RACING & TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20104, 10 May 1935, Page 4

RACING & TROTTING

On And Off The Track A BUDGET OP NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing: May 11—Amberley R.C. May 11, 13—Nelson J.C. May 16, 18—Wanganui J.C. May 17, 18—Marlborough R.C. May 17, 18«-Southland R.C. May 18—Ashburton County R.C. May 23, 25—To Kuiti R.C. May 25—South Canterbury J.C. Trotting: May 11—Oamaru T.C. May 11, 13—Waikato T.C. May 16—Marlborough T.C. June 1, 3—Canterbury Park T.C. There will be trotting meetings tomorrow at Oamaru and Hamilton, and racing at Amberley and Nelson. Nominations for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s May meeting are due by 9 p.m. on Monday. An unusual number of Southlanders will participate in the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting, ten ffom that province having been paid up for. The Jericho mare Bella Rosa won five races on the West Coast circuit, and was once second and once third, but her winnings amounted to only £264.

Wheriko was shipped back to New Zealand from Melbourne direct a few days ago. His trip to Victoria was unsuccessful, and he may be relegated to the stud.

High Commissioner, who pulled up very lame after racing on the flat at Avondale, scratched for the Grsat

Northern Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase at 9 a.m. last Saturday.

When G. W. New returned from Australia with Legatee last week he also brought back the Hunting Song gelding Lavington. Lavington will be given a spell and will then be tried as a hurdler.

Taxpayer was unlucky at Forbury, and should be able to reverse positions with Craganour at Oamaru. It is not certain, however, that Craganour will start in the two-mile race, and in that event Bracken may be Taxpayer’s toughest opponent. Craganour profriises to be favourite for the sprint event if that race is selected for him.

Transact appears to have make a good impression by his double win over country at Hawera, and as he has a fair amount of pace he should be a likely candidate for more important jumping races this winter. He is in a stable which knows its business, an important factor in his branch of racing, as jumpers take a lot more making than is the case with flat racers.

The win of Bantry in the maiden race at Hawera is a striking example of the fact that a stable can be wrong in its judgment of its inmates. Bantry, who is trained by R. Brough, was allowed to go out unbacked, and ridden by the stable apprentice, while another representative, Anslem, ridden by W.

Broughton, was fancied. In the race, while Anslem did put up a creditable effort, his backers had the unenviable experience of seeing the outsider Bantry simply romp home.

An improvement could be effected by the Trotting Association in the method of announcing reassessments. ‘ At present, except for the better horses, reassessments are given as follows: Iraq, table 1, line 22; or Air Flow, table 2, line 11. Unless it is desired to promote the sale of the official booklet setting out the handicapping schedule, it would create more interest if the line marks were published, showing each horse’s new handicaps in terms of 3.30 and so on.

The Sapling Stakes is only four weeks away, but the public are very much in the dark concerning prospects for the big two-year-old event. Several of the youngsters engaged have figured in “matinee" affairs at Addington, but these have been only heats and have lacked a serious aspect. A fair number of two-year-olds have started in all-aged handicaps, but none has achieved any distinction or even shown much promise. It should not be supposed that there are no good young pacers about this season, but up to thq moment they have not publicly declared themselves, and on this account there is singularly little discussion of Sapling Stakes prospects and no suggestion of a favourite.

Outside Transact and Riotous the steeplechasers seen at Hawera were far from impressive (writes “The Watcher.”). Pahu ran second the first day, but it was not anything out of the ordinary, while he ran a poor race on the Monday. Pahu jumps and stays well, but he has lost all his former dash. Copey was fourth the first day, and third on Monday. Copey jumps well, and can hang on in the heavy going, but he is a one-pace horse. Nevertheless, he has those attributes that appear to be necessary in the hillclimbing contest that features the Great Northern Steeplechase, and he might run prominently in that event. Chile shaped disappointingly. He ipst his rider fairly early in the Egmont Steeplechase, and either the race took all the dash out of him or he is going to fail as a steeplechaser, for he put up a very poor effort on the second day. Taura Lad is not ready for hard races yet, but he ran fairly well each day, fading out only after the last bit. While he may get his share this winter he hardly appeals for important races. Capella Abbey and Beau Star are only moderates.

After an absence from New Zealand of about fifteen years, most of which he has spent in India, L. H. Hewitt, formerly the leading sportsman in the Dominion, returned to Auckland by the Mariposa. One of the reasons for Hewitt’s visit to the Dominion is to purchase horses on behalf of his patrons. After interviewing several northern owners over the week-end, he said the price demanded for bloodstock was considerably higher than he was prepared to pay. “Out here owners are asking far too much for their horses,” he said. “While I am willing to pay a reasonable sum for good horses, they must be up to a high standard. I am not willing to take anything. I could get cheap horses, but I am not prepared to take the risk with them. While New Zealand bloodstock has secured a reputation overseas, the attitude of owners is not going to help sales. In the circumstances it is not likely that sportsmen overseas will turn away from Ireland and Australia. I can land tried horses in India from Ireland for 750 guineas, in-i

eluding a six months’ insurance, whereas it would cost me at least 1000 guineas to land a good New Zealand horse.” Hewitt will find it difficult to secure good New Zealand horses at the prices he is prepared to pay, while Australian buyers are in the market.

The Canterbury Jockey Club has again adopted an eight stone minimum for all flat races, jumpers’ flat excepted, at the Grand /National meeting.

In addition to monetary prizes, the owners of the placed hoi'ses in the Chester Cup, which was run in England yesterday, receive a prime Cheshire cheese. The race track, of saucer shape, is laid out inside the old city wall.

Radio conditions being good last night, sporting listeners who tuned in 2BL at about 6 o’clock were given a sample of English race description. The Sydney station was rebroaclcasting from Daventry a recorded description of the race for the Chester Cup, one of the historic events of the English turf. There was the usual "background,” but the story was always audible, and the race was easily followed. That the totalisator has not altogether supplanted the bookmakers was made evident by the loud shouting of the odds from the ring. The “announcer” gave less detail during the running than is expected in New Zealand and Australia, confining his attention to the first three or four horses all through, and as the three pacemakers were all in the first four at the finish there was not a great deal of variety in the description.

RICCARTON NOTES Special to “ The Tima.ru Herald.” CHRISTCHURCH, May 9. The work at Riccarton this morning was not of much interest. Horses were out doing final gallops for the Amberley meeting, but the tracks were heavy after rain and sprinting was the general order. While the work on the flat was dull, several jumpers were schooled and they relieved the monotony. Royal Limond was sent twice round the steeplechase schooling course, jumping 10 fences in all. He went at a sound pace and gave a capital display which provided further evidence that he has benefited by recent racing. He will leave on Monday for Wanganui where he will start his North Island campaign. Lady Lucas set out some distance behind Royal Limond for a similar task. She ran off at the fence at the top of the straight, but cleared it at the second attempt. Her jumping for the remainder of the going was safe though she was going at an easy pace. Fleeting Glance went with great dash over two brush hurdles, while Coll followed with a similar smart display. Radiant Rose jumped two of the big hurdles in good style. Royal Amphora and Jolly Beggar were companions over five hurdles. They kept together most of the way, both jumping well while going at a F. Christmas has two members of his team doubly engaged at Amberley. Manetho will be a starter in the Glasnevin Handicap. There is a slight doubt about Fair Weather going to the meeting, but if he makes the trip will run in the Amberley Handicap. Sam Smith is engaged in two races at Amberley. L. J. Ellis will ride him if he runs in the Glasnevin Handicap, while M. Kirwan will be his pilot if the Amberley Handicap is his mission.

The two-year-old Cape Gabo will not race at Amberley, but S. Barr hopes to produce him at the South Canterbury meeting. F. Holmes has an Australian trip in view for Minerval, who may do some racing in Sydney during the winter. H. Rama contemplates racing Free Air, Horowhenua and Tooley Street at the Te Kuiti and Auckland meetings, and it is probable that they will go north next week.

ENGLISH RACING DAMASCUS WINS CHESTER CUP United Press Association—Bv Electric Telegraph—Copyrigh t LONDON, May 8. The Chester meeting was concluded to-day, when the Chester Cup was decided, with the following result: — CHESTER CUP, Of 2300 sovs; about 21 miles. DAMASCUS—Hon. G. Lambton’s br g, by Transcendent-Attar, 4yrs .. 1 CECIL—Sir Abe Bailey’s br h, by Foxlaw-Star of Blyth, 4yrs .. .. 2 JACK TAR—Lady Nuttall’s b g, by Jackdaw-Ellei, syrs 3 Seventeen horses started. Won by a length, with a head between second and third. ACCEPTORS FOR TATTERSALL’S MEETING United Press Association— By Electric Teleeraph—Copyright (Received May 9, 8.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 9. At the Tattersall’s races at Randwick on Saturday, for the principal event, the James Barnes Plate, there are twelve acceptors. »Whittingham and Journal are top weights with 9.0, and Persian is allotted 8.10. There are thirteen acceptors for the Flying Handicap. Silver Jubilee is top weight with 9.0, and High has been allotted 8.8.