RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25589, 17 July 1944, Page 2

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel

The report that Platform has been sold for a big figure is denied by the owner. Fair Queen, the dam of Royal Heir, is not in the Stud Book. He was got by Hunting Song. . , Trials under racing conditions are being carried out in Australia as one way of reducing balloting horses out of a race. Borak, the winner of the Winter Hurdles was got bv Nightmarch—Variant, by Limond—Motley, by Absurd—Pennon. It has been decided in West Australia that only the stock of Stud Book mares will be eligible for entry in classic evqnts. The West Australian Turf Club has purchased the Belmont and Goodwood racecourses with the object of entirely suppressing proprietory racing. Boloyna appeared to be taken out too soon in the Parliamentary Handicap. The tactics however, proved successful in the Birthday Handicap at Wingatui. Acceptances are due on Friday for the Grand National Steeples, the Grand National Hurdles, and the Winter Cup. Nominations are also due for the minor events on the programme. * Flahuluk, the winner of the Parliamentary Handicap, is a rising five-year-old gelding bv Musketoon from Elope, a grey mare bred in Australia and got by Chrysolaus—Secret Wedding, by William the Silent— Wedding Present, by Trenton. Invincible has always been regarded as a good stayer because he finishes on well, but he requires a strong rider. He was foaled in 1937 and got by Nigger Minstrel —Fly Ladv bv Flying King—Miss Cello, bv Montecello— Stepaside, by Wallace. Nominations for the McLean Stakes of £4OO the Champagne Stakes of £SOO, and the Dunedin Guineas of £SOO, are due on Friday. July 21. The entries are free 'for present yearlings, and in the event of a horse dying before the date of the fiist forfeit the entry becomes void. It is estimated that owing to a ban being placed on a meeting that was to take place at Moonee Valley patriotic funds lost £2OOO, and the Victorian Government lost about £SOOO in taxation and about £2OOO in betting taxes and a similar amount in entertainment tax. The club had printed 30,000 race books for the meeting, which was banned on the previous evening. , , The suggestion is made in the BloodHorse, journal of the American Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, that an international conference of thoroughbred stud book authorities should be called to determine the position with regard to those horses which the Germans “ bought ” from French studs in the early days of the occupation of France. In this, as with many of the industries in occupied countries', the Germans have acted cleverly in giving an apparent legality to their “ puchases.” It may not be the simple matter that some people imagine to repudiate these deals, or to prove that the horses, or factories, were in effect stolen from their original owners. No doubt some Frenchmen were willing collaborators and were not averse to selling their bloodstock to the conquerors. It may even be that some who had authority to

act for their British or American employers dealt with the enemy though in all probability such deals were not freely negotiated. If Germany can retain and gain recognition for the bloodstock she has taken from France she will be in a fair way of achieving the position she has long coveted as an important source of breeding and racing stock for international trade. But recognition by the stud book authorities of various countries —and particularly by Messrs Weatherby. owners of the General Stud Book—is an absolute essential if Germany is to cash in on the transfer of stock.