RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22756, 17 December 1935, Page 14

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT R. T. C, Dunedin.—A distance is 240 yards, according to the English Rules of Racing. A Classic Mount P. S. Atkins will have the mount on Heritage in the Gfreat Northern Derby. A Derby Candidate Shu is booked to start hi the Great Northern Derby. Werobia The recent wins scored by Werohia have brought him into favour for the Auckland Cup. Paper Slipper Paper Slipper has developed knee trouble, ■ and will not make the trip to Auckland. Absent Heather Glow, who is engaged at Wingatui, will m-ifis his holiday engageand will be treated to a-spell. Pink Folly Pink Polly did not get a good run in her race at Horqrata, but, nevertheless, finished a'close third. St. Bathans A non-totalisator meeting will be held by the St. Bathans District Racing Club on Boxing Day. A Change of Plan A. E. Ellis has decided to ride at Wingatui and the southern holiday meetings. He originally intended to ride at the Auckland Cup meeting. Black Lead Black Lead, the winner of the Novice Stakes at Hororata, is a four-year-old gelding by Paladin from All Gold, by Ivilboy—Nocturnum, by Birkenhead.

Brevity The three-year-old gelding Brevity, the winner of the Trial Plate at Hororata, was got by Roydon from Nope, by Markhope—Nithesevo, by Stepniak from Shepherdess. A Southland Rider The Invercargill rider, C. Humphries, contemplates attending the Duneditt Christmas meeting, if sufficient inducement offers. He can eo to scale at about 8.2. For Auckland Greek Shepherd and Lady Graceful galloped a mile in company in lmin 44sec after going the first half-mile in 51seo. They travelled the reverse way on the track. The Difference The Derby winner Lowenberg is estimated at lllb better than Lady Graceful over a mile in the Christmas Handicap. They meet at a difference of 31b in the Great Northern Derby. Kindhe&rt A northern report states that Kindheart, w-ho created a good impression when he won at the Wellington spring meeting, has been doing well, and is booked to race at the Auckland Cup meeting. Document The two-year-old filly Document lias been sold to a Melbourne buyer, a friend of the filly's owner, Mr H. D. Greenwood, and she is to be shipped direct to Melbourne by the Marama at the end of this month. For Auckland G. H. Humphries has arranged to do his riding during the holidays at the Auckland meeting. He has been engaged for Kelly in the Auckland Cup, and he will also handle the members of Mr (1. M. Currie's team. Smart Sprinter

Impasto, a five-year-old by High Art is being, discussed as a candidate for the Auckland Railway Handicap. He is a brilliant galloper, and he has _a win and two seconds this season as evidence that he is in form. Difficult Problem

Several Riccarton trainers are having some trouble over riding arrangements for the holiday meetings. In this respect, however, they are no worse off than trainers from other centres, as with so much racing in progress it is neVer easy to secure capable horsemen for meetings at this period. Riding Arrangements A. Cutts expects to have Sky Pilot, Hororata, Tail Light and the two-year-old Impersonator Under his care at tlie Manawatu and Wairarapa. meetings. S. Anderson will do the riding when the weights permit, with the stable apprentice, A. C. Messervy, to assist with the light-weights.

For the Coast W. H. Jones has a new horse in his team, the five-year-old Wharemanea, by Lucullus. He did a little racing in Auckland last season, being third in a race at Dargavilie, won by Rona Bay, now his stable mate. The pair are to race on the West Coast holiday circuit, and the novice should improve with racing, as he is backward. A Compulsory Stop

It was originully intended to send Pasha back to Sydney after the TakajUina meeting, but the disorganisation of shipping facilities decided his owner to let him remain in Auckland. Fortunately Pasha was nominated freely at the Auckland summer mooting, and it is possible that his owner, Mrs M. Gearin, will come across from Sydney to see hiin race.

A Bid When Marabou, the Melbourne Cup winner, was led into the sale ring recently and the auctioneer called for bids, the first came from a woman, who ottered 50 guineas. There was a laugh from the ciowd as the auctioneer passed over the bargain bid, to begin at 2000 guineas.

The National Sales The entries for the National Yearling Sales, to be held at Trentham in January, total 109; Twenty-nine sires are represented, and nearly all the leading mares in New Zealand Stud Book. This season's yearlings arc considered exceptionally good. It is expected Australia will be strongly represented at the.ring-side.

Matured Stock Two Trentliam horses who have been working along quietly for sonic time past without racing appear among the nominations for the Wairarapa meeting. They are the New Era, a six-year-old chestnut mare by Lackhnm from Closefire, who has been off the scene since two starts ns a two-year-old, and Araios, a seven-year-old gelding by Arausio from Jerda, who has not raced for nearly two years.

Australians Abroad The Sydney jockeys, J. Munro and VV. Cook, are doing exceptionally well in India. On the first day of the Bombay meeting, Munro rode three winners, two seconds, and a third, and Cook won a double. Munro rode two winners on the second day, and Cook was also successful. Cercello was among the winners at the meeting. His success was worth nearly £6OO, so having won " first up," ho has proved a cheap horse for A. Higgins.

Stretto A report from Auckland states that she won at the early spring meetings. Stretto has been training on satisfactorily. Stretto won the Avondale Stakcß and the Auckland Welcome Stakes. She was got by Hunting Song from The Begum, by Chief Ruler—Lucella, by Lucullus— Scatonella, by Seaton Delaval —Amorelle, by Phoebus Apollo Lady Gertrude, the dam of the Warrington-bred Euroclydon.

Relations The Iliad filly Hino Ra lias always displayed a good turn of.speed and generally joined the pacemakers in her races with the result that she did not stay on. At the Otaki meeting Hine Ra was patiently handled and won over_ six furlongs. Hino Ra was got by Iliad from the imported maro Bonny Dawn by Greenback, the sire of Paper Money. The Tea Tray gelding Acceptable, who also won at Otaki, is a half brother to Hino Ra. Cottingham

When the writer was at Riccarton during the early morning prior to the opening of the New Zealand Cup meeting, one of the late arrivals on the course was Cottingham. He looked big and rough in condition, and apparently had not been long out of the paddock. Cottingham's appearance was not improved by the fact that he wore a colonial "Newmarket Rug"—a split sack of weathei'-bcateh drabness. ■ Still about a month later Cottingham turns up as a winner at Hororata, where he started the rank outsider o£ the field. The majority of those in the race have been racing since the early part of the season, and yet Cottingham can only be about half fit, and yet good enough to beat them. Unusual Bracketing

At the time Roydon was at the stud at Yaldhurst, his then owner, Mr J. R. M'Kenzie, arranged with several owners of brood mares that instead of paying the stipulated fee at time of service they would not be asked to make any payment until the amount was won by the progeny, and, following this arrangement, each foal by Roydon for that season carried a contingency covering the payment. The result has been that several young horses by Roydon now racing have to be bracketed (say 8 the Press), and an instance of this occurred at Hororata on Saturday, when Brevity and Colleen Ougue had to be bracketed with Mr M'Kenzie's own candidate, Passenger, also by Roydon. The owners of these horses evidently were not aware of the complicated position when nominating, as the bracketing was not decided on until the race books had been published, and very few racegoers were aware of the facts. In any case, the bracket was made favourite, and Brevity won. The Soft Sex

For a long period of racing in New Zealand one rarely held - out much hope for mares in either the New Zealand or Auckland Cups, but the success of the 6ex in recent years in these races now makes them look rather the better proposition. The last four New Zealand Cups have been won by mares (Fast Passage, Palantua, Steeton, and Cuddle), and two of the last three Auckland Cups have gone to the sex (Fast Passage and Gold Trail). With Cuddle, Vanestep, and Gay Rose likely runners at Ellerslie on Boxing Day there is a reasonable prospect of the sequence's being continued. The first mare to win the Auckland Cup was Lottie (8.0), who led the field home in 1804, 21 years after the race had been inaugurated. The following year another mare, Anita (0.0), also claimed the attention of the judge, A period of 18 years then elapsed before Warstep (8.0) added the third success for the Sex. After an interval of three years Mascot (6.13) was the fourth winner, and Karo (7.13) took her turn the next year. Another interval followed till the successes of Fast Passage (8.11) in 1032 and of Gold Trail (7.11) last year. On broad lines a mare has a better chance in the Auckland Cup owing to the time of the year than in the New Zealand Cup. Brackets

The rule in regard to the compulsory bracketing of horses on the totalisator is open to improvement. At the Hororata meeting Brevity, Colleen Ougtle, and Passenger had to be bracketed on the totalisator because Mr J, R. M'Kenaic, When owner of Roydon, attracted patronage by stipulating that no fee should be paid until the amount was won by the progeny. It is doubtful if it was ever the intention of the rule that such a far-fetched contingency should necessitate bracketing on the totalisator. It might, in fact, lead to a farcical state of affairs. The owner of a foal got under such circumstances might successfully protest against his horse being linked in a bracket under the circumstances. Part 2 of rule 393 states that " any horse which either as a foal or as a yearling is leased from its breeder for the whole of its racing career, and which, during the term of the lease, is nominated in the name of the lessee, pursuant to the authority conferred by the second proviso to the sub-clause (2) of rule 237 hereof, shall .not (even though the breeder is named as a registered partner) be required to be bracketed with any other horse or horses so leased from the same breeder, if the president, by writing under his hand, so directs." The interest held by Mr J. R. M'Kenzie as the owner of Roydon is so small that it should carry exemption from being part of a bracket. Another point to consider is that the Rules of Racing were never framed as a means of collecting stud fees, a debt incurred more*as a business proposition than anything else.

The Ascot Gold Cup Outside the scope of the classic races the ambitions of the owner are always set on winning the Ascot Gold Cup, which ranks as the chief of the long-distance weight-for-age events (says an English writer). It is rich in traditions, and only the highest class horse can hope to be successful. Yet the prize has never been commensurate with its importance. Even at the royal meeting other races have had a higher, reward. But now this is to be rectified. ' Next year the race will carry no less than £4OOO of added money, which will bring it level in this respect with the St. Leger. This, in fact, is £IOOO more than in the case of the Derby, but the additions to the stake for the Epsom classic make it the most valuable race of the year. • Under the new conditions it will cost an owner more to enter and run a horse in the Ascot Gold Cup. Each<,starter will contribute £IOO to the sweepstakes, and, in addition, there is to be a forfeit of £so._ In this way it is hoped to bring the prize up to about £7OOO. During the past two years it has been worth £4BOO. Entries will close shortly, and it is expected that there will be a marked increase in the number. Most of the chief three-year-olds are to remain in training, both colts and fillies, and, no doubt, there will be the usual challenge from France. Already the Oaks winner Quashed is being pointed to as a likely winner. Since her success at Epsom it has been proved that she stays well, and she may be the first filly to carry off the Cup for a great many years. Lord Derby, too, is likely to be strongly represented with either Bobsleigh or Plassy, or both. Bobsleigh has at last got over his les trouble, and is now believed to be thoroughly sound, and Lord Derby must regret that he is not to have a. chance to run the horse against Bahrain. Before the colt fell lame he had the greatest faith in his classic prospects, and it is understood that next season every opportunity will be taken to show what, in happier circumstances, he might have accomplished.