MASTER BALBOA A NEWCOMER

Southland Times, Issue 23774, 23 March 1939, Page 10

MASTER BALBOA A NEWCOMER

Tangled Located At Wingatui NEW STEEPLECHASE FENCES Acceptances for the Otautau meeting close at 8 o’clock tonight. Made Money Amiss

Made Money, who has done well since joining A. H. McDonald s stable a few weeks ago, has gone amiss, ana it will not be possible to race him at Easier. Beaupartir

The St. Leger winner Beaupartir was sent under the hammer at the Trentham sales two years ago, but was bought in by his breeder, Mr T. H. Lowry, at 600 guineas. Owned by Brothers

Taurangi and Laughing Lass, who almost dead-heated in the Thompson Handicap, are owned by two brothers —Mr W. M. Duncan (Taurangi) and Mr J. Duncan (Laughing Lass).

Sailjng Lady’s Rider G. Barclay has been engaged to ride Sailing Lady in the President s Handicap at the Birchwood meeting on Saturday. It is almost certain that Sailing Lady will endeavour to win all the way, and as Barclay rides some ot his best races in front, she will be well served in the saddle.

Steeplechase Course The old steeplechase fences at the Southland Racing Club’s property have been completely demolished, and the new brush fences—patterned on the same line as those in use at Flemington will be available for the first time. The sod wall, the post and rails, and the two hen coops have been removed, and replaced by four permanent brush fences. The new fences are formidable ones and while they will require as much jumping as those on the old course, they will not provide the same danger to jockeys and horses, lhe club’s caretaker, Mr T. Marshall, who secured details of the new fences on a recent trip to Australia, has P terned them on identical lines, and their erection is a credit to him.

Meeting Awaited Sportsmen throughout Australia and New Zealand are awaiting the first meeting of Ajax and Defaulter, and it may eventuate at Rosehill on Saturday. When nominations were taken for tne Rawson Stakes of £5OO, . wel / h H or " age, with allowances, nine furlongs, both horses figured in the list It will be a great day for .Rosehill if they face the barrier, and it is to be hoped they will. Some of the greatest horses to race in Australia have competed in this popular event

Tangled for Riverton ' F Shaw brought the steeplechaser '• Tangled back with him from Trentham, and will haVe charge of the Dead Sea-Dainty Step gelding atth ® Riverton meeting. Tangled did well at Riverton last Easter, winning once and was third in the other two starts, but has not raced since,. states a Dunedin report. He is; carrying a suspicious looking leg and it may be dif- ■ ficult to get him to the post thoroughly wound up. A Chance to Change

If some of the trainers do not select different riders for Oamaru from those they put up at Waimate it would be a waste of money to take their horses to the meeting, comments Sentinel. There will, however, be several rideis who were at Wellington in attendance at Oamaru, and pounds overweight are better than the pounds underweight costing a win.

Good Progress

Reports from Winton credit La Boca and Tautau Maid as having done particularly well and the pair are expected to race prominently at the Birchwood meeting on Saturday. La Boca has trained on the right way since running second to Poniard in his first race across country at Winton last month. The Balboa gelding is a proficient jumper and a better stayer than most. Although she has riot been in work a grefit length of time Tautau Maid has seldom worked better and there are few more promising novice jumpers about. | Team of Jumpers The Heddon Bush trainer, P. J. Boyle, will have a strong team of jumpers to represent him at coming meetings, the number including Shillelagh Wood, Black Banner, Red Owl, Matchem and Master Balboa. Faculties has not recovered from the injuries he received at the Winton meeting, while the veteran Quinopal, is also in steady work. Shillelagh Wood has not raced since the Grand National meeting two years ago, when she finished second to Nocturnus in the Grand National Steeplechase. Black Banner, who is to be given a run on the flat at the Birchwood meeting on Saturday, has done well since recommissioned, and some interest will be attached to his Riverton efforts. He started only four times last season, winning the Otago Steeplechase and being twice placed. Master Balboa is an aged gelding by Balboa from an unknown mare, but it is believed that his dam is a mare by Bellman. Under the name of Bounce he showed himself to be a jumper of great promise as a follower of the Birchwood hounds, while he has more speed on the flat than most. Matchem is a fine jumper, but not a good stayer. Boyle will also have Merry Simon, Triplecone and Moonraider to represent him on the flat at coming meetings. A Warning It is a long time since the visit of a New Zealand horse to Australia has aroused the interest that has centred round Defaulter’s trip. By reason of his succession of winning performances this season, he has been placed by his admirers on a very high plane, and it seemed to be assumed that he was being sent to Sydney with the special object of tidying to defeat Ajax. That this was not the idea of the colt’s owner is shown by a letter which Mr H. D. Greenwood wrote to the well-known Sydney writer, “Pilot,” of The Referee. Defaulter is one of the popular selections for the Sydney Cup and “Pjlot” expresses the view that backers should thank Mr Greenwood for the announcement as to the colt’s programme. The letter of Mr Greenwood is as follows:—“It would be idle for me to pretend I am not aware that the visit of my colt, Defaulter, to Australia is creating more than ordinary interest, and I make that my excuse for writing to you as there are one or two things I wish to make clear to your sporting public. In the first place it is quite wrong to suppose that I have sent my horse across for the

purpose, as I have heard expressed, of ‘trying to down Ajax’ or ‘take on Nuffield.’ Months ago I promised myself a visit to Sydney at Easter, and planned to take Defaulter over if his form as a three-year-old in New Zealand was good enough to justify the trip. If I had not been going he would still be racing here. Now my colt is entered for the Sydney Cup and, in view of the fact that New Zealand horses have had their share of successes in your important handicaps this season, and because I hold the opinion that ownership of a horse as much discussed in the sporting Press as my colt is at the present time entail certain obligations. I would ask you to make it known to your readers that, though Defaulter may survive the second acceptance, it does not necessarily mean he will be a starter. I will reserve to myself an owner’s privilege to make my decision as late as possible if necessarv.”