TOXEUMA’S SCRIP RISES

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1930, Page 5

TOXEUMA’S SCRIP RISES

BRILLIANCE OF WINTER CUP TRIAL

A MILER' OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT

TOP WEIGHT FOR TUESDAY’S RACE

Since Gloaming’s days it is extremely doubtful if any galloper has raced more honestly in New Zealand than Toxeuma. Whereas Gloaming was reserved solely for classic and weight-for-age racing, Toxeuma has tackled handicap and weight-for-age events from half a mile to fourteen furlongs, meeting the best horses over their favourite distances. Indeed, so often has he been forced to contend with minor platings that one unconsciously inclines to disparage his real worth, but it is safe to say that had he been as carefully nursed as Gloaming his winning total would have been doubled, or even trebled. A glance at his record reveals that seven furlongs to a mile suits him best and, save for Pegaway, £ew can approach him over this course. Even with his mighty impost of 11.5, which is nine pounds more than any horse has yet succeeded with in the race, he must be considered a dangerous candidate in the Winter Cup, and his slashing seven-furlong victory in the Brabazon Handicap with 11.9 on Saturday strengthens the contention that he will not be far away when the excitement is highest. He must appeal as the ideal Winter Cup horse. Unperturbed by any track conditions, a reasonably smart beginner, a proven miler and master of big weights, it cannot be said that the. handicapper has entirely written him out of prospects of winning the Cup. Nevertheless, in allotting Toxeuma the weight he has, Mr. J E Henrys has recognised the quality of the son of Arrowsmith and, where good class horses are concerned, the handicappers estimation is soundly based. Prior to his excellent trial on Saturday Toxeuma had not raced since the Auckland Racing Club’s Easter gathering, at which he registered two sterling performances. On a sevenstone minimum in the A.R.C. Easter Handicap Pegaway carried 9.5 and Toxeuma 9.4, Vertigern 8.12, Bright Glow 8.11, Silvermine, Mervette 8.4, White Fang 8.0, Ceremony 8.0 and Connax 8 0 were the next highest in the handicap, while a number ot lightweights, who finished outside the places, were not without high credentials. There is little doubt it was the strongest field of milers in the Dominion. Pegaway was handled in a masterly manner by Gray and covered less ground than the Hawke s Bay gelding, yet there was but a short neck between them in a punishing finish. Two days later Toxeuma gave away varying amounts from 61bs to Paganelli, Silvermine, Lady Quex (second) and Co. and made the sprint fieldlook cheap.

As I recall Toxeuma in the early part of his two-year-old career, his appearance was many removes from prepossessing. When he raced at Napier and at Woodville I remember him_ rather as a scraggy, loose-limbed gelding; in fact, he impressed me as requiring a good physicking and a spell. But when I saw him next at Hastings there was little doubt that he was thriving on training and racing. U iry and sound constitutioned, Toxeuma has improved steadily since that date. A brace of thirds in two-year-old races around the ’Bay led to a decisive victory in the Trial Plate at Wellington, and there Roscrea, the brilliant but unsound halfbrother to Limerick, and Consent followed him home. Historic and Gold Cure (who won the Douro Cup the next season) were unplaced in the field. Toxeuma only then drew the attention of the public. His three-year-old career was an exacting one, but it is interesting to that he contested twenty races without once being unplaced, thus making twenty-two consecutive platings. The County Handicap at Napier, was merely a pipe-opener for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas the following week, and he won his first classic in the proverbial canter. Taken to Ellerslie the next Saturday, he failed to give way the sex allowance of 51bs. to 'Prodice, recognised as the best filly of her age for several seasons. Toxeuma raced in handicaps until Christmas, when his next weight-for-age venture was the King’s Plate, in which Aussie, then at the°peak of his form, won by a neck, Prodice being third and Lysander unplaced. Raced again on the third day of the meeting, Toxeuma was beaten into third place in the Derby by Red Heckle and Prodice. Back to handicap company again he continued to pay his way, and in the New Zealand St. Legei' at Trentham Toxeuma avenged his defeat by Red Heckle, but when he seemingly had the race in hand, Concentrate, who had waited on the pace-makers throughout, shot up to snatch a head victory on the post. Concentrate was then on the upgrade, and he improved sufficiently to beat Toxeuma a length in the Great Northern St. Leger. After a miss at Hastings, in the Spring of last season, Toxeuma quickly returned to form for a second at Napier. In his next start Paganelli was conceding him IGlbs. and was brilliant enough on the day to squeeze home by a head in the Huia Handicap at Trentham. It is scarcely likely that Toxeuma will ever have such a pull in the weights if this pair meet again. Paganelli was probably at the top of his form when he beat Toxeuma a couple of lengths in the Sixteenth Taranaki Stakes, in which race the pair met on even terms. In the Manawatu Stakes Cimabue won by half a head and Paganelli was third and, as mentioned before, when Toxeuma and Paganelli met at Auckland, the Lord Quex gelding was beaten when in receipt of Gibs. Thus the handicapper liad assessed Toxcuma’s improvement in half a season as being more than a stone and a half. Other good horses Toxeuma met this season were Hunting Cry and Great Charter, both of whom obtained narrow victories in the King's Plate and J. D. Ormond Memorial Cup respectively. Thus it will be recognised that the equine vanquishers of Toxeuma represent the best class in the Dominion, and it must bo conceded that the difference between them is largely the element of luck In racing. / Though Arrowsmith has not gained much renown as a sire, save through Toxeuma, the right blood is there, and his breeder, Mr. Frank Ormond, selected a stoutly-bred mare when he sent Te Aupaki to the. imported horse. At this stage a glance through the leading lines

in Toxeuma's pedigree will be of interest. . • . Sire: Arrowsmith by Chaucer from Sagitta (full-sister to John o’ Gaunt, sire of Thurnham) by Isinglass from La Fleche by St. Simon from Quiver by Toxopholite from a mare (half sister to the dam of Musket) by Young Mel-bourne-Brown Bess by Camel. Dam: Te Aupaki by Merry Moment from Timua by Birkenhead from Hinewhata by Vasco di Gama from Fredericia, by Hero from Minamina by Ravensworth. The following record of Toxeuma's racing career will bear a searching inspection, and it is really a note-worthy record of consistency. At two years; £ Un pled. Prince of Wales Stakes, Napier, —• Unplcd. Juvenile Handicap, Woodville, — Unplcd. Juvenile Handicap, Waipukurau, ' — ’ 3rd. Nursery Handicap, Hastings 15 Unplcd Cloverlea Nursery, Awapuni, — 3rd. Juvenile Handicap, Hastings 10 Ist. Trial Plate, Trentham, 200 225 At three years: Ist. County Handicap, Napier, 75 ' Ist. Hawke’s Bay Guineas, Hastings, 280 2nd. Great Northern Guineas 250 2nd. Oete Handicap, Woodville 40 3rd. Gothard Memorial, Woodville 20 2nd. Christmas Handicap, Ellerslie, 100 2nd. King’s Plate, Ellerslie, 100 3rd. Great Northern Derby, 300 3rd. Foxton Cup, 25 3rd. Anniversary Handicap, Trentham, 25 3rd. Summer Handicap, Trentham, 75 Ist. Pahiatua Cup, 187 J 2nd. Mangahao Handicap, Pahiatua, 25 Ist. St. Patrick’s Handicap, Napier,' 160 2nd. New Zealand St. Leger Stakes, 100 Ist. Hutt Handicap, Trentham, 280 2nd. President’s Handicap, Ellerslie, , IGO 2nd. Great Northern St, Leger , Stakes, 200 lot. Porangahau Handicap, Hastings, 150 3rd. J. D. Ormond Memorial Cup 20' 2512 J At four years: Unplcd. Flying Handicap, Hastings, — 2nd. Railway Handicap, Napier, 15 2nd. Shorts Handicap, Trentham 80 Ist. Criterion Handicap, Riccarton, 420 Unplcd. Jockey Club Handicap, Riccarton, — Ist. Borough Handicap, Woodville, 115 Unplcd. Railway Handicap, Ellerslie, — 2nd. King’s Plate, Ellerslie, 100 3rd. Clifford Plate, Ellerslie, 50 2nd. Sixteenth Taranaki Stakes, 100 Ist. Autumn Handicap, Woodville, 200 3rd. Napier Cup Handicap, 25 2nd. Twenty-sixth Manawatu Stakes, 100 Ist. Hawke’s Bay Stakes, 280 2nd. J. D. Ormond Memorial Cup, 40 2nd. Easter Handicap, Ellerslie 350 Ist. Huia Handicap, Ellerslie 500 . ;£ ■ . 2375 At five years: let. Brabazon Handicap, Riccarton, 84 Grand . j . 15196$