RACING & TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18681, 24 September 1930, Page 6

RACING & TROTTING

On and Off the Track. A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES. Racing: Sept. 25, 27—Geraldine R.C. Sept. 27—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Oct. 4—Napier Park R.C. Oct. 4—Kurow J.C. Oct. 4. 6—Auckland R.C. Oct. 9, 11—Dunedin J.C. Oct. 10, 11—Otaki-Maori R.C. Oct. 16. 18—South Canterbury J.C. Oct. 18—Masterton R.C. Oct. 25, 27—Wellington R.C. Oct. 27—Waverley R.C. Oct. 27—Waikato Hunt Club. Oct. 27—Waipawa County R.C. Oct. 27—North Canterbury R.C. Oct. 27, 29—Gore R.C. Oct. 30, Nov. I—Poverty Bay T.O. Nov. I—Banks Peninsula R.C. Nov. I—Carterton R.C. Nov. s—Birchwood5 —Birchwood Hunt Club. Nov. 6, B—Whangareiß—Whangarei R.C. Nov. 8, 10, 12, 15 —Canterbury T c. Trotting: Oct. 4—Methven T.C. Oct. 11—Waikato T.C. Oct. 18—Northland T.C. Oct. 25, 27—Greymouth T.C. Oct. 25, 27—Auckland T.C. Oct. 27—Oamaru T.C. Nov. I—Wellington T.C. Nov. 11, 13, 14 —Metropolitan T.C. Geraldine races Thursday and Saturday. Entreaty (Winkie--Prayer Wheel) has produced a colt foal, a full brother to Phar Lap. The one-time crack pacer Happy Voyage is now doing stud duty at Omakau, Central Otago. A mile was too far for Rosy Morn at Ashburton, but R. C. Keeper should not be long in winning a sprint race with her in hack company. A four-figure price is said to have been paid for High Court, who is to make his first appearance in this island in the Geraldine Cup. Mr G. A. Kain intends to leave for Sydney this week to see Inevitable and Red Royal race. Inevitable is reported to have done well at Randwick.

A northern paper states that H. Gray may do some riding for Mr G. D. Greenwood this season. Mr A. B. Williams has first call on Gray’s services.

Ayrmont Chimes was handicapped on 3.39 in the Selma Trot at Ashburton and won in 3.26 1-5. Arethusa started off 2.59 in the Rakaia Trot and hoisted 2.51 2-5. It will come as a surprise to many people to learn that in 1899, the totalisator investments for the two days of the Geraldine meeting amounted to only £1756. In the previous year the meeting lapsed. Norwester, who is now in R. Townley’s stable, was prominent for the first mile in the Rakaia Trot at Ashburton, but he could not carry on over the final stages of a race run in Bsec faster than the “class.” The Oamaru Jockey Club made a profit of £B2 on last season’s operations, after writing off £l5O for depreciation. The Club last year paid £BOO into the joint building fund, to which it has now contributed over £6250. It is reported that Weatherly is amiss, and is an unlikely starter in the Ohapi Handicap to-morrow. Princess Thurnham is another unlikely to run, and it is more than likely that the necessity for a division will be obviated. Two foals by Nightraid have made their appearance at Gladstone Park, Orari. Satisfaction has produced to the imported sire a colt half-brother to Receipt, Battle Colours and Satisfy, and Moiselle has a full-sister to Night Lad. The Geraldine meeting continues to be referred to as the spring meeting. The distinction seems superfluous for a fixture that is the only one of the year, but it is a reminder that in the past the Club held an autumn meeting also. Rosewood and Tracsono, who won at the Otago Hunt meeting, and Tray Bond, who won at Ashburton, are not now eligible for the Novice Plate at Kurow, which is confined to horses which have not, at time of starting, won a race worth £6O to the winner. Mr A. B. Williams paid 2250gns at the Kinloch Stud sale for Cymene, but the English mare had a foal by Limond at foot, and was in foal to the same sire. The foal was Cylinder, who has won over £2400, and Mr Williams has a two-year-old filly, so that he did not make a bad deal. Prodice finished up last season by winning the Takapuna Cup, and she has made a good beginning this year by annexing the Avondale Cup, in which she finished second last year to Historic. The Catmint mare, who is particularly good in soft going, has now won nearly £BOOO in stakes. With an off day between the race days at Orari this year, a change has been made in the times for handicaps and acceptances for the second day’s events. Handicaps are to be posted at the secretary’s office at 9 p.m. on Thursday, and will appear in Friday morning’s papers. Acceptances are due at noon on Friday. The confident manner in which Real Girl had been backed on more than one occasion was pretty convincing evidence that she has shown O. E. Hooper something rapid in private. The plain-looking little mare appears to do badly away from home, but she registered 3.28 2-5 off 3.42 at Ashburton. She is on the limit in the Geraldine Trot. At the Geraldine races on September 26th, 1864, the stewards were Messrs D. McKenzie, T. Wadsworth, R. Rae and J. Kennedy. Mr W. Grimmer was clerk of scales and treasurer. The course was laid out in a large paddock at Raukapuka, but it is chronicled that it was not sufficiently defined, and that the jockeys had some difficulty in keeping on the track. The winners were—Maiden Plate, Mr Waddel’s Gipsy; Selling Race, Mr Cliff’s Lilly; Geraldine Cup, Mr Old Bird; Hurdle Race, Mr McKinnon’s Garryowen.

Gustavo’s win at Ashburton brought Count Cavour’s brother into discussions on the Dunedin Guineas, and raised him into the possibles for the Derby. He has, however, some way to go before he can be regarded as a probability for classic honours. The field he beat at Ashburton was a weak hack one, and in a handicap Gustavo would receive a lot of weight from Cylinder and some of last season’s crack two-year-olds. However, Mr J. R. McKenzie’s colt promises to stay, and after the Dunedin meeting his Derby prospects may assume a brighter hue. On Top appeared to have the Farewell Handicap at Ashburton won after the final furlong was commenced, but he or his rider weakened at the finish and he was beaten into third place. There did not appear to be any justification for the complaint made by his apprentice pilot that he had been crossed by First Raid. First Raid was never in a position to cross On Top, as he came from the rear and was only half a length in front at the wire. Neither was there any suspicion of intereference, and it is probable that the youngster on On Top became bustled in arl exciting finish

| Handicaps for the New Zealand Cup are due on Monday. Phar Lap carried a 71b penalty in the Hill Stakes last Saturday. The Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club made about £5 over its recent meeting. J. Ross has a three-year-old sister to Meadow Lark in work at Oamaru. The first race at Orari to-morrow and on Saturday, is timed to start at noon. It is reported that the Wanganui spring meeting resulted in a deficit of round about £IOOO. A special train is timed to leave Timaru on Thursday and on Saturday at 10.30. Wig Wag is being trained at Oamaru at present by G. Matthews, but it is understood that she will rejoin C. Gieseler’s team after the Kurow meeting. R. C. N. Reed is preparing High Gear, Impertinence, Evening and Co. at Oamaru, and will remain there until it is time to return for the Dunedin meeting. Coomassie has been sold to go to the West Coast. The starting methods on the Coast may suit the Southland mare, but she will be hard to control on the small tracks. Prodice is another horse which was sold to go to Australia—as a three-year-old—but was turned down by a | vet. It was a fortunate happening for ! her owner-trainer, F. E. Loomb. | The Grand National winner Wilt- ! shire, with a two-year-old brother and I two sisters, will be offered at auction !in the Waikato next month. Mr T. ! Wilson is selling out his Waimai stud. Real Girl registered 3.28 3-5 at Ashburton, and must have stepped a mile and a quarter in 2.53. She is on 3.2 at Orari to-morrow, and is certain to be backed again. Tray Bond won so easily at Ashburton that she is certain to be a hot favourite in the Ohapi Hack to-mor-row. She will, however, meet Bellbird on 111 b worse terms than she did last Saturday. Over twenty two-year-olds were nominated last Friday for the Juvenile Handicap on the second day at Dunedin. That seems to suggest that there will be a good field for the McLean Stakes. Full Fling is reported to be galloping well at Invercargill, and under her light weight she promises to take some catching round the bend in the Squatters’ Handicap. Silver Coot usually runs well at Orari. Sir Otto Niemeyer may be a financial genius, but he seems to have accepted some bad tips in Australia. He went to the races at Flemington and Adelaide, and admits that he lost a fair amount on each occasion. The cable man in Sydney last week announced that the last had been seen there of Limerick. Apparently trainer Jones thought otherwise, and the onetime demon finished fifth or sixth in the Rosehill Stakes. The Wellington-owned gelding Conjurer 11., who won a hurdle race in Melbourne recently, is a brother to Poitrel, probably the best stayer Australia has produced. Poitrel won a Melbourne Cup with 10.0. Excuses are being made for Veilmond’s failure in the Rosehill Guineas, and he is still in demand for the A.J.C. Derby. The circumstance most likely to bring about his defeat over a distance is that his dam is by Absurd. One driver at Ashburton spent quite a lot of time cruising along the. rails in front of the public stand after doing a preliminary. If he was waiting for the “office” he must have received it. His horse was beaten, but it was one of the genuine triers in the race. There are few more unimpressivelooking pacers in commission than Arethusa, but she is one of the best and speediest of her age we have seen. She was stretched out to win the Rakaia Trot, but she stood the pressure so handsomely that nobody wants to pick one to lower her colours in the Derby. With First Sight and Gay Ballerina first and third in the Camellia Stakes at Rosehill; Phar Lap and Nightmarch first and second in the Hill Stakes, and High Disdain in the other place; and Gay Crest and In the Shade second and third in the Rosehill Cup, the New Zealand contingent more than held their end up at the Sydney meeting last Saturday. With a pinch of luck Mount Boa might have won the last Waimate Cup. Painkiller will meet him in the Raukapuka Handicap on 71b more favourable terms than when he beat her at Ashburton, but the extra furlong should be more to the liking of the Waimate gelding. Assemble may offer the stoutest opposition to the topweight.

Black Mint will meet Starshooter in the Geraldine Cup on 101 b better terms, and Malmsey on 81b better terms, than at Ashburton, but both will have to improve if they are to reverse positions with him. A much tougher proposition should be High Court, who won the Hawke’s Bay Cup with 7.1 lE, and the Manchester Gold Cup at Feilding with 7.13 J in 2.5 1-5. Wrackler was giving away nearly a furlong in the Rakaia Trot at Ashburton. He was circling round when the word was given to go, and was so far up the straight that part of the crowd thought his driver and the starter had blundered. It would not have mattered much if he had been overlooked. The race was won by Arethusa, who was coupled with Wrackler, and as the winner registered 2.51 2-5 off 12 yards behind, the backmarker would have had to go 2.36 to get a dividend himself. Beau Geste, who made only one appearance last season, is in the field for the Belfield Handicap to-morrow. Eighteen months ago he won the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton with 7.11, and the Peninsula Cup with 8.9. In the last New Zealand Cup he was handicapped to give weight to Prodice, In the Shade, Chide, Rabbi, Money Mine, Pink Coat, Desert Glow and other good performers. The Beau was not able to start and was off the scene until he reappeared in the Claremont Handicap at the South Canterbury Hunt meeting, giving 101 bto First Raid. If he has gone on in the right way since then, Beau Geste has been given a chance to come back with another drop of 101 b or 121 b. Tray Bond was not rehandicapped for the Ohapi Handicap at Geraldine as a result of her victory in the Trial Plate at Ashburton. Two years ago First Raid won the Ashburton event and was penalised 101 b at Geraldine. He was on the track with the extra poundage when the right to rehandicap him was questioned and the stewards decided that the Rules barred a penalty being imposed; 101 b of lead was removed from the saddle, and First Raid won. It seems a ridiculous position, but the Rules state that a weight-for-age race is one in which weights are apportioned according to ages. In the Trial at Ashburton the conditions read: Two-year-olds to carry 7.0, three-year-olds 8.0, four-year-olds and upwards 8.10. After the easy manner in which Tray Bond won on Saturday, she is entitled to be favourite at Orari if the going is firm, but it is worth remembering that she failed on a soft track at Wingatui very recently.

Haze made a good beginning as a hurdler. The Australian gelding has had a chequered career. He was imported to New Zealand by Mr G. D. Greenwood, on the same boat as Mr G. Fulton received Chickwheat. The two /youngsters were mixed in their cradles as it were, and while Haze

went to S. Trilford’s stable, Chickwheat found his way to R. J. Mason's. It was reported that when the error was discovered, R. j. Mason wished to make the exchange permanent, but that Mr Fulton declined. It is rather strange that both horses subsequently earned a reputation for roguishness. This propensity was evident in Chickwheat early in his career, but for a long time Haze was a victim of bad luck. He finished second in a Metropolitan, a Great Autumn and other good races, and it was a long time before he broke the ice in a trial plate at Riccarton. In several seasons he won only three races on the flat, and it may have been disappointment that soured him. He was given away on more than one occasion, but there seems to be a prospect of Mr E M Sheedy making a profit over him.