ON THE TURF AND OFF

Southland Times, Issue 24115, 2 May 1940, Page 10

ON THE TURF AND OFF

THE RAKER STOUTLY BRED STANDARDIZED JUMPING FENCES By SIR MODRED The New Derby, to be decided in England oq June 12, attracted an entry list of 78 juveniles. Davilia, an Australian-bred juvenile filly by David, won at Waverley (N. 1. meeting on Saturday. The four-year-old mare Cohbri, by Philamoi’ (imp.), ran second in a race at the Waverley fixture. The first foal of his dam and a three-year-old gelding of promise The Raker, winner of the Rosewill Hack Handicap (Im. 35yds), at Timaru last week, ranks as a juvenile of the highest lineage and a galloper bred to stay on, while his blood strains are worthy of study and consideration. Trained by N. J. Dwyer, a native of Southland and now a successful trainer at Oamaru, The Raker is by Croupier, by Surveyor (son of Nassau, imp., from a mare of StepniakWallace, by Carbine line), from Pellet (a mare of staying strains), by Thurnham (imp., and sire of stayers and good jumpers). The dam of The Raker was Kippit Lee, by Arausio (imp., and by Sunstar) from Snowshoe, by Kilbroney (imp.) from Snowstell (a successful dam), by Clanranald (a noted sire) from Safeguard, by Maxim (son of Musket and a great galloper) from Teredo, by Apremont (imp., and one of New Zealand’s best sires of brilliance and soundness) from Nautilus, by Traducer (imp.) from Waterwitch, by Camden from Mermaid (imp.). There were several winners of merit at the South Canterbury J.C. meeting tracing back to the famous taproot Mermaid (imp.). WILD TALK’S LINES The latest Timaru Cup winner, Wild Talk, is a mare of well-known family, as she is a full sister to Fracas, Trench Fight and several lesser -turf performers or stud nroducers. A. product of the Stonyhurst Stud she traces back in maternal family to a Trenton mare who has been responsible for a lengthy line of winners to race for the Clifford family under the training of H. and A. Cutts. Wild Talk is by Winning Hit, son of Autumnus, by Treadmill, by Bill of Portland (imp.), by St. Simon. The Timaru Cup winner’s dam was Babel, by The Ace (imp., and son of Bayardo) from Serimmage, by Antagonist (son of Soult, imp., from a Nordenfcldt mare) from Mad Whirl, by Treadmill from Madowla, by Trenton (son of Musket) from Azalea (imp.), by Galliard. There is Musket and St. Simon blood each way in the pedigree of Wild Talk, but it is on the dam’s side that a very interesting St. Simon strain crops up where St. Simon is concerned. Bred in Auckland the very speedy customer referred to was Antagonist, by Soult (imp., and by St. Simon) from Miss Anne, by Seaton Delaval (imp., and by Melton) from First Love, by Nordenfeldt (son of Musket) from Fish Girl, by Yattendon (a sire of stayers) from Fanny Fisher, by Fisherman from Coquette (imp.). There are many very stout strains in the make up of Antagonist, but he was noted for brilliance rather than stamina. It may be mentioned that Soult was one of the cheapest sons of St. Simon to leave England, but one of the most successful at the stud. Pavement operators who traffic in dividends are hardly likely to forget for some time to come the success of the four-year-old mare Withdrawal -at Washdvke on Timaru Cup day. Trained by A. E. Didham at Wingatui and carrying A. Anderson, an apprentice horseman to reduce her impost of 8.13 to 8.6 the southern representative V’on the Smithfield Hack Handicap, of £l3O (6 fur.) by two lengths in lmin 14sec. There was a field of 13 runners and going out as a 4-4 selection the Dun-edin-trained galloper returned excellent quotes through legal wagering channels, while her success caused consternation elsewhere. The mare’s turf endeavours have not alway? satisfied her anxious connections, but her latest success probably made amends for past failures. Highly connected in her stud lines she is more than likely to go on to better things in open company. Bred by Mr L. C. Hazlett at the Salisbury Stud, Withdrawal is by Paper Money (imp.), a sire whose credentials are familiar beyond the confines of the Dominion. Her dam, Traction (also bred by Mr L. C. Hazlett), was by Tractor (imp., and a successful sire of brood mares) from Droski (dam of a number of successful flat racers, jumpers, and stud mares), by Stepniak (claimed to be New Zealand’s best sire of mares) from Whirlpool, by St. George (a valuable sire) from Watersprite, by Traducer (imp., and founder of a great family) from Waterwitch, by Camden from Mermaid (imp., and one of the greatest of New Zealand’s taproot mares). Withdrawal is owned by Mr 17. M. Walker. The dam of Withdrawal in Traction was a half-sister, by Solferino, to Ravenna, dam of Alma and Boloyna, both by Paper Money (imp.). STANDARDIZED FENCES A voice has come out of the Eastern District adversely criticizing the standardized steeplechase obstacles in use on the Southland Racing Club’s course and stigmatizing the fences as glorified brush hurdles. Might the critic be reminded that he is protesting from a district in which are situated two of the most prosperous racing clubs in the home province, neither of which has catered for jumping horses with little sticks or steeplechase obstacles for many years past—the fact is not lost to sight, however, that they have lent support to hunting and agricultural show performers. But to return to the Invercargill standardized fences. On five or six occasions contests have been conducted over these innovations and the jumping, riding, and racing provided thrills and close running fields. Following several of these ventures, the majority of the horses engaged competed at the Riverton R.C.’s meeting with a number of long standing, solid obstacles of various heights to be negotiated and the jumping was the best over three days ever witnessed at the seaside course. This points to the fact that many ’chasers gained confidence by competing over the S.R.C. standard fences. Again, there has never been a serious accident to man or horse in racing over the Invercargill obstacles, while anxious trainers had no concern as to the state of their pupils legs as might have been the case in battling over stiff timber jumps. The general public expressed their approval of the fine jumping, keen racing and safety of the Invercargill obstacles on each of the five or six occasions referred to and that is what counts heavily in advocacy of this new phase in the crosscountry game. Any insinuation that the standardized obstacles can be treated lightly or brushed through with ease can be denied as a close-up acquaintance with them will disclose that they are closely packed and of a height and width to call for exact and first-class jumping ability. These standardized brush fences also engender confidence in horses and riders with the result that improved and thrilling competition is encouraged. Standard obstacles were first introduced in Melbourne to win high approval in Victoria, a state that has done more to promote steeplechasing than any other province or state in Australia and New Zealand down the years. Many of the horses raced suc-

cessfully over the Melbourne standardized fences were educated in following fox hounds or smaller dogs at hunts in Victoria over stiff country, but these jumpers have not found the neat, standard brush steeplechase obstacles amiss in stake racing, while they have returned to hunting unspoiled for crossing solid obstacles. The experience of The Southland R.C., Birchwood Hunt and'Otautau R.C. in promoting crosscountry competition on the Invercargill course has been all in favour of the Australian innovation obstacles and there is little if any chance of these stout brushed jumps being discarded.