Turf Notes

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19632, 28 October 1933, Page 6

Turf Notes

On And Off The Track.

A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS. FIXTURES. Racing: Oct. 28—Poverty Bay J.C. Oct. 28—Taumarunui R.C. Oct. 28—Banks Peninsula R.C. Nov. 4, 6—Auckland R.C. Nov. 4,6, 8, 11—Canterbury J.C. Nov. 9, 11—Whangarei R.C. * Nov. 11—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Nov. IS—Dannevirke R.C. Nov. 18—Carterton R.C. Nov. 18, 20— Waikato R.C. Nov. 25—Levin R.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Takapuna J.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Fetiding J.C. Dec. 1, 2—Wlnton J.C. Dec. 2—Ashburton C.R.C. Trotting: Oct. 28—Wellington T.C. Nov. 7, 9. 10—Metropolitan T.C. Nov. 23, 25—Forbury Park T.C. Dec. 9—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec. 26—Ashburton T.C. Dec. 28, 27—Wairarapa T.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westport T.C. Dec. 27, 29, 30—Auckland T.C. Dec. 29—Winton T.C. Dec. 30—Reefton T.C. Banks Peninsula races to-day. »-• • • Wellington trots this afternoon. * * • • New Zealand Cup on Saturday next. * * * * The Trotting Cup Trial is to be run at Wellington to-day, but not many Cup horses may run. •■. • * • The Victoria Derby is to be run next Saturday, and the Melbourne Cup on the following Tuesday. Golden Wings promises to start a pronounced favourite for the Stewards’ Handicap. .• * - • • Seven of the stock of Waverley, and six pacers by Happy Voyage, started in one event at Gere. • » * • The description of the race for the Melbourne Cup will be rebroadcast by the New Zealand radio stations.

• » .• Nelson's Victory was very unlucky In the big race at Oamaru, losing ground through a horse breaking in front of him.

Quinopal can claim to be the only horse in New Zealand which has won a hurdle rac*. a steeplechase, and a Hat race this season. J. Thistleton has the chestnut really well just now.

Takakua has been rehandicapped 51b. (to 7.7) in the New Zealand Cup. as a result of his win at Wellington. He is the only horse that has so far incurred liability to a penalty. Cough and Thornton were not railed to Gore when the weather was bad on Saturday but with improved track conditions both were taken up to run on Monday.

Satin King was never prominent at Oamaru, and it appears that his trainer has not been able to give him sufficient work to get him at his top lor the Trotting Cup.

The Hororata Racing Club has been granted permission to race at Rlccarton on December 16th. The date previously allotted to the Club was April 7th.

Shatter Is an unlikely starter at Riccarton, Despite his seeming improvement In the Tlmaru Cup, he has never looked a Cup possibility sines his collapses at Ashburton. Oamaru and Wingatul.

Red Sea, who had not raced since February, was a starter In the Spring Handicap at Gore. She was In the picture all the way, and should be an early winner, as she is a good mare at her best.

With a stronger horseman up on the second day at Gore, Falantua mads amends for her defeat on Labour Day, and showed that her Wingatul form was wrong. She 1s now certain to run in the New Zealand Cup.

Big dividends affected the totalisator turnover at Gore. On the first day there were three double-figure returns, while on the second day there were six, one bordering on two score, and another on a quarter of a century.

The gate receipts at Gore this year for the two days were £9B higher than a year ago, in spite of the fact that a postponement robbed the Club of a Saturday. On Labour Day the Increase was £ll9.

The appearance of the northern mare Broken Rule at Gore was awaited with some interest, but she knocked one of her knees on the eve of the meeting and had to forgo her engagement.

Marie Celeste’s reeord is now three wins and two seconds in five starts, a fine performance for a mare trained and driven by a country man who is not a regular professional. Pegaway keeps on profiting by the system, and in the rather weak company he meets at Auckland he has not yet finished his run. The handicapping system is a real benefit for a man with a good one carefully placed. An appeal to the Racing Conference against his suspension has been lodged by A. E. Ellis, and will be heard prior to the Cup meeting. It is understood that the evidence on which he was suspended was that of two patrol stewards at the start.

Wonderful was apparently knocked out by his effort In the McLean Stakes at Dunedin, but his second in the final day at Trentham suggested that he is coming back. The Washdyke youngster has a fair amount of speed, and should pay his way this season, Some of Fair Weather's backers at Gore claimed that his failure to win on the first day was due to his being caught by the tape. Master Anomaly beat him again on the second day on 91b worse terms, and Fair Weather's form each day was below par. The Chief Ruler gelding Ruling Pen, has left Oamaru and gone Into R. W. King’s stable at Riccarton. He will have to make considerable improvement before he Is likely to give his new trainer much cause for enthusiasm.

J. Ellis has appealed against his suspension by the Wellington stewards. Polydora may not start at Motukarara to-day, and Silvox is likely to be favourite in the main event. The news that Wheriko is sick is disappointing, as the Orari-bred colt was expected to play a prominent part at the V.R.C. meeting. It is reported that H. Donovan will ride Minerval in the New Zealand Cup. He will be about the oldest jockey who ever had a Cup mount.

Inflation is expected at Riccarton next week, and is reported to be a likely starter in the Cup. The field is weak this year, but it will be unusual if a Paper Money horse, one lame to boot, wins a New Zealand Cup.

Cricket Bat fell from grace again In the Harcourt Cup, when he failed to secure a place in a slow-run race. That View Halloo defeated him at level weights was a plain indication that the Riccarton horse was having a day off, or that the track was too soft for him. Indianapolis was timed to do 2.49 2-5 in the Weston Handicap at Oamaru, but private watches made It much faster. Little Nelson had to step two seconds faster in a 5 sec. slower class, and the trotter Louis Bingen registered 2 47 1-5.

There were not many surprises among the winners at Oamaru on Monday, when the public were well on the spot. The success of seven favourites In eight races swelled the totalisator turnover, and extricated the Club from a difficult position created by the Derby Trial fiasco.

About the roughest-looking galloper at Gore was Bay Duke, owned by G. c. Bain, who has made gome trips to Canterbury with Jumpers. This gelding, however, was more forward than his appearance suggested, and it was only in the last; stride that he was beaten in the Novice Handicap.

A. E. Didham stood out among the jockeys at Gore, steering three winners on the first day and two on the second. Two of his wins were wholly due to well-timed, vigorous finishes. Didham lost a race at Washdyke last season on Palermo through easing up too soon, and he appears to have profited by the lesson.

There is no further appeal open to H. Gray against the ban on his attendance at racecourses. Until this season a Licensing Committee handled these matters, and its decisions were subject to appeal, but now the Conference Executive issues licenses and its rulings cannot be appealed against.

Reminder ran a peculiar race in the first hlgh-weight handicap at Gore, but It appeared that his rider was hampered by instructions which did not assist him, and that there was nothing suspicious was shown by the Tractor gelding falling to finish closer up than sixth on the second day. Man o’ War was represented by two winners at Oamaru in War Buoy and Tangatu. At Qreymouth, Marie Celeste. Accras, Warboat and Encounter were among his stock who were in the limelight. Despite his age, the Aus-tralian-bred stallion Is reported to be a« lively as a three-year-old at Kerrytown.

Ventrac, who has been showing promising form in the south, was bought as one of a clearing out draft, half-a-dosen horses being picked up for £2O. He raced last season without success, but has come on a lot since C. Gleseler took him over, and it is stated that his first owner was prepared to pay £250 to get him back.

A few people were Inclined to believe that Grand Finale’s rider was caught napping In the Flying Handicap at Gore, but the Last March gelding Is one of the type which appears to be going easily when doing Its best. Grand Finale fizzled out rather badly In the second day, and It looks as if his measure has been taken. Indianapolis was not extended at Oamaru, and he will start at a short prioe in any event selected for him at Addington. He has a tremendous reputation, and it will be interesting to see if he is asked to tackle Roi L’Or, Harold Logan and Red Shadow in the Free-for-All.

If there was ever any doubt concerning the ability of K. Voitre, he dispelled it by his ten wins at Trentham, At Riccarton not long ago the crack northern lightweight was out of touch and many people gained the Impression that he was not so efficient as his record suggested, but no jockey even on good horses, can win ten races in three days unless he possesses outstanding qualifications.

After their experience, the Oamaru Trotting Club are unlikely to repeat the Derby Trial experiment. The support, or lack of it, given by owners was very disappointing even with War Buoy dominating the situation, and it is evident that the majority of trotting men have not yet acquired tho “classic’’ spirit which features the galloping sport. The totalisator investments on the race amounted to only £B6.

The V.R.C. has taken the unusual course of excluding from the press stand at Flemington the Sydney writer O. J. Graves, who was placed in charge of the racing columns of the Sydney “Referee” when that weekly was absorbed by the Joynton Smith Press. There have been cases In New Zealand where racing clubs have requested newspapers to refrain from sending particular representatives to their meetings, but exclusion is an extreme step.

After Rocket had won the Pearce Handicap at Trentham his connections were asked to explain the difference in form compared with hts running In the Victory Hack on Saturday. After hearing H. Outts, the trainer, the committee expressed themselves as completely satisfied and exonerated all parties. This was emphasising the obvious (says the “Dominion") and it would have been more to the point to Inquire Into the bad run he got on Saturday.

The Labour Day meetings did not give a Trotting Cup tip. The fast races at Greymouth washed out and Satin King and Author Jinks did not Impress at Oamaru. The most Instructive performance there was that of Roi l'Or. etnd if the Waimate horse survives the winding up process he will

be very dangerous. At this stage it seems as If the winner will come from Red Shadow, Roi L’Or, Olenrossle and Harold Logan, with the chances of Red Shadow greatly improved If the track is heavy. The running of South Island three-year-olds lately has provided a pretty puzzle for handlcappers. Over a mile at Dunedin Sljvox 7.13 beat Southdown 7.13 by a length. In the Guineas Silvox finished four lengths ahead of Souths down, and appeared to be 71b to 101 b the better of the pair, although he was df.cattd bv The Masquerader. In the Trentham Stakes, however, Southdown won from Red Manfred, and Red Manfred next day beat Golden Wings at welght-for-age. Obviously there has been Inconsistency somewhere. The judge’s verdict In favour of Rocket in the Pearce Handicap at Trentham aroused public and press hostility. It Is not new for occupants of the trainers' seats on the Wellington stand to criticise decisions, though they are on an angle which makes it impossible for them to do more than guess. There Is one position, however, from which onlookers can actually secure a better view than the Judge. The conditions under which this official works at Trentham are not good, and are not in keeping with other facilities at the course. The Judge is seated among the stewards in an open stand, and is so low down that his trajectory is no better than if he were on tho ground or the rails. If mistakes are made, Trrntham U one of the most likely courses for them to occur. i