On The Turf And Off

Southland Times, Issue 23228, 17 June 1937, Page 10

On The Turf And Off

TWO JUMPERS

WELL-BRED HORSES SUCCESSFUL

SIR MODRED)

(By

When she won as a 12—12 fancy at the recent Ashburton Trotting Club meeting the Southland-owned pacer Stirling Lady was not neglected by her connections. It is interesting to learn that Polar Star is to be educated as a hurdle racer, as this upstanding gelding displayed an easy style of jumping when tested on the Southland Racing Club tracks. The progeny of Balboa gained high honours at the recent Dunedin Jockey Club meeting, but one of the number in Gambler’s Luck was not seen at his best His dam, Whiplash, has foaled several useful gallopers/ The puggy state of the going at Wingatui last week was all against the big gelding Ballad, but the descendant of Songbird from Unawed will surely see a better day. It may not be known that T. G. Pollock’s galloper can jump hurdles in a promising fashion, but his owner has no intention of putting him to the batten pastime at present, if ever. . . , A considerable amount of interest will attach to the jumping events figuring on the programme for the Ashburton County Racing Club’s winter meeting on June 26, as a number of novice leppers will be tried out at the fixture with a view to competing at Trentham and Riccarton. The races referred to include the Hinds Hurdle Handicap, of £l2O (IJm. and 100yds) and the Dromore Hack Steeplechase Handicap, of £l3O (about two miles). These events will attract widespread interest in Canterbury, and they may also be looked for in Southland with southern representatives engaged. Bred by Mr T. E. Hide, of South Canterbury, at whose stud that good mare Queen of Song first saw the light of day, a five-year-old gelding called Royal Ransom, who raced like a useful performer in the making at the Dunedin Jockey Club meeting of last week, commands an attractive P e^^ r . ee ‘ Trained by F. Trilford, at Washdyke, Royal Ransom is by Weathervane (imp. and successful galloper when racing in England) from Blackmail, by Bezonian (imp. and a horse who left a line of successful brood mares in the Dominion) from Historiette, by Achilles (son of Medallion), from Chinwag, by Finland (a good sire) frem Rumour, by Eiridspord from Eleusis (imp.), by Barcaldine. The novice from Timaru may not develop high-class racing, but on his running at Dunedin he promises to earn an early winning bracket.

WELL-BRED JUMPERS '

The breeding of the Invercargilltrained winners of the two hurdle races at the Dunedin Jockey Clubs winter meeting of last week, geldmgs racmg m the colours of Messrs J. S. and W. Ji*. Hazlett in Signaller and Golden Lap, is of more than passing interest. Many years ago at a sale in Invercargill of a reject consignment of thoroughbreds from Hawke’s Bay consisting of old brood mares and several of their progeny, the late Mr F. Price, of Waikiwi, purchased a two-year-old filly by Signalman from Miss Stent for 47 guineas and the youngster was subsequently registered as Miss Signal. As a racing proposition the filly was not a great success, but at the stud she became the taproot mare of a family claiming Signaller, The Smuggler, Rioter and Morse Signal as its bngnt lights. Signalman, the sire quoted, was a rarp stamp of horse for the jumping game and bred by the late Sir George Clifford. He became the property of the late Mr S. H Gollan, who was set on breeding jumpers of the best type, and among other mares he was mated with Stent, who in the course of time foaled the filly to become known as Miss Signal. Miss Stent was an Aus-tralian-bred mare under a cloud from a race-course point of view, but her breeding was of the very best. Her pedigree was overlooked for many years and she was not included in the New Zealand Stud Book. However, the writer kept a record of the old matron, who, by the way, died in Southland some time after her arrival here. Recently the breeding of Miss Stent was the subject of inquiry from the north and it will probably figure in a future publication of the N.Z. Stud. Book through her female line. As Signaller is a son of a New Zealand Derby and Auckland Cup winner in Balboa, it can readily be understood that the Invercargill hurdle racer is a well-bred performer each way. Racing with credit across the flat for the Messrs Price, his breeders, Signaller was ultimately purchased by Mr W. E. Hazlett to be tried out as a hurdle racer and the son of Balboa has proved his worth as a contestant at the illegitimate game for the partnership which he now represents. Last week Signaller won the Otago Hurdle Race for the second year in succession for Gladstone Lodge. JUMPING AT WINGATUI The second little sticks jumping event at Wingatui in the June Hurdle Handicap was also won by a thoroughbred gelding when Golden Lap defeated Giggleswick, Arctic Star and four other runners. Bred by the well-known Western District owner-trainer, R. McNay, who reared him well and prepared him to win across the flat in later years, he was subsequently passed on to Mr W. E. Hazlett as likely to develop jumping ability and so it turned out, as within a short time schooling lessons revealed the fact that he was undoubtedly cut out to skim the battens in approved fashion as a very quick fencer. On breeding lines Golden Lap is by Woodend (imp. and son of the very successful English sire Lemberg) from Divinal, by Saxby (imp. and son of Saxham) from Divinia, by Sylvia Park (son of St. Leger and noted sire of jumpers) from Mongonui, by Carbine (son of Musket, and sire of the brilliant racehorses and successful stallions Wallace and Spearmint in Australia and England respectively) from Moonga, by Goldsbrough (one of Australia’s best sires) from Kernel, by Angler (a good Australian horse) from Cocoanut (imp).

The success reaped by Signaller and Golden Lap at Wingatui, taken in conjunction with the wins of Clarion Call, at Wanganui, and Sandy Dix and Irish Comet, at Auckland during the past few days goes to show that well-bred jumpers are essential in New Zealand if a fair measure of success is to be gained in hurdle races and cross-coun-try events. A half-sister to Golden Lap in a filly called Baldiva, by Balboa, was also bred by Mr McNay, but what became of her has yet to be discovered by the general public.