TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3842, 1 November 1927, Page 55

TALK OF THE DAY.

By

Sentinel.

RUINED BY RAIN. It has proved to be a ve?y unfortunate fact thitt some of our most promising spring meetings have been robbed by rain and bad weather of what would, under more favourable circumstances have been an undoubted success. The Dunedin Jockey Club had a particularly attractive programme for the Wingatui spring meeting, which bore every indication, of proving a record success, but along came bad weather, and the 'fixture- instead of supplying* a sporting and financial assistance to the club’s efforts to cater for sport, became converted into a serious loss. The Dunedin Jockey Club has been fighting an uphill battle for the past few years,- and cannot afford such serious blows to its financial strength. It has now been an- ; nounced that the club will make a 15 per cent, reduction on the amount of prize ■ money originally allotted for the balance of the season. The curtailment has become a matter of necessity, as the club , cannot carry out the original programme mapped out for the season. Matters are becoming very serious, indeed, and ic is to le hoped that owners will make a special effort to assist the club in every possible way. It is unnecessary to say that when owners help a club they are indirectly helping themselves, because good patronage means good profit and a consequent increase of stakes. The Dunedin Jockey Club will, no doubt, successfully weather the adverse winds, and by way of encouragement it should not be overlooked that it was only bad weather which spoilt the spring meeting. There would have been a different tale to tell if King Sol had reigned instead of Jupiter Pluvius. The Wellington Racing Club hail also a particularly attractive programme for its spring meeting. Several of the best horses in training and some very promising two-year-olds were booked to appear at Trentham, and the meeting would have been a most enjoyable affair if held in favourable weather. A gale of wind and heavy rain does not assist a race meeting, and that is what the Wellington Racing Club found itself up against in connection with the spring meeting. Nevertheless the meeting proved to be very enjoyable, despite the antagonistic weather. Several of the minor fixtures held in the spring have been also seriously handicapped by bad weather, and the .Gore Racing Club experienced bad luck in connection with the opening day of its meeting. Bad weather cannot be continuously in evidence, and as racing in the South Island wants all the assistance it can obtain from the weather and patrons of sport it is to be hoped that better luck will be experienced during the balance of the racing season.

TWO-YEAR-OLDS AT TRENTHAM. Some of the two-year-olds seen out at the Trentham spring meeting seem destined to play important parts in future events and stamp their names on the “ roll of fame ” which marks success on the turf. Childsplay is a filly of exceptional brilliance, and the writer did not hesitate in stamping her as one of the most brilliant two-year-olds ever seen at Wingatui. She confirmed the good opinion by winning the Wellesley Stakes in brilliant style after suffering interference at the rise of the barrier. Childsplay caught Endorse, who had streaked away to a good lead, and had her measure shortly after they' straightened for home. It is difficult, if not impossible to believe that the Endorse who shut up after going four furlongs in the Wellesley Stakes is the-same filly that ran third in the Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick. It would discount Randwick form far too heavily to hold that Endorse had not trained off. As a matter o.f fact Endorse looked, a bit on the light side in condition when in the birdcage at Trentham, and in her preliminary she fought and 'reefed for her head in a manner suggesting that track work and racing had completely upset her. The writer formed the opinion that Endorse should be kept to trotting and cantering, and so build her up to carry the very rare brilliancy she displayed at Trentham. Prince Humphrey is a very nice colt, with plenty of size and quality. He was staying on at the right end of his race, and he will in all probability prove a worthy relation of Martian and Boniform. Disdaim is also a nice colt, aml_ looks sure to win races when ready. Knightlike and Ritasay should both prove more than useful. Knightlike is the first foal to the imported mare Sweet Charity, who was trot by Diadumenos from Maundy Thursday, by Symington—Maund, 'by