CUDDLE DEFEATED

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1935, Page 10

CUDDLE DEFEATED

THE RIDING CRITICISED SUCCESSFUL WOMAN PUNTER. WEIGHTS OF RACEHORSES.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Cuddle’s failure on both days of the recent Dunedin meeting was a severe blow to the admirers of the Psychology mare. In both her starts she was taken to the front with about five furlongs to go but was overtaken and well beaten about a furlong from the post. The riding of R. J. Flower has come in for considerable comment from southern writers, one of whom stated that Cuddle was the worst ridden top-weight seen at Wingatui for many years. While this mare was carrying light weights Flower’s tactics were really good as he carried the field along solidly and nearly always ran his competitors off their feet." However, with welter weights these tactics have proved suicidal. In all probability Cuddle will be sent to Australia for her autumn racing and, provided the handicappers are not too severe, she should prove capable of paying her way. For Te Aroha.

Fersen and Aga Khan will proceed to Te Aroha by the express train to-mor» row night to compete in the Herries Memorial Cup on Saturday.

Successful Double Backer, At one time some Sydney papers devoted columns to the marked success of two women backers, states the Sydney Referee, but as it is a long time since we read about their “wonderful judgment” presumably they fared no better in the long run than most heavy bettors. England, at latest, had a woman backer, Mrs. J. Goldsmith, who was picking the tote “daily . double . with such astounding accuracy that, in a month she had cleared over .£3OOO m that fashion., Mrs. Goldsmith, who has 14 horses of her own in training, says her success is hot due to the employment of any system. She goes racing nearly every day and is a careful student of form. Of course, she does not confine herself to one double on each race when making her selections. All That is Possible.

' Nothing is to be left undone to enable Golden Miller to win his second Grand National. Briscoe was short of a horse to lead the champion steeplechaser, in his .work and after Firework won the Wilts Selling Steeplechase at Newbury on December 29 he was purchased for 350gns on behalf' of Miss Dorothy Paget for that'purpose. If Golden Miller should win his second Grand National he will not be. the. first to accomplish that feat. It has been done by Abd-el-Kader, The Colonel, The Lamb, Manifesto, and Poethlyn.

Big Flemington Double. Order of popularity after the ■ appearance of the weights for the V.R.C. Newmarket and Australian Cup was:— Newmarket Handicap: Arachne, Winooka,. Press. Gang, Silver King,. Radiant Star, Heros, Break up, Titanium, The Marne, Sir John, Closing Time, Count Ito, Great Legend, L’Elite, Dark Sky. Australian Cup: La Trobe, Cueesun, Gippsland, Topical, Gold Trail, Picatus, Vintage, Supervalve, Eastern Chief, Alaric, Contact, Regal Son, Robert, Sir Simper, Theo, Worthing, Sylvandale, Ruach, Mellion.

Wotan’s Future Plans. The two-year-old Wotan, who created such a marked impression when he won at Wanganui a fortnight ago in his first start in a race, will do no further racing this season. He has no classic engagements in the Dominion and he is not going to Australia. Meanwhile, Wotan is being kept to easy tasks at Trentham, so that he will harden up as he matures. A brief respite will probably be allowed him during the late autumn and early winter, and he will then be taken up again seriously. Present plans are to send him over to Australia during July, and next season he may aspire to the leading classic honours across the Tasman. .

Not Highly Rated. The former New Zealander Pillow Fight, owned by D. J. Davis, of Phar Lap fame, was among the horses nominated for the Santa Anita Handicap of £20,000. Little is thought of him in California as he was one of the 27 weighted at the minimum of 7.2, against the 9.4 allotted Equipoise.

At Flemington. Indications point to New Zealand’s being well represented in the principal events at the Victoria Racing Club’s autumn meeting, to be held at Flemington on March 2, 6 and 9. The general entries, which were taken recently, include the following Dominion horses:— Essendon Stakes: Vintage and Gold Trail. Brunswick Stakes: Gold. Trail. Leonard Stakes: Sir Nigel and Wheriko. King’s Plate: Vintage and Gold Trail. River Handicap: Gold Trail. C. M. Lloyd Stakes: Vintage, Gold Trail and Wheriko. Bourke Handicap: Sir Nigel and Wheriko. Farewell Handicap: Gold Trail. Apart from this list, Wheriko is in the Newmarket Handicap, and Vintage and Gold Trail are in the Australian Cup. Off to Australia.

Vintage and his two-year-old halfsister Lady Graceful left Wellington by the Wanganella on Friday for Sydney, where they will rest a few days before going on to Melbourne. They were under the care of their trainer (Mrs. J. Campbell), who was accompanied by her husband, her assistant in stable work. Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Westenra also left by Friday’s steamer. Mrs. Campbell will not be allowed to act as a trainer in Austtalia, but information has been received that no difficulty is likely to be experienced by Mr. Westenra in securing a permit to train his own horses. Vintage is in great order, and Lady Graceful is sufficiently well forward to suggest that she may be ready for a race before the end of the trip. Vintage has demonstrated this season that he is a horse of good class and he should perform well in important events in Australia. The trip' will not conclude, if all goes well, till after the Australian Jockey Club’s Easter meeting at Randiwick. Mr. Westenra and party will have the good wishes of a wide circle Of friends fcr the success Vintage. A Big Shipment. A big shipment of horses was due to leave Wellington for Australia on the Wanganella last Friday In all it comprised over a score, many of the horses being yearlings who were purchases for Australian interests at the recent National Sales at Trentham.

Vintage and Lady Graceful, in charge of their owner (Mr. D. W. Westenra) and trainer (Mrs. J. Campbell), Gold Trail, Sir Nigel and The Khedive, in charge of J. M. Cameron, Bay Tree, consigned to his owner (Mr. E. J. Watt), and the

brood mare Star Queen (Sunstar—Black Queen), consigned to Mr. Keith Angas, Adelaide, were the older horses. The Khedive’s certificate is issued through to Cape Town, where his recent purchaser, Sir Joseph Robinson, lives, but it is possible he will have a race or two in Victoria on the way to his future home. The rest of the shipment comprised yearlings. They were: Limond—Solagne bay colt, consigned to F. T. Cush, Sydney; Captain Bunsby—Helen chestnut colt, J. King, Sydney; Iliad—Par Money brown colt and Iliad—Oddity bay filly, Mr. G. N. Magill Sydney; Night RaidQuadrilateral brown colt, Mr. L. K. S. McKinnon, Melbourne; Chief Ruler— Tinkler chestnut filly, Mr. G. L. Scott, Melbourne; Nightmarch—Waterlow bay filly. Captain Bunsby—Caught bay filly, Lord Warden—Moiselle chestnut filly, and Lord Warden—Palestrina chestnut filly, Mr. Keith Angas, Adelaide; Iliad— Ebba chestnut colt, Mr. W. J. Winterbottom, Perth; Chief Ruler—Prophet’s Mark bay colt, Mr. F. F. B. Wittenoom, Perth; and Iliad—Graciosa bay filly, Chief Ruler—Drama chestnut filly, and Night Raid—Philomela chestnut filly, Mr. E. G. Meares, Perth.

£67,000 Coup That Missed. Mr. William Keogh, who died at Sydney recently, raced a good many horses in his time. He owned Erasmus in partnership with Mr. Ned Moss. The partners backed this horse, then a three-year-old, for £27,000 earl;- in the betting on the Melbourne Cup of 1920 at very long prices. Erasmus was a stable-mate of Poitrel, both being trained by H. Robinson at Randwick. The Messrs. W. and F. Moses owned Poitrel. Erasmus had 7.0 in the cup and Poitrel 10.0. Three days before the cup Erasmus failed to finish in the first eight in the Victorian Derby, but his trainer was still convinced that under the lighter weight in the cup he would prove a thorough stayer who might land the great prize. He reported that on the track he and Poitrel were so nearly equal that he could not divide them. Poitrel then was favourite for the cup, while Erasmus stood at a very long odds. The owners of Erasmus backed up for another £40,000. Erasmus looked to have the race won when he entered the straight but that mighty stayer Poitrel wore him down and beat him by half a length. Returning to Form.

'When she won two events last autumn, Silver Wings appeared to have excellent prospects this season. However, she has proved most disappointing. Though at times she has shown pace for three or four furlongs, she invariably faded out. In view of this her great finishing effort at Hawera last Thursday must have been encouraging to her owner and trainer. Her effort was full of dash and determination and it would appear as though this half-sistei- to Inflation is fast coming back to form. Opunake Acceptances.

Owners and trainers are reminded that acceptances for all events, at Opunake Racing Club's meeting on February 27 close with the secretary, Mr. P. S. Riley, Pihama, at 5 o’clock to-night; ■