Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY ‘EARLY BIRD

Auckland Handicaps The handicaps for the minor events to be run at Ellerslie on the opening day (June 1) of the Great Northern meeting are due on Monday. Acceptances for all first day events, as well as the Great Northern Steeplechase. | are due on Friday of next week. One More In Training J. Williamson has added another horse to his big team in training, the new star being Magdaff, who was out : doing steady work for the first time !at Ellerslie yesterday morning. It will be remembered that Magdaff was sent across from Australia during the Christmas period to undergo treatment for respiratory trouble at the hands of Dr. W. C. Ring, and the operation having been effected, trainer Williamson is now preparing this big gelding for handicap events in the early spring. Again In The Saddle After an absence of several months from the saddle the popular Ellerslie trainer. E. C. Rae. was noticed at riding work the ocher morning, obviously having made a splendid recovery from the nasty fall he received when Siaosi fell with him at the Waikato Racing Club’s spring meeting. Trainer Rae has no intention of confining himself to training and this able horseman expects to be riding at the impending Ellerslie winter fixture. Very few hurdle jockeys have had Rae’s experience, and this has always stood him in good stead in obstacle events. Not At His Best Now that the injury to Beau Cavalier’s near foreleg has healed sufficiently. S. Tooman has the Chesterfield gelding at Ellerslie regularly every morning. Whether he will be properly keyed up for his engagements will depend on the progress made, but one thing can be said without fear of correction: Beau is not the cavalier of 12 months ago. May Surprise Them There is a possibility that Potoanui will capture the Great Northern Steeplechase. Just a possibility, notwithstanding that his deeds do noi warrant him being placed at all. A quick and able jumper, and one with as much speed as anything in the race. Potoanui’s chance might be assessed highly but for one thing—he is the tearaway kind who beat themselves. Eooks are certainly not a strong point in Potoanui, but his condition is solid and he will run as good races as most horses trained at headquarters.

Slow Recovery A June meeting at Ellerslie without jockey S. Henderson will be strange indeed. And certainly the Ellerslie fixture, a little over a fortnight ahead, will be the first occasion for several years in which Henderson has not been a participant. This horseman’s restoration to health has been long and tedious, and though he is now understood to be making a good recovery it will be many months ere supporters will again be afforded the opportunity of pinning faith in a mount ridden by Henderson. Pleasing Outlook

When the Great Northern meeting was in progress at Ellerslie last year few Riccarton trainers had representatives here, and a similar state of affairs existed when the Canterbury Jockey Club held its winter gathering in August, Beau Cavalier being the only horse from Ellerslie to patronise the meeting. Just the reverse, however, appears to be the case this year. South Island trainers due to arfive here shortly are: D. Campbell. Radiate and Battle Colours; T. H. Gillett, Wharncliffe; R. W. King. Aberfeldy; F. Shaw. Umtali and Overhaul. Ellerslie trainers, too, intend to reciprocate, for several have signified their intention of going to Riccarton in August, providing the form of their horses warrants the Southern trip.

Not So Good In the spring horses trained at Avondale numbered about 50, but since then the number has decreased rapidly, the result being that one would be set a severe task to count more than a score. It is said that the training facilities at this centre are not up to the required standard. That at least is the version of one prominent trainer. For Wingatui

Handy is now being worked on the tracks at Waipukurau. The gelding is being qualified with the hounds. When he gets his ticket he is to be dispatched to Dunedin for the purpose of competing in hunter events in the South Island. Strep Hon at Newmarket

So far no trainer has been selected to prepare Streplion in England, and according to the owner a decision may not be arrived at until the colt reaches the Old Country at the end of June. It is possible, however, that Strephon will b© trained at Newmarket, and the choice will rest between one or two of the leading stables at that training centre.

Well Related A coming j'earling full-sister to Pink Coat (Hunting Song—Red Edna) is being wintered in the Gisborne district. She is described as a nice and level youngster, who promises well. Owing to Red Edna not being bred from in 1926 there will be no two-year-old relative of Pink Coat’s racing next season.

Bouncing Boy Complaints are continually being made about one of the older jockeys who enjoys a good deal of success in regard to his rough riding tactics employed specially against apprentices. Both in and out of the saddle he employs plenty of what may be called “bounce” for want of a more appropriate term, and it is generally considered that he is lucky to escape the eyes of the officials. Some of his mannerisms would not be tolei'ated in obscure apprentices. Lost the Lead

There were only two starters in the Plate at the Avenal races, Victoria, last week, and Nipal started favourite at odds on. Fed Up went out at slight odds against, and won by two lengths On returning to scale the rider, A. Mustej', failed to draw the weight. The stewards held an inquiry, and disqualified Fed Up and its owner, W. Boyd, for two years. The jockey was exonerated.

Prices Dropping Competition for bookings in Victoria has become so keen that the fees of various stallions have been lowered as compared with two years ago. The Australian Stallion Register gives the fees of stallions in 1927, and some were as follow, compared with those for the coming season: Whittier has dropped from 75gns to 50gns; Manfred, 250gns to 200gns: Spearhead, loOgns to lOOgns; Comedy King. lOOgns to 50gns; Crowdennis, 75gns to 50gns: and David, 35gns to 20gns. On the other hand. Great Star had advanced from 75 gns to 150gns, and Ethiopian from 40gns to 50gns. Not in Stud Book The recent performances of Atholspear make it pretty plain that he is a clean-bred horse, although his dam does not appear in the Stud Book. It transpires that he is just another of those cases where failure to make stud returns has resulted in the lapse of his recorded pedigree. By Greyspear from Lady Athol, one has to go back to 3 912 to pick up his maternal line. Lady Athol is by Malatour from Atholbrose, by Hotchkiss—Maid of Athol, by Maribyrnong, tracing back through successful colonial lines to Sappho. As Greyspear is described from Musket throtrgh Carbine and Spearmint, and Lady Athol’s maternal grandsire was Hotchkiss (by Musket), Atholspear can lay claim to stout staying blood, and there is reason to except him to win a long-distance handicap next flat racing season.

Peculiar The Wanganui Jockey Club received £ 51 in acceptances for the Purua Hack Handicap, and £4B in nomination fees, a total of £ 99. As the stake money is only £2OO, the club can hardly fail to show a profit in this event, comments a Wellington writer. With only seven races on the programme the club took an extraordinary action in deciding against dividing this race into two separate events, with the totalisator open on each. It would have meant an expenditure of some £6O for minor stake money, but this would have been more than compensated for by the betting. The management of this club is subjected to some criticism locally, and whoever was responsible for the present arrangement cannot be congratulated. Almost the club can be accused of not wanting funds and no racing club is in that fortunate position. Easy Money

A skilled international gang is believed to be behind the sensational forgery of tickets in the Stock Exchange’s £1,000,000 Derby sweepstake. The “Daily Mail” says it is estimated that at least £50,000 worth of bogus tickets were circulated, principally in London, though many were probably sent to America, where interest in the Derby is reported to be greater than ever. The organising committee of the sweep after taking counsel’s advice, informed Scotland Y'ard, which is now investigating. It was stated that the forgeries were clever, but an examination reveals many clumsy errors which can easily be detected. The commix - tee's own precautions also preclude the possibility of holders of forged tickets obtaining prizes.