FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1934, Page 10

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

NEW PLYMOUTH HORSES SUPERIOR AND LADY KYRA. GOLDEN HAIR’S EPSOM WEIGHT. (By “Hurry On.”) Jockeys last longer in England than they do in New Zealand. Steve Donoghue, who won the Grand Prix at Paris three weeks ago, is in his fifty-second year, and can still ride .well. Superior Doing Well. Though little taller than she was in the spring, Superior has thickened out during her spell and bears a healthy appearance. Though not allowed to go fast yesterday morning she fairly revelled in her task. She has only to go the right way to win races in the spring. Lalla Qucx’s Condition. Since racing at Fcxton Lalla Quex has had an easy time and has put on condition. She looks in splendid order to commence her spring preparation. After disappointing last spring she improved steadily during the autumn, winning five races. She should prove a useful stake-earner for her ownertrainer, R. Johnson, during the coming season. To Be Mated With Heroic. Two mares from Auckland are to be sent to Australia shortly to be mated with the successful sire Heroic. They are Legality, the dam of the speedy Bambury, and Prodice, a half-sister to Ammon Ra. The enterprise of their owners is commendable and deserves to be attended with success. Should Stay. ' Lady Kyra could never be described as a good looker, but she knows how to gallop and that is the thing that counts. She is one of the solid type. In a brush down the straight at New Plymouth yesterday morning she showed that she still possesses that beautifully smooth, easy style of moving that characterised her efforts last season. She is bred to stay and everything points to her being seen to advantage over a distance during the coming season. Riding Engagements. The New Plymouth cross-country jockey, H. Dulieu, who scored on Royal Lineage at the recent Trentham meeting, will again have the mount on the Limond gelding at Hastings to-morrow. It is probable that he will also ride Cotsfield at the same gathering. H. Goldfinch and W. E. Pine will be riding at the Franklin meeting. The former will pilot Monanui in her engagements, while Pine will be on Prolyxo in the open sprint. Qualified Hunters.

The following horses of the Tajanaki Hunt have qualified for hunters’ events under the New Zealand Hunt Association’s rules: Anchises, Bimbo, Dusk, Ginger, Gingerette, Hilton, Huirangi Boy, -King Cole, Lorna Doon, Mataro, Michael Shimose, Money Boy, Ngareta, Ngawha, Nimblefoot, Potere, Rapid Fire, Razor, Rui, Shamin, Sideshot, Sleepy and Whenuanui.

Substantial Fee. Mack Gamer, who won the recent Kentucky Derby on Cavalcade, is stated to have received a fee of £l5OO for his success. That was more than a quarter of the winner’s share of the stake. In prize-money Gamer’s best year was 1929, when he rode winners of a total of £63,000.

Tavern Knight’s Brother. Tavern Knight’s successes at Sydney will draw attention' to Lionheart, his rising three-year-old half-brother, who has also been taken across the Tasman. Lionheart has so far had only one outing in public, but on that occasion, at Te Rapa in March? he showed himself to possess a wonderful burst of speed and plenty of courage. Big things are expected of him, and his performances will be watched with interest. He is trained by M. Carroll for the Hamilton sportsmen, Messrs Manning and Caro.

Engagement Terminated. Had the Australian jockey W. R. Johnstone piloted Colombo to victory in the Derby he would have been everywhere in England hailed as a great rider, but Colombo failed and Johnstone’s stock soon fell. His engagement has been terminated and he has returned to France to ride again for M. P. Wertheimer. It is probable that either Donoghue or Richards will pilot Colombo in the Leger, and it will Be interesting to see whether the Manna colt will do any better for them than he did for the Australian.

Nbw Plymouth Track. There was only one gallop at New Plymouth yesterday morning, nearly all the horses being restricted to pacework. On the outside of the course proper Ringside, .assisted by Joy Box over the last three furlongs, ran half a mile in 565., the first two taking 2515. Considering the dead track this was a fair effort. Amyril and Tahurangi, who are to race at Marton next Wednesday, did useful tasks. They will probably gallop to-morrow morning. Received filer Full*Share.

It is not often that Australian writers point out that New Zealand horses have been over-weighted in big Australian events, but “Pilot” in the Sydney Referee has the following to say concerning Golden Hair’s weight in the Epsom Handicap: Golden Hair is a good filly, but in making her one of the topliners in the Epsom betting the books appear to be flattering her. With 41b. over weight-for-age she is set a severe task, and, sticking to figures, she does not read as well as Blixten. When the latter won the Batman Stakes at the Melbourne Cup meeting he gave Golden Hair 41b. and a comfortable beating. Now she has to concede him a pound, and though she won in Itfew Zealand after racing in Melbourne, it is questionable whether that justifies any supposition that she has made greater improvement thaji Blixten since last spring.

Retrograde Step. The elimination of classic races by a few clubs was characterised by the president of the Racing Conference (Mr. J. S. McLeod), at last week’s annual meeting of delegates in Wellington, as a retrograde step, but he hoped that this action was merely a temporary expedient. It was very gratifying that some clubs had raised the stakes for their classic races, even in cases where entries had already been taken for these events (as was done by the C.J.C.). Weight-for-age races could not be too plentiful and more clubs should aim at their encouragement.

Memories of a Champion. Memories of a champion were revived when Dutch Courage went on the track for the Second Division of the Nursery Handicap at Victoria Park on June 7, writes “Pilot” in the Sydney Referee. I heard one racegoer remark: “Those colours seem familiar.” They should have been, as they were similar to those carried by Gloaming and other good horses owned by the late Mr. G. D. Greenwood. Dutch Courage is raced and trained by G. Young, who rode

Gloaming in most of his races, and who has registered the set for his own. use in Australia. Being by Tippler, Dutch Courage is very cleverly named, and she showed on Saturday that she is likely to be a useful performer, as she was doing well at the finish in fourth place. V.R.C. Grand National Winner.

Woodlace, winner of the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase at Flemington last Saturday, belongs to the same family as Gloaming. He is by the Melbourne Cup winner Backwood (son of Bachelor’s Double) from Straitlace, by Almissa (son of Ayrshire) from Royal Favor (an English mare), by Royal Cherry from Blue Riband, by Prince from Bright Riband, by Macaroni or Stockwell, Bright Riband is a half-sister to Beachy Head, grand-dam of Axiom, third dam of Solario. Beachy Head is also the granddam of Bill of Portland and the fourth dam of Gloaming. Like many good jumping winners in Melbourne, Woodlace hails from South Australia. At Easter he ran second in the Onkaparinga Great Eastern Steeplechase, and on June 4 he won the Victoria Park Steeplechase, 2} miles, at the Adelaide Cup meeting, in 4m. 52f5., a record for South Australia. New Stud at Waikanae. The well-known Wellington sportsman, Mr. J. J. McGrath, is establishing a new stud at Waikanae, which he is naming after the famous Irish racing and' military district, “The Curragh.” Mr. McGrath has leased, with the right to purchase, the imported horse Philamor (Son-in-law—Love Oil). Philamor who was sold as a yearling for 8500 guineas, is a particularly well bred horse, a few of whose oldest progeny are now rising two-year-olds, and as he has been mated last year with some exceptionally good mares he will have every opportunity of proving his worth. Mr. McGrath’s own mares are Lady Pirn (Weathervane—Dame Winkie), who is in foal to Chief Ruler, and two Australianbred mares, Humorada (Comedy King— Lady Fisher), who is in foal to Backwood, and Erda (Shelthome—Queen of Trumps), who is in foal to Lord Warden.