IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3596, 13 February 1923, Page 43

IN A NUTSHELL.

Palestrina is the only „ South Islander engaged in the Wanganui Cup. Nominations for the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting close on March 2. The Tapanui Jockey Club’s jubilee meeting will be held on Wednesday of this week. Nominations for the Lake County Jockey Club’s meeting are due on Monday, February 19. Trespass, who won last year’s Dunedin Cup, finished well in the ruck in this year’s contest. Nominations for the Gore Racing Club’s meeting are due on Monday, February 19, at 5 p.m. The mishap to Income could not have been very serious, as he figures in the Wanganui Cup. Avispado did not shape up to the expectations based on Iris runaway win at Invercargill. It is reported that J. M. ‘ Cameron has purchased The Hawk, who is to be shipped to Australia. Bad weather prevented the Dunedin Cup meeting from being the success which it promised to be. The Australian-bred pacer Minston Derby is again doing strong work, and so is his stable-mate, Sheik. The Nelson Bingen—Norice stallion Native King has arrived in Christchurch and will be trained by A. Cox. Mr E. Simpson, of Wellington, has had the misfortune to lose a colt foal by Arrowsmith from Rose de Val. Windermere is to be schooled over hurdles, and may perhaps be more successful over jumps than he has been on the flat. Samum looked an improved horse when he won last week, and evidently does better at Riccarton than when trained in the south. Kick Off, who was allowed to drop out of his Dunedin Cup engagement, appears to have had ah easy win in the Egmont Cup. Judging by the way she cracked up in the Hazlett Memorial Glentruin would not have stood much chance in the Dunedin Cup with 9.0. Eaton Bells had to be content with two seconds at the Dunedin Cup meeting. She is a growing filly and should improve with age. Frisco Mail, who was coming on when he finished third in the Warrington Handicap, is a half-brother by San Francisco to Royal Star. The first day of the Dunedin Cup meeting was got off under ideal weather conditions, but the seoond card was drowned in rain. The Southland owner, Mr W. Baird, has purchased Valdamo from Mr G. D. Greenwood. The price is said to have been 200 guineas. Solfanello is stacking up a series of defeats, but the handicappers connot forget that he won the Stewards’ Handicap of 1921 with 9.3. It is stated that L. Wilson, in addition to training for the Douglas Estate, will also take charge of some of Mr W. G. Stead’s youngsters. The Kilbroney— Ribble colt purchased by Mr G. D. Greenwood at 375 guineas has been sold at an advance of 25 guineas |to Mr T. Duncan. The death is reported of Mr Robert Duder, the well-known Auckland horse-owner. He raced in partnership with his brother, M'r Richard Duder. The next Dunedin Cup meeting will mark a span of half a century since Lurline won in 1874. No doubt the D.J.C. will celebrate a jubilee meeting. The Dunedin Cup winner, Roseday, together with a full brother in Tione, cost about- 2000gns when they were purchased from Mr W. Stone. The Martian gelding Meteorite, who has been a failure since he won tire Dunedin Stakes of 1920, will in future carry Mr C. O. T. Rutherford’s colours. Two horses spread plates on the last day at- Wingatui and supplied evidence that every club should retain a farrier to be on the scene during a race meeting. Halgina, the winner of the Juvenile Handicap at Egmont, was got by Hallowmas from Ma Mie Rosette, the dam of Signor, the winner of the Canterbury Cup of 1908.

The Balboa gelding Baldowa got cast in his box on the eve of the Dunedin Cup meeting and received injuries that prevented him from fulfilling his engagements. Wild Hind, the winner of the Champagne Stakes, is a full sister te Royal Stag, who won the Dunedin Cup of 19*2i, and also to a particularly smart filly in Moorfowl. The Absurd —Bronze colt Glenross,’ who cost 1175 guineas as a yearling when sold in 1921, is said to b? affected with a nose trouble which has made him untrainable. Mustard Pot was struck out of the rest of his engagements at the Dunedin Cup meeting because he was placed in the rogues’ pen when at the post for the Publicans’ Handicap. M'r A. D. MTvor’s starting during the three days of the Dunedin Cup meeting was quite satisfactory, and he invariably had his fields in good line when they were sent away. Mr J. F. Reid has secured a lease of Kilbroney, who will join the Burnside stud. Ihe North Island mares which have been booked to him will come south to Burnside. Listening Post made a poor show at the hmsh of his first two races at the Dunedin Cup meeting, but stayed on much better Mantua day wllen finishing second to , Strathglass looked big and lusty when snipped tor the Owhiro Hurdles. He trai n tl ,' e early I ,art of the race, meeting's ‘ right f ° r the autumD »n!i,| Il r i l 1 ' le lo , und Loughrea rather too 1 V f ‘V 11 when they met in the President s Handicap, but although he was meeting him at level weights he was giving away a year in age. 6 8 away Mazama was not produced again after his win in the Autumn Hurdles. He has imhe°'did \oi°°'h a< \ a llurdJer > although won last week " “ Uch to beat when Kh^Bruo 18 ' built ,° n B P‘ d ery lines, and, like trv fffrin <3k ßpider - ahe will try. try, and last rtav of S n? Fhiing" Handicap Wj * en She th * Insurrection looked on the light side and a bit overdone when he stripped for the ,P up > and hlB efforts at Die meeting suggest that he was a lot below his form of 12 months ago. As a rule Bezonian’s stock cannot stay, and that perhaps is the reason why Cupidon is Sucll + a B« >d horse over a journey as those got by Martian. Cupidon is by Martian out of a Bezonian mare. Eleus stayed on and finished third in the unedm Cup, and if he stands up to hie work shouM pick up a race before long. He slightly injured one of his legs in a gallop a few days before tfie meeting. The Waimate Racing Club’s meeting will take place on March 15, and the Timaru trotting meeting on March 17. It will be a good opportunity for owners of trotters to patronise both meetings on the same journey. J Kilris was well backed in the Hopeful Handicap, but Owlscombe had no great difficulty in giving 151 b and a beating. Eaton Bells split them at the finish, and just lasted long enough to keep Kilris out of second money. The very lengthy racing partnership which existed between Mr Frank Griffen and Mr J. M Combe has been severed, and Sunny Loch raced in the latter’s colours, “royal blue and cense hoops,” at the Dunedin Cup meeting. Tapanui meeting will be identified with the jubilee of this club, and should attract additional interest on that account. Incursio, Border Knight, and Bloom may prove to be well backed horses seen out at the meeting. Limelight has finished second in her three latest races at Wingatui. She was second to Sliver Peak m the St. Andrew’s Handicap, second to Vespucci in the Publicans’ and second to Many Kittle in the Homes 1 Handicap. Dazzle Dazzle found herself unable to concede 141 b to Wild Hind in the Champagne Stakes, but sbe stuck to her task and staved on under difficulties. It was perhaps a mistake to go out with Wild Hind and set a solid pace under 9.7. The Waimate Racing Club will hold its annual race meeting on Thursday, March 15, cup valued at 50sovs) will be the principal wuien the Waimate Cup, of 375sovs (including event on the card. Nominations are due on Monday, February 19. Militaire, who won a double at Egmont, is a relation of Roseday’s as his grand-dam is also the grand-dam of Rosalia, who threw Roseday. Militaire was got by Martian from Vicereine, by' Birkenhead, and was bred at the Waikanae stud. Contempt, who got among the winners at Wingatui last week, is a half-sister to Bee, the Dunedin Cup winner of 1917, Snub, the winner of the 'Dunedin Guineas of 1915, and a full sister to Disdainful, the winner of the Dunedin Stakes of 1915. Tamatete won the Egmont Stakes after a good battle with The Hawk and Rational, but was -not produced in the Hawera Stakes, which went to The Hawk. Rational failed to stay on in the latter race and was baaten by Lis towel for second l honours. Limelight cannot act in heavy ground, and for that reason was allowed to drop out of her engagements on the final day oi the Dunedin Cup meeting. The heavy going was also responsible for other horses being allowed to remain in their boxes. Happy Voyage showed a return to form at Addington by winning in 2min 41 3-ssee, or a shade worse than a 2.9 gait over a mile and a-quarter. The two-year-olds Logan Chief and Great Hope shaped well in finishing close no to the Australian crack. F. Shaw has purchased Mr W. Stone’s interest in Eleus. If the Elysian gelding had won the Dunedin Cup instead of running third it would have formed a. connecting link with the past as his third dam, Pungawerewere, won the Dunedin Cup of 1876. A _ well-known figure was missing from Wingatui during the Cup meeting, when Mr T. Walker, the well-known pressman, became conspicuous by absence. Mr Walker has not been in the best of health, bjjt his many friends hope to see him about again in the near future. Loughrea was the champion hack of the Dunedin Cup meeting, and will win in better company than he has yet met. He was bred By his owner, Mr L. C. Jd.azlett, and got by Kilbroney from Sister Radius, by Charlemagne ll—St. Regis, by Hotchkiss—St. Evelyn. by St. Leger—Lady Evelyn, by Perkin War beck—Pulchra-. Mr G. D. Gxeenwood was amongst those present at the Dunedin Cup meeting, and when seated on the stewards’ stand amidst a number of ‘‘gentlemen of the cloth” was heard to remark that he had never been in better company. He was in fact a racing lion in a den of Daniels. Royal Star was always close up in the Dunedin Cup, without looking particularly' dangerous. He finished fourth, but could not go with them, or at the finish of the D.J.C. Handicap. The Lady Victoria gelding looks well to the eye, but is a long while in getting back to form.

Despite the fact that it was common property that Vescpucci had been well supported in the ante-post betting on the Publicans’ Handicap, he was allowed to pay a good price on the tota-lisator. He just lasted long enough to stall off Limelight, who came with a fast run at the finish. Many Kittle picked up 910eovs in stakes at the Dunedin Cup meeting, or just about half the money ne was priced at some few weeks ago. Judging by the way he stayed on at the end of both his races, as well as in the Stead Gold Cup, he is more at home over a middle distance than when trying to foot it with the sprinters. Petunia seemed to have derived considerable benefit from bis race in the Waverley Handicap, as he gave nothing a chance with him at the finish of the Warrington Handicap. Pelnnia is a brother to Grotesque, but is said to be a difficult horse to train, as he goes off his feed if asked to get through regulation tasks on the track. Cupidon became the "paddock final” in the Dunedin Cup. He looked well to the eye but a shade big and round. When it came to business he made a poor show at the finish after being well enough placed over the first nine or ten furlongs. It is understood he was showing signs cf lameness aftuf his race owing to being galloped on. Sharp Burst made a poor display in thk Trial Stakes, but in the sloppy ground on the second day he won comfortably. This seemed to give him a chance in the Waihola Handicap, but he again ran badly, and is evidently rather moderate. He is a half brother to Fleetfoot and First Flight, but will have to improve a lot to join their class. Just as the field was finishing in the Abbotsford Welter the car which conveyr officials to the starting post dashed up oa the inside of the rails as the leaders were passing the winning post. The sudden appearance oi the car might have caused the horses to swerve and bring about an accident, but fortunately no trouble arose from the incident. It is, however, one that should not be repeated. Dame Straitlace charged straight into the rails shortly after the start of the President’s Handicap, and although F. C. Porter rode again at the meeting he was suffering from an injured back. Some years ago Porter received a fall in a hurdle iace and damaged his hearing powers so much that he suffered partial deafness. He is now completely deaf in one ear, but the full powers of bearing recently returned to the other. Although General Advance was doing good work nrior to the Cup meeting he mod© no show in his races. He was with the leaders lor about five furlongs in the Dunedin Cup, but then dropped back and never recovered - his ground. They ran this tirst half-mile in 50sec, and the abrupt change of tactics may have tangled him up as they went from one extreme to the other. The soft going on the last day was against him. The Hallowmas filly Valerie scored in both the chief sprints run at the Egmont meeting. She showed good form as a two-year-old last saeson, when she won three races out of four starts. On the occasion of her last win as a two-year-old she carried 8.11 and oCat The Empeior 8.12, Mountain Lion 9.10, Enthusiasm 7.10, and several others. Valerie was got by Hallowmas by Bonny Portland, by Bonif nn from Helen Portland, the dam of Bonny Helen. Some rather indifferent horsemanship was displayed during the Dunedin Cup meeting. There are times when a rider makes such a poor display that one is left in doubt os to whether the jockey is trying to win or trying to lose. On such occasions the rider should be placed on the carpet and administered a reprimand that would assist Ills future guidance and also make him officially acquainted with the fact that his horsemanship or lack ol it Old not escape notice. Kerb ran three good races at Wingatui last week. She was a fair third in the Publicans’ Handicap, won the Titri Handicap, and was a good third to Mantua in the Flying Handicap. She looked to have her full share of weight in the last-named race at 71b from Listening Post, who gave her 351 b and a beating at Invercargill last month. Kerb appears to getting more solid and has furnished out into a fine cut of a mare. She was got by Markhope from the Martian mare Fender. Many Kittle was one of the heroes of the Dunedin Cup meeting, where he won both his races in fine style. It is not surprising that he can gallop, as his dam is a sister to Boniform and a half-sister to Martian. She, however, has been a somewhat erratic producer, as the list of her foals will show. Sunglow, the dam of Many Kittle, has produced Moonglow, Xanthos, Splendant, Afterglow Will Prosper, Sungleam, end Many Kit'le. She was represented at the last yearling sales by a sturdily-built colt by Greyspeare, who filled the eye as a rather likely sort. After Don Wild won the Dunedin Trotting Cun his owner, Miss N. Gunn, through the medium of her trainer, A. Fleming, invited the press gallery to drink her health in a few gold tops. Miss Gunn was congratulated not only on winning the Dunedin Trotting Cup, but also on winning it with an unhoppled pacer. “She’s a jolly good girllow, she’s a jolly good girllow, " and next day Messrs D. Young and W. Blake, the owners of Young Blake, also invited the room to toast the health of the winner of the New Zealand Trotting Stakes in gold top. More power to the free-legged brigade. A private watch-holder who was at the start of the Dunedin Cup timed Corn Rigs to run the first mile and a-quarter of the race in 2 5 from post to post. The starting post for the Cup is close to the “quarter pole” on the course, and accurate timing is thus an easy matter. Corn Rigs ran the first mile in 1.39 4-5, and on that form one would think him a fair thing for shorter races at the meeting, but he failed to gain a place in either of them. He generally collapses if kept” busy, but is hard to beat if something in a race does not get to him and make him do the work all the way. Roseday defied the handicap when he won the Dunedin Cup. He met Cupidon twice over a mile and a-half and each time the latter finished in front, yet he met Roseday on lib better terms than when they ran at the Wellington meeting. Some would claim that the result of the race justified the handicap, but nothing, or at only one thing, can justify a hamlicapper treating a loser worse than a winner. Every horse in a handicap is entitled to a least a chance on paper, and if losers are penalised more than winners the purnose of the handicap supposed to equalise the chance of winning is lost. Backers went solidly for Cupidon and Gold Light in the Dunedin Cup- but they finished well outside the places. Gold Light looked to have a chance when she was up with the leaders at the home turn, but she. faded out in the straight. She helped to keep Glentruin busy over the ifiist five furlongs of the Hazlett Memorial, but, although 6he could not go on with it, she at least helped Many Kittle to beat the English mare. At present it seems as if a mile and' a-quarter is

quite far enough for the daughter of liyruettus and Simper, as she evidently had every opportunity in the Dunedin Gup, but found the distance and weight beyond her powers. The secretary of the Auckland Owners and Breeders’ Association arranged a meeting of owners and trainers with Mr IT. \V. Edwards last week, the object being to give those concerned an opportunity of airing their grievances against what they consider unfair handicapping. All the owners and trainers were under the impression that handicapping should Ire done on past performances, but Mr Edwards explained that his tystem of handicapping was not so. Post performances were certainly a secondary consideration, but he used liis own judgment entirely as to what mark he considered horses should be on, and he placed them accord.ngly. The meeting lasted two hours. The many friends, and they are leigon, of S. Waddell were very pleased to see the veteran looking in robust health during his stay for thr Dunedin Cup meeting. They would have been very much better pleased if he could have “led iu a winner* at the meeting, and so marked a big red-letter day in his career. It was liis first visit to Wingatui during a race meeting, an/ in conversation with him during training operations he spoke in high of the course, sud was particularly impressed with, the plough gallop, which, he said, could rot be better. It is to be hoped *'old Stuart" will come back with better luck next time he (lakes an assault on our racing headquarters. , There was a demonstration against the •udge’s decision after the Subui ban Welter, tjonflict finished second, but Mirza’s number was hoisted in second place, and although the numbers were twice pulled down Mirza still retained his position. The judge walked back 10 the stewards’ stand, where apparently hia attention was drawn to the mistake, which was »t once rectified. There still seems to be an idea abroad that a judge cannot alterthe numbers after he has left the box. The rule »n the point reads as follows: —“The decision if the judge declaring a horse to have won, ir to be entitled to a place shall be final is determining the order in which the horses lave passed the winning poet; provided that 'lie judge may correct any mistake within 0 minutes.” Scrimmage made a boid bid in the Duuydin Oup, in which she was beaten a neck through Roseday getting a somewhat lucky run on the rails. She mode a one-horse race of it in the D.J.C. Handicap when meeting Roseday on about 7lb betfer terms, with the latter carrying a rise of 15lb on his Cup weight. Scrimmage was got by Antagonist from Mad Whirl, and stays better than the majority of the stock left by her sire. A. H. iWlson had Roseday well placed all through the run for the Dunedin Cup, and brought him on the rails to get up and beat Scrimmage in the last few strides by a neck, but the winner appeared to be doing his best. On the last day Roseday was travelling well for about a mile or more in the D.J.C. Handicap, but he did not seem able to make any impression on Scrimmage as she came up the running. When the field broke away at the start of the Dunedin Cup Silver Peak at once faded from view, and it was thought that she either stood on the mark or swerved at the rise of the barrier. What she really did was to trot off the mark, and it required a good deal of persuasion to make her break into a gallop. Of course, this put her hopelessly out of it, but a similar case cannot be called to mind where a thoroughbred has actually trotted off the mark at the rise of the barrier. She went away with the field in the Homes Handicap, and was well enough placed near the home turn to have a winning chance when she appeared tc suffer interference. It appears as if the mare had not forgotten her fall at Trentham, and since has showed a reluctance to gallop in a field. She is to be treated to a epell. The D.J.C. still uses the “rogues’ pen” for fractious horses at the barrier, and a horse once there ; s, of course, a marked animal. It was for this reason that F. D. Jones took offence at Mustard Pot being placed there ae it might create a prejudice against him at other meetings. An earner has good grounds for objecting to a horse being placed in a pen on the extreme outside of a field, as in doing so a club appears to be going outside the authority allowed by the rules, which state that “the starter may place any horse which, in his opinion, is likely by misbehaviour to prevent a fair start, in any position he may think proper in the rear of the field.'’ This is intended to mean that if a horse draws an inside position he should not suffer the disadvantage of being placed right on the outside of the field even if he is a bit fractious at the post. In the lawsuit which arose out of a claim for damages in connection with Noblesse Oblige, sold as a yearling for £IO,OBO, it was admitted that the colt had knocked his hip as a foal, but it was not considered a matter of much consequence. When the youngster went into training, it was discovered he suffered from a fractured pelvis. The colt ran in seven races and showed moderate form. Mr J. White, who made the claim for damrelied on an implied warranty of soundness at the sale of the Sledmere yearlings in 1920. It seems rather strange that an owner should keep a horse for two years and then sue for the return of the purchase money. If the celt had been returned within seven days the money would have been refunded owing to tire conditions of sale. The judge held that the plaintiff must have been aware that the colt had a dropped hip and held that the action must fail. Although Roseday was sent up 131 b and Scrimmage about 81b on what they coined in the Dunedin Cup, the rank and file of those engaged in the D.J.C. Handicap were practically at the eame weights as they carried on the first day of the meeting. This seems to be handicapping not sufficiently elastic to give the defeated brigade a chance of getting some of the money. Preconceived ideas of form should form the basis of a handicap, but it should lie open to what cue might term sympathetic alteration unless there is good reason to adhere to original ideas. When the weights were issued for the D.J.C. Handicap it found that Silver Peak, C'lpidon, Royal Star, and General Advance were allotted the same weight as they carried in the Cup. Eleus and Corn Rigs were raised lit- each. Insurrection and Trespass were dropped 21b. and Silent King had lib Ices to carry. The material difference between nine of the runners in the Cup amounted to very little, and suggests that they represented the same form over 10 furlongs as over a mile and a-half. J. M’Comb was very dissatisfied with the treatment of Sunny Loch in the D.J.C. Handicap through Com Rigs, and had good reason to complain. Sunny Doch was handicapped to give Com Rigs 51b in the Wyndham Oup, in which Silver Fcak (8.12) beat Com Rigs (7.12) a neck in 2.8. Sunny Doch did not start. In the Invercargill CurSunny Doch (8.1) won and Corn Rigs (8.0) did not start. In tlie Southland Handicap fane rriila and a distance) Corn Riga (8.4)

won, and Sunny Loch (3.13) was third. Tn the D.J.C'. Handicap Sunny Loch was asked to give Corn Rigs 121 b and m&et him oti 3lb worse terms than when the latter last met and beat- the Sunny Loch gelding. Corn Rigs won the Riverton Cup and the Waimate Cup with 7.10 in 2.G 4-5. In addition he beat Sunny Loch at 91b in the Otago Handicap. Corn Rigs has also won twice over a mile «a*nd distance, whilst Sunny Loch's* only winning performance over a mile and a-quarter was in the Invercargill Cup, when he was lucky to beat Silver Peak. Sunny Loch was also badly treated in the D.J.C. Handicap through Silver Peak, who gave him 161 b and ran him to a head in the Invercargill Cup. She then went on and beat a good field, at Wellington, and on the last day at Wingatui met Sunny Loch on 61b batter terms than in the Invercargill Cup. A good deal of interest was taken in the Hazlett Memorial, although only a small field went to the post. Crlcntniin, who had been held in reserve for the race, went out carrying 345 more chances than Many Kittle, whilst Gold Light had 272 chances less support than the Sunglow gelding. They jumped away in good line with Glentruin first to show out. Gold Light joined in and carried the English marc along until three furlongs from home, when the latter went on. Until this stage Many Kittle was lying in behind the leaders. He got to her at the distance and beat her home comfortably by half a length after obviously having her measure well down the running, but Emmerson, nursing her home for a final effort, got his mount close up at the finish. Glentruin has a rare turn of speed, and it would probably have suited her much better if it had been held in reserve for a dash home instead of being sent out to win all the way. A slow-run race should be in her favour, but Many Kittle would have taken a power of beating no matter how the r.ace was run, as he finished full of running at the Gold Light dropped back in the straight, and Trespass could not pace it with the others. They ran the first half mile in 30 and the full journey in 1.42 2-5 on soft going, so that the pace % was on all the way.