IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 60

IN A NUTSHELL.

The Hawk is again in work. Commendation is once more on the active list. Sea Pearl lias been purchased by Mr G. M'Millan. of Auckland. The Mountain Knight gelding Toa Tana made a poor show in his races last week. The crack pacer Minton Derby has been shipped back to Sydney. The New Zealand Derby of 1927 will carry a stake of 2Qoosovs. Tigerland looked big in condition when racing last week, and should strip a better horse when next seen out. A six-strand barrier is used at Ellerslie, and its width has the effect of steadying a field tyvheri lining up at the post. Eaton Bells -was well supported for the Empire Handicap, but she never looked dangerous at any part of the race. Nominations for the Canterbury Jockey Club's classic events are due on Friday. Nominations close on Friday, June 11, for the D.J.C. MLean Stakes, Champagne Stakes, and Dunedin Guineas. One race in the heavy ground seemed to be quite sufficient for some of the horses seen out last week. A proposal to lift the Accident Fund fee to £1 10s will come before the Racing Conference. Osterman gave a good display over fences when he won the Tahuna Steeples. He finished on well, and should win again over country.

C. Emerson did liot ride a winner /luring the three days of the Dunedin Winter meeting. A. Ruthven had to keep Isla Bank verybusy to hunt her into second place in the Tahuna Steeples. Palencia labours too much to stay in the heavy going that existed at Wingatui last week. Adjutor went out fit and well for hia races last week, but found the weight and the going too much for him. Last Dart is going on satisfactorily in his work, but was not deemed forward enough in condition to race last week. Chic-kwheat was a very strong tip for the Farewell Handicap, but, even so, failed to finish in a place. Sprinkler will have to come on a lot before lie reaches anything like the form of his more celebrated brother Billiewinkie. Acceptances for the Ashburton Trotting Club’s trotting meeting, which is to be held on Saturday next, are due on Wednesday, the 9th inst. Uncle Bob proved to he rather too flattered by the handicapper when allotting the weights for engagements at the Dunedin Winter meeting. Santa Rosa, the sire of Ecuador, was got by Soult from Vieux Rose, by Hippocampus —Rosarina, by Traducer —\atterina. Circulation’s pilot could not handle her in the Empire Handicap. With a more experienced rider up she would have been much more troublesome to the winner.

Pamplona pulled up sound after running in the Wingatui Steeples, and it is to be hoped that he trains on for the Trentham and Riccarton meetings. Kipling could not master the bad going last week, but even so he would have probably won the Wingatui Steeples if lie had stood up. Cartoon ran a good race in the Otago Steeples, but the severe race left him without any dash for his next engagement at the meeting. Galaxy is held under lease by Mr B. S. Irwin, who unsuccessfully offered his interest as a gift prior to the gelding’s win in the - * For bury Steeples. Mazama failed to stay on in his races last week, and a stable mate in Frenchman also found the going and opposition beyond him.. Miss Winkie led the way to the straight in the King George Handicap, looking all over a winner, but she stopped badly in the run over the final furlong. The Solferino gelding Buoyant, who displayed good form at Wingatui last week, was in the market some little while back at 2oogns. Mountain Lion looked ready to race when saddled up last week, but he found his handicap and opposition much too strong for him. The consistent Mantua was saddled up for the last time when she ran in the Birthday Handicap. The daughter of Sclferino will be bred to the Spearmint horse Last Dart next season. There is not much of the Solferino mare Ravenna, but she won the Provincial Handicap with 8.11. and with a better run might hive landed the King George Handicap with 9.5. The Gluten gelding Dick, who won the Great Northern Steeples, was foaled in 1914. His dam. Zealandia Cole, was got by King Cole —Zealandia, and through her traces back to Flora MTvor. Most people would be quite satisfied with a seven-item card at Wingatui when the atmosphere is so heavily charged with Winter as it was on Saturday last. Frisco Mail is a half-brother to the New Zealand Cup winner Royal Star. Another half-brother in Royal Wink has been a very moderate performer. The Farewell Handicap was a good betting race. There was a margin of only £B7O between the first and sixth favourite on the totalisator. Deucalion and Sun Up could not act in the sticky going at Wingatui, and they were struck out of their engagements oil the third day of the meeting. Charmilla. the (lam of Cassolette, was a particularly speedy mare in her day. Her daughter by Clarenceux won as if she could cover far more ground than the six furlongs she won over last week. Sayonara, the winner of the Trial Hurdles, was got by Clarenceux from Mulverin, by Good-bye—Culverin, by Son of a Gun, from whom he gets his roan coat. Mr G. A. Kain, the owner of Full Swing, has. a well grown and sturdy gelding rising three-year-old in C. Gieseler’s stable. He is by Solferino from Satisfaction, the dam of Receipt. C'lontarf made a bold bid for success in the Tradesmen’s Handicap, but failed to stal off Ecuador when the latter put in his claim. As a rule, C'lontarf runs a lively six furlongs when fresh and well. Night Raid’s wiuring effort in the Otago Steeplechase apparently took all the steel out of him, as he did not shape with any dash when again produced at the meeting. The imported mare Spaen Bridge was on the boom, but she failed to show up in her race. She is a good cut of a mare, and track watchers in the south credit her with being a good galloper. The Harp created a surprise in the King George Handicap, in which he started one of the rank outsiders of the field. He stayed on much better than usual, and got up in time to beat Rapier. Baldowa was solidly supported for the King George Handicap on the strength of a good gallop he put up on the previous day. He, however, found 9.1 and a sticky going sufficient anchorage. Landbird. the winner of the Great Northern Hurdles, was got by Finland from Landrail, by Grafton. Landrail is also the dam of Chimera. Midlothian, a recent winner at Rosehill, is a brother to Landbird. The West Coast horse Goosestep ran a good race in the Birthday Handicap, but finally failed to stall off a challenge from Full Swing. Goosestep bears an improved appearance, and may prove more than useful at the early Spring meetings. Divinial, the winner of the Taieri Handicap, is a half-sister by Saxby to Charlatan, who was got by Winkie. Divinia, the mare who produced them, was got by Sylvia Park from Mongonui. by Carbine from Moonaby-Goldsborougli. Chickwheat was a costly horse to the Wingatui sports last week. He carried £530 10s in the,Tradesmen’s, £1219 10s in the Wairongoa, and £1498 in the Farewell without returning a penny of the support. Waitaki Girl has proved herself one of the smartest pacers ever “hitched to sulkey” on the New Zealand track. At one time she was rather a handful at the starting post, but has been converted to good manners.

The Wingatui-trained horses gained a fairly large share of the spoils that were to be gathered last week. Pink Note won a double, and Ravenna, Buoyant,

Miss Wiiikie, Galaxy, and Tionc were amongst the winners at the meeting. Whipcord might have troubled Charlatan in the run home in the Dunedin Steeples if his rider had stuck to the saddle. Whipcord had a pull of 311 bin weight in iiis favour in making the run from the last jump. Brightling could not act in the heavy ground last week but even so lie will require smartening up at the barrier, as he is still slow on his legs at the start of a race. The Tractor gelding is a line big horse that looks sure to improve with age. Pink Note picked up a nail before lie won on the first day of the Wingatui meeting, and the mishap was the cause of the lameness he displayed on the second day. A few days’ rest and care should soon set him right again. Tione has built up during the past few weeks, and has struck winning form again. He came with a strong run in the Farewell Handicap, and won well. Still, lie was perhaps lucky in catching Heather Lad with 741 b overweight. Ten pounds overweight completely anchored Dancing Days at the finish of the Empire Handicap. She thus went out and met Ecuador on 71b worse terms than when the latter comfortably defeated her in the Wairongoa Handicap. Listening Post changed owners last week at GOOgns, and carried Mr W. H. Broad’s colours at Wingatui. The wellperformed Solferino gelding seems quite sound, and should not prove a dear horse at the price named. Heather Lad lias thickened out a good deal since he went into J.VRoss’s stable at Oamaru. The son of Gay Lad should be improved by his racing last week —in fact, he must have went very near a win in the Farewell Handicap if he had ran minus his overweight. Charlatan’s trip to the North Island was a failure, but he landed two stakes at Wingatui last week. He did not shape too well at some of his fences, but the success he achieved should help to give him more confidence in his ability to negotiate a steeplechase course. The well-known starter. Mr W. Norman, terminated his official connection in that capacity with the conclusion of the Canterbury Park meeting. Mr Norman did a lot of really good work at the starting post, and is deserving of extra kudos because he took starting in hand when only a capable man could have brought it to a satisfactory standard. Overdrawn was travelling like a winner in the Birthday Handicap until less than three furlongs from home. He then collapsed, and dropped out of the fray. Possibly he heat himself by pulling. In the King George Handicap his young and inexperienced pilot could not handle Overdrawn to the best advantage, otherwise he would have just about won instead of finishing third. Carnot won the Empire Handicap so well that he should train on to do better things next season. He is a cast-off from R. J. Mason’s stable, and was got by Clarenceux from Yawn, by Cooltrim — Quietest, by Grafton —Slumber, by Trenton —Nightmare, bv Panic. With such a pedigree Carnot should stay well, and he may be found doing better over a journey than he has over a short course. The excellent work accomplished by Mr A. D. MTvor at the barrier last week was quite a feature of the Dunedin Winter meeting. On more than one occasion Mr MTvor had good chances to make a satisfactory start as soon as the field moved into the barrier, but he declined to take advantage of the opportunity, and made flat foot starts. . It produced very good results, and will continue to do sr> as long as the riders know that it must be a flat foot start or nothing. When Pink Note was in work as a twoyear old he developed hock trouble, and it was decided to give him a good spell. The opportunity to develop has borne good fruit, as the Paper Money gelding has grown and furnished in pleasing style, and is now quite an attractive horse in conformation and appearance. Judging by the manner in which Pink Note finishes on at the end of his races, he will stay over more ground than the mile, which marks the longest journey he has tackled up to (late. Ecuador Avon the Tradesmen’s Handicap and Wairongoa Handicap in fine style, but a rise to 9.2 anchored him in the Empire Handicap. He appeared to have a good chance when at the distance in the last-named race, when he showed up on the rails, but finally failed to reach a place. Ecuador Avas in the market some little while back at 50eovs without finding a buyer, and it is said he was offered at loOgns prior to his second win at the meeting without finding a new owner. The sporting public usually (lip a bit deeper into the purse on the final event at a meeting than the majority of races run earlier in the programme. The pool on the Farewell Handicap at Wingatui was much larger than any other at the meeting, and the total ran to £3553 more than that on the Birthday Handicap, and £4003 10s more than on the Otago Steeples. The total stakes for the Birthday Handicap and Otago Steeples ran to lloOsovs, and the Farewell Handicap to £250. The pool on the Farewell wok £1314 10s more than the combined pools on the two principal events.

Solferino kept his name in front la#t week by siring four of the winners in

Ravenna, Tione, Ronaki, and Buoyaut. lie also had place getters in Gerauial, Buoyant, King Sol, Irish, and Bugle Note There is no doubt that Solferino has been a wonderfully successful sire, and it cannot be said that he has been visited by many fashionably-bred mares —the sort that breed well to any sire. Clarenceux was represented by three winners in Carnot, Sayonara, and Cassolette. San Francisco had Frisco Mail to represent him with a win each day. The defunct Winkie had Miss Winkie and Charlatan, and Paper Money had a dual winner in Pink Note, whom many consider the best horse seen out at the meeting. The St. Frusquin line of St. Simon is perhaps doing more to keep the name of the famous son of Galopin alive than any other branch of the tribe. St. Frusquin’s sons are doing well at the stud in England, Australia, America, South America, and in New Zealand we have a good representative in Paper Money. We also had a brother to St. Frusquin in San Francisco, who sired several good winners, but nevertheless did not get much chance at the stud. He left Frisco Mail, who won on each day of the meeting. when he completely outclassed the hurdlers that ran against him. Los Angeles was another really high-class horse got by San Francisco, and the fact suggests that some of his daughters may prove valuable at the stud. So far they have not done much towards enriching the Stud Book, but they are at least worthy of a chance. Hor.?e owners and breeders in the Dominion have bestowed liberal patronage on some of the most important events to be decided on the Australian turf. Fifty-five yearlings have been nominated for the A..T.C. Derby of 1927, and 41 for the A.J.C. St. Legcr. A stake of 8000sovs added money makes it look very tempting to owners of well-bred youngsters. It also shows that owners of some by no means fashionably-bred youngsters hope that they will develop into something that will beat the 5500 guinea-yearling Avant Coureur, who is sure to be liberally engaged in the rich classics run in Australia. The fact that so many youngsters are deemed worthy o\ nomination in Australia seems a good augury for classic events decided in New Zealand, as they are sure to be nominated here as well as in the Commonwealth. The list taken in conjunction with many other ycungsters whose owners are not so ainb*tious should make very pleasing entries for the various events which close on Friday, June 11. The result of this year’s Derby greatly enhances the value of the Solferino line and the prospective stud value of his daughters. Coronach, who won this year’s *’ blue ribbon of the turf,” is a chestnut colt got by Hurry On from Wet Kiss, a 'mare by Tredennis, son of Kendal from Soligena, a daughter of Solimon, the sire of Solferino. Solimon is a son of St. Simon, and Soligena's dam is St. Gautlieirn, a mare by Carbine from St. Bees. Hurry On was got by Marcovil from Tout Suite, by Sanfoin from Star, by Tliuria. Marcovil is also the sire of Markhope, whose dam ranks as a sister to Persimmon, the sire of Comedy King. Naturally this also lifts daughters of Markhope in the estimation of breeders. A Markhope mare should nick well with Solferino, particularly if she had the Carbine or Musket strain in her pedigiee, as this would be a mating on similar lines to that of the Derby winner. Lancegaye, who ran second to Coronach, is a bay colt by Swynford from Flying Spear, and Colorado, who filled third place, is a bay colt by Phalaris from Canyon, by Chaucer.