RACING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 88, 5 July 1927, Page 8

RACING

Looking Well R. E. Brown is keeping: Gala Bay, Thursby, War Officer and Co. going strongly, and his team are looking extremely well. To Nigger Minstrel Arrangements have been made for Lady Ora, the dam of Benzora, to visit Nigger Minstrel this coming season. Pouma, it is understood, visits the same sire. Another For Aussie An Australian buyer has been nibbling after Pink Note, but his owner is far more inclined to keep his horse than sell him. There is a possibility that Pink Note may be sent over to race in “Australia next season, writes “Sentinel.” Schooling at Hawera At Hawera on Thursday Bevis and Taitaiata were schooled over the hurdles, both jumping well. Subsequently, Taitaiata was sent round the big country, but baulked at the sod wall, dislodging his rider. New Sport Popular Immense crowds were at the White City, London, fojr the inauguration of greyhound racing there. A mile-long queue of automobiles blocked the gates. A fanfare of trumpets from richly dressed heralds preceded the first race. The spectators, agog with excitiment, vociferously , cheered every heat. Back In Harness Just after the Great Northern meeting. the well-known Ellerslie trainer, W,, Tozsr. was taken ill, and he was confined to his bed for a fortnight. It is pleasing to record that this mentor has regained good health, and is back on ’the tracks supervising the work of Michael, Wee Marble and Mountain Guide.

Popular Mentor Much pleasure was expressed when Frank Lind, the popular trainer of Civility, turned up at the Wanganui tracks a few mornings ago after an absence of nearly six weeks. He is well on the way to recovery and it is hoped that success will come his way with Civility, Elysianor and Bow (Archery—Kilteel), who' were all out at exercise. Win for the King

The King’s colours have not been se* i n in the limelight very much this season, but an unexpected turn of fortune came in the Portland Welter Handicap at York last month, for Spear Dance (Spearmint—Lady Star), ably handled by F. Lane, headed the favourite, Saturn, and Bouble Bud half-way up the straight, and finally ran out a comfortable winner. New Zealand Bred Youngsters The Melbourne sportsman, Mr. H. L. Spry has named two of his yearlings who are in hand at Caulfield. The colt by Paper Money from Secret Link (dam of Silver Link) will race as Bradbury, and the filly by the same sire from Philomel has been named Note Issue. Both are New Zealand-bred youngsters, for which this owner has a liking. Tea Bell and Laity, who were secured while he was in the Dominion a few months ago, have proved successful in Victoria. The filly from Philomel is a three-quarter sister to The Wensum.

Alloway is Well All going well with Alloway in the meantime the Limond three-year-old will make the trip to Trentham to contest the distance handicap events there. Perhaps his particular mission will be the Parliamentary Handicap on the second day. As showing that Mr. L. G. Paul has Alloway in forward condition it may be noted that on Thursday a seven furlong task was got through in 1.37 4-5, the first furlong taking : 3 4-5, the first quarter 27 1-5, and three furlongs 39. At the Alloway was going freely.

Improvements at Te Aroha The Te Aroha Jockey Club has already made a practical start on its contemplated improvementt scheme to the I'acecourse, says the Waikato “Times.” A tender was let to Mr. Marshall, of Hamilton, for straightening the course, the price being £458. The club paid £I,OOO for the extra freehold land required for the work. The object of this expenditure is to extend the straight and thus afford a better view' of the racing, and at the same time do away with the abrupt turn at the end of the straight.

The King’s Sprinter That Friar Marcus yearlings are in demand in England was well illustrated last year. A brown filly out of Lilaline was purchased by Lord Beaverbrook for 4,500gn5.. while the Aga Khan secured a brown colt out of Honora for 4.ooogns. Of the 19 youngsters by Friar Marcus sold last year the aver-

age was l,oß3gns. Friar Marcus is by the Derby winner Cicero, and is out of

a daughter of a Derby winner in Persimmon. The Middle Park Plate was the most important race won by Friar Marcus as a two-year-old, but his five outings that season were all winning efforts. Friar Marcus is bred on similar lines to Grosvenor, now at the stud in Australia and the sire of Rosenor, who will commence stud life in Otago next season. Friar Marcus was a brilliant sprinter in his day, and won several races, all in the colours of His Majesty.

Fallen Aristocrat An 1.800-guinea daughter of Valais is racing among the “commoners” in Sydney, and although unperformed, though she has raced twice, it is expected that this aristocrat will begin to show some justification for the high price paid for her as a yearling. Her name is Valley. Valley has shown pace on the tracks, but in her two races to date has not yet reproduced this form. She ran at Warwick Farm some weeks ago, and again at Randwick recently, and there was some improvement in her effort on the latter occasion. She has galloped well on the track since.

Fields at Trentham A glance at the acceptances received for next Tuesday’s programme of the Wellington meeting discloses the fact that Auckland has very little on the Southern club for the size of its fields. As at Ellerslie, it is the hack steeplechase that has drawn the weakest lot, numerically. Sprinters Retira Of the 33 horses weighted for the open sprint at Trentham next Tuesday, the Stewards’ Handicap, there has been a heavy defection, most of those well up in the handicaps having declined the engagement. Nevertheless 22 are still left in to contest the stake. Of the half-dozen at the top of the list, Degage is the only one to •be paid up for.

Big Hurdle Race With the taking of the first acceptance for the Winter Hurdles (run on the third day of the Wellington meeting), little light is shed on the prospects from the point of view of the early bettors, as well as that of owners and trainers. The defections are Black Cruiser, Gaze, Highway, Royal Abbey, Lucullent, Sottana, Enare. Passionate and Rangitahi. This indicates that most of these will miss Trentham, for only Enare. is engaged in other events. Wellington Steeplechase

The fact that the nine horses at the top of the handicaps have had their engagement continued in the Wellington Steeplechase points to this big jumping event being one of the best in the history of the race. Those to drop out on acceptance night yesterday were Passin’ Through, Pamplona, Lady Comet and Lupineel, and their absence robs the race of little in the way of class. This year’s Wellington Steeplechase should be worth going a long way to see. Horse Train

The horse train for Trentham leaves Ellerslie station at 6.50 a.m. to-morrow. Among those booked from here are Delightment, Master Doon, Kamehameha, Beau Cavalier, Rahepoto, Killuto and Passionate. Further down the line the following will be picked up: Kawini, Catapult, Lord Star, Mount Marta, Potoanui, Highflown, Glenidle, Flitter, Town Hall, Waltzer, King Lu, Ned Kelly, Wedding March, Zircon, Peter Maxwell, Royal Abbey, Queen Arch, Royal Form, Te Kawana, Thurnus and some others. The train is expected at Trentham at about 10 a.m. on Thursday. Not Yet Up

There appears to be a general impression abroad that Wedding March has reverted to Mr. R. Hannon. This is not correct. The lease of Wedding March from Mr. Hannon to Mr. M. Wells does not expire until July 31. Wedding March was entered for his Wellington engagements by Mr. Wells, and will race in his interests unless a transfer is made and the remainder of the lease cancelled in the meantime. Not a Good Guide?

If the Some Boy II. —Russian Mark filly, Komassie, can gallop as promptly and speedily as she can kick she will be a champion, indeed, declares “Sir Modred.” However, this pupil of F. T. Quinlivan is rounding up nicely into condition and can speed up when sprinted over a furlong. Carrying real weight to keep her under restraint, she has been galloping with the Kilbrcney —Eager Eyes juvenile in F. W. Ellis’s stable of late and has held her end up fairly well. They are a sturdy pair of rising three-year-olds and it may be pronounced that both move well, although the Kilbroney—Eager Eyes half-sister to Listening Post has not yet been really stirred up to galloping tasks, despite the fact that she has been in work for some time. Delayed Scratching

The New Zealand horses, Stormy and Breezy, were not scratched for their engagements at Menangle last Wednesday, and the club notified that an inquiry would be held into the owner-trainer H. W. Burch’s failure to do so. On inquiry at the Menangle office later a Sydney paper elicited that Burch telephoned one of the stipendiary stewards, and explained that on Monday he had despatched a telegram to the secretary of the club, but had wrongly addressed it, the mistake being due to the club’s change of office. This caused an unavoidable delay before the telegram was sent along to the new address. J .