RACING & TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20051, 7 March 1935, Page 9

RACING & TROTTING

On And Off The Track. A BUDGET OP NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing: Mar. 8, 9—Cromwell J.C. Mar. 9—Napier Park R.C. Mar. 16—Cilfden R.C. Mar. 16, 18—Ohinemuri J.C. Mar. 16, 18—Wellington R.C. Mar. 20—Opotiki J.C. Mar. 21, 23—Oamaru J.C. Mar. 23, 23 —Manawatu R.C. Trotting: Mar. 9—Timaru T.C. Mar. 13—Wyndham T.C. Mar. 16 —Cheviot T.C. Mar. 23—Wairarapa T.C. Mar. 23—Roxburgh T.C. Mar. 23—Auckland T.C. The first race at Washdyke on Saturday is fixed to start at 12.30. The Australian Cup will be run at Flemington on Saturday. The Cromwell meeting is to be held on Friday and Saturday. The trophy attached to the stake for the Timaru Trotting Cup is on view in a window in central Stafford Street. Bingen Palm has returned home to Karamea, and will be treated to a spell from the tracks. S. G. Ware is still undecided about his trip to Australia, and if he finally decides to go it will not be until after the Easter meetings. The Amberley Racing Club is applying for permission to transfer its meeting from May 11 to May 6, the date of the King’s silver jubilee. Vintage was withdrawn from the King's Plate at Flemington yesterday, M. McCarten being on the third horse, Topical. # L. J. Ellis 58 is now only one point ahead of W. J. Broughton on the winning jockeys’ list. Both will be riding at the Waikato meeting. Owing to a contingency, Dollie Derby and Marie Celeste will be coupled on the machine if they meet at Washdyke on Saturday. Bingen Palm will not fulfil either of his engagements at Washdyke. He raced unaccountably badly at New Brighton and again at Hutt Park, and obviously has trained off. In twenty years, Spearfelt 9.13 and Pilliewinkie 9.6 are the only Australian Cup winners who have carried 9.0 or more. That does not improve the prospects of Vintage with 9.6. A suggestion was made that the starting point of the mile race at the Trotting Club’s meeting should be changed to obviate the necessity for the field starting near a curve, but it was said that there was not insufficient time to erect the new barrier and prepare the course for this week’s fixture. Sunny Maid, who showed smart form at Trentham, but failed badly at Wingatui, was sent out favourite for the Esk Hack Handicap at Napier, but she did not look really well on the day and ran indifferently, finishing a poor fifth. There is no doubt she was not at her best. The programme for the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting has not yet appeared, having apparently been held up by negotiations for the Harold Logan—lndianapolis match. Well-informed people state that there is not much prospect of the race eventuating. While being ridden to the Marton racecourse on Friday morning, Mr M. Shaw’s Cherry King fell on the metalled road, seriously injuring both knees. The injuries received will probably end his racing career. A trip to Australia was contemplated, Cherry King being booked for a passage on the Wanganella on March 5, but there is very little chance now of the trip eventuating. The total number of acceptors for the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting is 107. one fewer than for the last autumn fixture. The comparative figures are given below:— 1934 1935 Kingsdown Handicap ..18 12 Trial Handicap .... 14 16 Timaru Cup 13 13 Fairlie handicap ..15 16 Seadown Handicap ..9 12 Temuka Handicap .. 14 11 Wai-iti Handicap .. .. 11 15 Washdyke Handicap ..14 12 108 107 Another English sire is on his way to New Zealand, the five-year-old horse Foxbridge having been secured for Mr L. S. Otway, Cambridge. He is to arrive in April. A member of the No. 14 family, Foxbridge is by Foxglow (by Son-in-Law) from Bridgemount (by Bridge of Earn from Mountain Mint, by Spearmint from Adula, sister to Pretty Polly and half-sister to Veneration 11., dam of Craganour), Cresta Run, by Hurry On from Bridgemount, won the One Thousand Guineas in 1927. As a three-year-old Foxbridge won the Atlantic Cup, of £2500, 11 miles, at Liverpool, and ran third to Loaningdale and Firdaussi in the Eclipse Stakes, 11 miles.

Limond’s stock have achieved wonderful success ; n Australia during the last few seasons, but they have not matched the performances of ihe Musket family in earlier years. Mart.niHenry (Musket—Sylvia) at his first start won the V.R.C. Derby and at his second the Melbourne Cup. Nordenfeldt won the A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbies, Craven Plate, and Randwick Plate, and Matchlock, a stable-mate, in the same season won both St. Legers and the Champion Plate. Trenton was one of the best stayers of his time, and Carbine is claimed by thousands to be the best horse of all time on the Australian turf.

When the totalisator was introduced to English racecourses four years ago it jvas expected that the profits from it would result in stakes being greatly increased and the cost of racing reduced for owners as well as for the general public. So far, however, such great expectations have not been realised, says an English writer. Up to date all the money the Betting Control Board has been able to distribute has been a small sum towards King’s premiums for light-horse breeding. The fault nevertheless may not lie with the totalisator, as this betting medium has become very popular with the public, particularly the women visitors to the racecourses. The totalisator was handicapped from the outset by the action of the board, most of the members of which were unacquainted with totalisator betting, in expending huge sums of money in installing machines that proved unsatisfactory and were afterwards scrapped.

Seven wins at Invercargill brought E. Todd’s total for the season to 14, placing him fourth on the trainers’ list to F. J. Smith 23, C. Dunlevey 22, and M. B. Edwards 17.

Synagogue, with J. E. Pike up, was at a short price when he won the Elms Handicap, for three-year-olds, at Flemington yesterday, and appearances pointed to the stable having another good win on the Rabbi colt.

Kemal Pasha has had another change of stables, his sixth since commencing his racing career three years ago. He is now in Fred Shaw’s stable. His previous trainers were T. Hobbs, G. Feilding, D. P. Wilson, and A. E. Didham.

The Limond colt Sir John appears to be returning to form, as he finished a good third in the Leonard Stakes at Flemington yesterday. G. Price’s stable had a winning turn in the last race with Whittingham, who was beaten when heavily backed at Caulfield. K. Voitre scored another win at Flemington yesterday, being on Carnarvon in the first division of the Gibson Carmichael Stakes. The second division winner, Lady Primrose, is one of Mr W. R. Kemball’s team, and has been a good stake-earner all through the season. Rulanut, who won the Bailey Memorial at Rangitikei yesterday, has a rather interesting history. He is by Chief Ruler from Cocoanut. Mr W. R. Kemball paid 375gns. for him as a yearling, and after winning a two-year-old handicap with him at Awapuni and a good race at Caulfield, sold him for 1275gns. The purchaser was unable to race the horse, the V.R.C. refusing his entry, and though a resale was ostensibly made by auction the ban was not removed. Mr Alexander then secured Rulanut cheaply, with the idea of using him as a sire, but decided to race him first. In being awarded only 7.13 at Rangitikei it seemed that Rulanut’s Australian performance had not been given its full value. Mr J. Higgins, the Australian who is stipendiary to the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, appears to have been busy lately. Some time ago the trainer Byramjee Rustomjee, jun., jockeys W. M’Carthy, J. M’Carthy, R. D. Alford, W. T. Evans, A. K. Obaid, T. Hill and A. Clarke were warned off for an offence under Rule 149 of the R.C.T.C. on December 20, 1934. Now W. Dillon, the “Gordon Richards” of India, has been disqualified, Mr Begmahomed has been informed that his entries will be refused, and the Maharajah of Idar has been similarly notified. Mr Higgins was stipendiary to the A.J.C. when F. D. Jones and M. McCarten were disqualified in connection with the running of Royal Despatch, a sentence that was never regarded as warranted by New Zealanders. As was announced a day or two ago, the Canterbury Jockey Club has made some alterations in the programme for its Easter meeting. The Courtenay Handicap (first day) and the Yaldhurst Handicap (second day), formerly open races, have been converted into novice events, restricted to horses that have not at time of starting won a race worth £SO to the winner. For years the Courtenay and and Yaldhurst Handicaps have been unprofitable races, the fields being small and the betting poor. Last season, there were only five starters in each. The Courtenay Handicap has been run in opposition to the Great Easter, the only difference being a 71b higher minimum in the Courtenay. The Yaldhurst Handicap on the second day has clashed with the Templeton Handicap, and last year there were only five runners in each. Under the new conditions there should be stronger fields for the Great Easter and the Templeton, while the Courtenay and Yaldhurst Handicaps will provide opportunities for Riccarton hacks which formerly had to go to the Coast to find suitable races.