FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 12 December 1931, Page 5

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

EAGLET UNDER A CLOUD. COMMENTS ON RECENT FORM.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

As a result of his victory in the Bolton Handicap at- Woodville on Wednesday, Gay Crest became eligible for a rehandicap in the Auckland Cup, but Mr. F. J. McManemin has decided not to impose any penalty and Gay Crest’s original weight, 9.0, will be allowed to stand. Gold Trail, who scored in the juvenile event at Woodville on Thursday, is a grand-daughter of Desert Gold. She is by Chief Ruler from Pure Gold, who was by Psychology from Desert Gold; Gold Trail is reported to have finished on well and looks like turning out a good sort. The New Zealand Herald reports that the Auckland Cup candidate Eaglet is under a cloud. She was absent from the track at Takanini on Thursday and it is feared that leg trouble may be coming against her. She has been galloping well and it wll be a matter for regret if she is unable to keep her Christmas qngagementsg Though he failed to pay a dividend, Compris did not lose any of his Auckland Cup admirers at Woodville. He covered a lot of extra ground on each occasion, but he was doing it well at the finish both days. These two races will no doubt do the son of Kilbroney a lot of good, and he is sure to strip a fitter horse on Boxing Day than he did for the New Zealand Cup. E. D.. Jones’ team for Auckland will consist of Dunraven, Shatter and Juniper. The decision to include Juniper was made after his race at Ashburton, where he registered a usefid performance, in spite of his defeat by Locksley. Jones will leave for the north next week.

Spoon continues to get through her track work at Riccarton in attractive style, and she should be at her best for her Auckland engagements. She will go north next week. Her stable mates, Mcprisant, Riri and Kakara, who are to rasa at southern meetings, moved freely on Tuesday morning, without being tried against the watch. If Phar Lap goes to Mexico he will be rated as a six-year-old. In America the English system of reckoning' a horse’s age from January 1 is followed. In Australia horses’ ages are reckoned from August Is Phar Lap was a late foal, being born in November, and though regarded as five years old since last August, he has only just turned that age. He will be under a disadvantage in Mexico in regard to age, as he will be reckoned a year older than he really is. Red Arrow, trained by F. Christmas for Mr. E. Gates, made a 'promising showing in his first appearance in public in the Winchmore Hack Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, states the Press. He was slow away and ran very greenly during the middle stages, but when he settled down to work in the straight be executed a strong finishing run. He is an upstanding four-year-old gelding by Arrowsmith from the All Red mare Red Queen, dam of Gay .Queen and Master Clarence, and with more experience is likely to do good service for his connections.

The Wellington sportsman Mr. W. H. Ballinger is a regular patron of West Coast meetings, and he will probably be sending a team again this year for the holiday racing. The Westland nominations include the names of Royal Game, Flower, Shootist, Invite, and Camp, the five of Mr. Ballinger’s horses at present in commission. The first four have had considerable racing, but Camp, a four-year-old bay gelding by Royal Shot from tho Kilbroney mare La Reve, has yet to make his appearance under colours. Shootist, Invite, and Camp are all maidens. Other North Island horses entered for the Westland meeting are Dick Whittington, Dainty Ways, and Warfille. Hunting Call, also among the nominations, is now being trained by J. W. Jennings at Riccarton and had his first race from his new stable at Ashburton last Saturday. The Pombal-Eulogy three-year-old Esteem after some unsuccessful attempts to win in hack company took on the open events at Woodville. He went a good race in the Boulton Handicap the first day, and then came out and won the final event on the second. Bred as he is it would not be surprising to see him turn out a useful three-year-old. Soloist, the three-year-old half-brother to Supremacy, who has not raced for some time, is due to make his reappearance in the Kihikihi Handicap at Te Awamutu to-day. Last season Soloist contested six races, winning the Victoria Handicap, six furlongs, at the Auckland autumn meeting. He was unplaced in his other five starts. Since that success he has only been saddled up on two occasions. Soloist is entered for several events at the Auckland summer meeting. The Gisborne-owned Sunny Song has been entered for several events at the Auckland summer meeting. He is a three-year-old by Hunting Song from Sunny Roe, by Sunny Lake from Merry Roe, who was a great performer in her day. Last season he was placed three times out of six starts, while this season he accounted for the SwaHhmoor Trial Handicap, six furlongs, a<u the Poverty Bay Hunt Clubs meeting, the Flying Handicap, six furlongs, and the Farewell Handicap at the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s spring meeting. He was second and fourth in his other two outings. The Royal Survey Case.

The jockey L. H. Watson has issued a writ for £lOOO for damages against the New Zealand racing authorities. The legal act follows his disqualification for life, and comes from Western Australia, whither he claims to have travelled before hearing that there was any charge against him (says the Sydney Referee). 'Watson has ridden a good deal in Sydney, over jumps and on the flat, but for some time prior to the action of the New Zealand authorities he had been riding in the Dominion. He states that while passing through Fremantle on his way to Colombo a few weeks ago, he read by accident in a newspaper that he had been disqualified for life in New Zealand for alleged participation in a racing conspiracy. He arrived at Fremantle aboard the steamer Cathay, and disembarked to consult legal opinion ashore. Watson further says that when he left New Zealand a little over six months ago he was given a clearance to Melbourne and another to Perth. He says he was not notified of any inquiry being held, nor given a chance to appear and defend himself. He adds bitterly, “In common fairness, if nothing else, I should have had the opportunity to answer whatever charge was made, and to hear what was alleged against me before I was sentenced.” Watson has already commenced proceedings to endeavour to have the disqualification annulled.