On and Off the Track

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20408, 4 May 1936, Page 13

On and Off the Track

A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racine: May 4—Nelson J.C. May 7, 9—Egmont R.C. May 8, 9—Marlborough R.C. May 9—Amberley R.C. May 16—Marton J.C. May 16—Southland R.C. May 16—Ashburton County R.C. May 16—Waipa R.C. May 21, 23—South Canterbury J."" May 23—Carterton R.C. May 30, June 3, 6—Auckland R.C. Trotting: May 7—Marlborough T.C. May 9—Oamaru T.C. May 9—Waikato T.C. May 16. 18—Nelson T.C. May 30—Canterbury Park. June 13—Ashburton T.C. June 20, 23 or 24—Auckland T.C. The Nelson meeting will be conconcluded to-day. • • • • Entries for the Ashburton Racing Club's meeting will be taken until 8 to-night. The scratchings for the big race at Forbury on Saturday included Iraq, Grand Mergui and Cloudy Range, the bracket from C. Dunlevey’s stable. Willow Wave, handicapped on 4.28, was the only horse to get Inside 5.0 in the Coronation Handicap at Forbury. Guy Junior, from 4.30, took 5.1 3-5 for second place, furnishing an idea of what a quagmire the track had become through rain and hall. Rasouli and Arctic Star have arrived at Hawera to fulfil engagements at the Egmcnt meeting this week. Rasouli has thickened out considerably since last season and weight may not affect him to the same extent as formerly, but he has received his full deserts in the north. Another New Zealander has been given a holiday by the V.R.C. stewards. The Hawera horseman, B. Sullivan, now in Victoria, won a hurdle race at Caulfield on King's Warden, but first money was awarded to Heroic Prince on a protest for alleged interference and Sullivan was suspended for a month. Taking the atrocious weather into account, £16,000 was a big turnover at Forbury Park on Saturday, and an aggregate of £31,000 for two wet days was surprisingly good. Last year the weather forced the club to abandon one day of its May fixture and hold another meeting in June. There have been some bad days at Forbury, but few worse than Saturday. Conditions were unpleasant when racing commenced, and become steadily worse, until they were almost arctic by the time the seventh race was run. Hail and rain reduced the track to a bog, and drivers were soon unrecognisable under a epating of slush. Another result was that the scratching pen was used with unusual frequency. The Great Audubon gelding Great Wood is evidently a mudlar.k, as he trotted into second place from 84 be-

May May May May May

hind in the Tahuna Handicap at Forbury. On firm courses he had been a rather persistent breaker, too awkward to catch his gait again after a mistake. The winner on Saturday turned up in San Michele, who had trotted soundly on the opening day and just missed a place, but over an extra furlong later in the afternoon, Great Wood prevailed again, and took the honours among the unhoppled performers at the meeting. « • * * Rocks Ahead and Greenmantle were among the five scratchings for the Pacific Handicap at Forbury. Stirling Lady and Eighteen Carat both began badly and lost a good deal of ground. The trotter Lough Guy was soon out in front from Fairhaven, and at the five furlongs mark he was clear of Mary de Oro, Fairhaven, Frank Mac and Valdor. There was not much change until the home turn, where Frank Mac retired and Stirling Lady and Eighteen Carat had made up ground. Lough Guy trotted solidly up the straight, and fought out a tight finish with Eighteen Carat, who came very fast and was given the decision by a head. Stirling Lady was third. At one stage of the Peninsula Handicap at Forbury it seemed probable that San Michele would equal Great Wood’s first day performance and capture a double. After Patty Todd had been responsible for the early running, San Michele took charge and led from about a mile from Royal Romance, Gaynor. Tyrone Lass and Great Wood. Then he beat a retreat, and Royal Romance led to the straight from Great Wood. Royal Romance swerved in and almost interfered with Great Wood, who was coming through on the rails, but there was no collision. and Great Wood went on to win his third race at the meeting. Tyrone Lass also got up in time to beat Royal Romance home. Luckv Jack broke at the start of the James Memorial at Forbury, and was not persevered with. Embark and Eastern Prince made the running from Loretta and Southern Smile, and with a lap to go the order was Embark, Eastern Prince, Southern Smile and Vologda. Eastern Prince broke and dropped out. and at the back Embark was carrying on from Vologda and Southern Smile, with Loretta and Trireme the only others within sight. Embark and Southern Smile led to the straight from Vologda and Southern Smile drew away to win with a bit in hand from Vologda, who just beat the other Southlander Embark. Southern Smile, who is now trained by F. G. Holmes, was educated in Central Otago by P. Gallagher. Vologda commenced better than usual, but did not produce his customary good finishing run. Battlefield and Little Nelson tangled at the start of the Coronation Handicap at Forbury, but Battlefield soon worked into a good position. At the mile he was tucked in behind the pacemaker Guy Junior and secured the run of the race, but he failed to finish as well as usual. Guy Junior commenced the last lap followed by Battlefield, Francis Lincoln, Willow Wave and Sea Gift, and this order was maintained until two furlongs from home. In the straight Willow Wave challenged Guy Junior and after a sharp tussle beat him home by over a length, Francis Lincoln holding Sea Gift off for third money. Willow Wave (who won the main event on Thursday), took some time to settle down, but he was in fourth position with a round to go and stayed too well in the mud for the opposition.

Big Author broke at the start of his race at Forbury on Thursday and with the track in worse condition on Saturday he was left in his box. The stable had a good day with Willow Wave and Sunny Morn, and Big Author will keep. Young Travis, who won brilliantly on the first day at Forbury, dropped dead soon after leaving the barrier on Saturday. No doubt a defective heart was responsible, and this was probably the cause of some of the disappointing displays of this speedy gelding in his career. Wise Guy, Aristotle, Rocks Ahead and Golden Cross soon singled themselves out from the remaining starters in the Royal Handicap at Forbury, and they were still in the van two furlongs from home. Then Aristotle tackled Wise Guy, and went away to win from his bracket mate Golden Cross. Wise Guy and Rocks Ahead both wilted in the run home, and Isabel Derby came from the ruck to secure third place. Queen Author and Raydus carried the field along for the first half mile of the Farewell Handicap at Forbury, but in the straight the first time Guy Junior (who began badly;, Sunny Morn. Grace McElwyn and Graham Direct moved up. Queen Author broke leaving Sunny Morn in command from Guy Junior, Supertax and Grace McElwyn. Supertax paced to the front three furlongs from home, but Sunny Morn challenged again in the straight and arrived in time to win by a head. Grace McElwyn was third and Queen Author fourth. The condition of the track was responsible for four scratchings in the Southland Handicap at Forbury. Backers selected Nell Grattan, Glorietta and Rewai, but none filled a place Glorietta broke up badly before getting far, and Silver Guy and Nell Grattan were soon tailed off. This at an early stage reduced the contest to Rewai, Myrna Loy, Tenor, Donalda and Precious Metal. Rewai led Myrna Loy for over a mile, but Myrna Loy joined him at the top, the pair being clear of Donalda. Myrna Loy took sole charge on reaching the straight, and the Kerrytown mare hung on till the last stride, the verdict going to Precious Metal, who finished fast, by a head. Donalda and Rewai were two lengths away. Umtali looks to be the pick of the Great Northern Steeplechase handicap, and certainly has a big pull in the figures compared with the other South Island candidates. In the spring he dead-heated with Make Up in the Beaufort at Riccarton, and with 9.13 finished second in the Lincoln. In the Great Northern he has been let off with 9.3. In the Grefet Western at Riverton, Royal Limond, trying to concede him 31b was beaten by fifteen lengths. Later in the meeting Royal Limond won twice, but on neither occasion was Umtali a starter, and it has yet to be proved that Royal Limond can beat Umtali at level weights. In the Great Northern there is 211 b between them. Rasouli, a horse that so far has not started in a steeplechase, has to give Umtali 151 b.