RACING AND TROTTING

Southland Times, Issue 23336, 21 October 1937, Page 10

RACING AND TROTTING

News —Prospects — Results j

RACING October 21, 23, 25—Wellington R-C. October 23. 25—Gore R.C. October 25—North Canterbury R.C. October 25—Waverley R.C. October 25—Waipawa County R.C. October 25—Waikato Hunt Club. October 29. 30—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 30—Banks Peninsula R.C. October 30—Rangitikei R.C. November 5. 6—Whangarei R.C. November 6,8, 10, 13—Canterbury J.C. November 13—Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt. Club. November 13—Napier Park R.C. November 20—Levin R.C. November 20 —Southland R.C. November 20, 22 —Waikato R.C. November 27—Ashburton County R.C. November 27, 29—Takapuna J.C. November 27, 30—Feilding J.C. ~ TROTTING October 23, 25—Auckland T.C. October 23, 25—Greymouth T.C. October 25—Oamaru T.C. October 30—Wellington T.C. October 30—Invercargill T.C. October 30—Thames T.C. November 9, 11, 12—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. By THE CURRAGH The Wellington Racing Club’s meeting opens at Trentham today. A copy of the race book for the first day of the Gore Racing Club’s meeting is acknowledged with thanks. Blissful Lady is the name claimed for Mr F. Trail’s yearling filly by Paper Money—Lady Blissful, -not the two-year-old filly. Taranaki trainer T. Fryer will put his apprentice son, who has not yet ridden in public, on his horses at the Waverley meeting. The Lord Warden mare Lady Kyra has done well at New Plymouth, and is expected to make a bold showing at the Waverley meeting. Sleepy is going north from New Plymouth to compete in the Waikato Hunt Cup at Cambridge. ' He carried out a recent school over the steeplechase fences in great style, and he should strip a fit horse. The work at Invercargill yesterday was confined to strong pacing on the inside plough which is in excellent order. It is many years since the plough track on this course was so ary at this time of the year, and clouds of dust were rising from it yesterday.

The programme for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s spring meeting, providing for £4OOO in stakes has been issued. The fixture will be held on November 25 and 27. The first race at Gore on Saturday is timed for 12.30 p.m. and the final event at 5.10 p.m.

In the Wellington Handicap Cuddle received 101 b in excess of weight-for-age, while Wild Chase is assessed at only two lb above the scale. It is difficult to believe that Cuddle represents eight lb better class than the Riccarton four-year-old.

De Soto has been transferred from Hororata to New Brighton where he will finish his New Zealand Trotting Cup preparation. The sandy track and the facilities for sea bathing are no doubt the magnets as De Soto does not appear to be a sound horse.

G. Watson, who rode Argentic to win the Teschemaker Handicap at Washdyke, is a Reefton boy, apprenticed to C. C. McCarthy at Riccarton. This was his second success, he having won his first race on Owlsgleam at Reefton last Easter.

Steer Clear, who was having her first race when she finished third to the Spring Stakes at Washdyke, is a three-year-old filly by Lord Warden from Sea Raid (Night Raid-Sea Maid). Sea Maid is by Martian, so that the youngster has an attractive pedigree.

There will be racing on Saturday at Gore and Wellington. On Monday the Gore, Wellington, North Canterbury, Waverley, Waikato Hunt and Waipawa County Clubs will hold meetings. The Auckland and Greymouth Trotting Clubs will race on Saturday and Monday and the Oamaru Club on Monday.

Probably for the first time to the history of Wingatui the inside of the course proper has been thrown open for general training operations. The course has been top-dressed with silt and general opinion holds the idea that the going will be greatly improved by being galloped on (writes “Sentinel”).

The four-year-old Foxlove, owned by Messrs Price and Cundall, has returned to the Southland Racing Club’s tracks. He is now trained by F. W. Ellis and during his spell the black son of Gallant Fox-Cupid’s Dart has been added to the list. He is in excellent condition to undergo a preparation.

One of the Sydney B stations has commenced broadcasting descriptions of trotting. The operators are not admitted to the course, but at Harold Park that is immaterial, as a hill overlooks the track, and it is possible for a microphone to be installed in line with the winning post and at no great distance.

While galloping at Awapuni recently Chief Ranger slipped on the grass, which had been made greasy by frost, and fell heavily. He was considerably shaken by the accident and is making a slow recovery. This is unfortunate for his connections, as the Chief Ruler gelding appeared to have good prospects.

Once the Caulfield course, laid out on sand, was one of the slowest tracks to Australia, but apparently topdressing has made it one of the fastest in the Commonwealth. The time of 1.40 was not bettered until 1927, when Avant Courier won in 1.39 J, and the improvement has been maintained until the new record of 1.37 was made by Ajax last week.

G. Humphries has lately ridden Golden Dart to the tracks at Riccarton each morning, and also in trotting exercise. He has made a complete recovery from his broken thigh, but has not been able to resume his calling because of a stiff knee, which has been very slow to yield to treatment. Humphries hopes soon to do some regular riding in track work, and to return to race riding early to the summer.

The three-year-old colt Romani (Paladin-Gold Lily), who for some months has been attached to F. McGrath’s stable at Randwick, has returned to Auckland and is again under the guidance of E. Pope at Takanini. Romani failed to win while in Australia, but is stated to have been showing good track trials, and his form was not in keeping with his ability.

The draw for places at the barrier in the two light harness events to be run at Gore on Saturday resulted as follows:—Balfour Trot.—Limit: Aqua Bond (9), Benjamin (1), Charles Russell (8), Dora Lindsay (7), Queen Christina (3), Seascape (4), Sir Gauge (2), Sydney Grand (6), Waitemata (5); 38 yards: Drumbunnif (1), Ghandi (2);

Peter Wrack (3). Otama Trot.—Limit: Golden Miller (4), Gold Valley (5), Grand Meteor (7), Happy Morn (6), Jesse Owens (2), Peter Wrack (1), Royal Drive (3); ,12 yards: Direct Thorpe (2), Happy King (4), Prince Charles (3), Tritoma (1).

Horses trained at Takanini won £l7lO during the two days’ racing at Ellerslie on Saturday and Monday. F. Smith headed the list, five of his horses gaining prize-money totalling £940. Round Up won £3OO, Arvakur £3OO, Anion £l4O, Inver £lOO and Valamito £lOO. P. E. Pope had three wins, including both hurdle events. Lady Ruler won £2OO, High Quality £3OO and Palustre £2OO, making a total of £7OO. C. Morse had one start and the second of Parquet brought in £7O.

Rebel Mate’s two good races at the South Canterbury meeting brought his record up to five wins, seven seconds and a third in his last fourteen starts. He has been only three times out of the money since he began racing just over a year ago. Some of his defeats have been by very narrow margins, of the half-head and neck variety, and he has been unlucky to encountering unexpected snags. At Riverton he was twice runner-up to Alma when that mare commenced her sequence of victories; at Trentham he met the sensational hack sprinter Maori Song, and at Washdyke it was his misfortune to strike Kinnoull. Rebel Mate’s winnings since New Year total about £750, but with a pinch of luck they might have run into four figures.

Contending that hardship was inflicted on the owner of a horse who was disqualified after winning because his jockey had weighed in correctly but without a breastplate or some other minor equipment, the Auckland branch of the Owners’, Trainers’ and Breeders’ Association is seeking to have the rule amended. The subject was introduced at a meeting of the branch on Thursday evening, when Mr W. G. Grey suggested that the National Executive should ask the Racing Conference to act. Dr E. H. B. Milsom, who presided, thought the New Zealand Association would favourably view the request, which was sound and reasonable. Rule 272 reads: “Any muzzle, martingale, breastplate, crupper, suspender or clothing of the horse (other than the articles mentioned in Rule 266 (3) c, in which a horse runs, shall be put into the scales and included in the rider’s weight, otherwise the horse shall be disqualified for the race.” Mr Grey said the penalty of disqualification was too drastic and expressed the opinion that when the correct weight was pulled the rider failing to bring any of the articles mentioned to the scales after the race should be fined. If the rule were amended in those terms it would afford protection to those who supported the horse. Messrs T. Impey, J. M. Buchanan, S. G. Lindsay, F. J Cassidy and R. S. Bagby supported the proposal, and it was unanimously decided to forward a remit to be placed before the Racing Conference.