On The Turf And Off

Southland Times, Issue 23255, 19 July 1937, Page 10

On The Turf And Off

HUNT MEETINGS

A THRILLING CONTEST

(By

SIR MODRED)

Postponed from' Saturday owing to inclement weather, the Hawke s Bay Hunt Club’s annual fixture will provide interest this afternoon. Very satisfactory nominations have been received for the Christchurch Hunt Club’s Grand National dress rehearsal meeting at Riccarton on Saturday, July 31. . The aged gelding Grampian, the strongly fancied winner of the final event at the Waimate Hunt races, by Robespierre (imp.)—Watermint, defeated a useful field. The aged gelding Huskie, who is one of the elect in market transactions for the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race, has to be recognized as yet another well-bred jumper racing this season. The North Islander is by Snow King (imp. and son of Willonyx from a Cyllene—St. Simon female source) from Sag, by Day Comet (imp. and of the St. Simon line), from Lagg, by General Latour (son of Soult, by St. Simon) from Monquil, by Cyrenian (imp. and son of St. Simon) from Waiorongomai, by Hotchkiss (son of Musket) from Bianca, by Black Eagle from Bessie, by Angler and stretching down the female line to the famous English importations to Australia in Fisherman and the mare. Juliet. The writer on the other shores of the Tasman Sea who declared that the St. Simon —Musket line was dying out in Australia and New Zealand would probably express suprise if the pedigree of Huskie was brought under notice. Advocates of hunt totalizator fixtures and followers of the hounds will be pleased to learn of the exciting contest for the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase at the Waimate Hunt meeting on Saturday. Following a keen struggle by the way Uncle Jim (Pratt), Night Parade (R. Beale) and Hot Tea (V. Langford) joined issue to finish in that order with half-heads separating the trio. It must have been a finish worth a barefooted pilgrimage to see and as such it will go down in hunt club history in South Canterbury. THE LATE J. LINDSAY J. Lindsay, the Riccarton trainer whose death was reported last week, had a long connection with the South Island turf. When the writer first met him many years ago he was associated with a smart mare called Replete, whose descendants are in evidence today, and when last consulted be was busy superintending the early education of Sky Pilot as a steeplechaser at the Canterbury Jockey Club headquarters. It was the patient and thorough way week in and week out in which the Day Comet horse was schooled that, attracted the attention of a southern visitor for some months and led to the trainer being complimented on his methods, which ultimately proved successful. It may interest a number of southern students of the great turf game to learn that Sunny Comet, winner of the Studholme Hack and Hunters’ Hurdle Handicap at Waimate on Saturday, figures as another of the pureblooded jumpers to gain success during the current season. Described as a five-year-old chestnut gelding, Sunny Comet is by Day Comet (imp. and son of St. Frusquin, claimed to be St. Simon’s most successful sire son in England) from Granuale, by Sunny Lake (imp. and by Sundridge), from Anitea (dam of a good performer in Rapier), by St. Ambrose (imp. and son of St., Simon from a matured line extending to Toxophilite, sire of Musket) from Stepka, by St. Leger (imp.) from Stepfeldt (a celebrated brood mare and sister to Stepniak and She), by Nordenfeldt (Musket) from Steppe (imp.). With jumping ability, youth, and breeding of the class quoted as backing, Sunny Comet may be heard of again, and in the circumstances it was no disgrace for. the veteran galloper but novice hurdler Toreador to suffer defeat by a length. Toreador was a rank outsider, but ran an excellent race. The Invercargill-trained Double Shot (V. Langford) made an encouraging display in filling third place to the geldings named, and he has only to stand up to his work to be presently hailed as the winner of a batten event. HOMEBY STEEPLECHASE The very satisfactory total of thirteen entrants has been listed for the Homeby Steeplechase Handicap, of £2OO (2£m.) to be decided at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting at Riccarton on July 31. Although it will not be decided over the actual course a number of the Grand National Steeplechase fences will be in use and the contest will be looked upon as a dress rehearsal for the noted crosscountry classic to be decided some days later at Riccarton. Of the thirteen competitors nominated no fewer than twelve at present claim engagements in the New Zealand Grand National, the only exception being that gay deceiver Monastic, a ’chaser who rightly bears the unenviable reputation of not always being inclined to give of his best. Three Southlanders, Black Banner, Hunting Go, and Shillelagh Wood, are eligible for the race. The fact that Valpeer. has been entered suggests that he is to be on hand at Riccarton next month to prepare for an attempt to win his third Grand National Steeplechase and his presence in the Homeby Steeplechase will lend additional importance to the event. He was recently reported from the North Island to be somewhat on the lusty side, but with track work and an outing in the Homeby event the Aucklander should be fit and well to face the starter in the National. As Manawat.u and Streamline have been nominated for the race on Saturday week, it may be presumed that all is well at present with these jumpers in spite of widely current rumours, to the contrary. It is also to be noted that the crack North Island ’chaser, Tudor, has been named for the race.

Of the Southland-owned performers nominated for the Christchurch Hunt Club meeting, Golden Lap, Signaller, and Double Shot figure in the Longbreach Hurdles, of £l5O (ljjm.), and the gallopers Bay Duke and Amelita are in th Brabazon Handicap, of £l3O (7 fur.). The Waimate Hunt Club meeting on Saturday was a successful one from a financial point of view and the totalizator receipts showed an increase of £1365 over last season’s returns. In the event of the weather being favourable the Waimate success should be continued at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s annual fixture at Timaru on Saturday next. The entries for this gathering at Washdyke were of record numbers all round. AMERICAN TROTTER’S WORLD RECORD MILE DASH ON HALF-MILE TRACK (Received July 18, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 16. At Goshenny, Greymouth, the United States champion trotter, established a world record for the mile over a halfxnfle track, the time being 1.59£.