TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1934, Page 4

TRACK AND STABLE

HALL MARK’S SUCCESS SIR NIGEL’S GOOD PROMISE. THEO'S WIN AT CAULFIELD.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Under the right conferred by the recent amendment to rule 282 of the Rules of Racing, the Wellington Racing Club is applying to the president of the conference for permission to draw barrier positions an hour before each race at its coming meeting. Off to Australia. A decision was reached late last week to take the High Art—Baby Doll four-year-old Impasto to Australia. This was the reason for his withdrawal from the Flying Handicap at Ellerslie on Saturday. Full Sister’s Win. The defunct stallion Gay Shield enjoyed the distinction of having sired the winner of the Great Northern Guineas two years in succession. Last season Gay Sheila led the field home, and on Saturday last her full sister, Gay Blonde, repeated the performance. Namakia, who was runner-up, was also sired by Gay Shield. Gay Blonde looked the best of good things and the only surprise was the good price she paid. No Decision Yet. The services of the southern rider, L. J. Ellis, are desired by two owners in the New Zealand Cup. Mr. G. M. Currie has offered him the ride on Spiral, but the owner of Sweet Agnes, who won two races at the Grand National meeting, is also anxious to secure Ellis. The jockey had made no decision last week, not desiring to commit himself. until he had ridden Spiral at Ellerslie. As this son of Limond failed to fill a place in the Mitchelson Cup it will not be surprising to find Ellis on Sweet Agnes in the big Riccarton two miles event. Little Over-rated. There was plenty of money from Wanganui supporters for Dawn Princess in the Maiden at Masterton. From the manner it rolled in it could almost be imagined that T. Long’s mare was a second Desert Gold. However, third was the best she could do. As she, had every chance in the race it would appear as though she had been over-rated. Back to Form. Polydofa has come into the limelight for the New Zealand Cup as a result of her win at Timaru on Saturday. She was the ruling favourite for the big Riccarton race last year, when she went amiss on the eve of the gathering. After a long spell she was placed in work again last June and had her first race during the Grand National meeting. She has improved steadily since then. It was not a particularly classy field that finished behind her on Saturday, but a better line on her prospects will be obtained in the Wellington Handicap at Trentham on Saturday. She has 8.3 in this event, but will be faced by a really good field of handicap horses. His Winning Way. Sir Simper continues his victorious way in Victoria. On Saturday he accounted for the- big Caulfield mile, the Toorak He was responsible for a great performance, coining from last five furlongs from home. His great finish will add to his already big army of supporters for the Caulfield Cup, an event in which he appears likely to be the hottest favourite for years.

Not Quite Good Enough. A 12-furlongs journey would appear to be just too far for Carfex. He was responsible for a great gallop at Ellerslie last week and many good judges considered him unbeatable in the Mitchelson Cup. In the race he was always in a handy position but was only plugging along in fourth place at the end. This son of Nigger Minstrel is as honest as they are made, but a mile and a-half journey in the best company is just beyond his capabilities. Should Race Well.

Rippling Waters showed a fine turn of speed in the Shorts Handicap at Ellerslie. She was soon in and still held her place at the distance. However, she then, stopped badly, finishing well back. She is likely to do better on a heavy track. This will prevail to-day, but the mare was not accepted for, the stable relying on Gay Seton. This four-year-old defeated a good field in good style in the Dunedin Handicap at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting on his last appearance and will be entitled to respect if he faces the barrier to-day. Hall Mark’s Performance.

By accounting for the two Sydney champions, Chatham and Rdgilla, at Caulfield on Saturday, Hall Mark demonstrated that he will be as good this season as he was last. The distance (nine furlongs) would appear to be all in Chatham’s favour, and the fact that Hall Mark proved equal to defeating him shows that the Heroic four-year-old is going to take a lot of beating in the Melbourne Cup and the big weight-for-age events.

Promising Horse. The Hastings owner-trainer, J. M. Cameron, has evidently a smart hack in Sir Nigel. He defeated a good field in the Trial at Wanganui, and on Saturday at Masterton made the opposition in the Champion Hack Handicap look very cheap. There are good handicaps in front of this son of Grand Knight this season, Cameron, however, is a patient mentor and is not likely to take on the big money until he is ready. He may even take a trip across the Tasman in due course. He has many happy memories of Randwick and Flemington, where, he won many good races with his old favourite The Hawk.

Mitchelson Cup Winner. Solarium's victory in the Mitchelson Cup was one of the most decisive for some years. As he reached the front going down the back stretch to run the last half-mile in 47 l-5s it can easily be seen that his pursuers had a hopeless task in attempting to catch him. He is a five-year-old by Limond (who is having a truly great season) from the Cooltrim mare Sunbar, and is trained by W. Stone, who holds him on lease from his breeder, Mr. R. G. Hosking, Whangarei. Stone trained Motex when the Lord Quex gelding scored his surprise victory in the Auckland Cup of 1930, but since then has been out of luck.

At a Long Price. Despite the fact that he had won the A.J.C. Derby, Theo was at long odds when he scored a brilliant victory in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday. The reason appears to have been that his owner had also Sir John ill the race. Sir John was the fancied one. M. McCarten, who had ridden Theo at Randwick, had the mount on Sir John this time, but the change was not a lucky one for him as Sir John shaped badly. Last autumn Sir John, who is by Limond from Jewel of Asia, was considered to be probably the best two-year-old in Australia, but his form this season has been anything but encouraging. Nevertheless he must have shown his connections some good trials, otherwise his shrewd owner would not have backed him as he did.

Royal Visitor’s End. The trip of Royal Visitor to Melbourne, which ended in his destruction on Saturday, has been an unlucky one all through, as he went wrong soon after arrival, and could not keep some of his most important engagements. It was not until September 29 that he was successful in winning a race, scoring in the Mount Catterel Steeplechase at Moonee Valley. Royal Visitor was one of the best cross-country horses at the Grand National meeting at Riccarton in 1932, being third in the National and winning both the Beaufort and Lincoln Steeplechases, while the next winter he deadheated for second in the Great Northern Hurdle Race. His career was much affected by unsoundness, but he won £1650 in stakes. Royal Visitor was an eight-year-old gelding by Lucullus from Sports Queen, and was owned by Mr. C. Dawson, Auckland. May Prove a Guide. Eleven of the horses accepted for the Wellington Handicap, the principal, event on the opening day of the Wellington meeting this week, have also met the first payment for the New Zealand Cup. They are Davolo, Red Manfred, Polydora, Spiral, Walton Park, Gold Trail, Arikira, Some Shamble, Copper King, Aesculus, Silver Sight. The Wellington Handicap is run over 11 furlongs, and a study of the results of the Trentham and Riccarton heats during the past five years shows that there has been some similarity although no horse won both events. In 1929 In the Shade won at Trentham and was second in the New Zealand Cup to Chide, who did not run against him at the Wellington meeting, and Rabbi, who was second to In the Shade, wdn the C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap. In 1930, Pahu, the Wellington Handicap winner, did not contest the Cup, and the placed horses Courageous and Count Palatine, were unplaced at Riccarton. Spearful was not a starter in the Wellington Handicap the following year, but Admiral Drake, the winner, and Gay Crest, third, filled the minor places in the Cup. Fast Passage’s second to Cluny was a prelude to her Cup victory, and then Rocket, after running fourth at Trentham, was second last year to Palantua, who did not compete in the Trentham race.