SIR HUGH MAY SHOW UP

Southland Times, Issue 23839, 9 June 1939, Page 10

SIR HUGH MAY SHOW UP

Special Preparation For Passaform STARTER’S WORK AT WINGATUI Nominations for all events for the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting close on June 16. New Zealand Cup in View After this week’s Dimedin meeting Passaform is to be spelled before starting on a special preparation with the New Zealand Cup in view. Interesting Clash A clash between Black Banner, Gold Wren and El Caballo in the Dunedin Steeplechase tomorrow promises to be one of the features of the days racing. Alma’s Limit Although she continues to race over middle distances Alma does not win out of her form and her Dunedin efforts suggest that a mile is her limit. Useful Placing Straightdel finished a very creditable second to Lazybones in his first appearance in open company. The btraigntcourse gelding looked a winner a few yards from the post but Lazybones finished too brilliantly for him. Not First Winner It has been stated that Spearthrust is the first winner sired by Irish Lancer but this is incorrect as the imported horse has been represented by a winner among the batch of yearlings shipped to Singapore about two years ago. Foxlove at Wanganui Foxlove failed to win a race in his two starts at the Wanganui meeting, but he was not disgraced as each day he received a bad run. He was a good fourth on the first day after covering extra ground, while on the second day he ivas pushed back on the rails from a good early position to near the tail of the field. Survey Since Easter, Survoy, by Surveyor from Pen Lu, has won over a mile on the flat, twice over hurdles, and on Monday completed the hat trick by winning the Great Northern Steeplechase. He is owned by a resident of Auckland, and trained by E. J. Ellis at Washdyke.

A Big Task Sir Hugh was set a big task in trying to win the Duke of Gloucester Cup all the way with 11.13. In the circumstances it was a great effort on his part to finish a good, third and the first time he takes his place in an open held he can be relied on to be hard to beat.

Apprentice Injured The Invercargill apprentice, W. F. Ellis, had an unfortunate experience at the Wanganui meeting. While walking round at the barrier at the start of the second race, Ellis, who had the mount of Phil, was kicked on the stomach by another horse. Another rider was substituted, but after medical examination, Ellis was found to be all right and he fulfilled engagements later in the day.

Well Worth While The Duke of Gloucester Cup was a great race from a betting point of view and probably more interest was shown in the running of it than any other event on the card for the second day. A race for gentlemen riders could quite well be included in the programme of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting each year, as Monday’s Gloucester Cup race pointed to it being well worth while. Entries for Classics Today will be an important day for owners of young horses, as at 5 p.m. metropolitan clubs throughout the Dominion will take entries for their classic races. The Dunedin Jockey Club’s races under this heading are the McLean Stakes, £3OO, for two-year-olds, to be rim next October the Champagne Stakes, £350, for two-year-olds, to be run at the Cup meeting next February, and the Dunedin Guineas and J. B. Reid Cup for three-year-olds, to be run at the Spring Meeting, 1940. Meeting Drawn Out The fields for the final day of the Dunedin winter meeting on Saturday are surprisingly good as at one stage it was thought that there would be a severe thinning out. Much criticism was heard among owners and trainers and visitors to the meeting about the fixture being drawn out over a week, and the general idea was that the club could have quite well have raced on the Wednesday. By racing on the two Saturdays the attendance figures are no doubt increased but some consideration should be given owners and trainers. Amateur Horsemanship In spite of many of the amateur riders in the Duke of Gloucester Cup at Wingatui on Monday not having had much race experience, the displays, with one or two exceptions, were very satisfactory. Mr E. White, rider of the winner, is only 20 years of age. He has had considerable experience in the hunting field, and at one time assisted the Wingatui trainer, F. Shaw, in the schooling of jumpers. His father raced Umatali and Cock o’ the North when both were trained by Shaw. Starter’s Work The starter at Wingatui, Mr C. Gieseler had some unruly horses to deal with on both days and several of the starts were held up for some time. On the second day Mr Gieseler quite rightly sent the field away in the hurdle race without considering Pride o’ Central while he also placed Violenta behind her field. Mr Gieseler did not, however, riiake his work any easier by continually getting down off the starter’s stand to assist in lining horses up. Often the field was in good line but by the time the starter returned to his stand they were as bad as ever again. It is plainly the duty of the starter’s assistants to bring a field into good line if possible. A Fast-Run Race One of the surprising features of the race for the Duke of Gloucester Cup on Monday was the comparatively fast pace at which it was run. Carrying 12.2, just 561 b more than Second Innings did when he won the Birthday Handicap on Saturday, Travenna ran the mile and two and a-half furlongs in 2min 17 2-ssec, only one second slower than Second Innings’s winning time. Sir Hugh was responsible for this solid pace, and he was set a big task by his rider to make the pace under 11.13.

A Consistent Mare When Thermidor went out to contest file Provincial Handicap on Monday she was making her twenty-sixth public

appearance this season. She has won six races, been second in three, and four times third. Her dam, Lady Minerva, was by Martian from Lady Lillian, by Phaeton from Lady Zetland, by Perkin Warbeck 11, from the imported mare Forget-me-not. Lady Minerva was a prolific brood mare, and other good ones she produced were Winkie’s Best, Arrowlet, and Minerval.

Racing After Sunset Rule 228 of the Rules of Racing says: “In no programme of any race meeting, any day of which falls within the period from May 7 in one year to August 31 in the next succeeding year (season), shall the starting time of the last race on any such day be fixed for a time later than 20 minutes before sunset.” The official starting time of the last race on Monday’s programme at Wingatui was 3.53, and the calendar shows that the sun should set at 4.31, states The Evening Star, Dunedin. Because of unforeseen delays in getting the races off, the last race was about 35 minutes late in starting. Unfortunately, the sun sets over the hills behind Wingatui much earlier during the winter months than stated in the calendar, and consequently, the light becomes bad shortly after 4 o’clock.