ALLOWANCE FOR NIGHTCALM

Southland Times, Issue 23840, 10 June 1939, Page 10

ALLOWANCE FOR NIGHTCALM

Black Banner’s Drop In Weight AUCTOR’S WITHDRAWAL ANNOUNCED A. E. Ellis is likely to be riding at Wingatui today. Original Selection If the name originally selected had been available Survoy would have been known as Sir Penn. Withdrawn Auctdr was withdrawn from the King George Handicap at 12.55 on Thursday. If Started If Black Banner starts in the Dunedin Steeplechase, he will be ridden by G. Ridgway. The Favourites In Dunedin the favourites for the King George Handicap today are Nightcalm, Spanish Lad and Auctor. One Bracket The only bracket at Wingatui today will be in the Greenfield Hurdles when Fireguard and Bad News will be coupled. To Retire Grey Honour will conclude his racing career after the Grand National meeting in August, and be retired to the stud. El Caballo’s Rider T. J. Boyle will again have the mount on El Caballo as well as Baitruin in the hurdle race. Excellent Return In less than 12 months Gold Wren and Pandine have won £1960 in stakes for the Invercargill sportsman, Mr R. Brown. Gold Wren has won £l4lO arid Pandine £550. Wellington Winter Meeting The Wellington Steeplechase will be worth £lOOO and the Winter Hurdles £750 this year. Nominations close next week. An' Encore J. Thistleton, who trains Gold Wren, the winner of this year’s Otago Steeplechase,, rode The Gunner when he won the same race in 1910. The Hat Trick . H. W. Hibberd was in good form at Wingatui on Monday when he completed the hat-trick by riding three winners—Prince Ruenalf, Thermidor and Lazybones. A Spell Rabble was sent home after two races at Wingatui, where he was not prominent. He has had a busy season and he is to have a rest. First Visit in 20 Years

F. W. Ellis, trainer of Foxlove, was visiting the Wanganui course last week for the first time in 20 years. The last time he was at a Wanganui meeting he rode Euripos to win the Century Hurdle Race, in 1919. Same Terms

Although the distance today is ten furlongs and a-half as against a mile on Monday, -Thermidor is to meet Spanish Lad on exactly the same terms as when the latter was beaten. Roy Bun

There has been solid support for Roy Bun in both his races at Wingatui but he has failed to show up in either. His track work and recent form give him a chance in the company he is opposed to.

Dual Engagements Quite a number of horses claim two engagements on the final day at Wingatui today. These include Skyrena, Astaire, Sir Hugh, Valantua, Araboa, Second Innings, Astral Flash, Spearthrust, Drinkup, Silver Choir, Green Boa, Straightdel and Hunting Chorus. Pick of the Card The meeting of several recent winners over different distances and at different scales of weights will not make matters easy for speculators at Wingatui today. In spite of a sharp rise in weight, Lazybones, in the Tainui Handicap, appeals as one of the picks of the card as far as the flat events go. An Allowance Nightcalm carried his full weight, 9.7, when he won the Winter Handicap the first day at Wingatui. In the King George Handicap today he will be entitled to a 71b allowance as he will be ridden by L. Hare, who was successful on him at Washdyke. Change of Plans Earlier in the week the connections of Black Banner decided that he would start in the Dunedin Steeplechase today but apparently there has been a change of plans. If Black Banner happened to ■win the Dunedin Steeplechase today with 12.10 he. would be highly assessed in the Grand National Steeplechase, in which there is a maximum weight of 12.7. Luck of the Game “He never had a chance,” said F. Foster, commenting on the fall of Agog at the first fence in the Great Northern Hurdles. “He was blinded by Adsum racing to the hurdle, and had he taken it in his usual effortless fashion I would have been very surprised. Still, it is the luck of the game, I suppose.” An Admission? The fact that Black Banner was dropped 31b from 12.13 to 12.10 in the Dunedin Steeplechase today appears to be an admission on the part of the handicapper that his first day’s weights were incorrect. Today’s race is run over a journey a quarter of a mile shorter than the Otago Steeplechase and it was only reasonable to expect Black Banner to be given a little more over the shorter distance. For his success the first day Gold Wren has been weighted 161 b nearer Black Banner in today’s race while for his two seconds, and moderate placings at that, Wexford Bridge was 171bs closer handicapped to Black Banner than in the Otago Steeplechase.

Dunedin Opinion Discussing the King George Handicap at Wingatui today “Sentinel” states:—Nightcalm, the top-weight in the King George Handicap, is at present booked to run under a 71b allowance, and no doubt some of the others may make a claim in the same direction. There is, of course, always the danger that an allowance in weight may be more than counterbalanced by lack of knowledge on the part of the novice and lack of vigour If it comes

to a hard, fighting finish, when a welltimed final effort may _ make all the difference between winning and losing. At present, the King George Handicap reads rather open. Nightcalm, who has been a winner at the meeting, meets Roy Bun on 71b better terms than when the latter beat him at the Ashburton meeting over seven furlongs in Imin 25 l-ssec. They now meet at a stone higher scale. Thermidor acts well at Wingatui, and meets Spanish Lad on the same terms on the handicap, but allowance may be claimed for the latter. Second Innings has come in on 41b better terms with Thermidor. Padform meets Second Innings on 101 b better terms than in the Birthday Handicap, when the former won in the last stride. Araboa did not show up in the Provincial Handicap, but he and Valantua may show improvement. The most dangerous of those under 8.0 may be Sir Hugh and Petersham. At present Nightcalm, Sir Hugh and Spanish Lad may be in favour. Handicapper’s Work

It is to be expected that the work of a handicapper will come in for a good amount of criticism at different times. The weights for the Dunedin winter meeting, as issued by Mr W. P. Russell, of Palmerston North, came in for a good share of adverse comment, but the correctness of this criticism is in most cases a matter of opinion. In spite of this the racing on the first two days at the Dunedin meeting was probably the keenest and the finishes the closest seen at Wingatui for some time. Mr Russell must be given credit for the consistency with which his weights provided racing of an exceedingly high standard,_ even if some of his figures did come in for unfavourable comment. There can be no argument but that the Dunedin handicapper is working under difficulties in that he is asked to weight many horses which he does not see racing from one year’s end to another. To size up the merit of their performances, when he has not his own straightout opinion to work on, is no easy matter, but in spite of this the handicapper’s weights for the Dunedin meeting provided racing for the first _ two days seldom bettered at Wingatui.

Change of Fortune The victory of Vaalso in the first division of the Jervois Handicap on Saturday brought a welcome change of luck to his owners Messrs F. G. and W. W. Otter, whose first success it was in 20 years of breeding and racing in the Auckland province. After three successive placed performances, Vaalso was made favourite for the second division of the race last year, but he was beaten on that occasion by Mai de Mer. Vaalso was also second in three previous contests this season. Vaalso is by Vaals from Lu Dot, who was by Lucullus from Lady Dot, a Takapuna mare .who gained some attention in pre-war years as a sprinter, winning 11 races in one season at provincial meetings. Australian Events Nominations closed on Tuesday for all the important spring handicaps in Australia and it is probable that the list will include a number of horses from different parts of New Zealand. F. A. Roberts has entered Defaulter in the Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick and the Melbourne Cup. These two will suffice as handicap engagements, as the weight-for-are events will provide plenty of other opportunities to race him. He looks well as a result of being exercised regularly on the roads. F. D. Jones, though still indefinite as to his spring plans, has nominated Royal Chief for the Metropolitan Handicap, in case he decides on an Australian trip. If he goes, he will restrict his visit to Sydney, returning in time for Trentham late in October, as a preliminary to the Canterbury Jockey Club’s carnival in November. Provided Moorsotis goes on all right in his training, he may accompany Royal Chief if he goes to Sydney. The colt is engaged in both the Derbies and as a precaution Jones has nominated him for the Melbourne Cup. HAWKE’S BAY J.C. t TODAY’S ACCEPTANCES The acceptances for the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s meeting today are as follows: 11.30 a.m. MAIDEN PLATE, £lOO. (Five furlongs and a-half). —Defray, Kaiwaka, Solicit, Laughing Song, Tangirere, Modem Way, Woglinde, Te Ore, Golden Melody, Richlieu Pearl, Game Pit, Anini, Hunting Moments, Charles Hugo, Hyberabad, Final, all 8.7; Flying Flag, Harina, Black Majesty, Odavarb, Madonna, Julietta, Silver Court, Yogi, Lord Midas, Awhirangi, all 8.0. 12.15 p.m. WHAKATU HURDLES, £l5O. (About one mile and a-half). —Small Boy 11.4, Curie 11.10, High Grader 10.11, Misurina 10.0, Contact 9.5, Omarere 9.3, Umpire 9.3, Thrasher 9.0, Helios 9.0, Parry 9.0. 1 p.m. WOODLANDS HANDICAP, £215. (Six furlongs).—Quilp 9.3, Native Song 9.3, Proclamation 8.9, Gold Ballad 8.8, Hunting Royal 8.8, Colincamps 8.4, Hillside 8.4, Colin 8.2, Imogen 8.2, Marsyas 8.0, Haile Selassie 8.0. 1.45 p.m. HAWKE’S BAY STEEPLECHASE, £250. (About two miles and a-half). — Padishah 11.13, Sporting Song 10.5, Primark 9.12, Count Willonyx 9.12, Rapa Waiata 9.5, Wykemist 9.0, Kiriroki 9.0. 2.30 p.m.

WINTER HANDICAP, £125. (One mile and a-quarter).—Birkology 9.0, Hunting Mint 8.11, Reay Bridge 8.8, The Ring 8.2, Elettra 8.0, Tigerterre 8.0, Arabic 8.0, Ebb and Flow 8.0. 3.15 p.m.

CLIFTON HANDICAP, £125. (Six furlongs and a-half).—Centrepoise 9.4,

Native Song 9.2, Golden Flame 9.1, Royal Spades ".1, Screen Lord 8.10, Lucullus Boy 8.8, Gold Ballad 8.8, Iddo 8.8, Hunting Royal 8.8, Lindrum 8.5, Halley 8.4, Gay Laura 8.2, Helios 8.2, Whetu 8.2.

4 p.m. HERETAUNGA HANDICAP, £l5O. (Six furlongs and a-half).—Flammarion 9.13, Golden Blonde 9.3, Royal Minstrel 8.11, Solaria 8.10, Okawa 8.9, Soho 8.7, Repair 8.6, Granvale 8.5, First Chapter 8.2, Sir Nigel 8.0, Stitch 8.0, Fossicker 8.0.