RACE TRACK EVENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 4

RACE TRACK EVENTS

MOSSTROOPER NOT RACING TOjDAY By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Ree. 9 p.m. Melbourne, Aug. 8. Mosstrooper has been withdrawn from the Australian Steeplechase to be' run to-morrow, TRAINING AT RICCARTON. GRASS TRACK. IN GOOD ORDER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Aug. 8. The weather was fine for training work, at Riecarton this morning. A number of horses galloped on number one grass track, which was in good order, though slow, but most did useful pacing on the sand. Full Feather ran a mile in linin 46 4-5 see, Semper Paratus accompanying over the last six furlongs. Subdivision and Battle Colours ran half a mile up the back stretch in olsee. Pride and Greenaway ran half a mile in 51 2-osee. Kapuna did two good circuits, taking about linin 43sec for the last seven furlongs each time. West Dome did strong pace work on the sand. King's Jest was kept io easy work on the sand, and Mountain Guide did slow I work. Mister Camp did the last mile of the circuit. - in Imin 51sce. Troilus took 53 l-ssec over the last •half-mile of her work. Llyn. Dll jumped four hurdles well ‘after being lOsec better than Old Mint over three hurdles. : Valves jumped four steeplechase fences in good style. - : Corneroff gave a good display over six ! j fences. Airforce went well over four hurdles. T’linrina jumped two hurdles smartly. Exide did the last four furlongs of seven in's6 3-ssee. Nancy Lee ran five furlongs in'. Imin 7sce easily. •. . . ' - A number of other horses did useful pacing. ■' ■ * — t TURF TOPICS. i, By “Moturoa.”) ; Maugaui's defection from the Grand National Steeplechase reads as if his connections are concentrating on a double victory in the National Hurdle, and his form at the hunt meeting was certainly good. The Ellerslie horseman, J. Sharkey, had his first ride on a .South Island course when he won the Lawford fstceplechase,- on Seaboy, at Riecarton last week, in which race lie suffered a fall. Sharkey is to ride Mountain Guide in the Grand National Hurdles next week. The well-known Auckland owner Mr. C. M. Emanuel suffered a stroke of illluck- recently when his filly Pure Tea had to be destroyed. Pure "Tea showed promising form in Australia, but was unplaced in her two starts last season. By Tea Tray, Pure Tea was from Duchess Eudorus, an Australian mare by Eudorus from Aerospire by Maltster, whose earlier representatives, Royal Tea and Royal- Lover, have proved gallopers of good quality. The LTimaroa parried thoroughbred horseflesh valued at many thousand pounds when she left Wellington yesterday. Nightmarch, the last Melbourne Cup winner and his stablemate line Shaft, another winner on the other side, represented A. McAuley’s quota. Then there "Las the promising Taranaki sprinter Richfield, from W. Patterson’s stable. J. M. Cameron, whose visits to the other side with The Hawk are well remembered by Australians, took with him the leading winner in New Zealand last season, Hunting Cry, and the 2-year-old filly Lotus Lily (Chief Ruler— Egyptian Flower). The Turf Register. The New Zealand Turf Register for the 1929-30 racing season, which closed on July 31, is now on sale. As in past years, the Register contains full and accurate reports of the past season’s racing throughout New Zealand, as well as a Complete list of fixtures for the present term, and of entries for forthcoming classical events. In addition, the season's' - statistics, showing winning owners, horses, sires, trainei s and jockeys, and. full particulars of bloodstock sales during the year, and other interesting sporting matter, all add. to the value of the publication. Appealing as it does prior to the Grand National meeting, the Turf Register will prove of much assistance to racegoers, and as the supply is limited, early application is advised. The price has again been fixed at IQs, posted 10s sd. The publishers are-the Christchurch Press Company. • ■ Taraiiaki Hunt Club. There is no doubt that hunting has grown in popularity in laranaki during the past few years, and sportsmen in the province realise that if it were not for hunting there would be a dearth of hurdlers and steeplechasers in the country And then there is a warm hospitality extended to all at the Hunt Club race meetings, and visitors are always assured of a good day’s outing. I lie Taranaki Hunt Club’s thirteenth totalisator meeting will be held 011 August 30, and this body has been granted the use of the Taranaki Jockey Club’s racecourse at New Plymouth. An innovation, which should prove a featuie of the programme, is a two-year-old parade, through which race-goers may be able to form a line on prospects tor early two-year-old races. The. principal event is the Taranaki Hunt Club Cup .Steeplechase, of £l7O, including a cup valued at. £3O, about 2J miles, and other hunters’ races are: Lepperton Hunters’ Hurdles, of £BO, U miles and 100yds, 1 Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase, of £9O, |about two miles, and Hunters Elandieap flat race, of £9O, I.} miles. The flat ; races are: Stratford Handicap, of £IIU, 'six furlongs, minimum weight 7st; Opunake Scurry, of £9O, five furlongs, weight Bst; Waibi Hack Handicap, oi £lOO, seven furlongs, minimum weight 7st; Urenui Hack Handicap, of £lOO, six furlongs, minimum weight 7st. Nominations will elose with the secietaiy, Mr. E. L. Humphries, New Plymouth, at 9 p.m. on Monday, August 11,

DOWN THE LINE.

(By “Paritutu.”) The fourth Test overshadows racing down here at time of writing, but when Saturday’s big match is a thing of the past interest in the Grand National meeting will be promptly restored. The cards are oh the table, and the public can now judge the likely strength of next week’s fields. On the whole they are not formidable, jumpers being scarcer than usual, but North Island stables ap-

pear to hold fairly strong hands, and a good share of the stake-money should find its way here. Usually a : guide to Grand probabilities may be .obtained by noting the track work done at Riecarton for two or three weeks before the big meeting, but this year, owing to the phenolinenal downpour, practically no jumping I lias been attempted, and the -flat racers ;have had to finish their training oii the ‘roads. All of which is most unsatisfactory, and no doubt many of the early birds regret having loft good tracks in 'the north so soon. The horses which I have been kept at home-until the last I few days should be in better racing ■ condition, though all will suffer through I not having trial runs over Riecarton !‘’country” prior to the meeting. The I clashing of the Manawatn Racing Club’s | winter and the Christchurch Hunt Club’s } meetings has been anothci’ regrettable factor in robbing the Nationals of interest. Still, these things cannot be forecasted, and owners and trainers must grin and bear it. With Aurora Borealis, Omeo, Matu and, possibly, Corneroff to represent the north in the Grand National Steeplechase, Taranaki, Manawatu and Wellington sports will hold high hopes of the honours of the race being scored by one of their representatives. Aurora Borealis has been regularly 7 exercised at h oxton, and is reported to be very lit. Such a great jumper, and stayer as well, must be given more than an ordinary chance, and her party consider that she will hold I Omeo safe at a difference of four pounds. I Omeo conceded the Foxton mare 1111 b in ithe .Great Northern Steeples; Aurora Borealis won the Winter Steeples with 10st, and was unlucky to be beaten in the Wellington Steeples with 10.11. She is claimed to be more seasoned now, and is sure to run a great race. Omeo did not. impress greatly at Awapuni, and made one bad jump just before he crashed at a hen-coop. Many good ijudges do not care for a horse the first time out after a spill, but the Taranaki horse may be too tough to let a little tiling like that worry him. The southerners, Snowfall and Lord Ranald, have yet to prove themselves to be ’chasers of class, and the top-weights should hold them easily enough, barring accidents of course. Matu has proved his ability to , ■ jump Riecarton fences, and the plodder i'is certainly nicely weighted for next Tuesday’s race. Wharncliffe is said to be-backward in condition, and neither Kapuna nor Valves impresses greatly. ' Corneroff has another engagement on Tuesday, and will probably tackle the easier class. Summed up, the fancied division down here are Aurora Borealis, Omeo and Matu, and form points strongly to the. trio. With 23 still engaged in the Winter Cup, a great field is assured, and here again the North Island is strongly entrenched. Toxeuma (the classic) holds his ground, and Havering, Teri, Nancy Lee, Staghunter, Best Friend, Blimp, Royal Opera, Arikinui, Marjoram and lesser lights. Of this bunch the prospects of Toxeuma, Staghunter and Havering cannot be lightly regarded. Black Duke, Full Feather, Taboo and Pride are good southern “milers,” and the best of the quartette should give some trouble. To get down, to three one would be inclined to mention Toxeuma, Staghunter and Taboo, the chances of the southerner being enhanced by the heavy going. Llyn Du has been taken out of the Winter Cup, and will contest the Trial Hurdles, in which he should go well, and the result may give some indication as to his Grand National Hurdles prospects. Disrank is also engaged in the Trial Hurdles, and on Awapuni winning form cannot be overlooked.

Airforce was a member of Mrs. A. McDonald’s team for Riecarton, and the Warplane gelding shaped well enough on the flat at the Manawatu winter meeting to suggest that ho may (at least) give West Dome a good race in the Hunters’ Hurdles. Airforce jumps well enough in private, and if the pace is not solid may give a good account of himself.

The Grand National Hurdles fancy, King’s Jest, will be given a pipe-opener in the Jumpers’ Flat .Handicap ou the first day of the meeting, and though weighted with 11.9, should go well. Fine Acre is very fit at present, and has more pace than most people imagine, while 10.3 should not trouble him greatly. Omeo is in at the minimum, and i r sure to have a fair following.

One of the most disappointing horses trained at Awapuni has been Potoa, but he has been taken to Riecarton. He is still well up in the weights, and his chances cannot be great if recent running is correct. _ . , Mister Gamp, another disappointment lately, was taken south on Wednesday, and Palmerstonians report that A. E. Ellis will ride him in the Grand National Hurdle race. He does not seem to be the horse that he was 12 months ago, and with 11.2 he has the job in front of him. The form shown at the Manawatu winter meeting by Otairi and Archeiia was not good enough to encourage Jj. Knapp to take them to the Grand National meeting, and. their next appearance will probably be at the Marton spring gathering at the end of this month. Poppy Dav and Powhiri are reported to have gone wrong at Awapuni, and both have been turned out. If Pouwhiri could be kept sounds he would be a ’chaser of more than average ability, but Mr. J. Price was lucky to get a stake with him before his most recent breakdown; ' . k i. During the running of the Oaklands Heavyweight Steeples' at the Manawatu Hunt Club point-to-point on Thursday Mr F. McLean,, the rider of ■ Canberra, received a bad fall,'and had to he rejuoved to Palmerston North hospital. Auntie Mag beat-Mode and four others ill the Lightweight Steeples at the above gathering; Mataroa won the Heavyweight Steeples and Open Hunters competition from big fields, and Lad o Mine beat Hinatoro and six others in the Ladies’ Race.