RACING STRONGHOLD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 12

RACING STRONGHOLD

SPLENDID TEAMS AT TE AWAMUTU GOOD HORSES TO REMEMBER LAST season Te Awamutu as a training centre was largely in the public eye, and the indications are that all past records in the way of races won and stakes captured will be eclipsed by the time the 1929-30 racing term comes to a close.

Statistics in the past few seasons have shown that other training centres in the Dominion invariably achieve more success than that experienced by Te Awamutu mentors, but if one were to analyse the figures it would be readily found that this Auckland provincial training ground would compare more than favourably with the biggest centre in New Zealand, a fact that may be fully realised during the next few months. Trainers F. E. Loomb, W. Stone, H. L. Russell, A. Cook and G. Paul all have big teams in attendance at the Waipa course, but it is the first-men-tioned trio that we have to deal with in these columns, for at the time of The Sun man’s visit A. Cook had worked his team, while G. Paul is at Randwick with the celebrity Aussie and Papatu. Pickle fortune gives every indication of remaining with F. E. Loomb, for this mentor is handling no less a baker’s dozen, including last season’s classic winner Prodice, and that veteran of the turf, Desert Glow. The former has not been allowed to eat the oats of idleness, as is quite apparent from the manner in which she has wintered. One would aver that there is not a more solid filly in training at the present, and she has noticeably built up all over, though, of course, she is not thoroughly attuned for racing. In the matter of height she is bigger now, and deceptive, too, for few racing men would commit themselves to say that she reaches 16.1, Few horses have Prodice’s three-year-old record, and as she relished a middle distance last season she should be a line subject to prepare for important cup events. The Older The Better

Now reaching the veteran stageshe is nine years old —it would appe i as if Desert Glow's period of useful-

; ness had expired, but such is not the case if his bright and healthy appearance forms a criterion. He is carrying plenty of condition and is working freely, two pleasing features that encourage the opinion that he will again show them how it is done. Adorning Trainer Loomb’s sideboard are four gold cups, comprising the Ohinemuri, Takapuna, Whangarei and Te Awamutu trophies, the result of Desert Glow’s prowess on the turf. On Thursday morning Desert Glow and Prodice executed a pleasing task over five furlongs in 1.4 2-5. Of the other horses Cybele and Air King appear to be progressing best. Both have got through plenty of work and their robust appearance is such as to evoke favourable comment. The former, in particular, has rounded up into a very compact type, and her trainer informed the writer that the mare had never been so well as she is now. Cybele’s education as a hurdler has gone on very satisfactorily since the June meeting at Ellerslie, and she is now deemed a polished jumper. She is still at a very handy impost in hurdle races, and who will say that she will not be enrolled a winner over hurdles at the first time of asking in the new season? In a gallop over six furlongs on Thursday morning Cybele was accompanied by Arikitoa, and though both horses were travelling under a steady hold at the end to record 1.26, Cybele looked to have it on her companion. Arikitoa is carrying a bright and healthy mien, but it is doubtful if he is the horse he was 12 months ago. Of the two three-year-olds attached to the stable. Flying Prince and Awamutu, it is the former who is the more forward. He was partnered by Value over six furlongs on Thursday morning, Flying Prince having the better of the matter by half a length to register 1.19 2-s—fairly good time. As a two-year-old Flying Prince always presented a rather lean appearance, and this, coupled with the fact that ho was small, had an effect on his record. He has matured during the winter months, and is sporting more condition than formerly, so that improvement is to be expected. Flying Prince is to essay a mile in the Avondale Guineas, and as his gallop the other morning indicated that he is a very forward three-year-old. he should give a rattling good performance. His early speed should essentially assist him, too. Awamutu is noticeably backward, for he has just rejoined trainer Loomb’s team after being out to grass since the autumn. A tendency to be barrier shy has been Awamutu’s one failing, and if he can be prevailed upon to forgo this undesirable trait, there should be a good stake ahead for him, for of his galloping ability there is no doubt. Youngsters Promise Trainer Loomb has three two-year-olds undergoing treatment for spring racing. They were sprinted two furlongs on Thursday morning, the watch returning 26 h, with little between them at the end. Biddy’s Boj, a bay gelding by Illumination from Lady Biddy showed a nice turn of speed, and led the other pair throughout. He is a ■well-proportioned youngster, with clsan legs, deep shoulder, good barrel and powerful hindquarters—in fact he has nearly everything that goes’ to make an attractive juvenile. He is framed on more solid lines than a lot of the two-year-olds the writer has seen lately, and should show early speed. Biddy’s Boy will carry the colours of Messrs. Monteith and Willis and will make his debut in the Avondale Stakes, a race won last year by a Te Awamutu representative * in Supremacy. A similar type of two-year-old. is Pluminagh, a bay gelding by Illumina-

tion—Erinagh, though he is more sparsely framed than Biddy’s Boy. Still, he is to be recommended on looks and should play a prominent role in two-year-old races in the early spring, for he has already shown an aptitude for galloping. Lady Cintra will never again hear the plaudits of the racing throng as she has been relegated to the stud. Though raced in the interests of Mr. F. E. Loomb, Lady Cintra is now in Mr. E. H. Cucksey’s ownership, that sportsman having decided to rail her South next week on a visit to Hunting Song. W. Stone’s String Housed in W. Stone’s stables at Te Awamutu is as fine a collection of horses as one could wish for, materially as well as numerically. In Supremacy trainer Stone has a near champion, while others that may be expected to gain recognition in the near future are Motere, The Begum, Liaison, Cruachan, Cowl and the two-year-olds, Royal Ruler (a gelding by Chief Ruler—Baby Doll), and a filly by Valkyrian—Blackeyed Susan. When the racing of the two-vear-old last season was in full swing, the To Awamutu mentor produced Motere. Performances ranked him as a youngster of ordinary meijit, but special mention can be made of his win at Avondale in the autumn when he lit.rally swamped the opposition up the big Avondale straight, notwithstanding his bad position at the home turn. There was something in that win reminiscent of an embryo champion, a statement that may receive support on the day of the Avondale Guineas, a race for' which Motere is being specially prepared. Prior to that, however, he vvill be given an outing in the sprint at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting, a distance of ground that may not entirely suit him, for he appears to lack in brilliancy and gain in staying power.

! Motere has developed physically, and is now a fine specimen of the thoroughbred. When Supremacy goes out to work at Te Awamutu lie attracts a lot of notice, for few horses are endowed with the speed the Chief Ruler three-year-old possesses. He is moving along very attractively in exercise, and is pleasing his trainer mightily. It is not intended to race Supremacy at the | Avondale September meeting, he being reserved for the Great Northern Guineas. It is questionable whether he will stay a mile in the right style for his brilliancy may prove to be a deterrent factor. Not Over-Lucky Luck failed to attend 11. L. Russell’s ventures on the turf last season, and though an occasional win was scored this was largely interspersed with “outs.” The stable has only a small team working on the tracks at present, while the sheet-anchor, Siaosi, still remains in the paddock. He is suffering from an enlarged knee, and it cannot be said that matters look too good for him. Chiefly on account of her win at Te Rapa in the autumn, Rose Lupin—a name which conjures to mind memories of a dividend of large dimensions—can be said to be the best proposition in the stable, though of course others being prepared by this well-known mentor may develop better form than the filly. Rose Lupin is very small, and that will always be a factor against her. Under a light scale of weights, however, she can be depended upon to race attractively. Until this week Rose Lupin had been restricted to easy exercise. but with a view to spring racing she is now being sent along over a few furlongs. Trainer Russell recently selected the name Golden Rule for a four-year-old mare by Chief Ruler from that onetime brilliant sprinter, Gladiole, hence a half-sister to the speedy Orchid. Golden Rule has been given every op portunity to come good, and as she has already given promise, there may be a future ahead of her. One could not wish for a better-bred maiden. in purchasing • Catonian for 160gns at the Dilworth stud dispersal sale in June, the Wanganui sportswoman, Mrs. S- L. Parsons, does not appear to have got tho best of the deal, for immediately afterward Catonian’s name was found on the black list. However, he has only to behave himself to get off the schooling list to prove a good bargain. Catonian is likely to develop into a first-rater over obstacles under the expert guidance of H. L. Russell. The Catmint four-year-old is rather light in appearance, but presents more condition than was evident a few weeks ago, and will only need to go on the right way to be bright and muscular for the impending fixtures. The seven-year-old Vaucluse has wintered splendidly, and his trainer is very hopeful that lie will do things this season. Vaucluse was never a wellconditioned horse, but he has gained materially in this respect, whil* his track work lends weight to the opinion that he will race prominentlv. His pace is undisputed. A Weird Looker And now we come to what mav be generally known as one of Nature’s f hUnt "’ Flyinß Swift, by Swift r light from Flying Shadow. If ever there was a ponderous type of thoroughbred. this fellow is one. It mav be that he will be too big to comport himself correctly, but that will be dctermined when he is sharpened up. u is a small but promigInd ” er Russel > is handling. horses are overshadowed by iwT trained m that locality, but for all that the Te Awamutu mentor can he depended upon to secure a measure he has an aptitude for piacin 0 a horse correctly.