RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22354, 30 August 1934, Page 6

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. In the list of accetpances for the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting on Saturday Silk Arrow was included in the Vauxhall Handicap in error. The Arrowsmith mare Gaysome is once more amongst the active brigade at Riccarton. All going well, she should do more than pay her way this season. Although Chhota was allowed to drop out of her engagement at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting, site is amongst the active members of F. Shaw’s team, although merely getting easy exercise. I Yesterday /morning at Wingatui was 'an off day for fast work in training operations. A large number of horses were worked, but their tasks did not extend beyond useful exercise to half-pace speed. It is understood that the executors of the estate of the late Mr W. 11. Ballinger will continue racing. While the horses in this stable are not good class, they patronise many of the minor meetings in both islands and are a distinct asset to the sport, j Jaunt was schooled over a hurdle yesI terday morning and went straight into

his task in a manner suggesting that he will make good at the game with experience. At present Jaunt bears an improved appearance-to what he displayed when last seen in public. The number of acceptors in the • flat races for the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting augurs well for the Dunedin spring meeting to which owners will shortly require to pay attention. The list of acceptors do not by any moans exhaust the number of horses in local stables.

At one time the Turf Register came on the eve of the Grand National meeting, and was welcomed as an easy means of scanning the form of the horses engaged at Riccarton. Its belated appearance this year suggests that an insertion in the lost and found column might stimulate its production.

During the past two or three days the tracks at Wingatui have been drying up, and the shower that fell on Tuesday night did not seriously retard progress towards improvement. Under the most favourable circumstances, the going on Saturday will be on the soft side, but unless rain sets in again should prove quite satisfactory. After allowing £19,7*34 as depreciation on buildings and totalisators and other plant, the Australian Jockey Club for the year ended Juno 30 showed a surplus of

revenue over expenditure of £2037. _ In 1929, one of the peak years of racing, the surplus was £24,693. The following year it dropped to £3048, in 1931 there was a deficit of £26,000, in 1932 a deficit of £6347, and last year a surplus of £1931.

An increase of 64 nominations, equivalent to 25 per cent, over the entries for the 1933 spring meeting, was recorded by the Wanganui Jockey Club when the nominations closed for the forthcoming meeting, to be held on September 13 and 15. Altogether 311 entries were received for the 14 events for which nominations were taken, the list for the Wanganui Guineas having closed last year. This total compares with 247 for the corresponding events last year.

An interesting reproduction of a meet held by the original Otago Hunt Club at Pine Hill in 1894 appears in this issue. Amongst those on the scene are some notable men in the sporting world of that day. They include the late Mr _ Arthur Smith, a well-known owner-trainer of Forbury Park days, and Mr S. Smith and Mr H. J. Gouidcy, two gentlemen riders, who were hard to beat over fences. Other well-known riders associated with the original Otago Hunt were J. Poole, G. Smith, J. Cotton, J. Allan, M. Allan, T. Cotton, and W. Sharp. The now discarded side-saddle can also be seen in the picture amongst a good muster of followers of the bunt. As illustrating the increase in popularity of the totalisator in Victoria, the amounts put through the machine in the last three years were:—

Mr Mackinnon, the president of the V.R.C., explained that in 1932 the totalisator was used only from October to June. “The popularity of the ‘tote’ has, of course, affected the ring,” he observed. “ I am referring particularly to the inside ring, which is gradually becoming reduced in numbers. We have licensed only 85 bookmakers this year, compared with 138 a few years ago. We feel, though, that the ring is being strengthened every year, and with a good strong ring for the owners who want to bet, and the totalisator for the general public, the combination is admirable.” The form that is being developed in Melbourne by Sir Simper suggests that the top-weights in the Caulfield Cup, or even the Melbourne, will have a particularly difficult task to gave a couple of stone or more. When he won over a mile and a-quarter on August 18 Sir Simper went to the front , and never left

the result in doubt. The stable haa not | been *' entertaining an angel unawares ” j as the commissioner put over'£looo on! the colt, 1

The totally unwarranted consideration bestowed on unruly horses at the start of a race is at last attracting official notice, and some improvement may be expected during the present season. Some starters bestow far too much attention to notoriously unruly horses and study them mere than the majority at the post. Such a state of affairs is_ repugnant to common eense, and in addition is doubly unfair to the well-behaved horses, as long delays tend to send them .on the fractious list.

A new position has been created in Sydney. Mr H. L. Timperley, formerly a stipendiary steward of the Australian Jockey Club, will take up hie duties as racing supervisor. _ Mr Timperley has acted with the stipendiary stewards for the club for many years, and when necessary will still be available to assist his former colleagues. Among his new duties will be that of reviewing the conduct of all _ licensed persons on racecourses, and he will establish an intelligence department, -which,_ it is considered, will be of material assistance in the general supervision of racing.

A most remarkable feature of the control' of racing and trotting in New Zealand consists in the fact that whilst some clubs are struggling for existence others want an extension of permits. It is a case of a survival of the- fittest, but it seems a peculiar sort of sympathy on the part of clubs to seek an extension of permits when other s stand on the brink of t bankruptcy. If prosperous clubs obtain an extension in the number of permits on an already overladen calendar it must result in others struggling for existence having a greatly reduced chance of making a recovery. Perhaps it is just as well that such should be the case because a reduction in the number of meetings would prove beneficial to the general welfare of racing. t Scotland was responsible for a good performance when he won the Sylvia Park Handicap at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting. He took charge early, and was never headed, winning easily by two lengths. It was his > second start in public, and already he is being talked of as likely to make a name in good company when he has had a little more experience. Scotland is bred for speed, being by Acre from Bonny Mabel, by Robert the Bruce from Little Mabel,, by Medallion from Kilmorey, an Englishbred Kilwarlin mare, who had progeny in Australia before she came to New Zealand. Little Mabel, when bred to Multiform’s brother, Monoform, produced Flagship, whose progeny included Nancy

Lee and The Quorn, winner* #f the Auckland Railway Handicap. Cyrenienie, another of Kilmorey’s daughters, was the dam of Oxenhope, a great galloper in his day. Now it looks as if Scotland was likely to bring the family into considerable prominence again.

Referring to the financial stress through which the club had passed, Mr C. Stephen, the chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, at the annual meeting, instanced that prize money totalling £171,000 was distributed in 1930, but the committee then became apprehensive of the future, and prizes dropped to £140,000 in 1931. Even then a loss of £26,000 was incurrred, while a further cut in prize money to £IOB,OOO in 1932 resulted in a further loss of £6400. A profit of a few hundred pounds resulted from the 1933 season, when prize money was reduced to £87,000, and it was a hopeful sign that a profit of £2037 was made during the financial year just closed, during whicn prize money had dropped to £91,000, Mr Stephen remarked that statements to the effect that attendances had returned to normal were rather farfetched. He would not like to prophesy the future, as the Australian Jockey Club had been fortunate with the weather at Randwick and Warwick Farm last season, but he hoped that the corner had been turned and that prospects were brighter than for several years past.

So impressive was the victory of the New Zealander Sir Simper itf the St. Aubin Welter at Caulfield that he was immediately regarded as a potential Cup candidate. He became one of the favourites in the discussions for the Caulfield Cup, and, after winning the Nerrin Nerrin Handicap at the V.R.C. meeting at Flemington, he seems certain to firm still more. Possessing great pace and plenty of staying ability, he has only to display his present form to be very hard to defeat in the Caulfield Cup. In his last three starts Sir Simper has been the medium of heavy betting plunges. One well-known racing man backed him whereever he could get a reasonable price, and it is estimated he invested £IOOO (says a Melbourne weiter). Chief Light, a stable companion of Sir Simper, almost succeeded in landing another betting plunge in the first division of the High-weight Handicap. Despite it being his first start since April, Chief Light was backed down to short odds. In the straight Chief Light set out after the leader, Gold Bag, and for a time the favourite seemed certain to win. Gold Bag fought on determinedly, however, and in the last few yards lack of racing caused Chief Light to weaken slightly, and he lost by a neck.-

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Victoria Racing Club, the chairman (Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon) said that while it did not do in these times to prophesy that increase in stakes could be maintained, the committee would do ail it could to maintain the increases made to the stakes for the V.R.C. Derby, Melbourne Cup, and other classic races. “ Doubtless you have all been much interested in the published tale about Redlock. Instainces of this kind are, I am glad to say, not common. Whether the V.R.C. can take action or not remains to be considered. Notwithstanding the Redlock business, I am sure “(hat all members will admit that racing in Victoria is as clean as it is almost possible to make it. The club is indebted for this to the able and tactful management of the stipendiary stewards, and the committee warmly appreciate their good work. As you know, the country associations continue to play their part in doing their best' to make the sport as clean as possible.” Mr Mackinnon said the Derby, in particular, should be on# race to which a large stake should always attach, for, although Victoria was not the oldest State, it could claim the honour of having started the first Derby which was run in 1855. “ The A.J.C. did not have a Derby until 1865, so the V.R.C. Derby is really the ‘Australian Derby,' and the club should at all times try and make the stake worthy of the race.”

Year. Amount. 1932 £257.918 1933 1934 562,945