RACING AND TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20610, 26 December 1936, Page 5

RACING AND TROTTING

On and Off the Track A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing: Dec. 26—Waipukurau J.C. Dec 26, 28—Dunedin J.C. Dec. 26, 28—Taranaki J.C. Dec, 26, 28, 29—Westland R.C. Dec. 26, 28, 29— Manawatu R.C. Dec. 26, 29, Jan. 1, 2—Auckland R.C. Jan I—Waikouaiti R.C. Jan. I—Wyndham1—Wyndham R.C. Jan. 1, 2—Stratford R.C. Jan. 1, 2—Marton J.Ct Jan. 1, 2—Hawke's Bay J.C. Jan. 1, 2 Wairarapa R.C. Jan. 1, 2 —Greymouth J.C. Jan 2—Oamaru J.C. Jan. 2, 4—Southland R.C. Trotting. Dec. 26—Ashburton T.C. Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec 26, 28—Wairarapa T.C. Dec. 26, 28—Westport T.C. Dec. 28, 30, 31—Auckland T.C. Dec. 29—Winton T.C. Dec. 30—Westland T.C. Jan. 1, 2—Canterbury Park T.C, Auckland Cup to-day. First race at Ashburton to-day at 12.15. The Dunedin summer meeting will open to-day at noon. * • • • A 51b penalty is not expected to stop the Limond colt Lynch Law in the December Stakes at Randwick to-day. Tray Bit was scratched for the Railway Handicap at Auckland at 11.45 a.m. on Thursday. • « • • B. Berry, trainer of Parislenne, won the Great Northern Derby last year with Valdor. Nightbound is in good order for his Otago trip, but his prospects of success may depend on fairly firm tracks being encountered. R. B. Berry, who drove Dey Spec to finish second in the Auckland Cup and win the Champion Handicap last year, will drive him again this year.

The time record for the Ashburton Trotting Cup (and for two miles on the Ashburton course) is 4.15 4-5, established by Roi I’Or when he won the race last year.

It is stated in Christchurch that Graham Direct’s programme is to contest both the Ashburton and Auckland Cups. He does not seem to be the sort of horse to do well after such a hurried trip.

Supertax has not raced since the beginning of last autumn, and he is likely to be a better horse at the end of the holiday circuit than at the beginning of the round.

Acla is to do the Coast circuit during the holidays. As he is out of the hack class there are not many races within his compass, but he should be at home on the small tracks with short straights.

J.. W. Pankhurst's pair, Stolen March and Jack Ahoy, should pay expenses on the southern trip. Jajk Ah® has been working well at Orari, and Stolen March is in better fettle than when he raced at Riccarton last month. '

The Washdyke trotter Indian Scout i son the limit of the Mataura Handicap at Gore to-day, and his performances at Methven entitle him to start favourite. Double Great and Renown’s Best appear to be the pick of the field in the Gore Handicap.

At the beginning of the season Rousseau appeared to be one of the best maidens in sight, but he has yet to win a race. In the Spring Plate at Riccarton he practically dead-heated for fourth with Mandamus, and a reproduction of that form would make him a certainty for a trial event during the holidays.

Mares have put up a fine record as stayers in the New Zealand and Auckland Cups, during the last five years. In the New Zealand Cup, Fast Passage, Palantua, Steeton and Cuddle monopolised the race for four years; while Fast Passage, Gold Trail and Cuddle have accounted for the last three Auckland Cups.

The postponement of the Riverton centenary celebrations has brought about an unexpected situation in regard to the Clifden meeting. This was to have been held in mid-week as part of the festivities at Riverton, but an ordinary Wednesday only a fortnight after the holidays may not now be adhered to.

The time record for the Auckland Cup is 3.23 1-5, established last Boxing Day by Cuddle, who clipped 3-5 sec off the figures set up by Fast Passage four years ago. The highest weight carried by a winner is 9.12, by Nelson on his third successive victory. A year earlier Nelson won under 9.8, and since then Walriki 9.8 and Rapine 9.8 have been the heaviest-burdened winners.

In recent years, the New Zealand : Cup has usually pointed the way to success in the big race at Auckland, i In 1931 Admiral Drake finished sec- ! end at Riccarton to Spearful and went north to win at Ellerslie. Next season Fast Passage captured the double. • In 1933, Minerval, the Auckland winner had been unplaced at Riccarton, but ‘ in 1934 Gold Trial, second in the New ; Zealand Cup, went one better at Ellerslie and last year both races went to Cuddle. The Manawatu Cup is one of the few long races in which the distance has been stabilised. Originally the pain event at Palmerston North was known as the Boxing Day Handl- : cap, but in 1892 (when Liberator won), it was styled the Palmerston i Cup, and since 1896 it has been known ■ as the Manawatu Cup, always run over a mile and a half. The time record for the race is 2 32 2.5, shared by Novar and Historic, but whereas Novar carried 7.4 Historic shouldered 9.9 (another record) when the minimum was 7.0.

No horse has yet succeeded in winning more than one Auckland Cup, but the case is different in connection with the Auckland Cup. In the “seventies,” in the early days of the race, Ariel won the race three times in four years, each time for a different owner. Major George’s Nelson Improved on that in the “eighties,” by winning three years in succession, on each occasion ridden by W. Brown. Since then Blue Jacket (1899-1900), All Red (19081909), and Te Kara (1923-1924,) have been double winners, though in the case of Te Kara his record was actually a win and a dead-heat with Muraahi. • • • • The following horses are expected to run well at Auckland: — Queen’s Plate—Quadroon, Great Hope, Essex. Foal Stakes—Francis Drake, Royal Chief, Brunhilde. Robinson Handicap—Rulette, Round Up, Jack Tar. Auckland Cup—Cuddle, Werohia, Flood tide. Grafton Hurdles—High Quality, Valpai, Surella. Railway Handicap—Golden Sheila, Oratory, Adalene. Nursery Handicap—Girl Pat, Aiwai, Relative. Christmas Handicap—Trench Fight, Gustos, Gay Talkie. “Place” prospects for Dunedin, on a reasonably good track, appear to be held by the following:— Otokia Hurdles —Look Smart, Blazon, Chrysology. » Trial Handicap—Rousseau, Nightround, Pink Del. Dunedin Handicap—Silver Bond, Top Rose, Auctor. Federal Handicap—Knockfin, Gold Boa, Half Note. Otago Handicap—Gay Circle, Travenna, Queen of Song. Milburn Handicap—Stolen March, Linguist, Araboa. Burnside Handicap—Double Shot, Wild Career, Trivet.

Salisbury Handicap High Glee, Willei Win, Jack Ahoy. Floodtide’s position of potential favourite for the Auckland Cup rests mainly on his success in October in the Mitchelson Cup at Ellerslie, with 8.8. In the Auckland Cup the-Tidal gelding has only an extra 31b to carry, but the minimum is 71b lower. In addition Master Brierley, Jonathan and Mungatoon have been dropped very substantially, and will meet Floodtide on a stone or more better terms. Another obstacle is Cuddle, who is conceding Floodtide only 61b, and has only 31b more than she had a year ago, when she outclassed the opposition in record time for the race. Cuddle appeared to have slipped during her spring campaign in Australia, but her admirers claim that she is as good as new, and if that really is the case there should be another double Auckland Cup winner. The Ashburton Trotting Club holds a unique position in New Zealand, as its programmes cater for all classes of horses, from maidens to Cup backmarkers, and to-day’s card includes in addition the equivalent of a Derby. Place-getters may be found among the following : Mitcham Handicap—Gay Crusader, Grade Fields, Great Linnet. Wakanul Handicap—lntrigue, Beymere, Waitaki Power. Ashburton Cup—Tempest, Cloudy Range, Willow Wave. Champion Stakes—Parisienne, Frisco Boy, Southern Chief. Midsummer Handicap U Scott, Lucky Jack, Kibo. Winslow Handicap—Sea Gift, Bessie Parrish, Wrackler. McLean Handicap—Gaillard, Credit Funds, Marsceres. Boxing Day Handicap Southern Smile, Gallant Knight, Stirling Lady.

After winning last year’s Ashburton Cup in 4.15 4-5 (a record for the track). Roi I’Or set out for ‘Perth in pursuit of the Australasian championship, but got no further than Adelaide, where he sustained an injury at a railway siding. He did not race again until the Cup meeting at Addington last month, when he was not tuned up for the big tasks set him. He is reported to have progressed since then, and to-day he will reappear in an attempt to capture a second Ashburton Cup. Although it is more than 13 years since he was foaled, Roi I’Or does not look his age, and it is too soon to conclude that he is a back number. Even if he fails to win another race, he can rest on a record for versatility unsurpassed in New Zealand. In fact he is the only champion we have had who has seemed equally at home on clay or grass, hard or soft tracks, left and right hand running. His times are illuminating. Over two miles he has registered 4.14 1-5 (on clay), 4.14 1-5 (on grass right-handed), 4.14 2-5, 4.14 3-5, 4.15 2-5 (grass), 4.15 4-5 (grass), 4.16 1-5, 4.18 2-5, 4.20, 4.21 1-5 (on a soft track) and 4.22. Over a mile and a quarter he has recorded 2.36 2-5, 2.36 3-5 (grass), 2.37 1-5, 2.38 1-5, 2.38 3-5, 2.38 4-5, 2.39 1-5, 2.39 3-5, and 2.39 4-5. Records still held by Roi I’Or include the New Zealand winning record for two miles, grass track record for two miles, right-handed record for two miles and mile and a quarter, Auckland track records for two miles and mile and a quarter, and Ashburton track record for two miles. He has broken 4.15 on four occasions (only one other horse has done this twice) and 4.16 six times.

“Twenty cigarettes a day?” laughed the tobacconist. “That’s nothing! Why some of my ‘regulars’ smoke twice as many, and one of ’em smokes a hundred.” “He must be a whale for them," murmured the customer. “Well, a hundred’s plenty,” admitted the tobacconist, “but a whole lot depends on the tobacco—even twenty a day’s too many if you smoke the wrong brand. I smoke cigarettes myself—heaps of ’em—but they don’t hurt me worth a cent, because my favourite’s Riverhead Gold, and as that’s toasted, with hardly any nicotine in it, I’m as right as rain! It’s toasting that cleans up the nicotine.” “Isn’t there another toasted cigarette tobacco?” queried the customer. "There is,” said the tobacconist, “Desert Gold —AI at Lloyd’s—so are the three other toasted brands: Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, and Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog). But they’re for the pipe. Fact is, smokers are a jolly sight more particular than they used to be. Must have the best now—and they find it in boasted.” So that’s how one more convert to toasted was made