RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26367, 23 January 1947, Page 8

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel

January 25 .. .. Wellington R.C. January 25, 29 ~ Auckland' R.C. January 25. Feb. 1 Pahiatua R.C. February .1 .. .. Canterbury J.C, February 1 .. .. Winton J.C. Jottings Ashley Reed has applied for a trainer’s licence in Melbourne. It would seem that Longsword is not a solid two-mtler. He finished last but one in the Wellington Cup. Dr Vinci, the winner of the Telegraph Handicap, is trained by *J. M. Cameron, who trained The Hawk and other notable performers. It is understood that Signal Officer will be given a spell. Muscle soreness has been troubling him. Bay Fort, the winner of the Nursery Handicap at Treutham yesterday, is a bay colt by Broiefort from Bayadeer, and is trained by E. J. Ellis. His only previous start was in the Irwell Handicap at Riccarton. Missed the “ Hat Trick ” W. J. Broughton was unfortunate in not getting the ,T hat-trick ” at Trentham on Saturday, when he rode four winners. After saluting the judge in the fourth and fifth races he was on the runner-up in the sixth, and he then took the last two events. Foxbridge Mare Carmelita, who has been racing very consistently, is a four-year-old mare by Foxbridge from Lady Rampion, an Aus-tralian-bred mare by Rampion from Lady Garloch, by Mountain King from Martick. a sister to Sasanof. Family of Winners Yasda comes from a family which has had many useful winning representatives in the Dominion. His dam. Lady Phroso, is by Beau Pere from Phrosa, by Limond from Cowl, by King Rufus. Cowl proved a prolific brood mare, nine of her foals winning over £32,000. Among them were The Monk, Mask, and Rational. One of her fillies was Veil, who to Limond produced Veilmond, successful as a racehorse and sire in Australia. Fields of Quality Races at weight-for-age generally attract small fields, but if the class is fairly even thev arouse plenty of interest, even when only two or three go to the post. This does not apply to classic races run at special weights. All the history of races goes to show that the main interest in racing does not depend on large fields, but principally on the merit of the horses engaged. Origin of Colours How many of the patrons of the turf have any idea as to the origin and reason for the colours worn by jockeys. They date back to 1762, during the reign of George 111. Before that time, going back as far as the days of Charles 11, King from 1660 to 1680, jockeys had used bright coloured taffetas, but so many of them wore identical hues that it was impossible to distinguish one from the other after they left the post. In 1762 the Duke of Cumberland initiated the practice of specifying the colours his riders would wear. Immediately thereafter eighteen others of the “ 400 followed suit, and in a short time the custom was in vogue wherever there was horse racing. The colours chosen by the duke were purple, and they were first worn at the second October meeting at Newmarket in 1762. The duke will be best remembered as the breeder of Eclipse, foaled in 1764, the year of the great eclipse of the sun, and cne of the greatest race horses of the thoroughbred strain as well as one of its greatest progenitors. Dunedin Cup Associations An interesting feature of the pedigree of the Auckland Cup winner Sylis is the fact that he traces back to two Dunedin Cup winners on the dam’s side to Gipsy Grand and Tempest. Gipsy Grand was a really high-class horse, who was said to have ended his racing career by ricking a joint through treading on a stone. Those who know said he should have won the New Zealand Cup that was won by Euroclydon. Gipsv Grand joined the Elderslio stud, but could not be considered a success. A great judge in the late Mr G. G. Stead bought several Gipsy Grand yearlings, but the only winners of note were Grand Rapids (the New Zealand Cup) and a marc named Bagpipes. Gipsy Grand developed into a massive horse and was one of the type that some authorities claim never make a successful sire. Tempest produced winners of handicap merit but nothing of outstanding class. In those days Dunedin stables housed some good class horses, -.ady Emma won the Dunedin Cup in 1882, and in 1884 in Sir George McLean’s Zetland spots, and St. James won in the same colours in 1890. The stable won in 1897 with Lord Rosslyn. In 1892 Mr J. Stephenson (racing partner of the late Mr James Hazlett) won with Occident and Tempest in 1892 and 1893. A Dunedin owner won with Casket in 1895, and Gipsy Grand scored for Messrs Stephenson and Hazlett in 1896. The last Dunedin Cup run at Forbury Park was won by Starshot in 1898, and the first Dunedin Cup run at Wingatui by Djin Djin in 1899.