SPORTING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3893, 23 April 1937, Page 12

SPORTING

NOTES AND COMMENTS. SOME LOCAL THOROUGHBREDS. (By “Backwood.”) The Te Awamutu owned mare Namakia appears; to have completely lost form since her transfer to Australia three months ago in company with the Te Awamutu-bred gelding Soloist. Namakia was at the toy of the sprint handicaps before being sent across the Tasman and bright hopes were entertained that she would quickly credit her sporting owner with a decent stake or two. But the mare has failed—like- some other' New Zealand countably. Last Saturday the GayShield mare nan unplaced behind two or three second-class sprinters—that is second-class so far as Victorian form goes. Namakia will probably be given one or two more opportunities to win stake money, and then put aside until the spring when she will be mated with one of the most fashionably bred sires in Australia before being brought back to New Zealand.

A GOOD RECOVERY. 'The two Te Awamutu owned and bred fillies, Stretto and Privy Seal are being hacked about prior to reentering upon serious training again. Their owner, Mr A. J. McGovern, mentioned the other day that as Mr W. Stone, their former trainer, desires to confine his training endeavours to the two thoroughbreds at present in his care, he will probably send Stretto and Privy Seal to be prepared for further racing by a well-known mentor at Ellerslie. It will be remembered that Stretto, after proving the best of her sex as a twq-yean-old, was sent to Sydney to be prepared for important engagements in Australia last Spring, but the filly did not progress as expected—in fact when she was sent home again about three or four months later she was in very poor condition. Her owner promptly turned her into the paddock and gave her every opportunity to recover condition again before attempting to prepare her for racing purposes. Stretto’s jaw was affected, and it is pleasing to note that in addition to making an apparently complete recovery from that ailment she has filled out and put on an abundance of condition, and that her trainer will have a very commending type of thoroughbred for racing early in the new season. Privy Seal has also done well during her spell, and as a three-year-old the Lord Warden-Palestrina filly should be a credit to her breeding and to all associated with her.

QUADROON AGAIN. The veteran local trainer, Mr W. Stone, has the three-year-old Quadroon going along nicely again, following a spell during which the Nigger Minstrel colt was emasculated, and at the present rate of progress it is probable that he will have a ccuple of races before the present season ends. Quadroon should be a good four-year-old. His younger sister, not yet named, is also a very attractive sort, and with ordinary luck should perform on the racecourse with credit to the family to which she belongs. Stables have their good times and bad times, just as individuals do, and in the season just closing the local establishment of Mr Alex. Cook can be cited as one that has by no means had as successful a time as in several previous seasons:. The loss of Gallio, the retirement of Jonathan and the failure of one or two other very promising sorts to develop racing ability as expected has robbed this capable trainer of his customary prominence. However, on the axiom that every cloud has a silver lining, there is reason for expectation that the Cook stable will be very much in evidence with the coming season, for it already shelters some most promising juveniles, in addition to those that have already raced. Most attention, so far as the racegoing public is. concerned, in general, and students of breeding in particular, will be concentrated on the beautiful rising two-year-old celt by the Valais horse Heroic from the well-known Catmint mare Prodice. The latter was sent to Australia to be mated with. Heroic (leading sire there for several years), and the resultant colt is said by experienced breeders to be one of the most attractive youngsters ever reared in the Auckland province. The youngster was to have been offered at auction at the Trentham Sales, three months ago, but he was privately disposed cf, at, it is said, a very high figure just beforehand.

SHOWS PROMISE. The win of the Ruapapa-Sibford gelding, Hutana, at Avondale on the concluding day has directed attention to this half-brcthr to the Railway Handicap winner, Awarere, cwnel and trained by Mr Geo. Paul. Hutana is prepared by Mr R. R. ‘Savage, and his good efforts on the local tracks pi epared many observers for the success at Avondale. Hutana’s breeding indicates that he should develop into something more than a sprinter, for Sibford was by Bunyan from Miss Dix a mai;e by Phoebus Appolo. Sibfi.rd is a half-sister to the hurdler Sandy Dix and a full sister to Bedford, a Winter Cup winner. THE TWO-YEAR-OLDS. Now that the two-year-old racing season has ended, figures have been compiled to show the earnings of the most successful gallopers. The Christchurch-owned Royal Chief won £2290, and Francis Drake (another by the defunct Chief Ruler), £2lBO. The Limond colt Smoke Screen was third with £1220, and Brunhilde (by Siegfried) next with £1025. These were the only ones to win more than £lOOO each this season. Next on the list were: Airam £BBO, Aiwai £835, Haughty Winner £835, Bachelor King £7OO, ’Counterblast £595, Greenwich £590, Wildflower £585. and Trilliarch £585. Of these only Airam, Bachelor King and Trilliarch are owned and prepared in the Auckland Province.