SPORTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 19

SPORTING

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS

RACING June 20, M.—Wanganui J.C. June 20. 23.—Napier Park. June 20, 23, 24.—Dunedin J.C. June 23.—Opotlkl J.C. (at Tauranga). June 27.—Oamarii J.C. . June 27.—Foxlon R.C. July I.—Dannevlrke Hunt Club.

RACING NEWS > By Sentinel. Wellington Nominations for the Wellington winter meeting are due to-day. Master Anomaly Master Anomaly shaped well in a school over the hurdles yesterday morning. Bay Duke Bay Duke was allotted a useful task at Wingatui yesterday morning and looks in good order. An Appeal A. E. Ellis will give evidence at Wellington in connection with' the Burgess and Jenkins appeal case. Travenna Travenna has been standing up to good, useful tasks on the track, and bears a well-trained appearance. A Possibility There is a possibility that fields will improve towards the end of the Dunedin winter meeting. Quinopal Quinopal worked and schooled yesterday morning as if there is a chance of a return to form. . Drinkup Drinkup has been striding along pleasingly in his work, and always shaping as if he had something in reserve. Pahu Pahu has two engagements at Wingatui to-morrow. G. Ridgway will be the pilot in the selected start., Free Air Free Air will have G. H. Murfitt in the saddle at Wingatui. _ Free Air has been worked at New Brighton, and evidently got through a satisfactory preparation. Visitors Visiting horses were on the scene at Wingatui yesterday morning, but were not asked to do anything serious in the, way of track work. Sigurd The name of Sigurd has been claimed for the rising two-year-old Siegfried— All Bright colt owned by Mr W. Higgins, and in T. R. George’s team at Trenthnni. Money Mine Money Mine, as a thoroughbred, offends the eye because he haa been deprived of his caudal appendage. The fact remains that he was a, good winner on the flat. .''■■'■'j'- ' ■ y " An Old Friend A staunch patron of Wingatui in P. T. Hogan was on the course yesterday morning. His team for racing “between the flags ” is not so strong as would suggest National possibilities. An Open Race The Winter Handicap is generally regarded as a very open and at the present time it would be difficult to-pick the actual favourite at the rise of the barrier. Cuddl* Although no definite plana of campaign have yet been made, ; it is able that Cuddle will do most of her new preparation at Trentham and will be sent to Sydney just before the time when she is to have her first race nest season. V. •' ■ _ . The Viaitora Most of the visiting horses engaged at Wingatui will be late arrivals on the scene, and hence local track work will not give a clear indication as to prospects. It may be taken for granted, however, that the visiting horses are fit and ready to race. Southern Support Support from the south wag displayed at Wingatui yesterday morning by the appearance of Parasang, Quinopal, Bay Duke, Bay Biddy, Rotowai, Dunmure, Signaller, and probably others appeared later in the day. Money. Mine has been on the scene for a couple of days. Wingatui has a good asset in Southland support, and it is always pleasing to find them gathering some of the spoils in the sporting war. Holding Up the Market

Patrons at the Albion Park races recently received a surprise when bookmakers refused to call the odds until 10 minutes before each race. This action was taken, it transpired, in order that certain persons who are . supposed to get Information to jockeys would not be able to do so. Bookmakers complained that during recent months things had happened in Brisbane which would not be tolerated on racecourses in other States. They contended they did not get sufficient official protection against " ramps " and betting coups. It is also believed by bookmakers that if betting shops in the city are unable to get a reliable early market guide from the racecourse, persons who want to place big amounts will have to come to the racecourse. In one race the other day, bookmakers did not call the odds until the horses were on the track, and some had completed their preliminary gallops. ' Weight-for-aga The stewards of the English Jockey Club recently asked many trainers and others if thpy thought that any changes in the scale of weight-for-age were desirable. Replies were received from the Hon. George Lambton, Captain C. BoydRochfort, Captain C. F, Elsey, Captain Gooch, and Messsrs J. C. Butler, Frank Butters, F. Darling, T. F. Dawkins, R. C. Dawson, Arthur Fawcett, W. R. Jarvis, H. S. Persse,- J. B. Robertson, E. Somerville Tattersall, Alec Taylor, and P. E. Withington. An analysis of their replies gives these results:—Four recommended no change in the present scale. The remainder advocate only slight alterations. The stewards, in informing the members of the club of the result of their inquiry, observe that it is remarkable that after more than 60 years the scale of weight-for-age founded by Admiral Rous still affords so little ground for erticism, a comment which suggests that an alteration is not likely to be made. A Record For the first time in the history of New Zealand racing (says " Rangitiri ”), at least for the first time since such records were first compiled, a trainer has reached the half-century mark in number of horses prepared for "a season. With his two on the final day at the recent Otaki Maori meeting, the Trentham trainer, T. R. George, brought hia winning total up to 50 for the present season in the Dominion, and before the close of the term the stable is likely to enjoy even further euccess. The_ tally does not include Debham'g win in Australia during the spring, nor Cuddle’s first win this season, when she was given as officially trained by A, Reardon, the stable’s head man, who lyas in charge of the establishment while George was in Australia. The record George hag broken is his own, set dp two years ago, when he turned out 47 winners during the season. The best previous figures were also held by George, with 40 winners, four seasons ago. Back in the 1923-24 season, S. Trilford produced 39 winners during the terra. Assuming that George’s position at the head of the trainer’s list this season is invincible, he will have headed the table for the fifth occasion. He was on top In the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons, and, missing the 1932-33 honours, which went to H. and A. Cutts, when he was down in eighth position, he has now been leading trainer the last three seasons. Last season, his first as a public trainer, he i n*> ‘ 1.. I ..i L .

RACING AND TROTTING NEWS

July 7. 0, 11.—Wellington R.C. July 18.—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. July 13.—Walmate Hunt. Club. July 22.—Rangltlkel Hunt Club. July 23, 25.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. July 25.—South Canterbury H.C. TROTTING June 20, 23 or 24.—Auckland T.C.'

TROTTING NOTES

training on his own account till after two months of the term had passed, and he did-not have a winner for the term up till then. • George thus has the additional honour of having gained the leadership for the Trentham centra during both seasons he has been there in his present quarters at “ Brentwood Farm.” Control of Racing Desirous of improving the standard of racing in South Africa, the Durban Turf Club, which has been in favour of the appointment of stipendiary stewards, some time ago decided to have experience of the Australian system. Mr N. D’Arcy, an official of the Brisbane Amateur Turf Club, was appointed for 12 months in an advisory capacity. He was not given the power to disqualify offenders, under the rules of racing, but could make recommendations to the committee. Evidently the Australian system was approved by officials of the Durban' Turf Club, for a recommendation was made to the annual meeting of the Jockey Club of South Africa for the appointment of permanent stipendiary stewards. The Jockey Club is an administrative body. It does not conduct race meetings. It is opposed to the appointment of stipendiary stewards, and the recommendation from Durban was rejected. According to sporting papers from South Africa, there appears a decided leaning towards, the appointment of stewards for the protection of the public, and of owners, trainers, and bookmakers. It has been stated that “ a change must comb before long.’’ The South African Referee said: “The buoyant feelings created in racing circles by the indication of future racing prosperity in the returns of the autumn meeting were completely nullified by the_ retrograde action in regard to the principles of paid stewards. As a body, the Jockey Club is not altogether to blame for the defeat of the motion, as the main factor to be noted is that the Jockey Club i« completely dominated by the racing clubs, and no other interests have any say. To make matters worse, the clubs who do least for racing have power out of all proportion. ... That the vote is not a true reflex of racing opinion is evident, but it is a further indication how strong opposition is to any racing reform. It is hard to believe that the success attending the efforts of the stewards of the Durban Turf Club to put racing on r a proper footing is to be completely ignored.” As evidence in support of the appointment of stewards the paper recalls the wagering on two recent races at different centres. There were 29 starters in each. In one race the betting was 20 to 1 bar three, the three horses backed filling three of the first four places. In the second field of 29 the betting was 33 to 1, bar three, and the three named filled the first three places. The paper adds: “ The betting market is not an infallible guide, but ns such it finds most favour with the public. Also it is a well-known fact that nobody connected with racing has appreciated the work of Mr D’Arcy more than the Durban bookmakers.’’

By Sentinel. Ashburton The popular support bestowed on the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meetings will, with the assistance of the Ashburton County Racing Club, result in several important ,-improvements being carried out on the course. R. B. Plaxico The following is from the American newspaper, the Horseman:-—"The former Ohio trainer. Bob Plaxico, is now at the Mansfield half-mile track with the horses owned by Mr Roy Dickson,, a resident of Mansfield. The stable comprises seven head, the young pacer, Linn Grattan 2rain 7|eec, by Silent Grattan, being the topliner of the bunch. Worthy Burke 2min 93sec, the chestnut gelding that made hie record as a trotter, will be tried this season as a pacer, as will be the gelding Hollyrood Stansfield- Miss Evergreen 2min 16sec, record made as a pacer a couple of years ago, when she was a two-year-old, will also be raced this season as a trotter, and she is expected to be a useful sort. Plaxico alsp has a two-year-old by Arion Guy Imin 59isec, and a three-year-old full sister to Miss Evergreen.” A Speedy Pacer

Rocks Ahead has returned to Southland, but she has left a favourable impression in Canterbury. She won the mile saddle race at the Canterbury Park meeting in 2min 11 l-ssec, and while she was beaten in the Winter Handicap at Ashburton, this race gave her an opportunity to show her merit. She had none the best of the running, and with half the journey covered she was a good way behind the leader, Marie Celeste. Over the last half mile Rocks Ahead travelled faster than any other horse in the race, and, though she finished fourth she was less than a length away from the winner. Rocks Ahead is an especially good pacer (says the Press), one of the best ever seen from Southland. She comes from a good solid family, for while her eire, Happy Voyage, was a great pacer, her dam, First Water, is by Harold Rothschild from Red Diamond, by Prince Imperial, while farther hack in the pedigree is found the Blackwood blood.

A Question of Class The light-harness racing season is waning to the point of disappearance from the calender, and the general impression left by the year. supplies a good augury for the future. At every meeting where the light-harnees horse has received a chance to appear on the scene fields have been remarkably good all through the piece. It is, however, to be feared that at times quantity rather than quality has been represented, and that fields have included horses more out for educational purposes than with any hope or perhaps any desire to win. It would be in the best interests of the sport if some steps were taken to prevent horses without a winning chance from being included In fields, and so making the fields unwieldy and cumbersome. Large fields have been seen out. and have produced anything but a good racing spectacle. The problem consists in how to make fields produce good races. It might be achieved by making classes tighter or including a sweepstake that would prevent horses from being started for purely educational purposes. The slow class races are a delusion, and at their extreme a horse must be able to step about 20sec better than the limit to have a winning chance. At 2min 30see a horse on the limit of the same class that cannot go better than 2min 15sec is not worth taking to the races, but some are slow to recognise the fact, and hence back-markers are confronted with a phalanx of front-markers that are not fast enough to get out of another horse’s way, mainly because they lack the speed and education to go straieht on from the start. Some process of elimination is desirable in the best interests of the sport, and though it may be claimed that the slow-class horse ban to start somewhere some effort should he made towards preventing it from starting nowhere as far as racing value is concerned.

o step auout aec uutter man me mini. o have a winning chance. At 2min 30sec , horse on the limit of the same class that annot go better than 2min 15sec is not mrth taking to the races, but some are low to recognise the fact, and hence lack-markers are confronted with a halanx of front-markers that are not ast enough to get out of another horse’s ray, mainly because they lack the speed nd education to go straieht on from the tart. Some process of elimination is deirable in the best interests of the sport, nd though it may be claimed that the low-class horse ban to start somewhere ome effort should he made towards preenting it from starting nowhere as far a racing value is concerned.

DUNEDIN WINTER MEETING

TRAINING WORK. AT WINGATUI Yesterday morning at Wingatui was cold, and there was a threat of a break iu the recent spell of good weather. A slight rain fell, but afterwards cleared, and hopes are entertained that the weather will continue in a good mood for the winter meeting. Training operations were infused with extra interest by the appearance of some visiting horses and an unusual number of spectators were also on the course. Amy Johnson, who looks bright and well, got through some steady pacing work aud is probably in better racing shape now than at any previous part of the season. Parasang and Rotowai strode over a circuit at a useful working pace. Rotowai displayed signs of lameness after the gallop. . . . Dunmure, who was not stripped, got through useful pacing work, and seems to be in better racing shape than when he last appeared in public. Call Money, with the visiting horseman Watson up, ran over five furlongs in Imin Bsec. Call Money stumbled when breaking away, but was held together by hia pilot. , TT , The Smuggler, Signaller and Umtah were associated in strong work. The Smuggler and Signaller were too speedy for Umtali. but he got on terms when turning for home by cutting the corner. Signaller finished in front of The Smuggler at the end of seven furlongs in Imin 39 l-ssec. Signaller and The Smuggler both went well in their gallop wide out on the grass track. t Golden King finished better than Salmo Salar at the end of a mile on the tan in Imin 50 3-ssec. Vjntoon, on the grass and fairly wide out, was kept busy to complete six furlongs in Imin 20 4-ssec. Daring Deed wiis responsible for six furlongs on the tap in Imin 21sec. _ Costume worked over a couple of circuits on the tan at a strong half pace. Money Mine and Tautau Maid were responsible for some strong, steady work on the tan. Money Mine seems to be m good shape for the meeting. Quinopal and To Ahuarangi went once round over the fences and both gave a good display. Te Ahuarangi again shaped well for a novice. Drinkup finished better than The Jeweller at the end of six furlongs on the plough in Imin 23 l-sscc. Bav Duke pleased by the way he strode along in a working gallop. Travenna, Violenta, Redolent, Tom Cat, Red Lance, Wykemist, Vocal, Toreador, Braw Lad and others were responsible for useful work.

THE ASCOT MEETING ROYAL HUNT CUP (United Press Association) (By Eleetrlo Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, June 17. The principal race at Ascot this afternoon resulted; — ROYAL HUNT CUP HANDICAP, Seven furlongs and 155 yards. GUINEA CAP. ch h, by Batchelor’s Double—Benedicta, Syre .. .. 1 VOLTUS. b c, by Writ—Varsity, 4yrs 2 ROSCRAG, by Crag an Eran—Neclace 11, 4yrs 3 Won by a length and a-half, with the same distance between second and third. Thirty-one starters.

Last year the winner’s share of the stake was £2975.

RECORD INVESTMENTS

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, June 17. The totalisator pool on the Royal Hunt Cup amounted to £40,292 10s, which constitutca a record for any single race. The totalisator takings for the day also established a record with a figure of £131,955.

WANGANUI MEETING

(Peb United Press Association) WANGANUI, June 18. Speed wa* scratched at 8.15 p.m. for the Century Hurdles.