On The Turf And Off

Southland Times, Issue 23182, 24 April 1937, Page 10

On The Turf And Off

BIRCHWOOD HUNT QUALIFYING DATES FIXED (By Sir Modred) Several of the most promising of Southland’s cross-country horses will be matched in the Otautau Steeplechase this afternoon. Ocean Singer is spending his compulsory holiday in and around a property adjacent to the Southland Racing Club course. He is moving freely again. Owners are requested to bear in mind the fact that entries for the Southland Racing Club Winter meeting close on Thursday and the Birchwood Hunt annual gathering on Saturday next. It will be interesting to see how the gelding Orderwood fares in his comeback efforts at approaching meetings as his efforts make it evident that he has not forgotten how to gallop. The Balboa mare Red Treasure will be racing in the colours of a new owner if produced at Otautau today. She has retained her condition in a satisfactory fashion over the past four months. The Invercargill trainer J. Gray expects to give Palla Melba a race before the current season closes and subsequently build he»‘ up for the 1937-38 turf term. The Paladin mare knows how to gallop, but is taking time to season, like others of her sire’s progeny. It is satisfactory to note that several New Zealanders from both Islands, when interviewed about the betting conditions noted on visits to Australia of late, have borne out what the writer has for some years past contended. That is the success of win and place wagering, cheap totalizator tickets, daily double race-course speculation—starters for investors in each event of the combination, and the orderliness of the queue system. Previously seen at her best during autumn seasons, it may be instructive to observe how Beam shapes at Otautau this afternoon. The Woodend mare was returning to form during the Riverton Racing Club’s Easter gathering and it has to be remembered that in the event of further progress there are valuable stakes available in Southland and Otago shortly. The close relatives Beam, Cintilla and Verdure appear to have struck a vein of bad luck during recent months. To followers of jumping performers the Otautau Steeplechase will present absorbing features this afternoon with the prospect of a meeting between Black Banner, Miss Winston, Shillelagh Wood and Possum, while the green steeplechaser Hunting Go will probably make his debut over big country in public. Black Banner did all that, was asked of him at the Riverton fixture last month, and did it well; Shillelagh Wood is a very fine fencer and also raced well at Riverton, where Miss Winston was hardly seen at her best. Then Possum was certainly the most unfortunate of the contestants standing up in the Great Western Steeplechase, as he jumped splendidly, but was handicapped because of his jockey losing an iron seven furlongs from home. The four horses named are cross-country leapers of more than average .merit and should provide a thrilling tussle in an endeavour to work our their real galloping prowess in view of more important steeplechases ahead. So far Miss Winston has proved herself a useful stayer, but the other members of the quartette have yet to be weighed in the balance. With the addition of Trisox five very fine fencers would be under discussion. Hunting Go is a promising steeplechaser who papears to measure off his obstacles with accuracy rare in novices in private, but his public form has yet to be gauged. As to the galloping ability of the descendant of Hunting Song that goes without saying in an Invercargill Cup winner. If he can fence on something like an equality with his more seasoned rivals quoted the tall gelding will command future attention as a steeplechaser.

Invercargill Cup Winner

Ranking as the winner of the Invercargill Cup in 1927 under 8.9, with C. Emerson in the saddle, and victorious again in the local event the following season, with 9.6 and F. Voight up, it was. interesting to pay a call on Set Sail one morning this week to find her bright and healthy and carrying her burden of 14 years like a thoroughbred of the first water. Stinted to Philamor (imp.) this season she may not be with faal, as she comes from a maternal source of shy breeders, but it is to be hoped that she produces next season, as without doubt she classes as one of the best bred mares owned in Southland, as a daughter of Solferino (imp.) from Stratpeffer, a Hawke’s Bay mare tracing back on her dam’s side to the famous Canterbury stud proposition Idalia (imp.) a matron whose strains are to be found in many countries of the world. At the present time Set Sail is mothering a filly foal, a youngster to be very soon taken in hand by the Rorke’s Drift Lodge trainer, A. McKenzie, for educational purposes. Well nourished and sturdy the yearling was taking her ease stretched out on the grass and did not rise to meet a caller, but looked lazily round for a few seconds and promptly slumbered again. However, enough was seen of the youthful filly by Iliad (imp.) to form the impression that she is more than likely to prove a credit to her English progenitor. She favours her dam in conformation and colour and to some extent resembles another Gore-trained daughter of Iliad in Soliad, who, however, appears in other ownership and bred from a different line on the dam’s side of her house. The Iliad—Set Sail filly may or may not gallop to advantage, but she is bred in the purple and looks the part as baby thoroughbreds go. The East road trainer, T. E. Pankhurst, has reason to be pleased with the progress made by Fog Peak of late. The juvenile son of Rosenor (imp.) from Aspiring, by Solferino from Silver Peak has been developing a middle piece and there is now reason to hope that he will furnish into a useful performer next season. When the 1937-38 season comes in sight it will probably be found that. Pankhurst has had several well-bred youthful thoroughbreds entrusted to his care and this is as it should be in signifying recruits to southern racing ranks.