RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 14

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT ■"Wager,” Becks—£7 19s. Ashburton Meeting • Acceptances for the Ashburton winter meeting are due to-day. Handicaps for Oamaru , Handicaps for the Oamaru winter meeting are duo on Monday. Redolent in Training According to Riccarton reports Redolent is coming back to racing shape under S. Barr’s tuition. Silver Sight Over Hurdles Silver Sight is showing promise in his schooling over hurdles, and with his pace on the flat should be more than.useful. . Cuddle to Resume Work After what is reported to be a beneficial spell, Cuddle is booked to rejoift T. R. George’s stable after the Wellington winter meeting. Cottingham Schools Well Cottingham appeared to fail when last seen in public through a tehdency to jump big, and also through lack of condition. He has since been doing well in his schooling and track work. Special Train to Oamaru For the convenience of patrons attending the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting on July 3 a special passenger train will leave Dunedin at 8,45 a.m., arriving at Oamaru at 11.45 a.m., and connecting with a special train for the racecourse leaving Oamaru at 11.53 a.m. On the return journey the train will leave the racecourse at 4.45 p.m., Oamaru 5,32 p.m., arriving Dunedin 8.36 p.m. Special excursion tickets will be issued to the Oamaru racecourse from specified stations by the special train, and cheap “week-end” tickets will be issued to Oamaru from Dunedin and intermediate stations, available up to and including Monday, July 5.

Iddo’s Antecedents* §lddo, the winner of the Hawke’s Bay Jfurdles. was got by Tractor from Belgian Queen, by King Soult from Ostend, by Birkenhead. Last year Iddo failed to win a race in 10 starts, but is apparently training on. Folydora’s Versatility Polydora is -an equine Madam of Moods. She started favourite for the New Zealand Cup and has also been a well-backed chance over hurdles and fences. A wag wants to know if she is eligible for the next Trotting Cup. Silver Coat’s Success • Silver Coat, who won over hurdles at Rosehill on Saturday, is a four-year-old by Pink Coat from Silver Patch. He displayed good form as a two-year-old when he won three times and was twice placed out of seven starts. The Only Position The Auckland Racing Club is one of the last of the metropolitan clubs to consider an alteration in the position of the judge’s box. Experience has established that well back from the rails and in an elevated position is the best and only way to assist a judge. First Buzzard First Buzzard, who won the Domben Cup run, at Brisbane, failed to win a race last season. He was placed three times out of 16 starts. First Buzzard traces back to New Zealand stock, as his. dam. Early Girl, was got by Seremond —Stable Girl, by Syce—Bretelle,. by Haut Brion—Collarette, by Qastor—Necklace, by Musket, Manawatu’s Breeding Manawatu, who has rejoined the ranks of winners over fences, finished fourth in the Grand National Steeplechase to Royal Limond, Billy Boy, and High Speed. He afterwards won the Beaufort Steeples and the Lincoln Steeples. Manawatu was foaled in 1928 and was got by Acre from Merry Sarto, by Sarto from Bess Laddo, by Sir Laddo—Cecile, by Gold Reef— Puwerewere, by Nordenfeldt—Pungawerewere. Some good performers belong to the family, including Crackshot, Vogengang, St. James Totford and Pungawerewere, who were all good performers in their day.

Racing Taxation Taxation in connection with the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meet-

ing amounted to £16,341, made up as foiJbws:. —Totalisator tax, £7434; divi--0 derid tax, £8131; stakes tax, £93 10s; and amusement tax, £683. The total taxation for the club’s four meetings during the season amounted to £58,484, made up as follows:—Totalisator tax, £29j906; dividend tax, £26,166; stakes tak, £379; and amusement tax, £2033.

Trimmings It is not possible to buy a £1 ticket in the outside enclosure at Ellerslie, with the result 'hat when an odd sixpence Is declared on the £1 dividend t)ie holder of each 10s ticket loses the sixpence, which goes to the club. An Habitue of this enclosure points out that approximately 25 per cent, of the dividends declared at the winter meeting Included the odd sixpence, and complains that every £1 bettor lost money that he was entitled to receive. It might be added to the above that many years ago a hot favourite paid £1 ss. This was divided for the 10s dividend into 12s 6d, but as the sixpence was not paid the £1 dividend became £1 4s. Fact. "A Bad Start” The present season is practically finished, and at this time the pros and cons for the future come up for consideration. Amongst the important matters is that of starting. A starter’s duty is to get a field in fair line, but between those who are keen to get well away, those who are anxious to get slowly off the mark for ulterior motives, and the riders who cannot get away in the most favourable circumstances the starter has something of a task. Quite recently a starter had a field in perfect line when sent away, but the horses straggled in the first couple of strides. “A bad start,” said one who did not realise when a start takes place. It is the duly of the stewards to support, a starter and issue instructions that good horses should not ‘be kept waiting for notoriously bad horses. As it is, a starter endeavours to get away a mixed field on even terms, and so is asked to achieve the impossible. At times a starter should “carpet” the rider who is last away and demand an investigation, This desirable state of affairs will probably never take place until starters and officials are appointed by the Racing Conference and not by individual clubs.

Duchess of Montrose 'One of the most picturesque figures in, a picturesque period was Caroline Duchess of Montrose, who was racing in England in the latter end of last century. She seems to have been about the first woman owner of note in England. Her horses were trained at Manton I by old Alec Taylor, whose son carried on JVfanton so successfully for many years after the death of his father. She was a queer character. “Mr Manton,” as the Duchess called herself in her capacity as a racehorse owner, narrowly missed winning the Newmarket Stakes with St, Angelo, the

sire of the dam of All Black, in 1892. She not only thought St. Angelo would win. but also that he had actually done so, and she was much disgusted that the judge did not agree with her, as he decided that Curio had narrowly defeated St. Angelo. “ What with Robinson who cannot ride, and Robinson, the judge, who is apparently colour blind, an owner of horses has a sorry time of it!” she observed after the race. She certainly was not a philosophic loser. Another good story is told of her. She built and endowed a little church at Newmarket next door to her house. One Sunday the clergyman offered a special prayer for fine weather. After the prayer the duchess rose from her pew and stalked out of the church. Later she sent for the clergyman and said, “ How dare you pray for fine weather in my church when you know perfectly well it will ruin the chance of my horse, and I shall not allow you to preach in my church again.” The duchess had a colt engaged in the Leger the following week which was particularly suited by soft going.