LATE SPORTING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16841, 13 September 1920, Page 3

LATE SPORTING.

16,000 GUINEAS FOB A OOLT. By Telegraph--Press Assn -Copyright: (Received Sept. 13, 8.30 n.m.) . , ■ LONDON, Sept. 11. At the Doncaster blood stock sales, Air. Sandford, vice-chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, paid 16,000 guineas for a Snnstar colt.—Reuter. NOTES BY / ‘HISTOBICUS. ’’ Tirana is being reserved for Otaki, and providing he goes on as at present Johnston’s gelding may land a stake. A. half-brother to Big Puslvis'at present being hacked on the roads at Stratford. This gelding claims Bunyan as his sire, and is more solid looking than Big Push. . Included in R-. Brough’s team for Wa. nganui is Maropa. This filly claims the aristocratic parentage of Martian— Grand Opera, a mare who threw such 1 good ones as Soldiers’ Chorus,-' Tannhauser, Cherubini and Rossini. Maropfc. was a late foal, and lacks the size of her relatives, nevertheless she is a nice filly.

Some time ago Alf. Shearsby gave up the training of horses and started as a produce merchant at Palmerston North. Shearsby’s love for. the thoroughbred would not allow him to settle, down, so Alf.-has decided to again start as a public trainer, and with this end in view he leaves for Auckland shortly, so possibly Ellerslie will be his headquarters. The advice informing us of Gloaming’s mishap (bleeding) will occasion great disappointment amongst all sportsmen, as this ailment is such that it will possibly appear at the most critical period of his contests. Certainly we have seen' horses such as Mullingar bleed badly to-day, and a couple of days later win a big handicap,,but this gelding, like a few others, is exceptional, and the majority of horses are not much good once they bleed.

Lucullan was a really good two-year-old, but Fred Davis may have trouble in winning with him in future, as his wind is affected.

Mr. P. who was successful in getting Bon Reve to stand after he broke down badly, was very keen to secure Royal Park after he won at Awapum. No deal resulted, as Mr. Crocker wants the son of 1 Sylvia Park as a hunter.

Mr. ,A.. B. Williams, has a fine colt in Grotesque (Absurd —Bronze), and I will he much surprised should he not play a leading part in the settlement of the Avondale Stakes. Grotesque is very forward in condition—a big consideration. Inah (8.1) is not overburned in the Plying .Handicap at Wanganui, and as the daughter of Coronet races well when fresh she may be pro.minent. The. writer heard that the Wanganui stewards , are likely to bar Polthogue from running in the steeplechasesbn the ground of his repeated falling. There is no doubt that Polthogue’s vision is affected, which at times has spoilt what up to a certain point was a good exhibition of jumping. Under rule 4 of part 15 stewards have power to refuse the entry of horses without assigning any reason, but if this power is exercised against one owner, why not. another ? For instance, Foeman has fallen on • four occasions out of seven starts (a worse record than Polthogue’s), yet. Wright’s gelding is looked on as proficient.

The expense of keeping a racehorse has risen considerably of late, 1 but, strange to relate, trainers get leas profit per horse to-day than, say, five yeai-s ago. Indeed, the weekly fee to-day leaves practically nothing for the trainer, as feed, etc., has risen so high, and now that the railway tariff has been increased ho may consider whether it pays to travel v.ery far from home. Just to show what it costs to take a team of racehorses a distance, I may state that a Hawke’s Bay trainer sent four horses, with their attendants, in a IJ.G. box from Hastings to Elleslie, and the llailway Department asked £l4O for the freight. It must be apparent to members of racing clubs that owners want some inducement to travel, so possibly clubs may see their way clcsir to reduce nomination and acceptance fees to a minimum, and, if possible, charge nothing. Owners deserve the consideration.. Vespucci (6.13) appears as an acceptor for the Caulfield Cup, but Mason rarely starts a horse in the big handicaps of Australia.

Crucinella’s daughter, Isabel, has a private reputation, and on the second day of the AVanganui autumn meeting showed wonderful pace. She fnay again run well next week.

At present Oratress and Boyal Star figure as favourites for the New Zealand Cup. The former stays well, while the latter is much better than generally conceded.