8.3 and he failed to get a place in the Avondale Guineas. He was third to Golden Wings and Bronze Eagle in t]ie Great Northern Guineas with half a length and four lengths separating them in: Imin 37 3-ssec. Coming to the Wellington spring meeting Croupier won the Waiuui Handicap with 8.4 in Imin 38$sec, and then came a notable success in the Harcourt Gold Cup won in 2min 6sec from Bronze Eagle, Gay Crest, Laughing Prince, and others. In the C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap necks separated him from Cimabue 8.9, Golden Wings 8.6, when carrying 7.11. Time, Imin llsec. Spoon 7.8 beat Croupier 8.4 a head in the Criterion Handicap won in Imin 24 l-ssec, with Full Feather 7.135, Autopay 9.8. Cimabue 9.6, and several others behind him. Croupier was one of the three runners in the Stead Gold Cup won by Bronze Eagle 7.12 in 2rnin 2 4-ssec, bv two lengths from Lady Pam 8.9, with Croupier 7.12 four lengths away.. Then came his seizure and - the lengthy law proceedings leading to a disqualification which kept him off the scene. Taking a line through Spoon it will be seen that Croupier meets her on 21b worse terms than when she beat him in the Criterion Handicap.

Quite a number of Sydney racing men have expressed the opinion that Victoria has more to offer the average racegoer and_ those closely associated with the turf. It is claimed that the sport offers more opportunities in that State, and the fact that stakes are consistently good has induced several prominent trainers from New South Wales to permanently settle in Melbourne. Dealing with the question of stakes, a writer in one of the Sydney papers recently pointed out that whereas prize money amounting to £1450 had been provided for the Compensation meeting to be held at Moonee Valley, a sum of only £9OO had been devoted to the meeting to be held at Moorefield the same day. Another meeting is to be conducted at Moonee Valley on Saturday. 29th inst., when stake money totalling £2200 will be distributed. This is a marked advance on the £BOO programme which will be provided at Victoria Park, where the principal New South Wales fixture is to be held the same day. The largest stakes at Moonee Valley on 29th inst. will be £SOO, that sum having been attached to the Lindsay Gordon Steeplechase and Glen Orla Handicap. The chief prize at Victoria Park will be £250. The writer referred to, after making these comparisons, says it would be interesting to know the reason for the discrepancy, at the same time pointing out that visitors to Melbourne consider that attendances at minor meetings there are in no way superior to those on Sydney courses. The fact that two three-year-olds. Hall Mark 7.8 and Blixten 7.5, figure among the favourite division for the Melbourne Cup makes it interesting to recall (says “ Phaeton ”) the number of horses of that age who have scored in previous conteste and the imposts they carried. In the 72 contests to date three-year-olds have led the field home on 21 occasions, as follows; st. lb.

A feature of this list is that 15 of the winners had previously won Derby honours namely. Banker, Lantern, Briseis, Chester, Grand Flaneur, MartiniHenry, Auraria, Newhaven, Merriwee, Poseidon, Prince Foote, Patrobas, Artilleryman (dead-heater), Trivalve, and Peter Pan. Mr Edgar Wallace did English racing a notable service when he cleared up all the doubts, regarding void nominations. Until three; or four years ago all nominations became void on the death of the nominator, ns the Jockey Club was under the impression that forfeits could not be recovered by process of law, on the ground that if they were contracts they were contracts by way of gaming _ or wagering, add so without legal sanction. Mr Wallace, with the co-operation of the .Jockey Club, had the question settled in the law courts, and it was decided that the Jockey Club’s view on the subject was

wrong. Its effects have been of great benefit to two people in the last two or three years. Had the old rule voiding nominations been in foroe Mr J. A. Dewar would not have been able to win the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby with Cameronian, whom he inherited from his uncle, the late Lord Dewar. Thanks to the action taken by Mr Edgar Wallace, the nominations of Cameronian did not become void on the death of Lord Dewar. Nor would Loaningdale have been able to win the Eclipse Stakes last week, as he was nominated for that race by the Dowager Lady Nunburnholme, who died last year. He is now being raced by her executors, and the money he won at Sandown Park will go some way towards paying the probate on her estate. Loaningdale was not among the best of bis age last season as a three-year-old, although he won two races. He cannot be put in the same class as some of the earlier winners of the race, although be probably is a much better horse than Saltnsh. who won it for Lord Aslor. Loaningdale is by Colorado, whose early death was really a tragedy, as he has been a brilliant stud success. Firdnussi ran third last year to Miracle and Goyescas, but he went one better this time, and was second to Loaningdale.

1931 .. .. .. .. .. £227.709 1932 . * .. 259,560 1933 .. ,. .... 298,890

1803 —Banker, by Boiardo 5 4 1864 —Lantern, by Muscivado .... 6 8 1866—The Barb, bv Sir Hercules .. 6 11 1876 —Briseis, by Tim Whitller .. 6 4 1877—Chester, by Yaltemlon .. .. 6 12 1880—Grand Flaneur, by Yattendon 6 10 1883—Martini-Henry, by Musket .. 7 5 1805 —Aururia, by Trenton .. .. 7 4 1896 —Newhaven, by Newminster 7 13 1899—Merriwee, by Bill of Portland 7 6 1900—Clean Sweep, by Zalinski .. 7 0 1903 —Lord Cardigan, by Positano 6 8 1900—Poseidon, by Positano .. .. 6 10 1908 —Lord Nolan, by Positano .. 6 10 1909 —Prince Foote, by Sir Foote 7 8 1915 —Patrobas, by Wallace .. .. 7 0 1916 —Saeanof. by Martian .. .. 6 12 1919 —Artilleryman, by Comedy Kin« 7 6 1921—Sister Olive, by Red Dennis 6 9 1927—Trivalve, by Cyklon .. .. .. 7 0 1932 —Peter Pan, by Pantheon .. 7 6