ON THE TURF AND OFF

Southland Times, Issue 24211, 22 August 1940, Page 10

ON THE TURF AND OFF

AJAX TO RESUME RACING

SLAYER’S STOUT STAYING

BLOOD

By

SIR MODRED

Ajax will resume his turf career at Moonee Valley (Melbourne) on Saturday, August 24. The late Sir Abe Bailey was an owner in South Africa for close on half a century. Important meetings will be held at Moorefield (Sydney) and Newcastle (N.S.W.) this week. The defunct Nigger Minstrel’s progeny will be numerous on Southland tracks this season. Sold to the United States Bahram, by Blandford, ranks as an undefeated English racehorse. Otago and Southland horses secured a satisfactory share of the stakes at the G.N. meeting. The list of winning owners in Australia for the past season was headed by H. Bamber with Rivette. In the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup, and other races Rivette won £13,105 last season for her Victorian owner.

Boloyna, a double winner at the National fixture, is a full brother to the stout hearted and brilliant Alma. Mr W. R. Kemball was seventh on the list of winning owners in Australia last season with £8333/10/- to credit. When the Dominion-bred Nightbeam won in Sydney recently the colt was at double-figures in the ring. Before the English season closed the costly colt, The Druid (a 13,000 guineas yearling) won his first valuable race. The New Zealand-bred Pontoon, for the second time in succession, was beaten- by a head in Melbourne last week.

Esperance Bay, a winner at the National gathering, is a six-year-old gelding and comes from Blenheim. Widespread interest will be taken in the Williamstown Racing Club’s weight-for-age Underwood Stakes, of £lOOO (Im.), to be decided at Moonee Valley on Saturday by reason of the reappearance of the brilliant Ajax. The entries included:—Keelie, Amiable, Nuffield, -Pure Gold, Greenwich (imp.), Ajax, El Golea, Manrico, Dhoti (imp.), Aurie’s Star, and Chatsbury. VERL’GIA’S LINES Reported to be attracting attention at Riccarton the two-year-old filly Verligia was purchased at the New Zealand National Yearling Sales in January for 170 guineas by Mr W. B. Dixon, of Bluff. She is by Vermeer (imp.), by Solario (son of Gainsborough) from Pilgrim’s Rest, by Chaucer (son of St. Simon). Her dam was Pelagia, by Chief Ruler (imp.) from Rapture, by Kilbroney (imp.) from Ambrosian, by St. Ambrose (son of St. Simon) from Neva (sister to Droski, dam of Ravenna), by Stepniak. Verligia is a filly of the bluest of blood. A New Zealand-bred horse of interesting pedigree won the R. M. Hawker Handicap (7fur.) at the South Australian Jockey Club’s meeting on August 10. The colt concerned was Adviser, and he was bred at the Elderslie Stud, and disposed of at the New Zealand National Yearling Sales to an Adelaide owner at 625 guineas. The juvenile is a son of Solicitor-General (imp.), by Blandford, one of the most successful sires in England for many years past. Never raced the dam of Adviser was Gobble, by Tea Tray (imp., and a very successful sire) from Fulsome (sister to Humbug and Epitaph) from Eulogy (imp.), one of the most valuable taproot mares brought from England to the Dominion. Described as providing one of the best finishes staged at Riccarton for some time the Heathcote Handicap (9fur.), run on Saturday, witnessed two youthful Invercargill apprentice horsemen in the limelight. There was a field of 24 starters. In conclusion age and experience in jockey ship prevailed, however, as the New Plymouth horseman, L. Dulieu, on the 11-12 Little Robin, gained a head verdict over J. Strathern (indentured to Mr W. E. Hazlett) on the 20-19 Lazybones, while W. F. Ellis was the pilot of the 6-5 Anita Foe, who was yet another head away. The finish yielded credit in a nine furlongs contest to the southern lads in spite of narrow defeats. Little Robin ,has been racing well for some time past. Recent deeds demonstrate that Slayercan jump, stay, and gallop fast and this is not to be wondered at when his lineage is analysed. He is a son of Valkyrian, an imported English horse by William the Third (son of St. Simon) from very stout maternal strains. The dam of Mr L. C. Hazlett’s cross-country performer was Battleflag, by Martian (imp.) from Lady Kinloch, by Menschikoff (son of Stepniak) from Lady Melton, by Bill of Portland (imp., and by St. Simon) from Litigant, by Martini-Henry (winner of the V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup of 1883, and son of Musket) from Leonie, by Yattendon (one of Australia’s greatest sires of stamina) from Thyra, by Boiardo from Rose of Denmark (imp.), by Stockwell (known in England in his day as the Emperor of Stallions). Slayer is a noted example of the value of the St. Simon-Musket cross which has won world-wide fame.