RACING NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23376, 7 December 1937, Page 10

RACING NOTES

Cuddle’s Holiday Engagements RIVERTON JUMPERS RETURN Nominations for the Wyndham Racing Club’s New Year’s Day meeting close tomorrow evening at 8 p.m. Nominations for the Cattle Flat nontotalizator meeting close on Friday at 9 p.m. Only one topweight, Rapine, 9.8, has won the Auckland Cup during the last 20 years. Mr G. Murray-Aynsley has disposed of the two-year-old filly Floral Robe, by Robespierre from Orange Blossom, the dam of Silver Ring. The filly is to join T. R. George’s Trentham team. It is suggested that L. J. Ellis will ride either Wild Chase or Willie Win in the Auckland Cup. He has won this race during the last two years on Cuddle.

Linguist is to race in the colours of Mrs M. W. Shield, of Dunedin. Possum appears to have wintered well and the Balboa gelding is in good condition to begin a preparation. He has been brought in by J. Thistleton, at Riverton, but has yet to put in an appearance on the tracks.

Good progress is being made with the erection of a new stand at the Riverton Racing Club’s course and it is expected to be finished in time for the Easter meeting of the club. The new building replaces the old open air stand and is 100 feet in length. It is to cost about £5OOO.

Though Cuddle has been scratched for the Auckland Cup she may still go north for the two w.f.a. races on the programme. Meanwhile, however, she is to be nominated for the Wairarapa Cup, for which the weights are due on December 14, and it is possible that she will remain home for that £6OO event. The successes this season of Cerne Abbas, Protector, Normal, Ortyx, Privy Seal, Myriam and others are certain to have a marked effect when Lord Warden’s yearlings come up for disposal at Trentham next month.

A Wellington writer expresses the opinion that the following horses have received more weight in the Auckland Cup, without complaint from their connections: Cerne Abbas, Wotan, Jonathan, Ponty, Padishah and Shy. Bookings to the Mataura sire, Philamor (imp.) include the following: Some Form, Soldier’s Fancy, Tea Gown, Just Imagine, Tartan Mavis, Manuhaka, Insolence (with filly foal.by Philamor at foot), Red Sunset, a sister to Red Treasure, Pompax (with filly foal by Philamor at foot), Sunlit, Easy Street, Pride of Central, Lady Lizzie, Lady’s Knight, Ileana, Lucky Locket (with colt by Philamor at foot), Nanette, Mainlight and Red Fray. Francolin, the dam of Ortyx, has produced a colt foal by Nigger Minstrel and is to be mated with the same sire. At Riverton Mr D. M. Tweedie has a fine type of yearling colt by Nigger Minstrel from Francolin.

At Riverton G. Bain has taken up Glenmure, and Royston is to be brought in shortly. Glenmure was a newcomer to the steeplechasing ranks last season and in the little racing she had the Panmure mare gave the impression that she would show up with experience. With 11.12 she finished second to Kelly the Crow at South Canterbury in a gentlemen riders’ race. Royston, who is a reliable fencer, gave the impression last season that he was staying-on better and he has only to carry on in this direction to win races.

The Tapanui Club’s programme for its meeting on February 5 is to hand. The chief event, the Tapanui Handicap, over a mile and a-quarter, carries a stake of £llO and a cup valued at £5 5/-. This race is confined to horses who have not won a race to the value of £2OO at the time of starting. Nominations close on January 15.

A decision to support a remit to the New Zealand Racing Owners, Breeders and Trainers’ Association from the Taranaki branch about unruly horses was reached by the provincial council of the Auckland branch. The Taranaki proposal is that it should be compulsory for clubs to have a suitable hurdle available at each starting post so that on the starters’ instructions, unruly horses can be lined up outside it and away from the rest of the field. The suggestion was considered a good one, providing the control was left to the discretion of the starter.

In view of the outstanding success of Beau Per.e’s first crop of foals his yearlings at the sales at Trentham next month will command more than ordinary attention. Beau Pere youngsters to be submitted are as follows: br c from Dignified; br c from Valeni; b f from Curtesy; b f from Barbacan; br f from Drama; br c from Dominant; br f from Duckling; br f from Phrosa. Rival Hit, who created a good impression in the few races he had in New Zealand and who was sold for a big sum to go to Australia, is unlikely to race for some time and has had to be spelled. Shortly after his arrival in Australia it is reported that he was speeded up in his work and raced, but the change of climate saw him lose condition rapidly On top of this an injury on the road found his suffering from a deep cut on the inside of his near foreleg, and he is also reported to be suffering from laryngitis.

With Courtcraft, Smoke Screen, The Crooner and Bachelor King to oppose Royal Chief in the Great Northern Derby, there is every indication of the northern classic providing a much better contest than the New Zealand Derby did. Royal Chief will definitely hold his place as favourite, and it is a case of the Chief Ruler colt taking on allcomers. Courtcraft found the Australian three-year-olds much above him but that does not mean that Royal Chief is in their class.

The question whether a trainer ab-

sent “at a meeting” is entitled to hand over the care of his team to an unlicensed employee was raised by the stipendiary steward, Mr B. N. Sandilands, at the Feilding Jockey Club’s recent meeting. Ned Cuttie, whose trainer, J. Fryer, is in Australia, was the horse under discussion and the judicial committee decided that the horse could fulfil his engagement. It is stated that the matter will probably be the subject of a special resolution making it clear whether “meeting” covers racing in Australia as well as in New Zealand. Rule 143 (b) of the Rules of , Racing states that any employee of a licensed trainer or of an owner training his own horse, not being' himself licensed, may train any horse in his employer’s stable during the latter’s absence at any race meeting, and he may, on behalf of his employer, take charge of any horse at, or for the purposes of any race meeting at which his employer is not present. A different view was taken last season at Gore, where Linguist, one of A. E. Didham’s team, was deprived of third money because the trainer was in Australia, and a brother who had charge of the horse did not hold a licence.