RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24716, 19 September 1941, Page 3

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel FIXTURES September 20.—Marlon J.C. September 20, 22.—Poverty Bay T.C. September 26, 27.—Geraldine R C. September 27.—Foxton R.C September 27, 29.—Ohinemun .1-C. October 2, 4,—Hawke’s Bay J.C. October 9, 11.—Masterlon R.C. October 11 13.—Dunedin J.C ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT “Inquirer.”—(l) £5 18s, £2 ss; <2) £6 9s. £2 18s 6d: (3) £ll 11s. £3 9s. / A Loss—The cancellation of the Wellington winter meeting cost the club over £IOOO. Merry Simon.— The Gascony gelding Merry Simon, who is engaged at Geraldine. has been in F. Trilford’s stable at Timaru since the Otago Hunt Club's meeting. Beau Vite.— Beau Vite is the thirteenth New Zealand horse to win the Chelmsford Stakes in 19 years, and the sixth in succession.

Daylight. —According to a snapshoi of the finish of the Avondale Stakes, won by ißonriy Pay, Daylight was second —several lengths of it to the next best.

Early Foal— The English mare Stourbridge' Fair has produced a colt foal to Kinnoull. The youngster who arrived in mid-August, is probably the first by the Pink Coat horse. New Position.— A plan and an estimate are to be procured for the proposed new judge’s box at Washdyke The idea is to place it high up on the eastern end of the stewards stand If the work is undertaken, it is probable that races now run over a mile and 35 yards will be reduced to a standard mile. Old Age.— Merrick, claimed to be the oldest horse in the history pf , e thoroughbred, died at Lexington. U.S.A., shortly after attaining his thirty-eighth year. One of the oldest thoroughbreds in this country is Kaui King, winner of the Grand National Hurdles in 1918. Foaled in 1910, he is in his thirty-second year. A Compliment.—At the annual meet-, ine of the Wellington Racing Club Mr R. L. Macalister said that when Mr Riddiford entered office m 1932 the club’s liability stood at £loo.ooo, but, thanks to fj} e P o ], n nn ° P li d \vas had been reduced to £61.000. It was a matter for congratulation, but it had only been achieved by hard work on the' part of the president and the committees serving under him. Ambitious Eye. —The North Island rider S. Waddell evidently has an ambitious eye on a Grand National or two. as he is schooling horses over hurdles. Good Going —The Timaru Herald reports that there will be no more burn--up tracks at Washdyke. unless the river runs dry. A channel has been cut inside the railing of the main course, and it will be a simple matter to nooa the track at any time with water drawn from the Opihi at Kerrytown. Similar provision for the trotting circuit was made some time ago. The irrigation scheme will not only enable the race tracks to be kept green during the most protracted drought, but will be equally beneficial to the training gallops. At Trcntham. The Wellington Racing Club stewards have decided to follow the practice in general use in other countries and for the spring meeting a new race-time schedule was to be adopted. It just meant that immediately a race was run the totalisator would be opened for the next race Then. 10 minutes before the official starting time the horses would come into the birdcage, and. in compliance with the Rules of Racing, would parade in front of the stands and then go to the starting post.:

Youngest Winning Jockey.— When the apprentice jockey J. L. Sti'alhern won the Grand National Steeples on Astral Flame last month he was proclaimed as the youngest horseman ever to win a steeplechase of importance, as he is only 17 years old. Subsequently the name of W. Naylor, who rode The Guard to victory in 1900. was mentioned. In contemporary accounts of the race he was described as the youngest and lightest rider to have been successful over the Riccarlon country. Nowever no record of Naylor’s age was discoverable. Mr T. O’Connor a resident of Underwood, Southland, states that he spoke to young Naylor after he won on The Guard, and was so struck by his youthful appearance that he asked the jockey his age. He looked a mere schoolboy, and could not have weighed more than 7.0. Naylor’s reply was. “Just 16 past." Annual Meeting. —At the annual meeting of members of the Wellington Racing Club the president. Mr E. L. Riddiford. remarked that there was little in the balance sheet which called for comment and the year, taking ail factors into consideration, had been satisfactory. The club's liability to the bank had increased during the past 12 months by £13,571, and the final result of the year’s operations had shown a net loss of £239 Is 2d. However, the position was not quite as black as at first appeared, for the club had paid off its War Loan indebtedness to the extent of £5720 and. in addition. had carried out most necessary improvements at the racecourse at an erection cost of £5966 10s lOd. It was disappointing that no funds were available for patriotic distribution in the terms of the committee's promise to the Government, but the loss (due to wet weather) of the Labour Day holiday date and then the abandonment of the winter meeting had been severe financial blows. The club had made much headway in the last six or seven years, but even now it was necessary to watch finances closely, as it was obvious from the balance sheet that the club’s position was not yet strong enough to withstand setbacks such as these.