RACING & TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20259, 7 November 1935, Page 13

RACING & TROTTING

On and Off the Track \ BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing:: Nov. 7, 9—Whangarei R.C. Nov. 9—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Nov. 9, 11, 13, 16 —Canterbury J.C. Nov. 16—Carterton R.C. Nov. 16, 18—Waikato R.C. Nov. 23—Bay of Islands R.C. Nov. 23—Levin R.C. Nov. 23—Southland R.C. Nov. 30—Ashburton County R.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Takapuna J.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Fielding J.C. Dec. 7, 9—Dargaville R.C. Dec. 6, 7—Woodville District J.C. Dec. 14—Waipa R.C. Dec. 14—Hororata R.C. Trotting: Nov. 12, 14, 15—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Nov. 28, 30 —Forbury Park T.C. Dec. 7—Te Aroha T.C. Dec. 7—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 26 —Ashburton T.C. Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec. 26, 28—Wairarapa T.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westport T.C. Dec. 27, 28, 31—Auckland T.C. Dec. 28 —Winton T.C.

The V.R.C. meeting will be continued to-day. The trotter Lough Guy has returned to R. Townley's stable. Wino is improving after his fall, but it is not yet certain that he will be fit to race at Riccarton next week. Steeton, who was trained for last year’s Cup by T. E. Pankhurst, was transferred to J. A. Rowland’s stable after the Gore meeting.

It is expected that about fourteen horses will be left in the Trotting Cup after the final payment falls due to-day.

The principal items on the Flemington card this afternoon are the Oaks worth £2OOO and the Linlithgow Stakes (one mile) of £IOOO.

The stallion Shambles, who is in the North Canterbury district, broke a leg last week. He was put in sling's in an endeavour to save him for stud purposes.

Caliente’s lameness is in the hindquarter, and is believed to be due to a ricked muscle. She is receiving massage treatment and is reported to be improving.

The latest bulletin regarding Impromptu states that he will be paid up for in the Trotting Cup. He worked a mile and a half at Addington yesterday.

Red Shadow was responsible for a pleasing effort over two miles at Addington yesterday morning. Paced by Raydus for twelve furlongs in 3.17, he went on to complete the journey in 4.22.

No horse carrying No 7 saddlecloth has won a Melbourne Cup, but Marabou. was the twenty-second winner with seven letters in his name. That is probably as good a way of picking the winner as any other.

The topweight in a Melbourne Cup field did not always carry No 1. Prior to 1885, numbers were allotted according to the order in which entries were made, and it was possible for a horse with 5.7 to 6.0 to be No 1. The reduction of the stakes tax from 5 per cent, to 1 per cent, is retrospective from August Ist. This is a substantial concession to owners, as every £IOO won will be worth £99 instead of £95.

At the time the Musket tribe was predominant in Auckland, a grey mare named Vivandiere was a wellknown performer there, but she has no relation to the dam of the Melbourne Cup winner. This Vivandiere is an imported mare by Bucks Hussar.

Caliente can be written off as a probable Cup winner. Her lameness may prove to be of a temporary nature, but it requires a thoroughly sound horse to win a New Zealand Cup, in addition to which Phar Lap’s relative looks to be too close to Kiltowyn.

Weights for the Metropolitan Handicap, which is now run on the fourth day of the New Zealand Cup meeting, are to be declared at the conclusion of the second day’s racing. This arrangement will suit North Islanders, and it will enable a horse to win the Canterbury Cup without risking an increase in weight in the Metropolitan. It is understood that J. W. Jennings is to ride Kemal Pasha in the New Zealand Cup, in which the Gay Shield gelding's weight is 7.3. Jennings went to Gore to ride Viking at 7.5, but in his natural garb was unable to make less than 7.8. Kemal Pasha has gone well for Jennings this season, but five or six pounds extra will not help him to win a Cup.' During Grand National week a telegraph office was opened on the Riccarton course, but the committee of the C.J.C. has very wisely decided that there shall be none during the Cup meeting. The Department—and the Broadcasting Board already offer sufficient facilities for illegal competition with the totalisator and the racing clubs without further invasions of the racecourses.

Vintage has not had a race since last March, and he has not been subjected to a hard Cup ..preparation, a doubtful ligament having made his trainer cautious. To win a Cup w'ith 9.5 a horse requires to be thoroughly sound and fit, and good as Vintage is despite his Victorian failure, it seems almost too much to expect him to give 201 b to the horses nearest him in the acceptance list. A good three-year-old is usual prominent in the Melbourne Cup, and the failure of the young ones this week seems to confirm the view that Australia had no champion this year among its Derby candidates. At least half-a-dozen colts have been acclaimed as high-class, but that is usually a sure sign of mediocrity. A real champion stand out among his competitors, and there has been no outstanding three-year-old so far this season, though it is possible that one may develop in the autumn as Sylvandale did last year.