TALK OF THE TURF

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17539, 6 August 1931, Page 3

TALK OF THE TURF

Hunting Cry, one of the best horses in Now Zealand last season, is back in work, at Hastings and is going well. So far Mr. Cameron has not disclosed the gelding’s probable programme.

The Oreymonth-irained Arch Arrow, The Dove, and Earthquake, lmve arrived at Ricearton They are backward _in condition owing to bad tracks prevailing on the West Coast, for a long time, and are not likely to he ready to show their best at the Grand National meeting. They will remain at Ricearton until after the' Geraldine spring meeting in September'.

Although Carmel failed lo gain a place in the Champion Handicap at Epsom, in December, after his line success in the Auckland Trotting Cup. he ran another great race over two miles on the following day, dividing the lirst prize with Free Ativiee and registering 4.23. In the Champion Handicap Carmel was on 2.42, and, in view of his brilliant victory later, he is nicely placed on 2.43 in the Selwvii Handicap, to he run at Addington on Saturday. While* the limit in this event is 2.48, he will he on a handy mark when it. 'Comes to Hie 2.44 class race later at the meeting, and he is remarkably well treated when compared with Native Prime, and a few others in the same class.

An Auckland (.roiling owner, who is a patron of F. J. Smith’s stable, is keen to secure the Southland pacer Meteor, and when the Iraiuor reaches Christchin',.di he will continue the negotiations. If ho succeeds in his mission, he will drive Meteor in the Queen Alary Handicap on Saturday. Smith drove. Meteor in the Adams Memorial Cup in June, and formed a high opinion of his capabilities. Aleteor shot into prominence last season by winning six useful handicaps and being four times placed, collecting £lOls in stakes. Ho has a 2.10 mile record in saddle, and, as ho has gone 4,24 ‘ 3-5 for two miles and is still on a 4.34 mark, ho should add further to his laurels this season.

With all horses a year older as from (Saturday the greatest interest will attach lo the three-year-olds, and their doings in the future. So much improvement takes place in some two-year-olds that sometimes the moderate performer at that age .becomes a champion at three years. Thar Lap was a case in point, and so also was Night-march, though the latter was hardly a champion until lie was a- four-year-okl. Poseidon was a moderate two-year-old, and a champion at three. Windbag and Amomiis both improved wonderfully front two to three years, and kept on improving after that age. Many other instances could he cited m the Dominion, Australia, and the Old Country, where Derby and St. Leger winners have often been almost unknown as two-year-olds, so poor was their form,

Australia, and New Zealand are not the only countries in which racing is feeling tho pinch of the times. Many prominent English owners ate reducing their studs and racing strings, and Lord Derby has greatly curtailed his racing and breeding activities, both in England and in France. He maintains a stud ip Franco as well as in England, and Pharos, the sire of the Derby winner, Cameraman, lias been there for some time. As Phalaris died early in the year, and his son, Colorado, is also dead. Lord Derby has decided to transfer Pharos back to England to replace Phalaris, Frank Bullock, who is training in Paris for the Belgian millionaire owner, M. Jacques Wittouck, i$ greatly reducing his team. His son, by the way, is now established as a. trainer in Belgium. He recently secured a. license, and has trained his first winner.

THE ARLINGTON CLASSIC WORLD’S RICHEST STAKE CHICAGO. July 18. Twenty Grand, who is regarded as tho grea test racehorse'seen on American tracks since Man o’ War, was soundly beaten to-day by .Mate in the Arlington Classic. The event carries £17,000 in added money, and is the richest throe-year-old rare in the world. Twenty Grand finished third behind .Mate and Spanish Play. Mate broke the track record. Mate, who won about 40,000 dollars (£8000) as a two-year-old. has now won about 200,000 dollars (£40,000).

He is owned by Mr. A. O. Bostwick. and when the last mail left America it was reported ’that the chestnut was to be sent to England to race. If Mate does cross the .Atlantic as America’s greatest three-year-old. a match may bo arranged with Camcronnm. the English Derby winner, to decide the world’s best, three-year-old. Cameraman is a first-class colt, but in view of Mate’s consistency and bis ability to sprint: and stay, lie would he a worthy opponent- for Air J. A. Dewar's champion.

J. Kerr has been engaged to steer Triki in the Grand National Steeplechase. Tuki. who is now rising 14 years, won this race in 1925 with 9st 416. Another in Ibis year’s field who has previous success to his predit is Wiltshire, who won the race in 1928 and 1929.

A loss for the year of £3003, after writing off £IOBB depreciation on plant and buildings, is shown in the report of tho Auckland Racing Club. A notable feature of the accounts is that while*the club’s revenue from the totalisator dropped from £55,854 to £41,052, the Government’s share in taxation increased from £56,054 to £56,375.

Remembering the good course run by French Fleet till the last fence at the (South Canterbury Hunt meeting, it, is fairly safe to nominate him as a favorite for the Enfield Steeplechase. His most formidable opponent may be Radiac, who won the event last year, following this up by a. second in the Beaufort Steeples.

New Zealand already is assured of strong representation in the lipid for tho coming A.J.C. Derby. Now, Gav Court is suggested as a possible, addition to tho number of the Dominion’s representatives. Gay Court’s trainer always has hold a. high opinion of this fellow, and whether he takes hint to Australia, or not, he expects him to do well during tho season in important three-year-'oki events in Now Zealand.

The New Zealand-bred two-year-old Fulmond, by Limoiid from Full* (Swing, is referred to as follows in the Melbourne Sporting Globe: With any luck 'in running, Fulmond would have won the Breeders’ Handicap at M’orph et-tvillc on •luly 18. It was the lirst mile for the two-year-olds, and backet's plumped for i< idmond. After having gone a. furlong ho'was second last of the strung-out field of 21. His jockey saved ground by keeping to the rails, hut when he found that lie could not make further progress there he took Fulmond on the outside of two or three horses. The Limond colt passed horse alter horse. So well did lie finish that he was beaten by only a. head for third place. His was a remarkable effort. This-colt undoubtedly is one of the best in South Australia, and it would riot lie surprising if he were to make a name for himself as a three-yeat>o!d. The Derby does not look beyond him.