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Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 56

• . is handling a three-year-old sister to Volant. The imported mare Noeline has joined Mr, G. A. Kain’s stud. The Dunedin Cup meeting takes place on February 10 and 12. Berenice is a half-sister to Onyx, but not nearly half so good. Bell Harold is again a member of W. J. Tomkinson’s active team; John Pointer broke his hobble when running in the Au Revoir Handicap. Mandane is not running up to the good impression she made as a three-year-old. Battlement has been training on satisfactorily since he was last seen in public. In light-harness racing a good horse is not a good horse unless he is on a good mark. Audobell is a bad traveller, and will not look at his feed box when away from home. There is a general opinion that the Forbury Park meeting started too late in the day. The Tapanui Racing Club has received satisfactory acceptances for the annual race meeting. Nelson Bingen was represented at Forbury Park by Nantwich, "Ingle Bingen, and Sea Pearl. Happy Rosa has steadied down a good deal, and should win before the season grows much older. Rosenor was left at Trentham, and is booked to race in Australia if all goes well with him. Parkwood is a .smart pacer, and just missed success in the Dunedin Cup and Forbury Handicap. Credit will probably start favourite if reserved for the five-furlong race at the Tapanui meeting. Spendthrift would be a good name for something by Paper Money. They usually live on paper money. Nelson Derby has again gone wrong, and it seems as if his racing career is not far from its termination. The starting question is not so much in evidence as formerly in connection with Forbury Park meetings. The imported horse Aston is regarded as a very likely sort to win races during the balance of the season. The Demosthenes gelding Deucalion has terminated his racing- career, and will in future be used_as a hack. Messrs J. Smail and C. R. Hadfield purchased Ingle Bingen prior to her success in the Crescent Handicap. Mr R. A. Armstrong and J. MacDonald purchased Logan Park during the course of the Forbury Park meeting. The principal event to be run at the Gore Racing Club’s summer meeting will carry a stake worth 25050v.5. Logan Chief finished well up in the Forbury Park Handicap, in which he was giving away 24 yards to. the winner. Jack Potts is a stylish-looking horse, although a bit on the leg. He is, however, not in the champion class. The two-year-old gelding Radion, by Kilbroney from Quotation, is the latest addition to A. Goodman’s stable. The four-year-old filly Auditress, who was amongst the runners at Forbury Park last week, is a half-sister to Acron. The back-markers in the Au Revoir Handicap had the finish to themselves, as those in front stopped to a walk. It created quite, a lot of comment that the D.J.C, handicapper was not present at the Wellington Cup meeting. Ballymoy II was so badly cut when racing in the Telegraph Handicap that the damage may end her racing career. Mr Harry Brinkman is still an inmate of a private hospital, but is said to be on the road to a return to good health. Father O’Flynn has arrived at Wingatui to complete his preparation for engagements at the Dunedin Cup meeting. Le Todd had the Otago Cup won, but handed away the stakes by breaking when in front about 100 yards from the post. Mr W. R. Crossan has two fine youngsters by Chief Ruler running with their dams in a paddock on the Taieri Plains. In future the Randwick and Warwick Farm programmes will supply mounts to apprentices who have not won ten races. Young Lochinvar is reported to have derived considerable benefit from the spell he received after returning from Sydney. Three of Mr J. M. Samson’s recent purchases will in due course join S. G. Ware’s stable, and one is to go into R. C. Reed’s stable. Peter Fashion was backed down to a short price for the Forbury Park Trotting Stakes, but found Quickfire too good for him. The three trotting clubs in Christchurch are content with one secretary. The two clubs in Dunedin intend to have one each, The Ashburton County Racing Club will hold a one-day meeting on April 2, and another on some date to be selected in June next. Tanadees and Paperchase were struck out of their engagements at the Dunedin Cup meeting shortly after the appearance of the handicaps. There seems to be a waste of timber at Forbury Park. The look-out stands on the tracks were unoccupied during the meeting. * The Forbury Park Trotting Club.will have to provide a more up-to-date method of spraying, harrowing, and floating its track. Black Admiral could not run up to his handicap last week. The backmarkers in a tight class race at Forbury Park have a hard row to hoe. Owners and, breeders will have to wake up and give the New Zealand Trotting Stakes more patronage if they wish to keep the race alive. Mr F. C. Thomas acted as handicapper of the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meet-

ing. and compiled the adjustments for both days of the fixture. , Countersign has been travelling attractively in her work at Riccarton, and is expected to shape well in her engagements at the Dunedin Cup meeting. The well-known North Island sportsman Mr R. A. M’Kenzie is on a brief visit to Dunedin, and was amongst the spectators at Forbury Park last week. The going at Forbury Park last week was on the slow side, and those handling horses said that the ground cupped away, badly on the first day of the meeting. Mr W. Rudkin had some next-to-notning verdicts to decide at Forbury Park last week, and also had to record a dead-heat between Honour Bright and Jolly Chimes. A filly by Sarto from Killjoy has joined the stable under the control of F. Christmas. Killjoy was a good mare in her day, and should produce something good. The Dunedin Jockey Club has decided to split out from the Forbury Park Trotting Chib and appoint its own secretary. Applications are to be called for the position. Peter Fashion made two mistakes in the New Zealand Trotting Stakes, but even when he got balanced Quickfire kept, him at bay over the final circuit of the journey. The Solferino gelding Tommy Dodd appears to have trained off, as he made a poor show when raced in the Aspendale Plate just before the last mail to hand left Melbourne. The defunct horse Logan Pointer had winning representatives at Forbury Park last week in the shape of Bessie Logan, Logan Holme, Sandown, Logan Park, and Loganwood. It seems to be an open secret that the principal rider attached to a strong North Island stable does not know whether he is to be off or on until hoisted into the saddle. The superficial interest which some owners and breeders take in the lightharness sport is evidenced by the large number of winners that do not appear in the Stud Book. Some good dividends were paid out in connection with the Forbury Park meeting, and the fact of their existence no doubt helped to keep down the grand total invested on the totalisator. The Nelson Bingen filly Nantwich, who won the Flying Handicap on the first day at the Forbury Park meeting, is a daughter of Pearl Child, who was got by Rothschild from Verity, by Vancleve. A. M'Aulay has lodged a claim for the stakes won by En Route at the Ashburton summer meeting, when hie horse Sir Roy ran second. En Route was ineligible for the race, in which Sir Roy ran second to him.

The American-bred horse Jack Potts was a strong fancy for his races last week, but failed to run up to expectations. He is a bit slow on his legs at the start of a race dnd so discounts his chance of success. Terence Dillon lost some of his reputation last week. He never seemed to be able to gather the necessary speed to win, but it may be worth noting that any horse should never be judged on his worst form. Everyone was particularly pleased in seeing A. Pringle turn out a winner in New Zealand Trotting Stakes. He has been handling Quickfire, who stepped a i solid race, and downed a strong favourite in Peter Fashion. One of the most useful horses seen out at the Wellington Cup meeting was Stormy, who was got by Quin Abbey from Gipsy Martian, a mare by Martian from Paroro, a daughter of Tempest, who won the Dunedin Cup of 1893. i H»wkesbury Pride, who “opened the ball at Forbury Park by winning the Vauxhall Handicap, is a well-bred sort °i a mare by El Carbine from Gardinea, and so claims imported parentage on both sides of her pedigree. Sea Pearl covered a good deal of ground in the Dunedin Cup, and so spoilt a good chance of a win. She went to a win on the second day, when meeting Loganwood on 24 yards and Parkwood on 12 yards better terms. Mr A. Ferguson has not been lucky since he joined the ranks of light-harness horse owners, and his success with Mountain Chimes marked a well deserved win. It was also pleasing to note J. M'Kewen’s success as a trainer. Mr James M’Kewen, who won the Southland Handicap with Logan Park, is perhaps entitled to claim that he has been taking an active interest in light harness racing for a longer period than any other man in the Dominion. The Forbury Park race book contained an intimation that “a second-class car will be attached to the special train going north for the accommodation of trainers.” In other words, some of those paying firstclass fares had the privilege of travelling in a second-class carriage. The wel-known trainer J. Bryce holds the opinion that a seven-furlong track is the ideal circuit for light harness racing. Such a circumferfence is small enough to give a good view of the racing and large, enough to supply a horse with opportunity f’ a aQ d bold a high rate of speed. Mr F. ,C. Thomas, who made the handicaps in connection with the Forbury Parle meeting, is also the compiler of the N.Z. Trotting Stud Book. Mr Thomas also acts as handicapper for the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, and several others in the north. Money Spider was figuring amongst the pacers last week, but failed to get the money, although he is one of the best straight-out trotters in sight. A good trotter may be a good horse amongst those of his own gait, but not amongst those who have machinery to control and assist their speed. Bessie Logan gave 36 yards to Nantwich in the Flying Handicap, arid the latter beat her by 12 yards. In the Au Revoir Handicap Bessie Logan was giving Nantwich 12 yards, or on 24 yards better terms, and that _no doubt is the reason why Nantwich did not stay on so well as expected. Final McKinney cost backers a good deal of money last week. He was freely coupled up in the Flying Handicap, but the pen went through his name, and his supporters did not get a run for their money. He went out a well-backed chance on the second day, but did not get anywhere near the money. With Star Stranger’s 2min 17sec for the 11 furlongs Trentham now holds four ’ Australasian records. The other three Ard'

Gloaming’s 45sec for half a mile, The Hawk’s Imin 9 4-ssee for six furlongs, and Duo’s 2min 57 4-ssec for a mile and threequarters. In addition to the records enumerated, Trentham track holds New Zealand records for a mile and a-half and two miles. Nantwich won well when she scored in the Flying Handicap, which she comfortably captured in 2.16 2-5. In the Au Re voir Handicap she was asked to give away 12 yards in a 2.15 class, and the task proved her powers. Nantwich looked a winner at one stage of the proceedings in the Au Revoir Handicap, but a shade too much use was made of her, and she petered out in the final furlong. An inquiry concerning the crossing of Nine of _ Spades by Royal'Damon in the Awapuni Handicap at Palmerston North on December 28 was conducted by the Wanganui District Committee. The decision, of the stewards to award the race to Nine of Spades was endorsed, while the punishment of Royal Damon’s jockey (S. Anderson) was increased from one month’s suspension to two. More than one owner and trainer was very dissatisfied with the handling of his horse at the Wellington meeting. For some time now it has been fairly apparent amongst certain horsemen (says “The Watcher”), and tnere was one particularly outstanding case on the first day last week.. Moreover, if the evidence of eyesight was not strong enough, plenty of information is forthcoming that the winner was backed from one end of New Zealand to the other. The form of several runners at Trentham was a striking condemnation of the futility of the system which appoints honorary or deputy stipendiary stewards at the country meetings and expects them to perform their duties in a capable manner (says “The Watcher”). So long as there is racing, so long will there be non-triers. but the evil can be considerably lessened by stricter control and action in obvious cases. When such action is taken the only evidence worth while is the evidence of the stewards’ field glasses, and not the stories told in the inquiry room. In England, as in Australia, long gallops are completely out of vogue, and there, as here, the same reason is generally given—“the horses can’t stand them nowadays.” After referring to the fact that four-mile gallops with thick sweat-ing-rugs on are now unheard of in England, the Manchester Chronicle’s Newmarket correspondent says: “ Though I may be alone in the opinion, I am nevertheless confident that horses stayed longer sound, and were far more capable of standing a more severe course of galloping and racing, than they have done since the present style of training has been adopted. What is more, they were as good, and, in. a number of cases, much better, horses than we have now.” Strong and well-grounded complaints were levelled against the Railway Department about the very inadequate accommodation provided on the special horse train run from Christchurch to Dunedin in connection with the Forbury Park trotting Club’s meeting. The Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association arrange for the provision of a special train in connection with the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meetings, but it is high time that the club which is dependent on Christf°r success of its meetings should also take a hand in the matter The club should certainly not allow the Railway Department to overlook the just grounds for complaint in connection with the recent meeting.