RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22545, 12 April 1935, Page 14

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel.

Acceptances Acceptances are due to-day for the Tuapeka and Beaumont meetings. Final Payment A final payment for the Great Easter Ha'ndicap and Great Autumn Handicap falls due on April 17. A Rehandicap A message from Timaru states that Walton Park has been rehandicapped to 8.10 in the Riverton Cup. A Mishap It is understood that Saxophone’s absence from the Riverton acceptances resulted from a mishap which necessitates easing up in training. Back to Business Hounslow and Punchestown are back in work at Riccarton, and at their best would always lend interest to a race over jumps. Possible Trip for Memho Membo may make a trip to Australia. A good stayer and jumper, he might make good in an Australian campaign it not over-weighted, A Remarkable Run The Riverton Cup is remarkable in at least one respect, and that is that back in the dark ages J. Crockett won it for four year* in succession, and in the following year three of his winners won again, but in a different nomination. Cuddle Cuddle is engaged at Riccarton, Feilding, and Wairarapa. Few are fond of tackling hard tasks when a comparatively easy one can be found to reproduce satisfactory results, so that Cuddle may be missing at Riccarton. A Coming 'Chaser Parasang figures amongst the acceptors for both the Waiau Steeplechase and the Great Western Steeplechase. He would start a short-priced chance in the Waiau Steeplechase and a well-backed one in the chief event. A Jubilee The Wairio Jockey Club will hold a social gathering on Saturday, April 13, to celebrate the jubilee of the club. The club has successfully catered for sport for many years, and is worthy of congratulation on the score of carrying on the good work. A Brilliant Fencer

The brilliant jumper Arcade has broken down, and henoe his absence from the Riverton acceptances. Arcade could carry a field along and allow no loitering on the journey, and it is to be hoped that the trouble is not serious. He is one of the few that hurdles a fence.

A Sporting Spirit ' The Waikouaiti Racing Club has been presented with a trophy by the wellknown whisky firm of Messrs Buchanans, Ltd., to be attached to the- next Waikouaitf Cup. The firm has presented something approaching half a hundred trophies during the past two years. Embarrassed with Riches?

Golden King is engaged at both Riverton and Riccarton. He could run in the Riverton Cup and travel north to race at Riccarton. At certain periods, on the calendar New Zealand owners are em-' barrassed with a richness of opportunity, and the fact is particularly obvious at the Easter fixtures.

Riccarton or Riverton? Rex Beale was to ride Membo at Riverton in the Great, Western Steeplechase, but the Balboa gelding has dropped out of the race, and may not appear at the meeting. ’ Beale may now elect to ride at Riccarton, but has a possible chance of one day in .the south and the rest in the north.

Victor and Vanquished The Smuggler, who is top-weight in the Riverton Cup at 9.0, won in 1933 with 8.6. Cough was third with 7.4, and it is interesting to recall that the winner on that occasion now meets the loser on terms that at the scale of weights would appear to favour the victor more than the vanquished. Belting Methods Frequent discussions arise as to which is the best method of betting. When all is said and done, the man to be considered is the one of small capital, who bets more frequently than the heavy punter, who bets -when it suits him and then bets in a bundle. The small and consistent bettor is the backbone of the business. “ Accidents ”

Accidents are . due to something of an unexpected nature. When accidents occur with nothing less than painful frequency in connection with racing there must be * something radically wrong in the control of the sport. Mishaps occur at almost every face meeting in Australia and New Zealand and seem likely to con linue unless the authorities show a keener desire to ascertain the source. Riding Work

During E. Ransom’s visit to Dunedin he stated that, apart from the race-riding fees gained in England, a considerable source of. income can be made by riding in trial gallops. A rider is paid for every mount in a trial gallop perhaps with the exception of those taking place in connection with his own stable. In New Zealand a licensed rider is expected to be available to ride-work, but there is a marked difference between riding in an ordinary gallop and in a schooling lesson over hurdles or fences. There, is a minimum of risk, of riding in an ordinary gallop on the flat, but obviously a big risk crops up in schooling a horse over jumps. On this point the New Zealand Rules of Racing appear to stand in need of some amendment. Racing at Riverton.

The acceptances received for the Riverton Racing Club’s meeting will make an attractive card and augurs well for the general success of the meeting. Several of the horses that dropped out claim engagements elsewhere, and amongst the missing are Tauraraai. Guarantee, Kemal Pasha, and Trivet. The presence of the two North Island horses Walton Park and Red Sun will infuse extra interest into the Riverton Cup, for which a field of

15 remains. This means a bet of 75 to 5 for the winner if they all go to the post. Membo, Arcade, and Speakeasy have dropped out of the Great Western Steeplechase. There may be another slight shrinkage in the field as a couple are engaged in the Waiau Steeplechase. The scratching pen has been more freely used in connection with the Aparima Handicap, as seven dropped, out, and eight acceptors are left. The minor events have filled very well, and the club and its patrons can safely anticipate some enjoyable sport.

Gold Trail’s Bad Luck It would appear that Gold Trail was a bit unluckv in-being beaten by Petau at Ascot at the end of last month. She w r as interfered with by Petau hanging out. However (the Argus reports): " I have never entered a protest, and I do not intend to start now,” said the New Zealand trainer, J, Cameron, when questioned about, his intentions after the horses passed the post. Gold Trail had been interfered with by Petau in the straight, and manv thought that a protest had a good chance of being upheld, but no objection was entered. It was unfortunate for Cameron and his rider (K. Voitre) that nobody had warned them of Petau’s habit of running wide in the straight in his races. Gold Trail was two lengths behind Petau at the home turn, and Voitre could have waited for-the run on the rails, which would certainly have given him victory. But, not knowing Petau’s habit, he took Gold Trail up on the outside. Immediately Petau began to hang out. There was no really serious interference, but Petau hampered Gold Trail, and once he forced her over on to Yaroplan, who had moved up smartly on the outside. Even then Gold Trail seemed likely to win, but she weakened in the last two or three strides and Petau had half a length to spare from her at the post. Questioned by the stewards, Voitre stated that his mount was not sufficiently hampered to warrant his lodging a protest. His mount, he said, tired in the last few strides. Voitre did not make the same mistake a couple of days later, when Gold Trail won at Moonee Valley. She gave Cameron his first win in Melbourne since the days of The Hawk.