FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1933, Page 11

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

OMEO GOING TO ELLERSLIE PREPARATION OF YOUNGSTERS. BETTING SCHEME SUCCEEDS.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Two Trentham winners, Omeo and High Grader, will compete at Ellerslie on Saturday. Though it will be the latter’s first appearance on the northern course Omeo is no stranger to Ellerslie; in fact Omeo competed in the Great Northern Steeples just over six weeks ago. Omeo is much fitter than on that occasion. If his injured leg has recovered sufficiently, A. Jenkins, who piloted Omeo to victory at Trentham, will again be in the saddle, but in the event of his not being available C. Thompson, who has been successful on Callamart, will take the mount.

Seldom Come Early. Two-year-old racing will commence in about two months’ time and during the next six weeks stories will be coming through from almost every track in the Dominion regarding the wonderful pace of some youngster or other. Each and every owner fondly hopes he has another Phar Lap or Silver Scorn and the day for the first juvenile event cannot come too soon. This happens every year, but the first race or two sorts them out and even the best of them seldom goes on with it. The early two-year-old is not often the best proposition. Take Silver Scorn and Peter Pan, the crack three-year-olds of this season—Silver Scorn had one race as a two-year-old and that was at Easter, while it was still later in the season before Peter Pan was asked to face a barrier. The. best take time to develop; they are seldom readymade. Should Race Well.

At the Ellerslie June meeting Landlubber fairly waltzed away from the field in the first division of the Jervois Hack, and had five lengths to spare passing the judge. Landlubber developed kidney trouble and was unable to race again at the gathering. He is reported to have completely recovered and will make a reappearance in the first division of the Parnell Handicap on Saturday. Being a quick beginner, Landlubber is sure to race prominently but may find Kiltowyn, credited with some great gallops on the track, a hard one to dispose of.

Rebel Song’s Weight. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s handicapper cannot be accused of being hard on Rebel Song in allotting the son of Robespiere 8.13 in the Winter Cup. Last April Rebel Song won the Great Easter with 7.0 and then, putting up a 101 b penalty, beat all but Princess Argosy in the Great Autumn. These were very solid performances, especially for a horse not nearly as well seasoned as most of his opponents. Even without making any allowance for the weight-for-age scale improvement during the intervening period Rebel Song must be accounted rather fortunate in getting in under nine stone. Though he has been in steady work for some time he will be a long way from his best when this race comes up for decision, but he has only to put up some good gallops to come in for a lot of support if he goes to the post.

Backing the Lot. ■ Heavy tracks under winter conditions are usually productive of some large dividends and a small syndicate at Trentham on Saturday last decided to pool their funds and back every horse in each race on the straight-out machine. This on the whole day involved an outlay of £4O, but thanks to the good dividends returned by Playground and Grand Score they received returns amounting to over £53. .

This brings to memory a story of the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton some years ago. A Christchurch business man well known as a tennis player did not know a great deal .about horses but had been taken by a friend to Riccarton on Cup day. The friend was watching the Stewards’ field over the last two furlongs. “So-and-so will win,” he announced, land his companion replied, “That’s alright, I have a pound on him.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the racin. man shouted excitedly, “No he won’t, Circulation will beat him—that will be a dividend.” “Good,” came the reply, “I have a pound on him, too.” Then right at the finish came Comic Song to snatch victory over the last fifty yards. The racing man turned to condole with his friend. “Bit of hard luck, old fellow, but still Circulation’s dividend even for second will be good.” “Oh, do not worry about that,’’.said the tyro, “I have also a ticket on the horse that won. What will he pay?” He had backed ail twenty starters. Comic Song’s dividend ran into three figures and Circulation’s was nearly a score. He had cleared over £lOO. Tentcall as a Jumper. Tentcall, until recently under the charge of W. Pine at Hawera, is in the team of the West Coast trainer M. Conza. She is being schooled over the small fences and is shaping very well She will probably 'race at Waimate to-day, when she will be ridden by H. Turner, who will also have the mount on another ex-Hawera horse, Rossferry. Valueless. The success of the six-year-old Valueless in the Highweight Handicap at Trantham on Thursday was the first win since he won at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting nearly two years ago, and the addition to his winning stakes still leaves him in hack class by a margin of £29. Formerly he was trained at Awapuni by E. W. Watson, who won twice with him. Promising Start. Morrath, winner of the Hack Hurdles at Trentham on Saturday, is a half-sister to good performers, Piuthaii- and Clarinda. Morrath is trained by R. Hatch at Awapuni and had been schooling in such great style that had the going been good there would have been a great win; with the track in such a slippery state it was impossible to back a novice at the game with any degree of confidence. A Dangerous Place. Evidently French racing men believe England is a dangerous place for an invader. Rodosto was accompanied to England by three stable guards who were to have been the horse’s constant companions until he left the .saddling paddock at Epsom to run in the Derby. A large Alsatian dog which in France always mounts guard outside Rodosto’s stable at night, was refused a permit to entei- England. And after all the precautions Rodosto did not run in the Derby owing to going lame a few days before its decision.