RACING AND TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24697, 28 August 1941, Page 3

RACING AND TROTTING

RACING NEWS By Sentinel FIXTURES August 28.—Egmont H.C. K August 30.—Taranaki H.C. September 4, 6.—Wanganui J.C. September 6.—Otago Hunt September 13.—Ashburton R.C. September 13.—Carterton R.C. , September 13. 15.—Avondale J.C. 1 September 20.—Marton J.C. September 20. 22.—Poverty Bay T.C. September 26. 27.—Geraldine R.C. Acceptances. —The acceptances for the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting are due to-morrow. The Epsom.—When the last mail to hand left Australia High Caste was favourite for the Epsom Handicap. Yogi.— The Beau Pere gelding Yogi, who has not been seen»out since the spring of last season, is again doing useful work. Klndtergarten.— The Caulfield Cup market has been paralysed by Kindergarten, who has been coupled up by the nunters with 60 horses in the Melbourne Cup. Bean Son.— The 3500-guinea yearling Beau Son is favourite for the A.J.C. Derby, and the 2000-guinea Murmuring is also fancied for the same classic event. Open Inquiries.— The racing Authorities in New South Wales and Victoria : have declared against holding open inquiries. The Cheery Jack case reopened the question. A Gift.—The Otago Provincial Patriotic Council has received a cheque for £1347 from the Dunedin Jockey Club. The amount represents the total profits from the, meetings held last season. Vantoon.— The Valkyrian gelding Vantoon, who is engaged at the Otago Hunt meeting, had not raced sines June, 1940. until he reappeared last week at a point-to-point meeting. A Small Field.— There is a prospect of a small field going to the post far the Otago Hunt Cup, in which the stakes are £l6O (including trophy valued at £lO 10s). second £3O and third £10: J. Fryer.— The ex-New Zealander, J. Fryer, recently lost eight of Mr A. Croft’s horses from his stable, but still has 16 in work at Caulfield. The Champion.— At Victoria Park, Sydney, on August 16 The Champion beat the filly All Love, who started at 3to 1 on. The Champion is a brother to Spear Chief, and has now come into favour for the A.J.C. Derby. Dominion Council. —The Owners and Breeders’ Association has become well established in the north,' but so far has not included Otago and Southland in its territory of operations. A brief report of a meeting held in Christchurch during the National Week states that it has been decided to form a Dominion Council.

Red Cross Meeting.— A meeting in aid of the funds of the Red Cross will be held at Randwick on September 27. A card of six races, with stakes from £3OO to £IOOO, include the Red Cross Cup of £650 and a gold cup valued at lOOgns, presented by the Licensed Victuallers’ Association. A Position in Johannesburg.— Mr S. Bowen, Queensland stipendiary steward ftor 23 years, has been appointed to act for the Johannesburg Jockey Club at a salary of £IOOO. For several years Mr Bowen was a member of the Q.T.C. board of stewards, and lately was acting as country steward under Q.T.C. control.

A Gallop.— When the much-heralded gallop ,was put up by Kindergarten over half a mile at Victoria Park he was accompanied by Lucrative, who finished almost on terms. McCarten was on Lucrative, and riding at about 8;8, while Kindergarten (Wiggins up) carried about 7.8. They went from a moving start, and according to one account Lucrative was finishing jiist as well as the New Zealander. Novices. —Some of those engaged in the President’s Handicap are amongst the unknown or partially unknown that have all their career in front of them. Barbara Fritchie is a filly by Pink Coat from Delicious, by Sutala —Roden, by Danube; Millibar is a gelding by Weathervane—Star of Wakatipu, by Rosenor—Gold Silk, by Sunny Lake; Miss Sally is a filly by Posterity—Miss Thespian, by Thespian—Sea Elf, by Seaton Delaval.

A Slayer.— According to a Melbourne press opinion Lucrative and Kindergarten ape the two best stayers In Australia. An opinion about Lucrative cannot be expressed. Kindergarten won the Wellington Cup with his ears pricked, but the win over a mile and three-quarters in the St. Leger was at the end of a false-run race in 3min 2 2-ssec, and, hence no real test of stamina, The real test of stamina was in the Wellington ,Cup. which he won full of running. Improvements. —Owners and trainers attending the Geraldine Racing Club’s meeting in September will see that a big number of improvements have been carried out to the course since the last meeting. The improvements, the cost of which has run into several hundreds of pounds, include the complete regrading and levelling of the whole of the race track from the outside rail Special attention has been given to the removal of humps and the filling in of hollows. The turns have been slightly banked, and the whole of the track has been regrassed' to the outside rail. From the top of the straight the course has been widened by an extra 36 feet for the mile and a-quarter starts, and this will enable 22 pacers to begin on the limit line in these events without recourse to a division. • The whole of the motor paddock has been levelled and regrassed, and a natural grand stand has been modelled.

TROTTING NOTES By .Sentinel FIXTURES August 30.—Auckland f.C September 6.—New Brighton I.C September 13 17.—Wanganui TC September 20 Wellington TC A Big Field.—Thirty-eight horses have been nominated for a 2.14 class to be run at New Brighton on September 6. For a 2.16 class 19 have been nominated. A Record.—The “ National ” meeting at Addington this year extended over 15 days. 1 This was, for a three-day fixture, the most tardy conclusion on record. It was rivalled only by the interDominion gathering, which for four days’ racing extended oyer a similar period. Horses Registered.—Among the horses registered at the last meeting of the board of the New Zealand Trotting Association were the following: Abel Tasman, 2yrs, by Calumet Axworth— Tasman Flight; Ben Direct, lyr, by Dan Direct—Benefice; Joanee, 4yrs, by Baron Chenault—Snips; Keswick. 3yrs. by Jewel Pointer—Agnes Bond; Motto, 3yrs, by Rey de Oro—Kate Logan; Noble Anchor, by Nobleman—Blue Mountain King marc; and Sir Rey. by Rey de Oro—Drusus mare. Unlikely Winners.—One of the problems which in the past had worried officials of the South Australian Trotting Club was unwieldy fields. A solution has been found. At the beginning of last season the committee reviewed all horses that raced in the previous season It was considered that 113 horses were unlikely to win a race at Wayville, ahd the committee therefore decided not to accept nominations for these horses.

RICCARTON NOTES (Special) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 27. A heavy fog again made the conditions bad for the work at Riccarton this morning. Some of the. trainers intended to do some schooling over hurdles, but they decided to wait for a clear morning, when they could see how their horses jumped. The fog disappeared later in the morning, v'hen rain set in. Mungatoon is bowling along in strong work, and G. Ridgway should have him in good order for the Otago Hunt meeting next week, after which it is expected that he will remain at Wingatui. J. McLean’s pair for the' same trip, Gold Don and Rousseau, are getting through useful tasks. . The Hastings trainer H. Griffith is still at Riccarton with Mr F. C. Christie’s three horses, but he will leave to-morrow for Invercargill, where he will remain until steamer transport is available to Melbourne, where thev are to do their spring racing. Prince Shad, who had a run in the Cashmere Plate, is a three-year-old by Paper Money, his dam, Wanaka. being a descendant of Silver Peak. The other two horses are two-year-olds. Silver Mask is a grey colt by Theio from Artful, while Pioneer is a weligrown bay, a brother to Jolly Time, by Paper Money from Mudlark. Both these youngsters have shown that they possess speed, and thev should turn out useful. Hughsotis, a recent addition to the team of A. S. Ellis, is a three-year-old owned by Mr H. V. Wareing. He is by Myosotis from Delphine, a sister to the useful galloper Adelphi, by Arausio from Delphi, by Hymettus. Being a very big horse, he may require time, biit if he trains on he should make a useful galloper. J. McLean has Sir Lysander under his care, and is training him for Mr H. Boyle. He is a five-year-old by Lysander from Queen Arausio, and though he has done, nothing of note lately he had some promising form as a two-year-old. Having won a race with Arabian Night at the Grand National meeting, C. Emerson has As Required as his maiden candidate for Ashburton. This Tiderace three-year-old is a good mover, with a fair turn of speed, and he may get some money soon. E. C. Parker is busy educating a two-year-old colt, purchased for 240gns at auction during the Grand National Week. He is by Paper Money from Fairwood, by Woodend from Fairform, a Boniform mare, whose other progeny included Rin Tin Tin and Charmaine (both by Some Boy II), also Tauramai (by Paladin), winner of the Great Autumn Handicap. The colt, who is of average size, is a good looker, with prospects of galloping well. He is being trained for Mr C. P. Agar, a Christchurch business man, who is having his first venture in ownership. NOTES FROM INVERCARGILL (Soecial) INVERCARGILL, Aug. 27. Spanish Lad has been sold to Mr H. G. Mason, of Invercargill. The 1941 Grand National Steeplechase winner. Astral Flame, has been having an easy time of it since he returned from Riccarton, and he looked none the worse for his recent racing when seen at the tracks yesterday morning. The Colonel Cygnus gelding will probably be taken to Trentham for the steeplechase events there in October F. W. Ellis brought to the track yesterday an attractive-looking two-year-old chestnut half-brother by Salmagundi to Royal Lancer. The youngster is only at the breaking-in stage, and he has been on the injured list as a result of a fall when he took fright at a passing lorry. He was on the lead at the time of the accident, and struck his, head on the bitumen so hard that he was stunned, and it was several minutes before he was able to get to his feet again. He is still showing some of the effects of the injury to his head, but appears to be making a complete recovery. The youngster was bred by his owner, Mr W, Swale, whose colours have been carried with such marked success by Royal Lancer. Three members of Mr W. E. Hazlett’s team were schooled over a hurdle at the racecourse yesterday morning. They were Anglo-French, Colonel Rouge, and True Range, and all three acquitted themselves very pleasingly, especially Anglo-French, who cleared the jump several times in faultless style. True Range is an unraced three-year-old gelding by Salmagundi from Direct Hit, the dam of Ballybrit, Shillelagh Wood, and Lochcorrib, and is a solidlv-built youngster. The Songbird mare Queen of Song has arrived on a visit to Man’s Pal.

BaJtruin. who had engagements at the Otago Hunt meeting, has been given away by Mr W. E, Hazlett to be used as a ’-"cfc.

COMBINED HUNT MEETING

(Special) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. The last of the North Island winter fixtures, the combined Taranaki and Egmont-Wanganui' Hunt Clubs’ annual meeting, will open at New Plymouth to-morrow. The Auckland winners Brandon Hall and Queen City have each been penalised 101 b, and Brandon Hall is now ineligible to start in the Trial , Hunters’ Steeplechase, which is for maidens at the time of starting. H. Gray’s two horses from Takanini. Kraal and Minko, met with an accident on the road down, and they will be unable to start. Trig Station has also been withdrawn from the Waihau Handicap, and it is understood that neither Brandon Hall nor General Ruse has made the trip. A good deal of rain fell in New Plymouth to-day, and while there were signs of a clearance later in the evening, the going is sure to be heavy. Betting will be win and place, and the following horses may be supported in their engagements:—! 1,45: Trial Hunters’ Steeplechase—Last Match, Promenade, and Rakete. 12.25; Weraroa Stakes, First division—Chef D’Oeuvre, Ocean Breeze, and Malo. 1.5: Weraroa Stakes, Second division— Salvation, Kalletopea, and Royal Talkie. 1.50: Whenuakura Hack Handicap— Bendemeer, Lucky Lulu, and Hinkler. 2.35: Hunt Cup Steeples—Conflagration Game Pit. and Silk Sox. 3.20: Waihau Handicap—Royal Star 11, Olympus, and Screen. Star. 4; Ladies’ Bracelet—Glen Connell, Cherry Plum, and Hokumai. 4.45: Waverley Handi-cap—Cetewayo-Le Marquis bracket, Nuna, and Spliced.

LITTLE GIANTS

The question of the size or lack of height in winners on the lightharness track recalls the fact that the subsequently famous Ribbonwood ran in pony races at Tahuna Park. He was then owned by the late M. Edwards, and afterwards joined the stable of D. J. Price, who handled Ribbonwood during his racing career, at the end of which the son of Wildwood was sold to Mr Playfair and went to the stud. When Ribbonwood won the match against Fritz he went a quartet in the first heat in 34sec, in the second heat 34 l-ssec, and in the third 32sec. The match was for £SOO each, with £IOO added, the best three heats out of five. On the final day at Addington Ribbonwood went an exhibition mile in 2min 9sec. No prize was stipulated, and thereby hangs a tale. In those days Addington was less than five furlongs, and there was a very sharp turn at the turn out of the straight. In reply to a question, D. J. Price informed the writer that Ribbonwood could then go a mile in 2min 6sec or better. In his match he cut out a quarter in 32sec, and he could sprint 30sec or better when spun out in his work. Ribbonwood was inbred to thoroughbred strains, and under American track conditions would probably have been the first New Zealand-bred horse to get inside two minutes. He became one of the greatest sires ever known on this side of the world. There is no doubt that D. J. Price became one of the greatest trainers and developers of speed ever known, and the fact was not fully recognised when he transferred the scene of his operations to Australia. He would use as much (in value) bodywash on a i horse as would feed another for a week or more. He was applying it to Sal Tasker at Addington one day after a race when he was asked what it cost. “About 3s or 45.” was the reply His first great winner was Princess, who won the Dunedin Exhibition Cup. He was just as great a reinsman as a trainer, and in light-weight days on the turf rode with considerable ability. He rode Sommeil when Carbine beat him in the Middle Park Plate by a head, and so came within an ace of, beating a world-famous horse in his first season on the turf. Amongst those at the recent Grand National meeting was Mr W. T Hazlett, who brought a message of goodwill from D. J. Price, who is now unfortunately not in the best state of health. Mr Hazlett visits Price, who is out at Oakleigh, every fortnight, and so keeps the friendly eye of one. New Zealander on another.