On and Off the Track

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20829, 10 September 1937, Page 10

On and Off the Track

1 BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing Sept. 11—Wanganui J.C, Sept. 18—Ashburton County R.C. Sept. 18, 20—Avondale J.C. Sept. 23, 25—Geraldine R.C. Trotting Sept. 11—Wellington T.C. October 2—Methven T.C. October 9—New Brighton T.C. October 16—Waikato T.C. October 16, 18—Westport T.C. October 23, 25—Auckland T.C. October 23, 25—Greymouth T.C. October 25—Oamaru T.C. Nordic Song, an Auckland two-year-old of which a good deal was expected, was lame after working a few days ago. Paper Slipper has had to be eased up, having cut his off forefoot when galloping at Riccarton. As usual, the winner of the John Grigg Stakes at Ashburton will be required to carry a penalty of 101 b if k runs in the McLean Stakes at runedin. The Hawera trainer O. Cox has abandoned the idea of racing Friesland in Australia during the spring. The New Zealand-owned contingent at Randwick will be the smallest for several seasons. Primak, who was trained by J. S. Shaw for Mr W. Hosking, has b:?n . sold to Mr C. Mcßae, of Masterton, but before going, north he will be operated 1 on for throat trouble. He is to be given a chance later as a hurdler. Having created a sensation last spring by paying £19.000 for Talking.

Mr Alan Cooper has gone to the other extreme and recently sold for £1 the three-year-old Constant Son, for which he paid over £570 as a yearling.

It appears that New Zealand is not producing many first-class unhoppled trotters. The limit for the Dominion Handicap, the principal event of this class at the Cup meeting, has been stretched to 4.39, and even at that the field is not likely to be unwieldy.

Epris has not been nominated for any flat race at Ashburton or on the first day at Orari, so that there must be some idea of running him over hurdles. Travenna is another flat-racer w’'ose only engagements at these meetings are in the jumping events.

The Auckland Cup this year will be worth £2500 and a trophy valued at £5O. Any winner after the declaration of weights is liable to be rehandicapped. The conditions of the New Zealand Cup exempt winners from this liability unless a stake of £250 or stakes totalling £5OO are won.

- According to advice received by Mr A. D. Potter, who purchased Gay Talkie for the Maharajah of Idar, the name has been changed to Duke of Wellington. The horse has been resting, and he will not race until December. Apparently the Maharajah thought that a horse worth 3000 gns was deserving of a better name.

Taitoru’s win at Wanganui yesterday was his eleventh since he resumed racing last October after a long spell. He has been a winner at the last three meetings at the Wanganui course. His total earnings during the eleven months now amount to well over £2OOO.

The Australian pacer Ned Ideal has been purchased by Mr J. Richardson, of Dunedin, and in future will be trained by M. Clare. New Ideal came to New Zealand with his sire New Derby, last October, and had a reputation. He was purchased by Mr G. J. Barton, but did not make good and a fall put him out of commission.

The St. Leger winner Chunileigh is a son of Singapore (by Gainsborough), who won the race for Lord Glar.ely seven years ago. He was not a starter in the Derby. Any classic success that comes the way of the Welsh peer is well earned, as until the Hon. Dorothy Paget entered the sale rings he was the most spectacular yearling buyer in England.

The Great Bingen four-year-old Dark Hazard appears among the acceptors for three races at Hutt Park, one of them being in the unhoppled class. Last season Dark Hazard paced 3.20 1-5 when he finished second to Frisco Boy in the AU Aged Stakes at Ashburton, but he has yet to race among the trotters.

In addition to offering sectional prizes (at the half-mile and mile and a quarter stages) for the Trotting Cup, the Metropolitan Trotting Club will pay lap prizes in the Ollivler Handicap and the Louisson Handicap also. Time limits of 1.8 and 2.46 are imposed before the sectional prizes will be paid in the Cup. unless bad weather causes an extension of the limits; but there is no restriction on the smaller amounts allotted for the other two races.

On more than one occasion a division has been necessary in the hack sprints at Orari, and another will be inevitable unless there is a big shrinkage when acceptances are made for the six furlongs race on the second day. Over forty horses have been entered, and the number of starters is limited by the Conference to seventeen. In one year a division was obviated by a temporary widening of the track at this point, the fence being moved to take in part of a road.

It is asserted that had he not covered so much ground Sleepy would have been the best of good things in the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Cup on Thursday, and he did well to finish third. On Saturday he was ridden a different race and simply played with the opposition over the last round. That form was impressive and H. Dulieu's hunter appears better than ever. He will now have a brief respite until he next puts in an appearance in the £5OO Waikato Hunt Cup at Cambridge on Labour Day.

Lickem seems to have some supporters for the Wanganui Guineas, although his form does not place him in the sam e class as Royal Chief, Haughty Winner and Crooner. Lickem lost all chance on the first day at ■New Plymouth when he failed to jump out than at any other stage. On Saturday smartly, but he was closer/ at the end he was ridden to the front from barrier rise and finished second. It :s asserted that with a more vigorous rider he must have won. for he came again to fail by the narrowest of margins to head off Liane. These races are expected to work a big improvement in Lickem.

Mr G. J. Barton, when in Auckland en route to Australia, stated there was a great deal of dissatisfaction among owners in the South Island over the conditions governing the New Zealand Tro. '.i .g Cup. The suggested elimination of certain horses would be very unsatisfactory and might cause much unpleasantness. Mr Barton expressed the opinion that had the limit been fixed at 4.25, with an invitation extended to any horse on 4.26 who was considered worthy of a place in the field, it would have met all requirements. (A 4.25 limit would have made Tempest ineligible, but Mr Barion would still have Indianapolis, Grand Mogul and Cloudy Range with the necessary qualification.)

The reversion to the 7.0 minimum and the more liberal scale of allowanc rs will result in some anomalies at the lower end of handicaps in which allowances may be claimed. Last season, with the Ministerial minimum of 7.7 observed by handicappers, it was possible for a horse on that mark to benefit by an allowance as the Rules of Racing permitted weights down to 7.0 to be carried. With the scale down to 7.0, nothing can be claimed for horses on the minimum, but a candidate weighted at 7.7 will be able to run with 7.0. Thus the position is likely to arise of a hors- winning with 7.0, and when it is elevated to say 7,10, it can start (with the same rider) at 7.3.