FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1932, Page 4

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

BRILLIANT SILVER SCORN

HISTORIC’S FAILURE IN CUP.

STEVE DONOHUE'S PLANS.'

(By

"Hurry On.”)

•An .Australian exchange reports that the famous English jockey Steve Donohue is contemplating a trip to the Commonwealth next year. Donohue would certainly get a great reception if he were to ride on any of tihe big .Australian courses.

One of' Australia's great' stayers was the Wallace horse Trafalgar. The Melbourne writer “Chiron” recently remarked: “In some ways Peter Pan reminds me of Trafalgar at the same age. Perhaps he m not quite so leggy as Trafalgar was as a young three-year-old, but he has the same fine length and beautiful shoulder. Like the old champion, he is a washy chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail.”

The Hawera-trained and owned Aga Khan continues to race very unluckily at Riccarton, and from all accounts he should have at least paid a dividend each day. Nevertheless there are still two more days, and he may pick up a stake before returning. • The. big disappointment, of the Cup field at. Riccarton on Saturday, was the showing of the favourite ’ Shatter, who never really threatened danger at any stage. It transpired later that his rider, L. J. Ellis, was hit in the face by a clod of earth in the early stages and was practically blinded and in pain all the way. Shatter will probably be a starter in the Metropolitan on Saturday, when a better line on his form will be obtained.

. .The Royal colours have been much more conspicuous among the winners in England this season than they have in rccently past seasons. Another victory for his Majesty was registered by the three-year-old Foxlan colt Fox-earth in the Rockingham Handicap Plate, one mile and three-quarters, ,at York on September 2. The colt wis one of the bottom weights and was little fancied. Miclian was drawn very wide out in the Welcome Stakes the first day at Ellerslie and was never among the leaders, but on the second he drew.the fence and, jumping out well, had the race won at any stage. This eon of Weathervane has done better so far than mbst of the wilmers of the Wanganui Debutante stakes, but it would seem that he is not champion and does, not appear to be quite up to classic standards.

Hunting Cry Carries Weight. Hunting Cry ran a really great race at Ellerslie on Monday under his welter impost, and it was not until the last 100 yards that the lighter-weighted Limeen and Speedmint headed him off, and as the former equalled the record for the race it will be seen that he had to carry his load all the way. He seems to be standing up to his racing well and has only to remain sound to pick up a race at the Christmas carnival. Two miles would appear to be just too far for Historic. He was going well in the New Zealand Cup half a mile from home and was handily placed in the straight. He made a “daib” about two furlongs from home but it was short-lived and he was well back when the post was reached. It must be his staying capacities that are at fault as there was not a better conditioned horse in the race. ”, , . .

Mr. J. H. Whitney bought Phar Lqp’s sister, Nea Lap, for breeding purposes, and, relative to her purchase, the racing contributor to a New York paper writes as follows: “In America she will be bred next year to The Porter, sire of Toro and Brocado, among other good. ones. But Toro and Brocado tell the story of The Porter’s selection as a mate for Nea Lap; she is a daughter of Night Raid# a son of Radium. Now, mated, with Brocatelle (a Radium mare), The Porter begot Toro, about as good a Derby and handicap races as you. or any other man might crave to own. Also, he got Brocado from Brocatelle, and .last year she gave promise of developing into a crack.”

Two horses in King’s Archer and Limeeh who won at Ellerslie on Monday both won on the opening day of the Taranaki Jockey Chib’s Christmas meeting last Boxing Day. On that occasion King’s Archer, carrying top weight, scored an end-to-end win in the Atiawa Hack Handicap, and Limeen won the Christmas Handicap. Both then went on to Stratford, where King’s Archer’ won the Cup and Limeen the Malone Memorial. Limeen, who is by Limond from Molleen Oge, was bred by Mr. John Gleeson at Bell Block and was bought by her present owner quite cheaply at the Trentham sales in 1930. Her victory in the King Edward Memorial Handicap is easily her best performance to date, but from the manner in which she settled the apposition in the run home it would seem that there are other good races in front of this mare, A Brilliant Filly.

Silver Scorn continues on with her winning way and her success in the Derby on Monday marks her fifth victory in as many starts. The Oaks today will see her warmly fancied, and it is said that she is to be sent out on Saturday to take on the older horses in the weight-’for-age Canterbury Cup, which this yehr is to 'be run over a distance of one mil© and a quarter. However, there would appear to be no certainty that she will start there as the filly is inclined to be “toey” and takes quite a lot out of herself before a race. Under the circumstances her ownertrainer may not consider it wise to give her a hard race against seasoned older horses after having three other races at the meeting. There is no doubt that the daughter of Silverado is one of the most brilliant of her sex that we have seen

for a long time, and so far nothing has proved equal to testing her. Judge of Turtle Races.

It is the first of the turtle races on the programme; the barrier is up. They’re off! Down at the other end of the enclosure kneels a little old man; he is closely watching the line to more carb-

fully judge the winner. Over tile line, the winning turtle goes, and the judge straightens up, He is no other than. Tod Sloan, who, in his day rode more other winners than any other man; the' jockey who evolved the crouch seat and revolutionised race riding. Once a famous rider; now a judge at the- turtle races at Hollywood, Loe Angeles—that is thq fate of Sloan. Tod can tell of the days when he -created a sensation in England,’ when he went there in the ’nineties and rode Hamberg, Jean Bereaud, Blacksmith, Bryan, -Codoman, Ballyhooißey—all famous horses in days long. past. Sloan earned, or won, a million dollars, but it slipped through his' fingers and now-he is naming the winners nightly as the turtles crawl over the finish line. “Those turtles aren’t so slow at that, said Sloan. “In fact, ithey’re. fast enough • for a man of my age.” The turtle races are held in a small en-clo-' sure, in the centre , of which is. a wire cage. On the backs of the turtles are painted numbers which correspond to those printed on the tickets purchased at the pari-mutuel windows. After some 80 or 90 tickets have been sold to customers a number of youths bring the turtles into th© enclosure in a basket. The turtles ar© bundled into the cage, and at a given signal the cage is hoisted and the r-ac© starts. The first turtle to cross the third white strip, a distance of about 50ft., is declared winner, while second and third-place money is allotted.