SPORTING

Southland Times, Issue 18963, 9 June 1923, Page 3

SPORTING

NOTES BY SIR MODRED. ■Ashburton Trotting Club's Winter meeting takes place to-day. Queensland Turf Club's Autumn meeting concludes this afternoon. Napier Park R.C. Winter meeting first day acceptances are due on Tuesday. Entries for the leading events of the CJ.C. Grand National meeting close on June 29. Red Gown won her first race over the battens at Wingatui on Wednesday afternoon last. Napier Park R.C. Winter meeting on June 15 and 16 will be the next regular meeting on the list. Leading handicaps at Ashburton to-day, Ashburton County Handicap (harness), £650, class 4.38 (two miles). Mr H. F. Nicoll, president of the Ashburton Trotting Club, is now on his way to England on a holiday trip. Mr W. T. Hazlett’s smart mare Francaise is th be spelled and it may be decided to retire her to the stud. Four successes at the Dunedin J.C. meeting gives C. Emerson 43 wins, as against 45 credited to M. McCarten. The Southland-owned three-year-old pacer, Logan Chief, is reported to have gone into winter quarters in Christchurch. The Dunedin-owned pacer, Adair, is not to be raced again until the N.Z. Metropolitan T.C.’s Grand National races in August. On the concluding day at Auckland Peter Amans fell heavily in the Campbell Hurdles and M. D. O’Shea had his collarbone broken. Mr Nicoll’s smart pacing two-year-old, Verey Light, has contracted a cold and will not start in the N.Z. Sapling Stakes thia afternoon. General Advance started one of the outsiders of the field in the Campbell Hurdles at Ellerslie on Wednesday and finished an indifferent fourth. Te Kara, winner of the Cornwall Handicap at Auckland, is by General Latour — March, and is thus a half-brother to the , crack two-year-old, Queen March. The Victorian squaro-trotting mare, Dixie Mac, made a brave showing against the pacers in the Paparua Handicap, won by Adair at Addington last week, finishing third in 4min 32 3-ssecs—a brilliant performance. Mr F. A. Price owns a well-bred filly by Balboa from Wild Oats (imp.), which may not see the racecourse. She is somewhat on the small side and her owner is considering the desirability of mating her with Songbird, by Kilbroney (imp.*—Grey Linnet (imp.), a union that should produce a galloper. The double success of Isla Bank at the D.J.C. Winter fixture was very popular with Southland visitors to Wingatui, as it was considered to be some recompense for the loss sustained by Mr A. Gerrard in connection with the loss of stakes won by Cazna and Killory recently, owing to an unconscious breach of the Rules of Racing. Iria Bank, by the way, is a brother to Copper Trail, the pair being by Buff Gauntlet from Miss Sylvia, by Sylvia Park. Miss Sylvia, by the way, is stated to be located in the Winton district and it is safe to say that she will now possess an added value with the record of having produced two cross-country winners, viz., Isla Bank and Copper Trail. It is understood that Mr W. T. Hazlett has placed Frenchman and July Spark with S. Trilford. at Riccarton, his object being to have the pair tried out as jumpers, special facilities being available at DJ.C. headquarters for the schooling of •encera.

Rapid River performed in a promising manner with the hack steeplechasers at the DJ.C. Winter meeting, despite the fact that he has had very little schooling. Ivan Tilson appeared to have a rough ride on the son of Achilles, but he states that this was not so, as when given his head Rapid River found his way over the obstacles in a style of his own. With a fair amount of jumping practice in the meantime, this gelding might win a race over timber at the Grand National gathering, where the good going at Riccarton would be all in favour of a somewhat leggy gelding. As Mr W. T. Hazlett’s local string has been dispersed in the meantime, private trainer F. Murray is out of work, and his services will be at the disposal of southern owners generally. This successful young mentor has an excellent record, first as an apprentice under A. D. Mclvor and finally as first lieutenant in that successful trainers establishment until he took over Mr Haslett’s horses. He has accomplished good work during the current season with Francaiae and Boughleen Dhoun and this fact speaks for itself. He proposes to set up as a public trainer, and, with a horse from his late patron’s stud to commence upon he should find no difficulty in filling a range of stabling already placed at his disposal in Invercargill. Murray deservedly bears the reputation of being a very reliable young fellow.

When attending the Dunedin J.C.’s Winter meeting Mr W. Baird had a look over his recent four-year-old purchase, Valdamo, by Varco—Miss Bass, and found the Aus-tralian-bred gelding to have flourished exceedingly since he left the training quarters of R. J. Mason at Riccarton. Valdamo has built up well and should be in firstclass shape to commence a preparation for his five-year-old career. At latest advice the hurdler Mirza is recovering from the facial injuries he received at the Oamaru J.C. meeting, as the result of being trodden upon by a follow/ing horae after he came to grief in the second day batten event. The leading cross country horsemen at the Dunedin J.C. meeting secured riding fees as follows: —\ E. Worm aid, £llB Is 6d (General Petain and Red Gown); A. E. Ellis, £ll3 7s; C. Rask, £9O 13s 6d; T. O’Connell. £35 15s 6d. The hitherto erratic Primum behaved himself well at the barrier during the D.J.C. Winter meeting. When the field lined up for the Taieri Handicap on Wednesday he stood quietly and was one of the first to jump out. The Nassau gelding ran a good race and eventually finished up in fourth place. Mr J. H. Marshall entertains hopes that Mr Stone’s castoff will yet do something to justify the confidence reposed in the gelding during the early stages of his career prior to becoming an habitual occupant of the rogue’s pen. An old-time horseman, in the person of A. King, was an interested spectator at the Dunedin J.C. Winter meeting. In his early days he was an apprentice in the late H. Goodman’s stable and won a number of races for that clever trainer. King won the Winton Cup away back in 1896 on Silveratream.

The southern owners, Messrs Walker Bros, secured two races at Wingatui with horses of their own breeding, viz., Vice Royal and Royal Admiral, the pair being trained by W. McKay, at Riverton. When Thistlecrown got up in the last two stridee to win the Farewell Handicap at Wingatui on Wednesday evening quite a number of supporters of Counter Attack thought the West Coast gelding had scored and cheered accordingly. Their disgust can be imagined when they discovered that it was No. 14A, running in colours not given in the race-book, that had caught the judge’s eye. In the dusk it was hard to distinguish the difference between the brown, Thistlecrown, and the dark chestnut. Counter Attack, while there was a similarity about the riders’ jackets that was confusing. As a matter of fact, the Eng-lish-bred Counter Attack was never in the picture at any stage of the contest. Rigel ran badly at Wingatui and it is hard to understand the sturdy little son of Winkie, who appears to run his races in patches. It is just possible that he will become more reliable as he gets seasoned, but, in the meantime, he is not a horse to follow from a backer’s point of view.

In his two races at Dunedin Silver Lining ran well enough to satisfy his Central Otago owner that he is likely to turn out useful. He was left at the post in his first attempt, and, starting at the rear of a big field, ran up into six or seventh place at the finish. x On the concluding day he w»e quickly out in front, with Ravenna in the Domain Handicap and was not beaten

until the straight was reached. An interrupted preparation was undoubtedly responsible for his failure to race on at the finish. Beau, another representative from the goldfields, was only started once at the fixture and did occupy a prominent place in the race in which his stablemate assisted in making the pace. Visitors to Wingatui for the D.J.C. Winter gathering will eagerly follow the progress of General Petain in quest of Grand National Steeplechase honours: If not overdone in the handicap list the son of All Red should be a very hard horse to dispose of at Riccarton in August, as he is a bold jumper, stays well, and can muster up pace enough to go with the best crosscountry performers in Maoriland. Descended from great flat racers on both sides of his house, in his sire, All Red (twice winner of the Auckland Cup) and his dam, Lady Lillian (winner of the C.J.C. Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps in the same season! he is very stoutly bred and he certainly looks the part of a successful Grand National performer. His owner-trainer, Mr J. J. Lewis, of Ashburton, who has been racing horses for many years past, has always cherished the hope tSet “The General” would develop into a Grand National Steeplechase candidate, and it looks as if his desire is to be gratified with more than average chance of success.

Roseday’s younger full brother, Tione, was started twice at Wingatui during the past few days and fairly well supported on one occasion, but he failed to threaten danger or look like a winner. He displayed pace when an inmate of Mr W. Stones stable, but has failed to race up to expectations since he accompanied Rosed ay to his new home in D.P. Wilson, jnr’s. establishment at D.J.C. headquarters. When the Farewell Handicap came up for decision at Wingatui on Wednesday an Invercargill owner who had been unsuccessful at the DJ.C. Winter fixture, invested £5 on Sartolite, overlooking the fact that the latter was coupled with a stablemate. When Sartolite failed to carry on after getting away well, the investor referred to looked upon his money as lost, being unaware that his other chance (Thistlecrown) was performing in wrong colours. It was not until the numbers were hoisted that he realised that he was a good winner as the result of the little-fancied No. 14A gaining the judge's decision. It was a perfect ending to a somewhat depressing afternoon when vanners always appeared to elude a sportsman who seldom complains when the fortunes of war are declared against him. In the meantime, there is no comparison between the brothers Guncase and Blazes as racehorses, but P. T. Hogan claims that the latter, the older of the relatives, will yet make good. If this should happen, the result will be very welcome to the South Canterbury sportsman, Mr M. Leonard, who has not hitherto been too successful in his turf ventures.

Palencia, the elder of Mr L. C. Hazlett's cross-country brothers, is not- such a good horse as Pamplona, but he is more than useful for all that, and it must be conceeded that he was unlucky at the D.J.C. meeting in slipping down in one race and missing a fence in his second attempt. He was produced in great shape by E. J. Ellis and it wall be interesting to see what the future has in store for him. He has already demonstrated the fact that he can cross country to advantage, by securing a couple of steeplechases at Timaru, and the firm going at Riccarton should suit him down to the ground if he should train on until August.

Mr A. D. Mclvor made a success of the starting game since the day he first appeared in public, yet, some people are just finding this out. It is amusing to watch writers who condemned the ex-trainer, root and branch, during his early career at the barrier, hurling bouquets at him now at every available opportunity. Bah! The ancient Muzzle was responsible for two very fair performances at the D.J.C. Winter meeting, in running second to Portside in the Trial Hurdle Handicap and finishing in third berth to Frisco Mail and Kukume across the flat in the Taieri Handicap (If miles). J. Pankhurst’s pupil jumped well for a beginning in the timber event and it is on the' cards that he will win over hurdles in future when the company is not of the highest class.

The D.J.C. would be well advised to restrict the area of the lawn at the rear of the inside enclosure grandstand in favour of extending the gravelled space in front of the totalisator. Both at the Dunedin Cup and Winter meetings the grass patch became sodden, slippery and unpleasant under foot and the crowds of spectators congregating to watch the machine wagering operations would have considered it a great improvement if they had been enabled to stand on asphalt or clean gravel. Happy Voyage was not sent out against the mile record at the Canterbury Park Jockey Club’s meeting, as the track at Addington was not in a fit state for fast time on the King’s Birthday. In reply to a correspondent, it may be stated that Rorke’s Drift claims a unique record in connection with winning efforts at Wingatui. He won the Dunedin Cup in 1916 and 1919, the Dunedin J.C. Handicap in 1916, the Otago Handicap in 1916 and 1918, and the Birthday Handicap in 1916, 1918, and 1921. To win eight leading events on one course is a great feat for a handicap horse carrying up to 9.0 over a mile and a-half, and 10.0 over one mile and a quarter. It is not to be wondered at that the son of Calibre knew his way to the judge’s box riderless after losing his jockey in the Otago Hurdle Race on Monday last. Sartoline failed badly at the D.J.C. Winter fixture, stopping on four separate occasions in races at the same fence, but it was noticeable that his work was good elsewhere and his pace undeniable. There was semething about that post and rails on the hillside that the son of Sarto did not appreciate. It is more than likely that he was suspicious of the light-coloured padding on the top rail, as compared with the deep red of the main obstacles. There will probably be a different stcry to tell when it comes to Riccarton in August. There will probably be a chance to see which is the better of P. Hogan’s pupils when the Grand National gathering comes round, but in the meantime Master Peter has the larger following. The writer is going to be with Sartoline, who may develop into a useful steeplechaser.

Speaking as a member of the deputation to the Prime Minister on Thursday from the racing clubs of Otago and Southland and the Otago and Southland Owners’ and Breeders’ Association, in regard to a request for a reduction in turf taxation, Mr W. T. Hazlett, president of the Southland R.C., made two good points with Mr Massey. The local sportsman laid stress on the fact that the upkeep of the S.R.C.’s property was costly and that the demands of taxation necessitated the club drawing on its capital, which -was a serious matter where new buildings were urgently required to supply loss by fire and the need for increased accommodation with the growing popularity of the sport. He. quoted facts and figures which appeared to impress th(* Premier. Mr Hazlett then proceeded to break new ground, as far as Mr Massey was concerned, as that gentleman was observed to take a note of the matter brought under his notice. The speaker pointed out that the breeding of thoroughbreds had progressed in a marked manner in New Zealand during the past few years, with the result that large sums of money were being spent in the colony from outside sources for blood stock, 2000 guineas being paid for a youngster in one instance. On the Premier being assured, in answer to a question, that this statement was quite correct, Mr Hazlett pointed out that the present high rate of taxation was slowly but surely strangling racing and this would be reflected in the decline of the breeding industry and a consequent loss of revenue in the shape of high prices paid by foreign owners for matured and young New Zealand thoroughbreds.

ASHBURTON TROTTING CLUB. ACCEPTANCES FOR THIS AFTERNOON. (Per United Press Association). ASHBURTON, June 7. The following are the acceptances for to-day:— TRIAL HANDICAP (harness), £200; 3.42 class (lAm.) —Axtel, Mount Harding, Hold On, St. Fillan, Bill Rich, Marven Lass, Delamier, Wyndham, Nelson Mac, Royal Locanda, Calm Mac, Nagol Pointer, Bingen Jean, Lady Minto, Admiral Pointer, Athenic, Merry Logan, Tarzan, Betty Blue, Havrincourt Wood, Day Pointer, and Dancer scr; Lauriston, No Shannanaghan, and Fireman 24yds bhd; Lluvia d’Oro and Lady Freda 36; Wild Pointer, George Grafton, and Irish Whispers 48; Kodol 72; Leading Lady 108. LONGBEACH HANDICAP (saddle), £200; for unhoppled trotters only; 3.55 class (14m.) —Freeman, Shining Cuckoo, Don Massey, Jessie Poole, Master Audo, Snowstorm, Marvin Drift, Bay Boy, Ardwood, Fancy Maid, Bon Lou, Huia Son, Home Girl, Llano, and Grey Wood scr; Nelson’s Guest, Miss Chudleigh, Lady Esma and Peter Bell 12yds bhd; Kelman, El Munster, Queen Ida, and Grey Lady 36; Marcelle 48; Vigorous 48; Asia, To-Night, and Okuti 60; Lady Elwood, Dragoon Junior, Hostage, Mat Patch, and Red Oak 84; Bon Sonty 144; Corwar 156. ASHBURTON COUNTY HANDICAP (harness); £650; 4.38 class (2m.)—Fernmoor, Peter King, Prince Lyons, Great Bingen, Rorke’s Drift, Jimmy Richmond, Bing Boy, Hayseed, and Linden scr; Royal Oak 12yds bhd; Event 24; Countryman 24; Childe Pointer, Emperor, and Elite 36; Dixie Mac, Auguste Dillon, Star Queen, and Gold Girl 48; Whispering Willie, Steel Bell, and Acron 84; Willie Lincoln 96; Taraire 120. NEW ZEALAND SAPLING STAKES (harness) ; £630; for two-year-olds (lsm.) — Hackthorne, Priscilla Dean, Morning Glow, My Sonny, Tauriharika, Haunui, Copra, Megala, Double Event. ACTON HANDICAP (harness); £250; 3.36 class (l|m.) —Oeo, Olwyn, Becky Logan, Underscrub, Golden Sun, Dusky Locanda, Percy Dillon, Lord Clan, Trenand, and Lluvia d’Oro scr; Prince Pointer, Transport, Emmet, and Pakoti 12yds bhd; Dandy Rose, Logan Lou, Leading Lady, Mahene, and La Fayette 24; Willie Logan, Vera’s Doll, Plywood, Medallius, Quiver, Lady F.mbrace and Earl Derby (Aus.) 36; Pearlie Chimes 48; Harold Burwood 48. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP (harness); £275; for unhoppled trotters only; 5.2 class (2m.) —Mediator, Freeman, Lady Esma, Woodlass, El Munster, Kelman, Cardo, Laurier, Home Girl, Diameter, Marcelle, and Grey Lady scr; Okuti 24; Worthy Bingen and Parole Belle 36; Lady Elwood, Mat Patch, Handsome Jack, Dragoon Jun., and Red Oak 48; Burnie and Gineta 72; Merry Peter 120; Mangoutu 204. WINTER HANDICAP (harness) ; £300; 2.52 class (l|m.) —Teneriffe, Fancy Boy, Fernmoor, Doraldina, Kewpie, Henry Tracey, Ballin, Bismurate, Cammie, Dalnahine, and Bing Boy scr; Calmness, Betrayer, and Promenade 12; Royal Oak, Prince Lyons, Great Bingen, Hayseed, Countryman and Linden 24; The Dingo and Guynemer 36; Lady Swithin and Star Queen 48; Gold Girl 60.

FAREWELL HANDICAP (saddle); £225; 2.20 class (Im.)—Koniniwood, Nibbidard, Harewood, Littlefield, Localism, Rat ana, Edith Chimes, Irish Whispers, Glenaray, Lackiewood, Grandee, Wet Day, War Bond, and Locanda Jack scr; Prospect, Oaknut, Eulius and Rex Coronado 12yds bhd; Tobermory, Ma Cushla, Avenue, and Phil Smith 24; Brutus, Olive Huon, and Reta’s Greeting 36; Nell Pointer 60.