FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1932, Page 4

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

POINTERS FOR AWAPUNI HUNTINGDON CONTINUES IN WORK G. PRICE'S SUCCESS IN SYDNEY. : (By ‘‘Hurry On.”) RACING FIXTURES. April 16: Masterton Racing Club. April 20, 21: Manawatu Racing Club. April 22, 23: Nelson Jockey Club. April 23: South Canterbury J.C. April 28, 30: Marlborough R.C. April 30: Marton Jockey Club. May 4,5: Egmont Racing Club. May 12, 14: Wanganui Jockey Club. May 21: Waikato Racing Club. The owner of Great Star evidently did not mind spending a pound or so in order to keep ante-post bettors thinking. Both days at Avondale he paid up for the son of Solferino in both the distance handicap and the sprint- He has again adopted this procedure at Awapuni, where his charge figures in the Prince of Wales Handicap with 9.3 and tho Johnson Memorial with 9.3. Aa a result of slightly injuring the fetlock joint of one of his forelegs when he became frightened by a passing vehicle on his way to the course at J.e Kuiti last Saturday, Royal Gallant was sore after his race in the Awakino Hack Handicap. The trouble is not regarded as serious, but it was quite sufficient to keep Royal Gallant from racing on Monda it was intended to turn Huntingdon out after Te Kuiti, but in view of his good form at that meeting it is reported that his owner, Mr. C. C. Ansell, has changed his mind and the Hunting Song four-year-old will still remain m the active brigade in J. L. Gray’s stable at Takanini. * The Hunting Song filly Songbox, who was bred at Bell 1 Block, was again entrusted with strong support in the Novice Stakes at Oamaru, but once more she let her admirers down. She began smartly, but after being one of the front division to the home turn, she faded out quickly when the straight was reached. Songbox possesses speed, but there is something lacking as her race record is made up of a succession of disappointments. Midinette went a slashing race into third place in the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie at Easter, and as Mr. Currie’s filly will meet Inflation at Awapuni on much better terms and the Paper Money youngster will .not have the services of H? Gray, it would not be surprising should the filly take her revenge. If, however, Tea Trader can negotiate the turn into the straight he .will take a lot of beating. Two of the winners at the Hawkes Bay meeting last Saturday, Goshawk and Gay Lass, carried J. DI. Cameron’s colours, while another, Hunting Cry, also hails from his stable. Gay Lass is a four year-old by Lord Quex from Mountain Lass, by Mountain Knight from Mangaoroa, by San Fran from Maude, a grand-daughter of Ouida, who founded a fine line of stayers. Though there are only five paid up for in the Awapuni Gold Cup, the race looks like being a good one. Two proved older horses in Nightmarch and Gay Crest will be opposed by the three-year-olds View Halloo, Gibraltar and Speedmint. Nightmarch and Gay Crest would appear to have it on their younger rivals. These two fine performers are owned by cousins, and the duel will create a lot of interest. Captain’s Gift was not greatly fancied for the high-weight event at Oamaru and he was not prominent in tho closing stages, though he showed up for about five furlongs. 'lt was his first race since the spring, and he will be seen to more advantage among the hurdlers later in the season. With Mister Gamp, Avro, Royal Lineage, Just an Idea, Arrowhead and Omeo engaged, the Karere Hurdles at the Manawatu meeting on Wednesday looks like being a fine contest, and in view of the jumping season just ahead the running of all these will be watched with more than usual interest. Last year’s National winner, Callamart, is in the Te Alatai Hack Handicap, but is to be seen in action over the battens the second day. Pomp went a splendid race in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie on Easter Saturday and but for suffering interference at the five furlong post would most probably have filled a place. This race evidently took a lot out of him as he was never dangerous on the second day. However, he should have had time to freshen up a lot since then and he has only to strip fit and well to run prominently in the final event at Awapuni on Wednesday. J. M. Cameron raced both Lotus Lily and Nca Lap at the AJ.C.’s Warwick Farm meeting at Sydney, but though both carried the stable confidence neither was capable of paying a dividend. Nea Lap evidently is not going to follow in the trail of her famous brother on Commonwealth courses. The connections of Tai Ao did not appreciate the compliment the Manawatu handicapper paid the speedy hack by placing him up with Consent, Aston and Arisus in the J. M. Johnson Memorial, and the speedy son of Autumn was soon scratched. His success at Hastings a week ago made his seventh successive win. What a wonderful proposition he would have been as a maiden in one of the big Australian betting stables. George Price has had a great run of successes since he left New Zealand and commenced training in Australia. Ten years have elapsed since he set up in Sydney, and during that period he has won, in round figures, 200 races and £lOO,OOO in stakes for his patrons. He has captm.d most of the big events, but so far he has not had a Derby win, though he has been placed with Winalot, Veilmond and Koomeela. His two-year-olds include Kuvera, the crack of the present season, so he is hopeful of breaking the spell in the spring. Whether 5 the champions of to-day are better than those of the past is always a much-discussed turf topic, and the Phar Lap,Carbine argument is still going on in Australia. In this connection the well-known Sydney veteran sporting writer, “Pilot,” writes: “Naturally, upholders of old-time champions stick to their favourites, but they never travelled as fast as Phar Lap over distances from seven furlongs to two and a quarter miles, and there is no sound reason for supposing they- could. As I saw Carbine kept ° going practically from start to finish at Randwick in order to beat the three-year-old Megaphone in 2min. 7sec., for a. mile and a quarter—which constituted an Australian record up to that time—T fail to see that his effort approached the 2min. 2|sec. easily made by Phar Lap in the corresponding race. Nor am I overlooking the contention of a larger and improved track, and different style of horsemanship favouring Phar Lap.” H. Gray’s Suspension.

Owing to the fact that his suspension was temporarily lifted from the time the Auckland District Committee upheld his appeal on March 9 until that decision was reversed by the Racing Conference appeal judges last Saturday,

there has been much speculation regarding the date from which H. Cray’s suspension will take effect. The period will date from February ‘29, the day on which Gray was suspended by the Te Aroha Jockey Club for his riding of Antique in the President’s Handicap, and will expire at 10 p.m. on May 29. It wars within the powers of the appeal judges to have increased the term of the suspension, as rule 384 of the Pules of Racing provides inter alia: — In their decision, the judges may (a) affirm or reverse the decision appealed from, in whole or part, or vary the same in such manner as they think fit; (b) increase or diminish any term of disqualification or suspension, or any fine imposed, subject in each case to the maximum or minimum penalty (if any), prescribed by the rule under which such penalty was imposed. The decision given by the appeal judges docs not vary the term of suspension imposed on Gray.