TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 56

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel. A CAUSE’AND A CURE. It is a matter of regret that Inferno, who is one of the finest types of a thoroughbred in New Zealand, developed fractiousness to such an extent that the authorities were practically forced •-to place him on “the schooling list.” At the Wellington autumn meeting he could not be induced to line up. to the barrier,, and it was not surprising to find ...that such was the case, as he was in a lather and really running a race ’in the birdcage before being sent to the post. In such cases where the mere fact pf saddling- a. horse so completely upsets him, it is positively ridiculous to keep him |n the birdcage for some considerable time,J and by doing so practically work the unfortunate animal into an almost uncontrollable frame of mind. This is what happened .each day at Trentham. In such cases permission was sought, and granted, to lead a horse straight to the post and not keep i him in the birdcage until the excitement by-the obvious proximity of a severe race has driven him half crazy. Inferno finally'kicked young Green as he ran behind him to go round to the mounting side ■when. the. rest of the field had lined up to the barrier. The kick was, however, due to the boy’s lack Of wisdom in running close to a horse’s heels, as even the most placid tempered horses will not stand for a rush, which he may interpret into an attack instead of over-anxiety to get into ihe saddle. Absurd has proved himself nothing but a; sire 'of speed, but when Irferno’s acquaintance was first made when he came down to" the New Zealand Cup meeting of 1923, and’found to be a handsome bay with black ptfints and a blaze, hopes arose that he might add stamina to speed. ' 'He broke away from the- Absurd type, and apparently has thrown to the dam’s side -of the family, and particularly to 'All Red, who was a good stayer, and proved it by winning the Auckland Cup in , two -consecutive years. Inferno won the Welcome Stakes, and was undoubtedly a particularly “speedy two-year-old. In the following year he won the Wanganui Guineas, and threatened to give Absurd a false • reputation as a sire of stamina, as the handsome colt who came as a result of his mating with the All Red mare Ayah is any but a son of his sire in appearance. Inferno followed on by winning the Wellington Racing Club’s Pearce Handicap, run over a mile- and then came his battle over a mile with Count Cavour in the Derby. This no doubt proved a temperbreaking battle, as Inferno after all was merely a speedy son of ' a sire of speed ♦hat had attempted a heart-breaking task. He could not get a place in the Stead Gohl Cup.' and his only win during the rest was over a six-furlong course. When Inferno apneared as a four-year-old it was as a gelding, but robbing him of his sex did x ' not expunge from his memory the heartbreaking battle he had in the Derby with .■ Count Cavour, who. by the way, has since pursued his placidly tempered career with ' ■undisturbed serenity despite the fact of undergoing necessarily severe preparations and battles in long-distance races. Inferno 5s only a five-year-old. and mav yet return to an even temper if natiently handled and ~ treated to a turn at hurdle racing. As a ■ hurdler he would not require to be tried a for -sneed, but on the contrary should not • he allowed to go beyond three-quarter pace.. ■lf he showed any proficiency over hurdles he would never be fully extended in a f-- race, and this is what restores a horses’ ijE confidence which has b n en lost through his J - powers being excessively taxed. There is • no doubt that, a course of hurdling sometimes does bring about a very desirable Improvement in manners. A particularly ' notable case occurred in connection with Cajolery, who was one of the Anremont . Tine particularly remarkable for its fractious renresentatives. Cajolery was an exceptionally craz.v-pated two-vear-old, and yet he -. afterwards settled down into ouite a • useful hurdler. Another particularly badtempered two-year-old was Master Agnes, and he also became quite a <rdod performer ever hurdles. The. same desirable result may be possible with Infernn. if kent to a Wne f business which wo-dd not call for , • heart-breaking extension of natural speed.

A REASON FOR RECORDS. The _ Trentham course has long been recognised as a particularly fast track, and no fewer than seven New Zealand records stand to "Its credit, as it were. The records range from four furlongs up to two miles, so that the track is fast over all distances. ..The Trentham track is a mile- and a-quarter in circumference, and, apart from a sharpish turn out of the straight and on to the mile post, is of excellent shape. There- is a good stretch? along the back, a wide sweeping turn around the top, and then a run home of about two furlongs. The compilation of records over distances up to six furlongs is greatly assisted by the fact that there is a fall of about lift from the start over the distance named to the winning post. The fall, in the straight naturally assists in compiling records over longer distances, and another great factor contributing to fast gallops is due to Trentham being fairly hard during the summer and autumn months. A hard track with just sufficient turf to take the jar out of the going greatly assists a horse in beating the watch, whilst really good turf, although better galloping ground for the horses, does not assist the compilation of records. The old Forbury Park track was formed on the finest turf in the world. There was so much life in the going that the crockery psed to dance on the shelves in the caretaker’s cottage when a field galloped past. The cottage was about 50 yards or more away from the inside of the track, which, as most people know, stood on peaty ground. The track supplied beautiful going, but records were not made there. Another very important factor to consider when the subject of records is under consideration must be the quality of the’horses that generally race on a track. Wingatui shares with Trentham the honour of having the mile and a-half record established on it, and they are both followed very closely by Riccarton with one at the same distance. As a general rule a much better class is seen out at Riccarton and Trentham than at Wingatui, and for that reason it may be claimed that the last-named track must be the fastest in New Zealand over that particular distance. A good field contested the Dunedin Cup wh en -PiHiewinkie won in 1925 and nut w itb 8.12, as Red Wink, LimevghE Deucalion, Count Cavour, Baldowa, i’ootfall, and Star Ranger were amongst those that followed him home. Rosedav comfortably when he broke 2.32 in 1923, and Amythas broke 2.33 when he romped home with 9.1 on his three-year-old back. It will be seen that a really good gallop can be recorded over a mile and a-half at Wingatui when a really good horse is in the field. Trespass also broke 2.32 and Loughrea carried 9.5 when he broke 2.33 in 1924. An examination of the Wingatui course will soon convince anyone that it supplies an easy mde and a-half journey. From the start it is wavy and slightly on the down grade over the first quarter of a m’le, and then there is a further fall f° r the next three furlongs. There is a over Jh Vel ? fcre , teh alon « the back for over three furlongs, and then after a slight rise to the home turn there is an easy finish oyer the final quarter of • A lat ts the explanation why Wingatui is considered an easy course Of 6 tlm rn k a ? d a ? d the ot the lace show that there are srood grounds for the opinion. °

THE DUNEDIN CUP MEETING. T! ?e Of time has brought us to the threshold of another Dunedin Cup meeting and the Dunedin Jockey m the very gratifying position of being able to present an unusually attractive card to their patrons for the opening of the prinCun h fixt y e at Win gatui. The Dunedin Cup has drawn an excellent field of horses good form calculated to form the basis of a good sporting contest. The list includes Count Cavour, the winner of this year s New Zealand Cup, Rapier, the "inner of the Wellington Cup, Set Sail, the winner of the Invercargill Cup, Overdrawn the winner of the Winton Cup, and Bah fc a f - n he ' Vl ? ner .of the Wairio Cup, whilst Footfall, Centrepiece, Pmk Note, Battlement, Circulation, and others engaged have good handicap form to warrant their inclusion in the time-honoured contest which has provided so many historic battles. The state of the going may play an important part l n ., r,n j In JC a b° ut . the result, as both Foottall and Centrepiece are. not able to repeat their best form on a toft track. On Saturday morning the going promised to be perfect, but rain again set in on Sunday, and it remains to be seen how lonw it will continue in evidence. At this time of the year the Wingatui track dries up well, particularly if there is a breeze and some sun to assist in dispelling moisture. Racing history shows that the Dunedin Cup has never been run on a wet day,- so that there is every reason to hope for the best. After going through the weights Footfall is selected as the best of the top weights and Circulation is very well in at the other end of the handicap. The race is. however regarded as fairly open. Mr L. C. Hazlett holds a fairly strong hand with Overdrawn an d Circulation, and the combination will probably dispute favouritism with whatever else may come into strong favour on the day. At the present time there seems to be good grounds for predicting that Mr Hazletts representatives will start favourite, and that Footfall and Baldowa may be next in demand in what promises to be a good betting race. A solid pace will suit Battlement and he and Pink Note may be a couple that may prove capable of lot of trouble to the more fancied goods in the field. The Dunedin Cup is always linked with the Publicans’ Handicap, and here again there is also every prospect of the field providing a good race. It is interesting to note that the two horses at the. top of the handicap have each two wins, in the Stewards’ Handicap to their credit, and as Gletltruin on her best form is nicely treated, she cannot be overlooked. Comic Song looks a bit '“close to her at a difference of 91b,. but he is a big, strong horse, ■ and the going promises to be in his favour. Nincompoop seems to have his full

share of weight at 31b from Comic Song, and Young Lochtnvar will have to be quite at his best to beat Father O’Flynn at even weights. Father O’Flynn is galloping well, and may prove one of the hardest to beat in the race. Corn Money and Countersign are two very speedy sorts that will take the field along, and of the two the filly is preferred. Black Duke and Solrose are two good light weights, and as the latter is quick off- the mark she may prove the best of the light weights. Countersign, Father O’Flynn, and Solrose may be the order showing the final opinion on the totalisator. Others that may be backed in the minor events are Sayonara, Wildwork, Princess Mafelda, Gold Mint, Overhaul, Spean Bridge, and John Bradbury.

THE CHAMPAGNE STAKES.

The Dunedin Champagne - Stakes is to be run under a fairly high scale of weights, hence stamina and racing conditions are two very essential points to be considered when searching for the winner. Stamina and staying is greatly dependent on breeding and conformation, and, of course, action and temperament also play an ini-" portant part in carrying a horse over a trying course. A pulling tear-away horse seldom or never stays very far, hut they generally stop when done pulling or when challenged to carry on at the fighting end of a race. It may be of interest to refresh the memory about the breeding of the youngsters engaged in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes, as it may go to support opinions based on form about a horse’s chance. If it came to weight for size Jericho’s credentials would probably elect him favourite. In the first place he has plenty of size and quality, and looks more up to weight than the majority of his opponents. Then, again, he has stayed on at the right end of his races, and looked open to a considerable amount of improvement when he won at the Dunedin Summer meeting. Jericho was got by Archery from Judith, by Martian from Hebrew Maid, and this shows that he is bred on staying lines, and supplies a reason why he runs on at the right end of his races. Jericho should be hard to beat if he has been kept up to the col Island strips fit and well to run out six furlongs under 9.1. Jericho has to concede 51b to Ark Royal, who promises to prove one of his most formidable opponents. Ark Royal has not been smart off the mark, and loses ground at the start of his races. He may, of course, improve in that respect, but it is a big handicap to give away ground to smartish two-year-olds. Ark Royal is built on smaller lines than Jericho, but is a compactly built colt that stays, and when once going can muster a good turn of speed. He works out on form to have a really good chance, as he has given weight and a beating to Jericho and Silver Coot, and also reads very well in on collateral form. Ark Royal is bred to stay, as he was got by Kilbroney from Lady Violet, by Boniform from Vicereine, by Birkenhead from Roie, by St. Leger or Captivator from Hippona (dam of St. Hippo), by Robinson Crusoe from Lamorna, by Fireworks. Hence he also has a pedigree,, that should carry him along in a race, but he may not be quite so forward as sortie of his opponents. Silver Coot won so well at Wellington that there is no saying how good he may be. He came along whe» he won with his ears pricked, but he may not be able to elevate his aural appendages with a rise of 321 b on what he carried at Trentham. Silver Coot was got by Paper Money from Fulica, by Braxted from Bald Coot, by Fowling Piece—Amite, by Minting. Paper Money represents the St. Frusquin line of St. Simon, and Silver Coot thus inherits plenty of stamina. Arrowy was closer up at the end of his races at the Dunedin summer meeting than at any other part of them, as he dwelt on the mark at each start. He was got by Archery from Miss Signal, by Signalman, a son of Clanranald, and looks one that is sure to show improvement on past form. Still, he appears to be held safe on paper by Jericho, who gave him 71b and a good beating when they last met. Don Jose has not shown any form.jto cause one to enthuse about his chance, and is believed not nearly so good as his stable mate Silver Coot. Still, he is out of a really good mare in Michaels, and a glance at his pedigree shows that he was got by Archery from the Rokeby mare who was from Jessie Lewars, by Stepniak. Strongbow was got by Archery from Killala, by Kilbroney from Arai-te-Ura, by Birkenhead —Fairhall, by Apremont—ldalia. He has thus a good solid pedigree, but it is doubtful if he is forward enough in condition. Broadmoor is somewhat of an unknown quantity. He has appeared on only one occasion, but seems to be- shaping well in his work. He was got by Pan? mure, from Heatherbrae, by Treadmill— Bonnie Brae, by Clanranald, and ranks as a half-brother to Heathercbte, who was a fair stayer in his day. When those in search of the winner come to business they may elect to make Jericho. Ark Royal, and Silver Coot the or<der of favouritism. \