FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 9 March 1932, Page 4

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

WIGGINS’ FIFTIETH WINNER McTAVISH AND THE FRANKTON CUP » ' OPUNAKE ACEPTORS TO-MORROW.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Acceptances for all events on the programme of the Opunake Racing Club’s meeting on March 17 close with th© secretary, Mr. P. S. Riley, Pihama, at 5 p.m. to-morrow. . • It was reported after Christmas that Cimabue was unlikely to race again, but some horses, like old soldiers, never die. Cimabue is once more going strong at Trentham, and there is eyerv probability of the Stewards’ Handicap winner being on hand for the Easter racing at Riccarton, the scene of some of his most notable triumphs. Taranaki horses weighted at Paeroa are Airtight in the Hurdles, Attentive in the fcomata Handicap and Green Linnet and Orapai in the St. Patrick’s Handicap. Orapai is also, entered at Trentham and Opunake, but with 8.0, m the open six.the handicapper at Paeroa has certainly accorded him an invitation to be present. . Last year after winning the I* rankton Cup Royal Doulton went on and won the Ohinemuri event and will, endeavour to repeat the performance this year. With S.G in the Paeroa event the Romeo . mare has certainly a great chance as she is decidedly useful when in form. Thurina. has rejoined Airs. J. Campbell’s team at Riccarton. He won two hack steeplechases at the Grand National meeting in August, but he had six months’ spell, from which he has come back in the best of health, to undergo a preparation for another cioss country campaign in the winter. , During the present season Baroscopes form has not been as good as expected, and the son of Weathervane is to be added to the-list and given, a lengthy spell. On one or two occasions, notably when he won the St. Andrew s handicap at Takapuna in the spring, Baroscope demonstrated his ability to run out a middle distance- successfully, and when lib resumes racing again he may be an improved horse in every respect.; Innuendo, a three-year-old by Tea Tray from Epitaph, who was formerly trained at Gisborne, has joined J. Gray’s stable at Takanini. as a juvenile, this horse’was presented to his Gisborne owner, who won a few races with him. He is a. year older than-his full-brother, Tea Trader; who has shown great brilliancy among the juveniles; this season. ; ' • ’’ i. . . ■ After several months’ -spell from active racing, King March has resumed work again at Takanini, and is reported to be in nice order to undergo. a further pi eparation. Last season the son of Rossendale and Queen March- registered several sound performances, the best of which was his win in the Autumn Handicap at Avondale,. when he was credited with traversing the ten furlongs in 2min 5 2-ssec. Providing he trains on correctly more is likely to be heard of King March, for he is now in only his fourth year. However, he ha’s always beeh more or less unsound. H.' Gray will be back in the saddle again next week, the Auckland District Committee, having , removed the suspension imposed by the Te Arolia Jockey Club. Among his mounts will probably be Bronze Eagle and The Quorn. •. Te Monanui’s brother Night Warrior was a starter in the Bombay Handicap at Pukekohe on Saturday, and with T. Green in the’ saddle was installed second favourite, but was never, prominent at any stage. However, he will, like all the progeny of Unity, improve with age and may make amends before long. The Auckland jockey R. W. MeTavish has had a fine record in connection with the Franklin Cup. He has piloted home the winner on the last four occasions, The Lover in 1929, Hyde Park in 1930, and Royal Doulton in 1931 and 1932, When he . was first past the post on Malahat in the Prince of Wales Stakes, at Napier on Saturday the Auckland lightweight H, N. Wiggins rode his fiftieth winner for the current season. Wiggins fully deserves his success. He is a great worker and is always ready,, even at the earliest hour, to put his services" at the disposal of any trainer for track work.

After his brilliant win in his first, start at Caulfield Closing Time was much iu the boom, but his two subsequent defeats must have been rather, costly to the admirers of the Tippler youngster, and unless he can show some wonderful improvement by Easter his chance of picking up one of the big prizes appears rather remote. The other New Zealander, Prince Pombal, did not go to Melbourne, but may make his debut at Sydney on Saturday. He is to be ridden by J. Munro, one of the most capable of the Australian, horsemen.

During J. Cameron’s absence in Australia Hunting Cry will be trained by W. Griffiths, who will get the big Hunting Song horse ready for the Trentham and Ellerslie meetings. Thd winner of the Farewell Handicap at Flemington on Saturday, Hazrat, is an imported horse by that good performer Craig-en-Eron. He has always galloped brilliantly on the tracks, but just as regularly failed with the colours up. Recently, however, he appears to have mended his ways and has scored in brilliant style in his last two starts. He ran his last half mile on Saturday in 4Ssec and won decisively by two lengths. Royal Gallant went a really good race at Pukekohe on Saturday and was finishing on in third place after being slow to find his feet. He has accepted for two events at Tauranga on Saturday and will come in for solid support wherever he may start as this three-year-old is on the improve. Fairy Girl’s win the second day at Bulls gave the Hawera trainer R. Brough his first success of the season. Brough is a good patient trainer, and this change of luck would be very popular with his friends. King Colossus Disappoints. The Awapuni trainer, G. W. New, reports the Post, has been much disappointed in the recent showings of his three-year-old King Colossus, but he knows that the form is not correct, and now believes that the gelding was hurried along too quickly after his enforced let-up following the kick ho received at the barrier when lining up for the Manawatu Cup. King Colossus is still growing, and he may not be seen in his true form again till next season. There is a looseness about his action that suggests he has, not yet mastered his own brilliance, and it is this that has probably caused him to over-run himself in his recent races and then slip about the track. In the meantime New has not decided what he will do with him in the next few months, but he stated at Bulls that he would not be producing him in the New Zealand St. Leger Stakes at Trentham.