RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23224, 23 June 1937, Page 13

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel R. Cdveney It is reported that R. Coveney has decided to give up training and rejoin the ranks of riders at Riccarton. Successful Starting Mr George Reed is reported to have made a success of the starting at the Greymouth Jockey Club's meeting. Sky Pilot's Earnings Sky Pilot has won £4OO in stakes at Auckland, completing the total on June 12, and apparently was 'ineligible for nomination at Ashburton. A Famous Name Piastre is the name adopted for a colt engaged in the Welcome Stakes. The name has already been made famous by the winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1912. Aggravate Gallops Well Aggravate was fancied for his engagements at the Dunedin winter meeting, but was anchored by the going. He has since been galloping well in his work at Riccarton. Land Raid

Land Raid won at Greymouth after being up for only a few weeks after a spell. He is big in condition and in excellent order to train on.

Sir Hugh Doing Well The Philamore gelding Sir Hugh, who won the Cashmere Plate and showed promising form during the early part of the season, is again doing good work on the track, No Surprise The win recently recorded by Royal Order did not surprise his connections. The colt is credited with running half a mile at Riccarton prior to the New Zealand Cup meeting in 47 2-ssec with his plates on. Wine Card's Pedigree Like all her tribe. Wine Card, the three-year-old Paper Money filly who won at Greymouth, can go very fast. She was produced by Malmsey, a mare by Clarenceux— Charmilla, by Charlemagne ll—Armilla, by Castor—Necklance, by Musket—Locket, and so belongs to a very good winning family. A Good Sort

Rousseau was brought down from Riccarton to Wingatui for the Dunedin winter meeting but did not start on account of the heavy going. At Riccarton on Saturday Swordstick is credited with beating Rousseau over six furlongs, and as the latter has a reputation- of being able to gallop, it makes Swordstick worthy of note. Swordstick is a four-year-old by Rapier from Pledge, by Boniform or JUlbroney from LoVe Token, the dam of Sartist. Swordstick showed winning form prior to winning the Autumn Champion Plate at Riccarton.

Master Reynard The Hunting Song gelding Master Reynard is one of' the latest recruits to hurdling. At one time he showed promise of making good on, the flat, but appeared to lose the zest for racing Master Reynard lacks nothing on the score of breeding as his dam, Bayonne, was got by Bayardo—Alicia, by Bend Or—Alix. by Hagioscope. Breeding, however, counts for nothing when a horse appears to have lost the zest for battle, but a return to form may be shown when tried over hurdles. The Welcome Stakes

An Otago owner has not won the Canterbury Welcome Stakes since Mr J. B. Reid won with Skirmisher in 1892. Skirmisher was bred at the Elderslie Stud, and other winners bred in the same paddocks include Tolstoi (1898). Romanoff (1899), Indian Queen (1900), Orloff (1901). Munjeet (1904) Ivanofl (1905). Danube (1909), Downham (1913). Cyrene (1924), Red Manfred (1932) and Pin Money (1933). This year Otago and Southland have nominated 14 youngsters for this race. The Fixed Penalty Fixed penalty conditions are attached to the Ashburton meeting, and for beating Potent by a nose at Greymouth Maroha has to meet Potent on 71b worse terms in the Mayfield Hack Handicap. Potent had run second in the first race on the card. In the Moreton Hack Handicap Primak, who was lucky to win at Greymouth, receives a penalty of 71b. In the case of Primak he meets a stronger field at Ashburton than he beat at Greymouth. The fixed penalty allots the poundage to a horse irrespective of a win by a foot or a furlong, and is absolutely opposed to the application of common sense to handicapping. The above reasoning supports the objection to fixed penalties. Cuddle's Age The fact that Cuddle is rising eight years old is considered by some to be detrimental to her chance of training back to form. Some mares, however, have been well on in years when they struck the top of their form. For instance, the Stud Book shows that Lady Zetland, who won the New Zealand Cup and the Canterbury Cup in 1896. was foaled in 1887. Glentruin was a six-year-old when she won her first Stewards' Handicap in 1922, and she won her second Hawke's Bay Stakes in 1926, and also won the James Hazlett Gold Cup during the latter season.

Monipere Monipere, who won the Geraldine Cup after losing ground at the start, is reported to have been unlucky at Greymouth. The Press reports that the many supporters of Monipere in the Final Handicap were unfortunate not to have collected first instead of second dividend. He gave- his usual trouble at the start, and after being twice kicked by Emmeline Girl, he swerved away when the barrier lifted, and gave the leaders a big start. He was six lengths from Primak and Metal Bird going along the back, but was handy to them at the home turn. He had Metal Bird's measure early in the run home, but was not able to get up to Primak, who completed his task much more solidly than early in the day. Metal Bird was a fair third, half a length in front of Carfcx and Emmeline Girl.

Early Education Horses have raced as yearlings, but it is something new to hear that one was used as a hunter at that age, and then won as a two-year-old. That, however, was the experience of The Shaver (by Baytown), winner of the Claremont Plate at Hurst Park (England) last month. His owner. Mr M. O. Springfield, is master of the Easton Harriers. The Shaver was such a strongly-developed yearling that Mr Springfield decided that while he was being broken into saddle and bit he could be hunted. One day when a hunt servant was short of a mount he was given The Shaver who, though only a yearling, and 'not previously schooled, took the obstacles like an experienced horse. It is said there is no previous record of a yearling being ridden to hounds in England. The Shaver was well backed for his race at Hurst Park, and easily beat a big field. Apropos of the above. Sunny Lock, the Winter Cup winner of 1923, was schooled in the "bull-ring" at Riccarton when a yearling.

In Dollar Land War Admiral, champion three-year-old in America this year, is the iirst offspring of his sire, Man o' War, to have won the Kentucky Derby, mostcoveted race in the United States. Man o' War, who is now in his twentieth year, won 20 of the 21 races he contested himself, and is still regarded as a national idol. To the end of last year his stock had won 772 races and more than £400,000 in stakes. War Admiral was bred and is owned by Mr S. D. Riddle, who owns Man o' War Last year he ran six times for three wins and three minor placings. His best performance was a victory in the six furlongs Eastern Shore Handicap at Havre de Grace, Maryland, a race worth £2250. A description to hand of the Kentucky Derby shows that. War Admiral, who was favourite, led all the way. He gave trouble at the start, causing a delay of four minutes. but got away well, and was never headed. There were 20 starters. He ran the mile and a-quarter in 2min 3 l-ssec, which is the second fastest time for the race, the record being Twenty Grand's 2min 1 4-ssec in 1931. The winner's share of the stake was 52,575 dollars (approximately £10,515). Death of Pharos

The death occurred in France last month of the famous sire Pharos, a brother to the champion English sire Fairway, by Phalaris from Scapa Flow, by Chaucer. Pharos was 17 years old, and he was owned by Lord Derby. He was a brilliant horse over a mile or more, and ran second to Papyrus in the Derby. He was head of the winning sires' list in England in 1931, when his stock won £43,922, beating thp record of his sire and also that of his grandsire, Polymelus. His son, Cameronian. won the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby, and another son Firdaussi, won the Leger. He was also the sire of Rhodes Scholar. Up to the end of last season he had sired in England winners of 130 races valued at £115,000. He had also many good winners in France. He was third on the winning sires' list in England in 1936 and second in France. In 1935 he was second to Blandford in France with 20 winners of 39 races. In 1934 he was third (to Asterus and Blandford'* with 24 winners of 43 races. He had two seasons at the stud in England before being sent to France in 1928.

The Racing Conference The cost of running the New Zealand Racing Conference last year exceeded £IO,OOO. but this included £B7O for racecourse detectives which was refunded by the Trotting Conference, and there was a further set-off of £9OO for broadcasting rights. The levies on racing clubs totalled in round figures £7OOO. There are complaints that this is an excessive amount to pay for central management, but (says the Timaru Herald) the only apparent means of reducing it is a pruning of salaries. It has been pointed out that Australia has no conference, but it is doubtful if things are run any cheaper on that account. In New South Wales the A.J.C.. and in Victoria the V.R.C., exercise the functions of the conference, and the staffs have to be augmented to carry on the work. There is a highly-paid keeper of the Stud Book, and stipendiary stewards cost a big sum.- To take New South Waies alone, the A.J.C. maintains three officials, and there are several country associations, each of which has its own stipendiary and detective. When it is considered that £300,000 was paid in stakes in 10 months in New Zealand, and that totalisator investments aggregated £3,736,000 in the same period, the cost of conference control is not so excessive after all.