BIRCHWOOD HUNT

Southland Times, Issue 23548, 30 June 1938, Page 10

BIRCHWOOD HUNT

YESTERDAY’S MEET AT LIMEHILLS

TWENTY-FOUR HORSES * TAKE PART Twenty-four horses took part at a meet of the Birchwood Hunt at Limehills yesterday. There was a big attendance of spectators and the weather and jumping conditions were excellent Two runs were held and a course over four gorse fences, two toad doubles and a post and rails was jumped. The jumping was of a good standard and a few novices, having their first outings, all acquitted themselves well. Burwood did not take too kindly to the first jump. ' He had too much speed up to balk and in attempting to run off unseated his rider. No other spills were recorded. A feature of the meet was the jumping competition held after the runs. In the open jump five horses took part and the judges were unable to separate them. In the jump off Matchem and Lady Barkly dead-heated and jumped off again and the judges again declared a dead-heat. Lady Barkly, who also won the maiden jump, was having her first outing behind the hounds and is a fine type of hunter. In presenting the trophies for the jumping competition, Dr P. Gow, president of the Winton branch, said, that he had been a follower of the Birchwood hounds for many years and declared that he had never seen better jumping. He remarked that judging by the results of the recent race meeting in Dunedin some of the best hunters in the South Island were in Southland and some of them were present at the meet. Dr Govv said he was disappointed that there were no women followers and mentioned that a few years ago the district had quite a lot of women riders. Among the followers were:—W. Swale (master) on Glenmure and Royston, J. Langford (huntsman) on Dunmure, W, Sheedy (whip) on Matchem, J. L. Hazlett on The Stalker and Konini, J. Boyle on Last Post, T. Boyle on Johnny and Burwood, V. Langford on Lochcorrib, C. Humphries on Grey Seal and Wild Irishman, N. Kitto on Gold Wren. H. Cox on Bounce and The Gunner, F. Langford on Pandowa, B. Langford on Poinard, R. McKenzie on Lady Barkly, I. Rask on Dalrymple and a Woodend gelding, J. Morton on Panara and Tautau Maid, H. Stuck on Young Squatter, W. Boyle on Rotowai. The jumping competitions resulted:— MAIDEN.—Lady Barkly (F. Langford) 1, Rotowai (V. Langford) 2. Also competed: Pandowa (H. Stuck), Dalrymple (I. Rask). OPEN.—Lady Barkly (F. Langford) and Matchem (J. Langford) deadheat X, Konini (J. L. Hazlett) 3. Also competed: Bounce (V. 'Langford), Bandy Boa (A. Langford). Messrs F. Moore and J. F. Hamilton, of Winton, were the judges.

FOREIGN INVADER OF AUSTRALIA ACTOR HEADS SPRING HANDICAPS • By SIR MODRED The fact that Actor (imp.) heads the weights lists for the Melbourne Cup (2m.), with 9.6, Caulfield Cup (l|m.), under 9.7, and the Metropolitan Handicap, run in Sydney (Im. sfur.) assessed at 9.6, has naturally aroused keen interest in his identity and previous career. It may be explained that Actor is a French horse who will race in Australia as a five-year-old. Last season Mr Sol Green, of Melbourne, paid a high price in France for the well-per-formed three-year-old colt Actor, by Ortelle from Actrice, and had hopes of winning good races with him in Melbourne and Sydney during the autumn meetings. But it was not to be. The colt, who, bred to English, French and American time, ranked as a juvenile in the Northern Hemisphere, had to be classed as a four-year-old on his arrival in Australia. In Europe, America, and the Far East thoroughbreds take their age from January 1, whereas in Australia and New Zeaand August 1 is the universal birthday of the thoroughbred equine race.

Actor was progressing favourably in his training at Randwick under the care of the one-time New Zealander J. T. Jamieson, when he pulled up lame and it was discovered that he had sprained a tendon. The colt had to be thrown out of work and his autumn programme for the current season abandoned. Mr Green has from time to time imported highly-bred European horses and mares for Australian exploitation on the racecourse or in the stud paddocks. Under the circumstances those connected with the turf will welcome the news that Actor promises to survive a spring preparation. In the light of recent events, the Epsom Derby won by Bois Roussel, for example, .Mr Green’s Frenchman should command support in the event of the horse having to be relegated to the stud, but racegoers would prefer to see him measuring strides with the best gallopers Australia and Nev/ Zealand can produce to compete at Randwick, Caulfield, or Flemington, the three great convincing grounds of the Commonwealth. In the first of the rich spring events in which he has been weighted, the Australian Jockey Club’s Metropolitan Handicap, of £5OOO (Im. sfur.) Actor (9.6) is followed on the weight adjuster’s list by his countryman Genetout (9.4), bred in France and classed as d good performer in a' land where the breeding of staying thoroughbreds has for many years been carried out successfully and very often to the confusion of rival in England over extended distances, and also when encountered on race tracks in Belgium, common ground where French and English performers often figure in the guise of peaceful invaders of a neutral country. In breeding circles it is well known that French-bred sires have been successful in Australia and New Zealand and cases in point are Kenilworth in the Commonwealth and Apremont in the Dominion. As a matter of fact, Apremont was one of the most valuable horses ever brought to New Zealand, where he earned fame as a sire whose progeny galloped very fast, stayed, bred on, and possessed legs of iron, all characteristics which may be found today in descendants of this great progenitor by Mortimer (a noted French sire) from Araucaria.