FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1934, Page 4

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

RICCARTON SIDELIGHTS VINTAGE RETURNING TO FORM. CONSTANT SUN GOES AMISS.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Constant Sun’s withdrawal from all engagements at Riccarton was due to bleeding troubles. This was unfortunate for his owner as Constant Sun was working well, and being such a good stayer his prospects in the Grand National Hurdles were regarded in a favourable light. Off to Sydney.

Autopay is booked for another trip to Randwick and will be shipped across the Tasman soon after the conclusion of the National meeting at Riccarton. His fine .showing in the August Handicap on Thursday, when under the steadier of 9.13 he beat all but Sweet Agnes, showed that he is as good as ever. He will be in charge of his present trainer, Erb Simpson.

Nightmarch at the Stud. Among the mares to be mated with Nightmarch this season are three winners of the New Zealand Oaks—Starmist, Pride and Praise. Among the others arc New Zealand Cup winners in Oratrix and Palantua. With chances such as these it will be surprising if '.his son of Nightraid does not make good.

Promising Two-year-old. A two-year-old who is attracting attention at Wanganui is Entail, one of Mr. G. M. Currie’s team. Entail is by Posterity from Episode, and wlil be one of the first of his sire’s progeny to race. He is a half-brother to Burnish, one of the best two-year-olds of last season. Two Meanings.

It was mentioned that the name Fci Mah chosen by Mr. A. D. Potter for his two-year-old Paladin colt was Chinese for “fat horse,” but. another possible though less usual meaning of the combination is “flying horse,” and probably this is what Mr. Potter had in mind when he named the colt. Chinese meanings are not easy to discover* without the ideograph or a context.

Coming Back to Form. The fine showing of Vintage in the Islington Handicap at Riccarton on Thursday demonstrated that the Dunedin Cup winner is coming, back to form. Through the late summer Vintage was one of the most promising handicappers in commission," but a mishap put him out of action during the autumn. In the last Dunedin Cup he showed that a distance had no terrors for him and he is sure to be one of the early selections for the New Zealand Cup. - Rider of National Winner.

R. Drinkwatcr, who piloted Huntique to victory in the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton on Thursday, served his apprenticeship with R. Johnson at New Plymouth. He rode with some success in Taranaki and then joined T. R. George’s stable at Blenheim. He has only recntly taken to hurdle riding, but this win will serve to put him well in the limelight. Difficult Task.

A horse can often compete in a big hurdle race on the opening day of a meeting and successfully tackle the big steeples on the second. This has been demonstrated by the number of - horses who have won the Great Northern double. However, when it comes to the other way round the story is very different. A horse who has been prepared for and competes in a big cross-country event on the opening day is set a severe task in being asked to go out in the field for the hurdles on the second day. Billy Boy, a fair sort of a hurdler, after running a great race under a big burden in the National Steeples on Tuesday, made an inglorious showing in the hurdles on Thursday. In 1927 Beau Cavalier lumped nearly 12.0 home in easy fashion in the Steeplechase after leading all the way. He had only 9.9 in the hurdles and naturally commanded a big following. He was never dangerous over the last half-mile and finished outside a place. Beau Cavalier was a class hurdler, as he proved in 1928, when he won the Great Northern and Winter Hurdles. NEW SOUTH WALES TROTTING. HANDICAPPING ON N.Z. SYSTEMBy Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Sydney, Aug 17. The New South Wales Trotting Club has decided to abandon its present system of handicapping and adopt the method operating in New Zealand.