RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26175, 11 June 1946, Page 7

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel June 15 .. .. Oamaru J-C. June 15 .. .. Franklin R.C. June 15 .. .. Manawatu R.C.

Jottings One well-backed runner at Wingatui appears to have developed the same complaint as others got by the same sire—a lack of courage. The totalisalor registered £64,499 10s on the final day at Wingatui, compared with £52,629 on the corresponding day of last year’s meeting. Joygiver belongs to a short-pedigreed family, hut nevertheless claims relationship to some particularly high-class performers. They include Advance tone of the very best). Rosefeldt, and Tortulla (winners of the New Zealand Cup), as well as other high-class horses.

H. N. Wiggins has found the right compass to steer the way to the winning post in the Cornwall Handicap. Good Bay marked his fifth winner of the race, the others being Illumination, Sunny Sky. Lord Val, and Valmint. Platform, the winner of the Birthday Handicap, traces back to the Hammock taproot, which produced some particularly brilliant performers, including Conqueror. Day Dream, and Sommeil, the only horse that ever threatened to break Carbine’s unbeaten record when racing as a two-year-old Unfavourable Weather

This year’s English Derby has been described as “ the Raincoat Derby,” as it was preceded by a storm although the race was run in sunshine. This recalls the fact that St. Amant won in a thunderstorm, which frightened him into a great hurry to the winning post The famous Hermit, according to some accounts, won in a snowstorm. The cold atmosphere probably prevented a recurrence of the bleeding which Hermit developed before the race and sent him to an outside position in the betting. Money Bird

Money Bird is one of the last of Paper Money’s stock to race. He is now a six-year-old, rising seven, and but for a suspicion of unsoundness would have been much more successful. He has a doubtful fetlock joint, which naturally might go at any moment, particularly when racing m heavy going under big weights. Money Bird stood up to his races at Wingatui. and now appears to be quite sound and on the road to further success.

Promptitude A pleasing feature of the Wingatui season, which was concluded on Saturday, has been the marked improvament in the handling of totalisator investments. The receiving windows have been shut down with commendable promptitude, with the result that each day’s racing has been concluded well up to time. The punctuality has been appreciated, particularly by motorists travelling to participate in the meeting. A Difference

A correspondent states that the writer's suggestion of an “ amendment ” to the Gaming Act is probably asking far too much on the eve of an election. As- a matter of fact, an amendment of the Gaming Act was not suggested, but merely an extension of the present Act. There is a marked difference between extension and amendment. If a citizen desired to add a room or two to a buildnig that would be an extension, but an amendment could be construed into reconstruction, which might mean demolition, amounting -o rebuilding. This has occurred in connection with one of the principal hotels in Dunedin. The writer’s idea was a much more modest suggestion, but in transit from pen to printer the word •• Extension ” was changed to ‘ Amendment,” two words carrying very ditferent meanings. The Grey Airborne, the winner of this years Derby is a grey colt got by Precipitation from Bouquet, by Buchan—Hellespont, by Gay Crusader—Barrier, by Grey Leg—Bar the Way, by Right Away—Barrisdale, by Barcaldme. Precipitation was got by Hurry OnDouble Life, by Bachelor’s DoubleSt. Joan, by Willbrook—Flo Desmond. Precipitation won £18,419 and several important races, including the Ascot Gold Cup (two miles and a-half), the Queen’s Prize (two miles), the Jockey Club Stakes (one mile and three-quar-ters), and other events which proved him to be a good stayer. Airborne is not the first grey colt to win the Derby, and the success will make it a popular colour A grey colt in Mahmoud won in 1936, and was the first grey to win the classic. The colour traces back to Alcock’s Arabian, foaled about 1717. The colour of Derby winners is first mentioned in Ruff’s Guide in 1871. Chance on Paper

A good chance on paper does not always lead to success in the actual race. In the Otago Steeplechase Phil Boa 10.5 won by eight lengths from Siglow 9.8, who was six lengths m front of Slayer 10.1, with Roman Son 9.13 unplaced. In the Dunedin Steeplechase Phil Boa was meeting Roman Son on lib worse terms and Siglow on lib better terms than when they met on the first day. The figures suggested that Phil Boa would be the winner, but after a gallant race he could only finish a creditable third. Phil Boa looked a winner on paper, but bis race in the Duke of Gloucester Cup cost him a win at his own business as a proved horse over country. An even bigger certainty on paper was Knight Crusader, whose second in the Trial Stakes made him look a “ paper ” certainty for the Electric Stakes, as he had already beaten the majority of the field on similar terms on the first day. Knight Crusader ran to form, but had to be ridden out to beat an outsider in Slipshod. The result proved that the Novice Handicap was misplaced on the programme.

A Glance at History Sedgemere, who won the Aldworth Handicap by staying on well, is a five-year-old horse by Revelation—Siega, by Siegfried—Auriculus, by Lucullus— Wairarapa, by Sunny Lake—Arai te Uru, by Birkenhead—Fair Nell, by Apremont from Idalia, the dam of Sir Modred, the first New Zealand-bred horse to attract the attention of American studmasters to this country as a first-class nursery ground for the thoroughbred. Sir Modred proved such a great stud success that nis brothers— Idalium, Cheviot and July—were also bought for the stud by American studmasters. They were followed by Maxim. Artillery, and a few mares. Mr J. B. Haggin, who bought Sir Modred and Maxim, expressed a wish to buy St. Clair or lease him, but Sir George McLean declined to part with the son of Musket. When making a personal refusal to Mr Haggin’s request Sir George McLean said that St. Clair was only a small horse. “No matter,” replied Mr Haggin, “I want his blood.” St. Clair was foaled in 1882, and his dam started a line of champions, including Multiform, Cruciform, and others who stamped their names prominently in the Turf Register and Stud Book.