TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 49

TALK OF THE DAY.

Ry

Sentiner

otE DUNEDIN SPRING MEETING. Experiments are always interesting, and even if they lead, to failure at least show the wisdom of avoiding the same methods' in the future. The Dunedin spring meeting has generally been costly to the club; and for this reason the experiment ot splitting it into two separate programmes was tried, and the result could not be deemed anything in the nature of a success. It is generally recognised that the so-called classic events are risky races from a financial point of view, because it there is anything outstanding at the moment it scares away opposition, and results in poor fields and lack of business on the totalisator. The M'Lean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas have been at times costly to the club, ami hence it was more than a risky move in placing them both on the same card. In previous years a candidate for the Dunedin Guineas has helped to fill a field on the first day, and a youngster that missed in the M'Lean Stakes or was not engaged had a chance on the second day. These opportunities were cut out when a division of the spring dates was made. It is easy to be wise after the event, and the Dunedin Guineas was a sure failure so long as Cricket Bat kept in form. Still, with a two-card programme, Night Guard. Palace, and perhaps Grecian Prince might have been found at Wingatui. In the course of conversation with some, of the Riccarton trainers at the Geraldine and Kurow meetings, the writer was informed that several horses would have been brought down to Wingatui if the programme had been a two-day fixture, but under the existing circumstances it did not appeal to them to incur travelling expenses for one day’s rasing and not particularly tempting stakes. The patronage accorded the Timaru and Gore programmes shows that there are plenty of horses in training, and at least a few of them would have run at Wingatui under the old conditions which supplied two days’ racing. Just how much the cost of admittance to non-members affected the size of the attendance it is impossible to say. When an increase from 7s fid to 10s 6d became published the talk about town considered it a very bad move, as it was tantamount to making an increase just when every other club is working in the opposite direction. Experience teaches, and the lesson learnt will no doubt result in a return to the old order of things at Wingatui, which did not double the travelling expenses of visiting owners if they wished to race on two days in the spring at our racing headquarters. A PROMISING SORT. The winner of the M'Lean Stakes is a beautifully-bred filly. Wealth was got by Paper Money from Skydream, by Sky Rocket from Little Thoughts, by Flotsam —Little Tinks, by Bread Knife—Weir, by Galopin—Dee, by Blair Athol. Flotsam was got by St. Frusquin the grandsire of Paper Money. He won the Imperial Produce Plate and the Middle Park Plate as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old he won the Newmarket Stakes and Sandringham Foal Stakes, and finished second in the Two Thousand Guineas, and third in the Derby. It will be seen that Wealth is inbred to one of St. Simon’s most successful sous, and, in fact, one with good claims to be considered his best at the stud. Wealth is rather toobig to expect much from so early in- the season, and, in fact, with a less skilful pilot might not have been able to put in the well-balanced run which won her the race. She should improve, as very few such big youngsters display early winning form. Mobile, who ran second to Wealth, was got by Tractor from Bonnie Lake, by Sunny Lake from Droski, by Stepniak —Whirlpool, bv St. George—Water Sprite by Tradueer. Droski produced a M'Lean Stakes winner in Overdrawn. Mobile, ran such a solid race that he should prove well worthy of note in- future events. An early, win should come for Lady Zephyr, as with more luck in the draw for position she would have won. As it was she only faded in the last few strides, and suffered defeat from two who drew positions close to the rails. Lady Zephyr was got by Robespierre from Lady Minerva, by Martian—Lady Lillian, by Phaeton (Trenton) from Lady Zetland, by Perkin- Warbeck ll—Forget-me-not. Robespierre was got by the successful sire Phalaris from Austral, by Sunder from Cooya, by The Victory from Coo-ee, by Trenton —Lady Sterling. Lady Zephyr is inbred to Trenton, and through her sire has two- strains of St. Simon. Oratorious, who finished fourth, is one likely to improve, and comes from a good winning family in being got by Diaquenod from

Oratress, and so claims close kindred to Concentrate and Oratrix. Lochend, who finished fifth, was got by Woodend from Te Anau Maid, the dam- of Salmo Salar, Te Anau Maid wa«j got by B.nzonian — Sietcr Francis, by Seaton Delaval— Agatha, by Nelson. Elgindale, wiio was one of the early leaders and finished fifth, will show improvement. He was got by Shambles from Bachelor’s Picture, by Gainsborough—Bachelor’s Valley, by Bachelor’s Doub e. Shambles was got by Phalaris—Fluff, by the St. Simon line horse Eider from Trenton Queen, by Trenton. Others that were included in the field and will very likely show improvement are Worship ( Pombal —Homage), Mayam (Tea Tray—Puttee), Gold Paper (Paper Money—Vicereine), and Molten (Paper Money—Lava). A FINE FIELD. A particularly pleasing lot of youngsters were saddled up for the M'Lean Stakes, and they presented a fine sight when lined up to the barrier. When scanning them in the birdcage those that appeared to . be most forward were Lady Zephyr (who really looked the pick of the field- on the score of condition), Molten, Mobile, Elgindale, and Wealth. Lady Zephyr had the bad luck to- draw 15 at the barrier, and this probably made all the difference between winning and losing, as she had hard work to join the leaders, and this did not help her to finish. Molten- settled her chance by bo-ting about a mile and a-qnarter when doing her preliminary. This, following a similar affair of the previous morning, does not help a two-vear-old. Fortunately Mr J. M. Samson had a second string that proved good j encugh to- win. thanks to a fine display : of horsemanship on the part of H. Gray. Molten always appeared to be the ' smartest of Mr Samsons team, but after i being one of the first to break the line, and racing with the leaders to the turn, she faded out. Apparently the stable missed a good chance of being first am! second. Elgindale showed speed, but faded out Mobile stuck on well and confirmed the good impression he made on the training tracks. Several in the ■ field appeared to require more time, and wid be more difficult to head off when ! they next appear in pub'ic. Under the circumstances C. Gieseler did remarkably well to saddle up the winner of the M'Lean Stakes, particularly in connection with a very big filly whose appearance suggests that she will not be seen at her best until the season is well advanced. The fine field attracted by the race must have been very gratifying to the elub. and it shows that owners and trainers appreciate a chance to give their youngsters a race in the early part of the season. TOTE TROUBLES. Sentence of three months’ hard labour was recently passed at Windsor (England) on George Woodhead, for receiving 429 totalisator tickets, knowing them to have been stolen, and a further three months for attempting- to obtain £9 17s Gd by false pretences from the Racecourse Betting Control Board. A charge of stealing the tickets was dismissed. Officials of the Control Board said that betting tickets are placed in locked boxes and sent to racecourses on the day of the races in motor vans, which are also locked. On August 14. when the van arrived at Windsor racecourse, it was found that the box containing tickets for the Silver Ring had been tampered with and that 420 £1 tickets were missing. In consequence it was decided not to issue any £1 tickets on the fifth race, and people who wished to stake £1 were given two 10s tickets. After the race Woodhead tendered three winning tickets on the horse No. 13 named Vincent. This represented £9 17s 6d. He was arrested, and the other tickets were said to have been found in his possession. Woodhead said that as he handed three tickets in. he asked, “ Are they in order ? and ' before he could’ say any more he was : arrested. He stated that he found the tickets and thought that someone who had backed the horses had lost them. In cross-examination, he said he had not thought of the fact that if someone had lost the tickets that person must have backed every horse in the race for £l—- — the non-starters. NEW ZEALAND SUCCESS. The first New Zealander to win the A.J.C. Derby was Nordenfeldt, who was purchased in Auckland, by the Hon. J.

White. Two years previously (in 1883), Mr White won the V.R.C. Derby with another Musket colt. Martini-Henry. In 1894, Mr Spencer' Gollan, of Hawke’s Bay owner of Moitaa, woj) the race with Bonnie Scotland, and in the next season DaiO’Brien scored with Bob Ray. New Zea land s interest in the race was thereafter for some years maintained by the successes of sons of Dominion-bred sires Amberite and Charge (both by Carbine) won in successive years, and Belah was by Havoc, a son of Nordenfeldt. In. 1905. Noctuiform spread the field over a furlong, and chopped about five seconds off the record for the journey bv hoistin'-2.32-1. His stablemate, Sun God, was second, and Lady Wallace, later a classic winner in \- ictoria, third. Kilbcfy won in 1910, Biplane and Gloaming (New Zealand-reared though Australian-bred) won in the next two years. Cupidon effected a surprise in 1921. and B'aßymena. prevailed in 1923. Prince Humphrey, another Australian-bred youngster developed and trained in New Zealand, downed the favourites in 1928, and Phar Lap walked in in 1929. Now Ammon Ra has brought the honours to New Zealand. OWNER’S STATEMENT. Mr D. J. Davis, part owner of Phar . Lap, was at Moonee V alley recent.lv. A resident of Sydney, Air Davis paid a short visit to Melbourne on business, and returned home. He will be baek in Melbourne for the spring camnaign. Speaking of Phar Lap ami his likely Cup mission. Mr Davis said to the Globe that it had not been decided whether the horse would start in either Cup. Evervtn.ng depended upon what transpired at the meeting, and it was not likely that a decision on the matter would be arrived at until, at least, after the A.J.C. De-by. Mr Davis pointed out that the advent of Vigne showed that a good horse with a light weight is likely to come to hand at any time- Phar Lan had to concede iSlb to V igne in the Caulfield Cup. and in hi-? opinion that was- too great a task, t'-’-n for the champion, as he regarded Vigne as a remarkably good horse. There also was the likelihood of a top class three-year-old coming to light in the Derby. Ammon Ra, who is not engaged in the Melbourne, Cup, looked to have a wonderful chance in the classic, ami if he is defeated his vanquisher would be immediately hailed as a likely Melbourne Cup winner. Phar Lap was practically unknown, he said, until he finished, second in the Chelmsford Stakes, and then won the Rosehill Guineas, and look at the wonderful advancement he had made, ft was- not desired that Phar Lap should be set an almost impossible task in meeting good horses with light weights in either Cup. when he L ,d sn.-h burdens to carry. “We are adonting a wait and ,-ee policy.” added Mr Davis. THE PANTHER. The Panther, one of the most noted of racehorses, died recently at the stables of Mr J. Baird at Ellerslie Stud, near ' Newmarket. Every racegoer who was at the memorable Victory Derby of 1919 will remember The Panther, the dead cert who lost badly. He was owned by Sir Alexander Black, the “ king ” of the trawling industry at Grimsby, and while in a backward condition (says an English naper) had won the Two Thousand Guineas. Everybody fancied him for the Derby. A million pounds was wagered by the public on him. Sir Alexander proclaimed him the “fastest thing on four legs,” and remained at home at Grimssby waiting anxiously for the news of The Panther's crowning victory. The telephone bell tinkled, and the news came through:— Grand Parade, first; Buchan, second; Paper Money, third. Where was The Panther? A very bad “ also ran.” What had happened? When The Panther came into the paddock it was seen that he was excited and acting peculiarly. When he went to the post his jockey. Cooper, felt that “ temperament ” and the sight and noises of the crowd were going to prove awkward factors. At the start The Panther seemed inclined to run tail first. Suddenly he changed his mind, and dashed through the field to fourth place. Then he lost all ambition and finished nowhere. Somebody said a policeman on a staid old mount had frightened him. All sorts of excuses and canards were started. There was only one accepted conclusion—temperament. Sir Alexander decided not to continue racing him, and asked £40.000 for him. He was sold to the Argentine, whence he returned two years ago. If The Panther lost money for his backers his progeny have won a bit —more than £lOO,OOO. DESCENDANTS HAVE VANISHED. Until a few years ago the leading positions in. the list of English winning sires were monopolised by St. Simon, and his sons or grandsons. The male line of St. Simon was so strongly established that it seemed likely to endure for ever in England and crush all others out of existence; The decline of St. Simon has been rather rapid, and. in a few years (says “Chiron”) the tail male descendants of St. Simon have almost

vanished from: the winning sires’ list. The most recent statistics available for the current season were issued just before the last mail left England, and the list included 12 stallions. There was not one St. Simon horse in the list. The two dominant lines to-day are those of Bend Or and Hampton. ©f the 12 sires included in the list three belong to tlie male line of Bend Or. the representatives of that strain being Pharos, Phalaris, and Grand Parade, who. between them, have been represented by winners this season of races worth £64.262, and the races won include the Two Thousand Guineas. Derby, and Eclipse Stakes. I he Hampton line is represented by three horses who are descendants through Bay Ronald Solaria and Gainsborough, who are second and fourth respectively in the list, are sons of Bavardo. who was by Bav Ronald, a son of Hampton. Son-in-law represents the Dark Ronald line of Hampton through Bay Ronald. The Hampton horses sired the winners of £54.887. letratema has had a poor season, as he has dropped, to sixth place, and more than half the amount standing to his credit was won by - Four Course in the One thousand Guineas. Sansovino is eleventh in the list, but he must now be among the top lot, as since these figures were compiled Sandwich has credited him with the St. Leger. lhe principal winning horses for the sires named were Caineroman, by Pharos. £29.484; Caerleon, bv Phalaris. £16.208; Brulette. by Brnlenr, £9067; Four Course, by Tetratenia. £8854: Golden Hair colt, by Gainsborough. £8094; Sunny Devon, by Solario. £76oo:'Cockpen. by-_Buchan. £6932; Ornen. bv Solario. £6474; and Trinnlon, by Son-in-law. £5725.