Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 838, 5 December 1929, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

"EARLY BIRD”

Waipa Acceptances Acceptances for the Waipa meeting on Saturday week close at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, with the secretary at Te Awannitu, or Messrs. Blomfield and Company, Auckland. Manawatu Nominations Northern owners intending to do the Manawatu and Marten summer meetings are reminded that nominations for the Manawatu meeting close tomorrow night. entries for the Murton meeting are due tomorrow week. December 13. Handicapper's Triumph Well-deserved success crowned the efforts of the Feilding Jockey Club in connection with their jubilee race meeting, writes “Kestrel” in the Wanganui “Chronicle.” It is not given to every club these days to be able to point to a totalisator increase of over i: 11,000, representing a rise of close on 30 per cent, above last year’s figures, yet that is what Feilding did over the fixture. There were some mild surprises to be recorded. Splendid finishes were a feature, the result being a triumph for the club’s veteran handicapper, Mr. J. E. Henrys, whose connection with the Feilding Club dates back over 40 years. Horse Against Man Man is a stubborn person, and it will take a long time to convince him that the four legs of a horse are quicker than his two, even over a short course. This point has been debated for years, but there is one who is a strong supporter of the claims of the horse. This is Mr. A. E. Watkins, the well-known sportsman and hunting enthusiast, who is prepared to try it out. The test, which Mr. Watkins has undertaken no less than on four occasions, is to gallop 50yds, turn a. peg, and return to the starting peg, and every time he has beaten the man. His mount is hunter Kildare. At first glance it would appear that the man would be superior under these conditions, but Mr. Watkins has proved conclusively that the horse is the better. Still the challenges keep on coming into him, and this week-end the point will be decided once more. Kildare should win again, for this hunter is said to be very smart on the turn. Both Maidens In her only effort at the meeting, the Vauxhall Handicap, Good Idea ran a fair race after receiving all the worst of the start, and as she is susceptible to improvement she will do better later in the season. J. M. Buchanan’s other maiden. Neil, who races in his trainer’s colours, was prominent part of the journey in Saturday’s engagement, and thoroughly seasoned he will race more encourag-

Auckland R.C. Entries The summer meeting: of the Auckland Racing Club is to be held at Ellerslie on Boxing Day (.Thursday) and the following Monday, Wednesday (New Year’s Day) and Thursday. General entries, also final payment for the Foal Stakes. Derby and Royal Stakes, close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 pan. tomorrow. Friday. Gone to Taumarunui J. Chisholm, with Measurer, and A. Love, with Luxurious, were "The only Ellers] ie mentors to depart for the Taumarunui meeting this morning. There were several suburban horses entrained for the South, however, including F. Smith (Pellette and Section), S. G. Lindsay (Owairaka and Partial Eclipse) and W. Kirk (Valquette). Returning to Form It should not be long now before Wenday is showing up in some decent handicap, for the mare’s form at Takapunu was consistently good, although the major portion of a stake failed to come her way. Had her ridel* been a little more patient on Monday she might have turned the tables on Glena Bay, but nevertheless two seconds at the meeting denote that Wenday is returning to her old form, and if trainer P. Brady again essays the Souther * circuit next month he should not come back empty-handed. Hard to Place Alloy, as usual, was tailed off early in both his engagements at Takapuna over the week-end, but liis disappointing race was the nine furlongs of the Pupuke Handicap, in which lie was expected to race prominently, the distance allowing him time to find his feet. He was last three furlongs from home, but then he got going, and occupied fifth place at the end, and a moderate fifth at that. Alloy does not seem to stay on too well, and his inability to go with his field is giving

Trainer J. Williamson a pretty problem to place him correctly. The Thespian gelding requires a track like Avondale or Te Rapa, with a long straight-. Got Away Badly No less than a. quintet of the 10 candidates in the St. Andrew’s Handicap on the second day at Takapuna met trouble with the release of the barrier. Prince Val, Royal Doultun, Eager Rose, Transformer and True Blood all lost their chances —and incidentally their backers’ money—and a rough passage throughout did not assist them. Royal Doullon, Prince Val, True Blood were all right up at the end,'and the first pair were decidedly unlucky. Matamata Club Mr. J. W. Anderson presided over the committee meeting held recently. Officers elected for the forthcoming meeting were as follow: Assistantjudge, to bo appointed by the judge; starter’s steward, F. R. Gibson; barrier attendant, J. P. White; birdcage steward, Mr. IT. Shaw; ambulance steward, F. Hitchcock; gate steward, Mr. R. W. Stevens, who will appoint his own assistants; totalisator steward, 13. Mclntyre: stabling steward. IJ. C. Taylor; horse stewards, Messrs. D. Casey, junr.. R. Young, W. Ruthe and W. C. Vincent; assistant-clerk of scales. J. Corbett; car steward, H. Rollett: tent steward. W. Walker; blackboard steward. N. Wallace; semaphore steward, R. McCabe. Raced Attractively Wild Time, the Catmint filly attached to F. id. Loom Id’s stable, ran two solid races at Takapuna, and it seems safe to assume she is going to be a fair sort. She might have provided a more interesting finish to the Rakino Handicap on Monday had she not lost a good deal of ground in the early stages. Even at the turn she had a big gap to bridge, but she made a strong impression and with every stride was catching the actual placegetters. It should not be long before this juvenile gathers in a stake. \ Under a Cloud The Riccarton-trained Great Star has been suffering from kidney trouble, and as a result definite arrangements cannot be made regarding his racing programme for the approaching holidays. The Count's Brother Gustavo, the two-year-old brother to Count Cavour, lias not yet sported silk, but lie is doing everything required of him in his work, and little fault can he found with liim. He shows a good deal of quality, and in the sprinting tasks that have been allotted him he has shown considerable promise. Gustavo is one of the most likely-looking colts at Riccarton, and his debut on the turf will be awaited with much interest. Probably he will have his first outing at the C.J.C. summer meeting in February. Pink Coat's Progress According to reports from Washdyke, the crack Hunting Song colt Pink Coat appears to walk quite soundly, and his trainer, E. J. Ellis, has great hopes that he will make a good recovery from the injury he sustained during the running of the Harcourt Cup at Trentham. Pink Coat is to be turned out on his owner's property, where he will bo given a well-earned spell.