RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22068, 26 September 1933, Page 5

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel.

Lack of confidence in a starter is a prolific source of trouble at the post. R. Reed has been engaged to ride Bay Tree in the A J.C. Derby.' The more the writer noteß the singlestring barrier in use, the more objection grows against it. An acceptance for the New Zealand Gap is due on Friday of this week. Admiral Drake has been standing np to work at Timaru without showing any recurrence of lameness. Acceptances for the first day of the Dunedin spring meeting are due on Friday next. New Zealand-bred horses had a field , day at the Hawkesbury meeting on Saturday. Paper Money has not achieved success as a sire of stayers, but never thelegs two of his stock figure at the top of the handicap for the New Zealand Cup. Mr A. L. Canter was present on both days of the Geraldine meeting, and other weight-adjusters on the scene included Mr J. E. Henrys and Mr C. E. Hassall. The Limond colt Waikare, who won at the Hawkesbury meeting, is a brother to Agrion. He is engaged in the A.J.C. Derby, in.which Bay Tree will carry the same colours. . 4 ■ It is rather interesting to note that not one of the winners at Geraldine is engaged at the Kurow meeting, and only one in Grand Finale figures in a field for the Dunedin spring meeting. Red Manfred appears to have made a one-horse race of the Wanganui Guineas. He is engaged in the New Zealand Derby, but a better line to his chance may be gathered at the Wellington spring meeting. An interesting meeting will take place if Fracas and Guarantee go to the post ior the Electric Handicap. In the D.J.C. Champagne Stakes Fracas beat Guarantee by two lengths when in receipt of 101 b. Fracas afterwards won the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes and Challenge Stakes. She finished in front of Guarantee in the Champion Two-year-old Plate at Tren--tham, when the colt was giving 21b. On that occasion Guarantee was too sore to repeat form and did not race again. It may be considered next door to a certainty that Autopay will not start in the New Zealand Cup. According to a report from Sydney Autopay is badly affected in the round bone. This leaves Inflation as top-weight in the New Zealand Cup, and as he is also in Australia and reported lame this year's big event at Riccarton will be run at a very light scale of weights. , An unfortunate accident has ended the career of the imported horse Last Dart, who broke a shoulder and had to be de- • stroyed. Last Dart was showing promise as a sire and in pedigree represented a combination of Musket through Spearmint on to St. Simon, Hampton, Barcaldine, with a fourth dam again bringing in Musket. He was a good type of horse, and like others of the Spearmint line ins stock should improve with age. Last Dart was foaled in 1921 and as a comparatively young horse the loss is by no means a small one. ' . The Kurow Jockey Club's programme attracted satisfactory acceptances for the meeting to be held on Saturday next at Oamaru. In some races the fields will not run to any great numerical strength. but the quality engaged more than compensates for the lack of numbers. Ine card for the day promises to produce several horses with more important engagements ahead and this fact will add additional interest to the racing. Although out of danger, the progress towards recovery of the champion Australian cross-counery rider, R. Inkson, is very slow. At best it will be many months before he rides again and possibly he has ridden his last race. > Inkson received very severe head injuries in a fall with Redditch at Flemington last month. ,"■*:'• ' ... Some of the probable riding engage- ' ments- for the Epsom and Metropolitan are:—D. Munro, Jacko and Rogilla; M. M'Carten, Top Hole and Topical; J. Pratt, Turbine and Oro; R. Reed, Vista and Milantheon; E. Bartle, Bold Boy and Master Brierly. Other riding engagements - for Randwick are:—T. Green, Inflation (Epsom) j E. Tannan, Lough Neagh .(Metropolitan); and L. J. Ellis, Cottesmore (Epsom). . . Brisbane trainers are indignant concerning a rule just introduced by the stewards, preventing them from entering the weighing enclosure, except when they have a horse engaged in the race next on the list. Severe restriction also has been, placed on the entrance of trainers to the jockeys' room. Apparently the stewards have been in the habit of using their privileges merely to gain information, which they pass on to bookmakers and others interested. The first drawing of the 1,000,000,000 francs (£8,000,000 at par) French State lottery will take place on Armistice Day, when the President (M. Lebrun) will be present. A sum of £4,800,000 will be distributed in prizes, the remainder being retained for the Budget. There Will be five prizes of £40,000, 100 of £BOOO. and others down to £1 12s. Tickets will cost 16s each, and will be printed like a bank note by the Bank of France press. They will be payable to bearer (therefore anonymous) and free of income tax. When Royal Armour'was being led out of the saddling paddock at Epsom (Melbourne) on September 9, Lou Robertson remarked to a friend: "I'll wager that fellow is trained by an old trotting man. He laughed with satisfaction on ascertaining that D. J. Price had the Spearhead gelding in hand. Price believes in letting the tail of a horse grow long for two reasons: (1) In order that the quadruped may brush away flies in hot periods, and (2) because the long tail when stretched out in a race serves as a protection against the horse being galloped on by a rival candidate. Both Price and Robertson are New Zealanders who have been established in Melbourne for a number of years. They both transferred from trotting to galloping, and have played prominent parts in recent years as trainers of gallopers. The Shambles gelding Shatter, who is now practically top weight in the New Zealand Cup with 8.3, started favourite in last year's race with 7.6 . He had his chance spoilt by his. rider, L. J. Ellis, getting struck in the face by a tuft of turf during the early part of the race. Shatter was not produced again at the meeting until saddled for the Metropolitan Handicap, in which he carried 7.9, and finished third to Concentrate 9.1 and Red Heckle 7.13. On that occasion Shatter turned for home travelling like a winner, but he failed to stay on in 2min 30 l-ssec. a record for the race. Shatter 7.8 was third to Silver Scorn 9.2 and The Smuggler 7.5 in the Dunedin Cup, won in 2min 31 4-ssec, and on the aeeond day won the D.J.C. Handicap with 8.0. from Red Heckle 8.2 and Cricket Bat 8.8 in 2min 6 4-ssec. The Smuggler 8.0 was unplaced. Another win came in the Midsummer Handicap, and _ three placed performances included a third m the Thompson Handicap, in which he ran a good race, and a third in the Autumn Handicap, run over 11 furlongs Shatter then won the Gardiner Memorial Handicap, and, after winning the Sockburn Handicap, was third in the Great Autumn Handicap with 8.7 to Princess Argosy 7.7 and Rebel Song 7.10. His best form has been displayed over a mile and a-quarter, and at times he failed when apparently holding a good chance on paper. So far he has not shaped like a. stayer, but under a handy weight may do better this season. Shatter meets Rebel Song on 101 b better terms than when the latter beat him in the Great Autumn Handicap. There is a doubt about Rebel Song standing up to a New Zealand Cup preparation. Royal Artist, who follows Shatter in the New Zealand Cup weights, won two races last season. He scored in the Mitchelson Cup with 7.10 in 2mm 33 3-ssec, and also in the Wellington Cup with 7.5 in 2min 31 l-ssec. -Fiji 7.0 was a close third, and the unplaced lot in-

eluded Great Star 8.0, Jaloux 7.11, Red Sun 7.6, Retract 7.5. Tout le Monde 7.5, and Rocket 7.0. Fiji wa 9 a fairly good three-year-old when, apart from winning form, his performances included a second to Bronze Eagle in the New Zealand Derby, As a four-year-old Fiji showed consistent form by scoring four wins and five placings out of 12 starts. His best form was the third in the Wellington Cup and a win in the Egmont Cup with 8.10 in 2min 7£sec, a race run in boisterous weather. Great Star 7.5 ran Fast Passage 8.11 to less than a length in the Auckland Cup, won in 3min 23 4-ssec —a race record —but he is not getting any younger. Minerval 7.11 finished six lengths behind Fast Passage 8.0 in the New Zealand Cup, won in 3min 23 l-ssec —a race record. Red Sun's best form last season was a win in the A.R.C Handicap with 7.1 in 2min 34 l-ssec, and another in the W.R.C. Handicap with 7.5 in 3min 23sec. Red Sun has his full share of weight, but, as a possible stayer, must be regarded with respect., Speedmint scored one win last season, and it was in the Thames Goldfield Cup with 9.0, in 2min sJsec, against a moderate lot. Her reputation seems to exceed public form and appears to be highly estimated in being placed on top, but at the same weight as Polydora, who will be one of the ruling favourites for the race. Palantua will be one of the fancied light-weights and will meet Polydora (handicapped to give 161 b in the Islington Handicap, won by Palantua) on 31b better terms than when the Wingatui mare finished third and in front of Polydora in the Heathcote Handicap. 0 The rank and file below Polydora may include some that may stay when acting under a light-weight, but it will not occasion surprise if a number of them drop out at the declaration of acceptances on Friday next.