RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23330, 23 October 1937, Page 21

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel

Meetings To-day Racing at Gore and Wellington today. Much Improved • Peacock should not be long in winning another race. The Songbird gelding has improved a lot lately. Counterfllght The Iliad gelding Counterflight looks ready to produce his best form. A. E. Didham has him in excellent condition. Ballad The Songbird gelding Ballad has a Silid burden in the Gordon Hack andlcap at Gore to-day, and may find it beyond him to give weight to some of those lower clown in the handicaps. Will Have To Improve Redolent at no stage ran like a winner in Thursday's hurdle race at Trentham, and he will have to improve considerably to make amends at the meeting. White Gold C. G. Goulsbro will pilot White Gold In the Trial Stakes at Trentham today. This fllly, who is a member of the Desert Gold branch of the Aura family, registered a very attractive performance when she won at Wanganui. Cromwell's Principal Event The principal event at the second day of the next Cromwell meeting will be called the "R. R. McDonald Handicap," in memory of the late Wingatui trainer, who was a consistent supporter of the club. Black Thread The Gisborne-owned gelding Black Thread, who won the Shorts Handicap at Trentham, only recently joined J. H. Jefferd's stable at Ngatarawa. He is by the Australian-bred horse Mimetic (ComedyKing—Joyeuse), who was trained by Jefferd for Mr A. B. Williams, and won the Great Northern Foal Stakes. Members' Handicap, and other races. An Unusual MatcL In a match on the Chattanooga racecourse (Tennessee). Forrest Towns, the Olympic hurdles champion, beat a cavalry horse in two races—loo yards sprint and 120 yards hurdles. In the straight dash, Forrest beat his equine rival fairly easily in lOsec, and he was also successful " over the sticks,' winning by a nose in 13seC. It is oovious that the hurdles race could not have been over the reguation 10 flights, the worlr record for which is 14 l-ssec. A Theory Dismissed Where racing is concerned many incorrect statements are made by people who do not bother to look up their alleged facts. In England the supposed deterioration of racehorses is a favourite In opposition to the contention vof some English writers that racehorses of the present day in England are not as good on firm going as those that raced prior to the present century. "Mankato," in a recent issue of the Sporting Chronicle, published figures showing that the average number of runners on firm tracks was much greater now than 50 years ago This, in his opinion, disposed of the idea that the modern English racehorse is trained in an atmosphere of cotton wool. / Not a Good Looker

Shy is far from being an attractivelooking horse, but he has always been a solid galloper, and only for various checks in his preparation he would have been more in evidence as a winner. He is not engaged in the New Zealand Cup, but will probably be a visitor to the Riccarton meeting. Shy was bred by the late Mr S. G. Holmes, of Methven. the dam, Stagefright, being by Limond from Tivoli, by Absurd His last most important victory was in the Duke of Gloucester Cup at Riccarton last year. Wellesley Stakes Winner Gay Son, the winner of the Wellesley Stakes is trained by Mrs A. W. McDonald for Mr A. F. Symes. who lf?fed his dam. La Moderne. This mare, who is by Lord Quex from Lady Ball, was a good performer, and among other races won the New Zealand St. Leger, in whicli she established a New Zealand record of 2min 50Jsec for a mile and three-quarters La Moderne was a sister to Gay Ballerina, a class performer In Australia. Gay Son won in minor company at Masterton last week. The Trump''; Double

The Trump (Manfred —Koanic) completed a double not often accomplished at Caulfleld—the Toorak Handicap and the Caulfleld Cup (says the Herald)

He was owned, trained and ridden by ex-New Zealanders—E. D. Eccles, S. Reid and A Reed. The trainer and the jockey, ol course, are not related. Stan Reid is a brother of the North Inland trainer Sid Reid. and for a time was located at Washdyke, riding jumpers for S. Trilford. It was as a steeplechase horseman that he first made his mark in Victoria. Ashley Reed is the oldest and only surviving brother of Roy and Con Reed. When he commenced riding in Melbourne some critics dubbed him a weak finisher because he did not throw whip and reins at his horses, but they soon learnt better. Ashley is now recognised as being in the first flight in the State, and has ridden the winners of a host of important races.