RACING AND TROTTING

Southland Times, Issue 23178, 20 April 1937, Page 10

RACING AND TROTTING

News —Prospects—Results

Racing April 24—Soutli Canterbury Jockey Club. April 24, 25—Marlborough Racing Club. April 29. May I—Oamaru Jockey Club. April 30, May I—Dannevirke Racing Club (at Woodville). May B—Amberley8—Amberley Racing Club May 8, 12—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. May 12, 15—Egmont Racing Club. May 12—Ashburton County Racing Club. May 12—Bay of Islands Racing Club (at Pukekohe). May 12—Southland Racing Club. May 12. 15—Otaki Maori Racing Club. May 15—Waipa Racing Club. May 15—Birchwood Hunt Club at Invercargill. May 20, 22—South Canterbury Jockey Club. May 22—Carterton Racing Club. May 22. 24—Waikato Racing Club. May 29—Foxton Racing Club. June 5,9, 12—Auckland Racing Club. Trotting April 24—Auckland T.C. April 27—Marlborough T.C. May I—Kaikoura T.C. May B—Waikato T.C. May B—Oamaru T.C. May 12, 15 —Forpury Park T.C. May 29—Canterbury Park T.C. June 12—Ashburton T.C. June 19, 23—Auckland T.C.

Applications will be received up till May 3 for the position of handicapper to the Canterbury Jockey Club.

Custos finished last in his first race in Tasmania. It was a five-furlong sprint, not far enough for him, apart from which he was very burly.

The acceptances for the Otautau meeting on Saturday total 68, compared with 82 for last year’s meeting. For the abandoned meeting in March there were 94 acceptances.

Mazzini ran second to Rebel Mate on Saturday. The Chief Ruler gelding was produced at Waimate by S. Barr, the Riccarton trainer, for the first time since he has been in his care.

The Wingatui trained Octane, who competed without success in the hack steeplechase at Riverton, is at present being spelled in the Winton district with a view to building up for winter racing.

Dictate was heavily supported in the Stewards’ Handicap at Waimate. He drew the extreme outside at the barrier and was never in the leading division, although he finished strongly and got into fifth place.

F. D. Jones has again made a start with The Wrecker. This Shambles gelding has shown good speed in work, but has been a difficult horse to condition. Jones has also placed Elegy, a two-year-old filly by Posterity—Damaris, in work again.

Golden Dart is being given light work at Riccarton. He is recovering from a bruised foot, which gave his trainer a good deal of trouble on the eve of the Easter meeting. In spite ot the injury, Golden Dart showed his gameness by running into third place in the Sockburn Handicap.

Flashlight, a seven-year-old hunter by Shambles —Snapshot, and a halfbrother to First Sight, has joined T. H. Gillett’s team at Riccarton. He is owned by Mr J. H. Grigg, and is to be prepared for hack steeplechase events.

Peacock was in front all the way in the Trial Handicap at Waimate, and according to a report of the race he lasted long enough to win by a narrow margin from Salient Knight and Te Ahuarangi.

Palydora, once a New Zealand Cup prospect, is to be tried over the big country. When first put to the hurdling game she promised well, but her eccentric behaviour told against her in races. In the mood she is good enough to win a National.

Haere Tcnu is reported to be more forward than his appearance suggests, and after the gallop he had at Waimate on Saturday he should be just about right to show something like his best form at Timaru this week. He has been schooling well.

Two fine races went down to the credit of Master Cyklon at Awapuni, and his third to The Buzzer and Haut Monde was really impressive, reports a northern writer. Master Cyklon is a genuine sort, and his chance may come at Woodville at the end of the month.

The Birkdale gelding Riotous, who had been off the scene for a considerable time after a breakdown, raced over hurdles at Awapuni and although in no condition to hold his own he ran very creditably, and the outing should bring him on for the jumping season.

A lot of interest is being shown in Nightbound who is due to make his first appearance in a hurdle race at Timaru on Saturday. His schooling for a novice has been something out of the ordinary, and it will be sufficient to see him accorded plenty of support at his first attempt over the battens.

A filly whose antecedents indicate a bright career is Gay Lyric, a daughter of Gay Sonnet, by Philamor. As a foal the filly showed every desirable characteristic, but she has been brought along very slowly by her owner, Mr F. T. Buchanan. Gay Lyric may have her first race at Amberley next month.

The most forward of J. Fryer’s jumpers is the Cynic mare indiscretion, who appears in great order to send along when required, says The Auckland Star. Indiscretion looks a much improved mare, and her prospects look decidedly promising for early steeplechase events.

Royal Gallant was one of the first out of the barrier in the Waimate Cup and this counted when it came to the run home. There was ? lot of trouble at the post before the starter got the field away. Knockfin had every chance and led the field into the straight, but failed to stall, off Royal Gallant’s challenge.

S. Barr has two new horses in his team, and both of them are intended for jumping. Giggleswick, with some form over hurdles, was schooled for the first time since iast winter at Riccarton the other morning. 'He shaped very well. Unseen, the second horse, a gelding by Rosenor, is to be educated in hurdling any day now.

It was intended That Kingcraft would be put back in work at an early date, but after considering his prospects D. Withers had decided against this, and it is unlikely that this pacer will be required to race again. Kingcraft is on a fast mark over all distances, and as he has reached a stage where he cannot be expected to improve, his prospects of holding his own against the younger horses are not bright.

Once Americans are satisfied that an invention made inside their particular territory is on safe lines, it is sure of a good run. This is accorded the instrument known as “the eye in the sky,” which made its appearance on the principal race-courses in the United States last year. Experiences revealed that the photographing of finishes from tbs judae’s box had its failings, for it

was proved that in a close finish either the inside or the outside horse could be made to win according to the moment of opening the shutter. But the overhead camera, known as “the eye in the sky,” recently invented, favours no horse and so eliminates that difficulty.

In the hurdle races to be run at Trentham in future, the hurdles are to be lightly padded on the take-off side of the top railing. Previously the railing was plain board, but the specifications for a uniform hurdle under the Rules of Racing suggest that the top rail be protected by canvas or other suitable material, and the Wellington Club is conforming with the directions. The hurdle to be used will be identical to that in use at Riccarton.

A .time limit is rarely fy<ed in connection with a clasic event of any importance. However, such was included in the conditions attached to the West Australian St. Leger, it being laid down that if the time recorded exceeds 3.7, the stake-money be reduced by 25 per cent. In the recent race, won by the South Australian colt Brave Lad, the official time was 3.8, and as a result the stake was reduced in accordance with the conditions.

As usual, J. Fryer, the Hawera trainer will have plenty of jumpers to represent the stable during the winter. Tout le Monde, who made such an auspicious debut at hurdle racing, is reported to be in splendid preparatory condition, and looks like achieving distinction in important hurdle events ahead. The good-looking Red Manfred is showing the effects of his regular work, and rapidly regaining racing shape. A capital schooling bout in company with Tout le Monde was performed by Red Manfred last week over five hurdlgs. Both horses gave a splendid display, finishing over the last obstacle together. Tire pair will have to be seriously considered for big hurdle events.

Frisco Lady might have beaten Reporter in the Farewell Handicap at Ashburton had she left the mark promptly. She made a mis-step when the barriers were released and lost three lengths and her chance of securing a good position without having to make too big an effort. Her mistake compelled her driver to call upon her in the first furlong to go fast to retrieve her lost ground, and in fifth place when four furlongs had been covered. J. Bryce, jun., saved her as much as he could for the final run, and she finished resolutely in fourth place, says The Christchurch Stai-Sun. Next season she will be five years old, and this speedy pacer wil probably improve in stamina and physique.

The Great Autumn Handicap winner Willie Win is doing light work at present and is building up again after his Easter racing. Not of very robust constitution, Willie Win is improving in this direction with age and in future his connections are not likely to have any fear of their horse not doing well when racing—a former complaint which kept him in his box on several race days when he was travelling. Having overcome this disability, plans are now in hand to send Willie Win to Australia for spring racing. His owner, Mr Coop, has not decided whether the venue will be Sydney or Melbourne, or both, but he will come to a decision in the near future. In case of anything going wrong with his Australian plans, Mr Coop will nominate Willie Win for the New Zealand Cup.—The Referee.

A. B. Spiers, owner-trainer of Land Raid, has his eyes on this year’s Winter Cup (says a Christchurch writer). It is his intention to give the five-year-old Night Raid—Missland gelding a special preparation for the big winter event. Land Raid was not started on the recent West Coast circuit, though it was his owner’s intention to run him at the second Greymouth meeting and at Kumara. Owing to the heavy state of the Kumara track and the fact that Land Raid suffered some minor cuts when he hooked a leg in a fence, it was decided to leave him in the paddock on the race days. The form shown by Land Raid earlier in the season was good. He proved that he could run on well up to a mile and aquarter. The Winter Cup is a long way off, but it is safe to say that the West Coast owner of Land Raid is not the only owner who already has ideas about the mile event at the National meeting.

AUCKLAND T.C.

TAN JOHN REHANDICAPPED AUCKLAND, April 19. Tan John has been rehandicapped to 60 yards in the Whitford Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on April 24.

STANDARD OF RACING IN INDIA

NEW ZEALAND HORSE PRAISED SYDNEY, April 19. Edgar Britt, a jockey, who has been riding in India, says that there is not a horse racing there that would beat the best Australian performers. “Probably the best horse in India today is a New Zealander, Heritage,” Britt says. “He has great pace and stays well, but is difficult to train. There is no certainty that he will stand up to the next preparation.’

WRESTLING

VISITING AUSTRALIANS BEATEN BY N.Z. TEAM

(United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 19. The New Zealand amateur wrestlers decisively beat the Australian visiting team in a Test match tonight of eight bouts. All were lively and brisk. New Zealand won five of the bouts. Wrestled under strict Olympic amateqr rules, the result reflected very creditably or the physique and experience of the local exponents. Results were, New Zealand names mentioned first:— Flyweight.—S. Brady beat A. Parsons by default. Bantamweight.—L. Nolan beat E. Purcell by one fall. Featherweight.—R. Hutchinson lost to R. Purchase on points. Lightweight.—V. Thomas beat R. Hurley by two falls. Welterweight.—E. Morley beat W. Sinclair on points. Middleweight.—H. Godfrey beat R. Vickers on points. Light-Heavyweight.—T. Anderson lost to F. Gardiner on points. Heavyweight.—l. Palmer lost to J. Knight by one fall.

STEIN DEFEATS McINTYRE WELLINGTON, April 19. Sammy Stein, the Jewish wrestler, tonight beat Don Mclntyre by a single fall, taken with a series of flying tackles and a body press. Stein showed great speed and a wide range of holds. The bout, however, was remarkable more for flying tackles and elbow jolts than for science, the wrestlers spending a great deal of time clambering back through the ropes.