RACING AND TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20887, 17 November 1937, Page 13

RACING AND TROTTING

On and Off the Track A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing Nov. 20—Levin R.C. Nov 20 —Southland R.O. Nov 20, 22—Waikato R.C. Nov. 27—Ashburton C.R.C. Nov. 27, 29—Takapuna J.C. Nov. 27, 30—Feilding J.C. Dec. 4 —Otakl Maori R.C. Dec. 11—Hororata R.C. Dec. 11, 13—Woodville D.J.C. Dec. 18—Waipa R.C. Dec. 27—Waipukurau J.C. Dec. 27—Westland R.C. Dec. 27, 28 —Dunedin J.C. Dec. 27, 28—Taranaki R.C. Dec. 27, 28, 30— Manawatu R.C. Dec. 27, 29, Jan. 1, 3—Auckland R.C. Jan. I—Waikouaiti J.C. Jan, I—Wyndham J.C. Jan. 3—Oamaru J. C. Jan. 3, 4—Southland R.C. Trotting Nov 25, '7—Forbury Park T.C. pec. 4—-New Brighton T.C. Dec., 4—Waikato T.C. Dec. 4—Wairio T.C. Dee. 11—Reeftan T.C. Dec. 27—Ashburton T-C. Dec. 27—Gore T.C. Dec. 27—Wairarapa T.C. Dec. 27, 28—Westport T.C. Dec. 28, 30, 31—Auckland T.C. Dec. 29—Winton T.C. Jan. 1, 3—Canterbury Park T.C.

Kiltowyn has been setting the tracks alight at Ellerslie recently, and will be in big demand at the Takapuna meeting next week.

When Wild Career finished second in the Criterion Handicap he was troubled by a poisoned leg, and he did not appear again at the meeting.

Twelve-year-old Great Star was in fropt for a few strides in the Criterion Handicap, but soon disappeared, and it will, be hard to place the old fellow to win many more races.

The Matarfiata sprinter Royal Dance was cut about while running in the paddock and has been eased up. It will be at least two months before he will race again.

John Wilkes, who won the £2500 Williamstown Cup, finished fourth in the V.R.C. Derby. He is trained by New Zealander D. J. Price, of Ribbonwood fame.

For the first time in fifty-five years Mr Somerville Tattersall, of the famous English firm of bloodstock auctioneers, missed the annual Doncaster sales last month. His absence was due to his illness of the previous month.

On his Riccarton form, The Surgeon appeared to have bright prospects in the Highwelght at Invercargill, but the Oamaru-trained gelding has done a good deal of racing lately, and is to be reserved for the holiday fixtures.

Avenger stripped one of his hind legs when running in the Victorian Derby, but the wound was not deep, and is not likely to prejudice his future. The colt has raced greenly so far this season, and is expected to be a much better horse in the autumn.

The Eclipse Stakes, of £2500, to be run at Caulfield next Saturday, is the last of tlie big spring handicaps in Victoria. It was originally styled the Consolation Stakes, but there is no restriction on entry, and as the title was inappropriate it has been changed.

For the first three months of the current racing season, the totalisator turnover at race meetings was £848,561, compared with £714,817 for the same period last year. The investments at trotting meetings totalled £376,885, against £308,638, These figures are still considerably below those of the boom years, but the number of investors is higher than it has ever been.

Amigo (3), Peerless (2), Gay Son (2), Taurangi (2), Sudan, Arvakur, Beaupartis, and The Squire (Australia) have compiled a total of twelve wins In two-year-old races since the beginning of the season. The stock of Beau Pere have contested 14 races this season, and have won the last twelve. The highest score in a season is 30, put up by Absurd’s stock in 1921-22.

Top Row’s win in the Stonyhurst Handicap took him out of the hack class, but he had shown at Washdyke that he could hold his own in open sprint company at provincial fixtures. His gross earnings are now approaching the four figure mark, and while expenses have taken a big bite out of the cheques the chestnut colt has already made a handsome return for the 35gns. he cost as a yearling.

The most aggressive of Australia’s professional tipsters asserts that the prices laid to the public by the bookmakers represent only half the legitimate odds, and probably he is right. For the Melbourne Cup, three horses started almost equal favourites, and they did not include Black Man, Balkan Prince, Ajax or others which had ruled as first choice at different times prior to the race.

There was an extraordinary variation in the handicapping of three horses at Napier and Te Rapa. Over ten furlongs at Napier, Royal Minstrel (after three wins in succession) was rated 51b above Soho and 181 b above Legatee. Over eleven furlongs at Te Rapa, Legatee was asked to give 21b. to Royal Minstrel and 11b to Soho. Between Royal Minstrel and Legatee, the two handicappers differed to the extent of 201 b.

It appears that the trouble encountered by Flood Tide prior to the Melbourne Cup, was due to over-reaching while sprinting or misplacing his hind leg. It was not until after he had returned to his stable and had cooled down that the soreness developed. He was then tender in the near hind leg, the sore spot being high up on the rump on the near side. Tire gelding responded quickly to treatment, but it was realised that it would be inadvisable to start Food Tide in the big race. By the day following he had recovered completely, but he made no show in

the Williamstown Cup. The Tidal gelding is being brought home to contest the Melbourne Cup. • * • • Concertpitch is to go to Longbeach for a two months spell, and will miss the summer meetings.

Tood Lonzia sustained a severe cut on one of his hind legs when racing on the second day at Addington. Mr R. J. Murphy with £1635, Mr C. N. Draper with £l5OO and Sir Charles Clifford with £l4lO were the biggest stake winners at the Cup meeting.

Tauramai, who went to the Cup meeting in charge of J. A. Rowland, has returned to A. McKay’s stable at Riverton.

Paper Money’s stock with £1650 won most money at Riccarton. Next on the list were Lord Warden £1530 and Beau Pere £1515.

The Taranaki gelding Cardsharper, who struck himself and was unable to start at Riccarton, is to be operated on for wind trouble.

Riccarton stables are not strong in two-year-olds just now. Only Protector and Defaulter have shown any form so far. Things may be different later in the season.

R. McNay was to have returned to Riverton at the beginning of the week after a sojourn of several weeks it Riccarton, but had to defer his trip owing to an injury to Wi’.d Career.

One of the unlucky horses at the Cup meeting was Sovereign Lady. She twisted a plate and cut a piece out of one foot when jumping off in the Spring Plate, and she was only patched up when she finished second to Made Money.

At Brighton (England) in August a bookmaker and his clerk, who insisted that a winning bet placed with them was for 10s., and not £lO, were charged with stealing by means of a trick. The backer took the odds to £lO, but, when he went to collect, he was told he had staked only 10s. The bookmaker and his clerk were sentenced to three months’ hard labour. The bookmaker had a list of convictions which included larceny and ware-house-breaking; while the clerk’s convictions ranged from robbery to manslaughter. Men with records like that would not be allowed on a racecourse in New Zealand, and would not be licensed in Australia.

S. Donoghue, who is retiring as a j-ckey and taking up training, was the guest of honour at a gathering in London recently, the company including the leading jockeys of the country. Lord Lonsdale sent a tribute, saying: “I have the greatest admiration for his riding, his nature, and his life. I wish him every possible happiness in his new venture, and the best of health to enjoy it.” Lord Lonsdale added that he believed that Donoghue was one of the few men who had never been before the stewards. G. Richards handed to Donoghue a silver trophy engraved with the signatures of his brother jockeys. In acknowedging the presentation, Donoghue said: “I am not saying good-bye. I am merely stepping from the ranks. The proudest moment of my life will be when in my new calling I shall produce at Epsom the horse on which Gordon Richards will win his first Derby. The great race will remain incomplete until the name of Gordon Richards is notched upon its records.”

RUNNING OF ST. FOX FINDING OF JUDICIAL INQUIRY United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received Novemlx- 16, 11.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, November 15. At the conclusion of the inquiry into the running of St. Fox in the hurdle at Williamstown, the stewards accepted the explanation tendered, and supported by the veterinary's report, that St. Fox received injuries during the race, resulting in a reversal of the Flemington form.