Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 388, 23 June 1928, Page 6

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

Warning Them Off | A proposed addition to the Rules of Racing will debar people whose names appear on the unpaid forfeit list ; under the Rules of Trotting from atj tending a race meeting. Te Kuiti’s Fixture Good acceptances have been received for the opening day next Saturday at Ellerslie of the Te Kuiti Racing Club, and the country club should enjoy a profitable meeting. All told there were but 24 horses that failed to accept last evening. This in itself is a striking tribute to the handicapper, and the popularity of the club. Dropped Out Serang and Modest Boy (Awakino Handicap), Iving Lu, Phaola. Stormy, Cynthia X. (Te Kuiti Handicap), and Kingfield, Waltzer, Ballymoy 11., Automne and Maori Boy (Stewards’ Handicap), were the horses that dropped out of the three principal flat events on the first day’s card of the Te Kuiti fixture. Mahomet and the Mountain Representatives of all racing clubs have decided to hold the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference on July 13 in Christchurch, instead of in Wellington, as originally intended. The various committees of the Racing Conference will, however, meet in Wellington prior to the annual meeting. It is understood there was some doubt whether Sir George Clifford would be able to attend the conference if it were held in Wellington, and consequently the Racing Conference representatives unanimously decided to come to Christchurch. Pakuranga’s Race Programme The Pakuranga Hunt will this year hold its annual race meeting on September 29. The committee met yesterday and considered the programme in connection therewith, which will be on the same lines as last year, with the Pakuranga Hunt Cup of £7OO appropriately standing out as the leading event. In regard to the Sylvia Park Handicap, 1J miles, an alteration was made by deleting the condition which was affixed to last year’s programme rendering horses ineligible for entry that had won a flat race of more than seven furlongs. With regard to the Ladies’ Bracelet, it was decided to raise the minimum weight from 10.0 to 10.7. Battle Colours And Polydectes Battle Colours has been taken in j hand again, but he will be restricted to exercise on the roads for a week or two, after which he will be started on a preparation for next season. He» may be raced at the Grand National meeting, but nothing definite has been decided on. He raced well at the autumn meetings, and he may do even better when he reappears in the spring. His stable mate, Polydectes, will continue his spell for some time longer. So far he has been a disappointment, but Campbell is hopeful that when he resumes racing next season he will show form consistent with the galloping ability he displays on the training tracks. BOYS RUSH COURSE TUST as the noon whistles ** sounded at Louisville on Kentucky Derby day last month an army of from 500 to 600 boys swarmed over the high picketed enclosure adjacent to the stables at the Churchill Downs track, splashed through pools on the greensward to the safety of the crowd on the lawn. There was only one casualty, a little fellow who was surrounded by a dozen huge policemen as he sought to make the final and supreme dash to be a patron at the Kentucky Derby. His fate could not be learned, but he disappeared in tow of two stout gentlemen who did not appear to be affected by softening of the heart. Might Have Won Considering that Son o' Mine had a pull of nearly half a hundredweight from Puwhero, and as when he came to earth was going quite as weli as the favourite, it certainly seemed with a stand up that Son o’ Mine would have been especially hard to master in the Napier Steeplechase, says a Hastings writer. Pie is a finished fencer, quick to size up the positions of the impediments, and in addition has a good turn of pace, and is bred like a stayer, being sired by Finland from Lovelock, by Martian—Love Lorn, byMelton (English Derby winner) — Hebrew Maid, by Orion—Jewish Maiden, the latter mare going back to Hermit. Poor Hurdles Bad as the steeplechasers are, the hurdlers are worse. Braeman is good among the Bay hurdlers, and ho is very weak. Good Sport does not seem to be on the improve, as he is well on in years now, and was beaten by a weak lot at Napier. Not much can be said for Ballyfarnon yet, despite his win to-day, and there is room for a lot of improvement in Tameterangi. All the Bay hurdlers were easily beaten by ono from Awapuni, the little-fancied Home Made, who, however, looks like turning out a fair sort, for he might have won again to-day. He is by Thurnham from Housewife, a mare who was a fair performer in her day. The Tasman Flight It is understood that next season the Napier Park Club will revert to a oneday spring fixture, while there will be two days’ racing at the winter meeting. If there is to be a periodical exodus of Dominion horses to Australia for the spring meetings there, such as has taken place for the past couple of seasons, the club’s decision is probably a wise one, states a Hawke’s Baywriter. One Park trainer has already taken over a team of five, and he mayremain for the early spring meetings, while there is a prospect of another Hawke’s Bay trainer going over also: and if this eventuates it will still further reduce the number of horses that might be available for the local meetings. One cannot help thinking that except in the case of very good weigh t-for-age horsqs. an owner could do equally as well, if not better, in the Dominion than in Australia. However, to trainers and owners, like airmen, the lure of the Tasman flight is verystrong.

Not Now One time, not many years ago, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne were regarded as two of the particular homes of the jumper in New Zealand. But those days are gone, and their return is not in sight. Maidos Breaks Down George New had a useful hack steeplechaser in Maidos in work at Awapuni, and intended racing him before this, but he broke down, so that the ranks of the invalids is still further supplemented. Reremai Unlucky On the crest of a winning run, registered trainer Chris. O’Rourke reckoned he could win a double at a Sydney pony meeting last week. His first leg, Little Joe, failed to run on in the 14.0 Handicap, but it was over Reremai that he had most cause for regret. Reremai had the first division of the 14.2 Handicap won two strides from the post, but Miss Tony, finishing with a run that was invincible, won by half a head. The race provided thrills all the way down the straight. Lady Woo, who was favourite throughout the betting, but eased slightly towards the finish, did not get the jump out that is usually associated with her. She was soon in front, however, but her backers were never really confident. Reremai was tod close to her, and when Lady Barragan shot up on the outside of the pair, it seemed that Lady Woo was beaten. They entered the straight on terms. Momentarily Lady Woo gained an advantage, but the others came again. Ten yards from the post they were still in line, but when Reremai appeared to get the advantage the race seemed won. Black Watch’s Early Form The early form of Black Watch in England this season was not encouraging. In his first run he did nothing towards upholding his Derby hopes. The race in which he competed was the Nonsuch Stakes, a three-year-old eight furlongs and a-half race, run at Epsom on April 24. He carried 9.0, but, though after commencing indifferently, he showed up entering the straight, he ony beat four of the dozen runners. The winner was Sir A. Bailey’s Guards’ Parade (Grand Parade—La Gorgue), who beat the Aga Khan’s Ranjit Singh (by Crusader) three-quarters of a length. Camelford, a Devizes colt, was third, each of the place-getters carrying 9.0. Guards’ Parade was not nominated for any of the classic races, a fact now lamented by his owner, who gave (530gns for him as a yearling. Comical for Hurdles? Although Comical has been entered for the Wellington and Winter Steeplechases at Trentham next month, it is interesting to note that his connections apparently have ideas that they may have better chances of success by returning- him to the game at which he proved himself—hurdling, comments “The Watcher.” Comical is also entered for the principal hurdle races at the meeting. While he has certainly done much better this winter

than last over steeplechase country, he has not handled himself too well at any time, and it will be remembered that the remark was passed in this column after Wanganui that his chance looked considerably brighter in the Great Northern Hurdle race than it did in the steeplechase. Still, if Comical is ever to win a steeplechase, one would take the Tentliam course as most likely to give him his best opportunity. He would not be the only good hurdler that has failed when put to steeplechasing. Waiwera was a National Hurdles winner, whose case is practically on all fours with Comical, and the abandoned attempt to make a j cross-country horse of Nukmnai is too recent to need emphasising.