TWO-YEAR-OLD RANKING

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 10

TWO-YEAR-OLD RANKING

Te Hero To Test Gay Son And Peerless

GREAT NORTHERN FOAL STAKES NEXT

Two-year-old racing this season has been full of interest, if only for the reason that the stock of a new sire in Beau Pere took all in their stride, but it is no easy matter accepting early form as a reliable guide. After Trentham racing Gay Son was considered the best of his age, but the Cup meeting found Peerless being awarded this honour. Now there is another Richmond in the field and this is the Heroic colt, Te Hero, while several others have also attracted attention. Consequently the Great Northern Foal Stakes, which has drawn 12 two-year-olds, including Gay Son, Peerless and Te Hero, should provide some guide to supremacy among these ranks. Peerless is one of the biggest two-year-olds raced this season. Her form during the Cup carnival when she won the Welcome Stakes and the Pioneer Handicap and was narrowly beaten by Taurangi in the Spring Nursery Handicap stamped her as a youngster of good class. was good reason to value Gay Son’s Trentham form when he won the Wellesley Stakes brilliantly. It took a good colt to win as he did and it must not be overlooked that when he was beaten by Peerless at Riccarton he was affected by a cold, while on top of this he did not get the best of the running. Gay Son may now be an even better colt than he was at Trentham and there is good reason to believe that he will be one of the best of the Beau Peres. WILL NOT BE DISGRACED Taurangi was beaten by Peerless and Gay Son at Riccarton, but later at the meeting accounted for Peerless. She also won a race at Trentham and will not be disgraced against the best of her age. Surmount is another whose chance cannot be disregarded, but Peerless may hold him safely. Homily, who raced successfully in Australia, will not be out of her depth. A good word is said of Sudan, and Amigo is a real speedster, as when he defeated Surmount at Trentham he registered 58sec for the five furlongs and thus equalled the Australasian record for the distance, held by 'Paganelli and Gloaming. Te Hero is the one being looked to to upset the run of successes of the Beau Pere tribe. A beautifully-bred colt, by Heroic from Prodice, winner of the Avondale Stakes, Avondale Guineas, Great Northern Guineas and Great Northern Oaks, he is a halfbrother to the ill-fated Gallio, considered the superior of Wild Chase as a three-year-old. Te Hero, who has won two of his three starts, gave a real taste of his ability when he defeated Arvakur at Takapuna. He carried 9.6 and was conceding Arvakur (8.13) three lengths at the top of the straight. The Heroic colt got up to score by a nose, a narrow but handsome win. In the Great Northern Foal Stakes Te Hero will provide Gay Son and Peerless with solid opposition.

TWO VISITORS FROM VICTORIA

SOUTHLAND FACILITIES APPRECIATED (By SIR MODRED) Arriving in Invercargill on Saturday to await Monday’s steamer bound for Melbourne, two Victorian sportsmen lost no time in getting into touch with several followers of racing and trotting, and as a result the master of Gladstone Lodge took the strangers through various parts of the Western District, calling at the Chelandry Stud by the way. The strangers were Mr Robertson, whose pastoral property is adjacent to the Murray river on the border of South Australia, and Mr Anderson, a publican, of Horsham (Victoria), both lovers of high-class horseflesh, hut of different standards. They expressed admiration of the layout and situation, and of the pastures serving the thoroughbred horses and other stock at the Chelandry Stud and when taken to Riverton and other parts of the Western District they declared they could not see enough of the beautiful farming and stock-raising country of Southland. They were very enthusiastic and declared their intention on returning to Victoria to advertise New Zealand in general and Southland in particular. Mr Robertson is an owner of hurdle racers, and Mr Anderson has a preference for the light harness sport.

The Victorians were shown the Riverton Racing Club’s property and both were deeply interested in the steeplechase country. They are well acquainted with the Oakbank course, 20 miles from Adelaide, where annually on Easter Monday the most important one-day meeting in Australia is held, the noted Onkaparinga Steeplechase, £2500, being the main event. Mr Robertson and his friend were greatly impressed with the cross-country course and its history. Early on Monday, Messrs Robertson and Anderson inspected the Southland Racing Club’s property. Never before had they seen gallopers and trotters working at the same time on a racecourse. The variety of tracks in use was praised as was the construction of the new trotting circuit. Mr Anderson unhesitatingly named Globe Derby as the best light harness performer he has seen in action in Victoria. He also referred to night trotting meetings in Adelaide, with the thrills of competition on a track of less than four furlongs. The totalizator where two-sbilling investment tickets were available was very popular. The outstanding success of night trotting in Perth and Adelaide would undoubtedly increase when the proprietary influence of dog and horse racing was overcome in Melbourne and Sydney to afford a fair field to light harness racing. It might take some time to bring about this desirable result, but steps were already being taken in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. AMENDED LEGISLATION IN N.S.W. LOSS OF RACING TAXATION SYDNEY, December 8. The Premier of New South Wales (Mr B. S. B. Stevens), introducing the Racing and Gaming Bill in the Assembly, said it involved a nominal loss of £BO,OOO a year in reduced racing taxation. An improvement in racing attendances was expected, however, and the greyhound racing tax should yield £25,000 a year. The provisions of the Bill include reduced admission charges and a reduction in the taxation on bookmakers.