RACING AND TROTTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20894, 25 November 1937, Page 11

RACING AND TROTTING

On and Off the Track A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES ' Racing Nov. 27—Ashburton. 0.R.0. Nov. 27, 29—Takagufia J.C. Nov. 27, 30—Feildlng J.O. Dec. 4—Otakl Maori R.C. Dec. 11—Hororata R.C. Dec. 11, 13—Woodville D.J.C. Dec. 18—Walpa R.C. Dec. 27—Walpukurau J.C. Dec. 27—Westland R.C. Dec. 27, 28—Dunedin J.O. 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 Dec. 4—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 4 —Waikato T.C. Dec. 4—Wairio T.C. Dec. 11—Reefton T.C. Dec. 27—Ashburton T.C. Defc. 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.Q. First race at Forbury to-day at 12.15. The apprentice E. A. Jones, who won three races at the Cup meeting with the assistance of a 71b allowance, will steer Queen of Song, Top Row, Double Gift, Happy Night and Haerepo at Ashburton. Sea Lady (Lord Warden—Set Sail), a three-year-old sister to Sailing Lady, made her first appearance at Invercargill last week. She showed a good deal of speed, but she is a very big filly and may require time.

The Ashburton Trotting Club wiU give away £3OOO in stakes on Boxing Day. The Cup (4.29) is worth £BOO, the Champion Stakes (for three-year-olds) £750, the Boxing Day Handicap (3.23) £4OO, and the Winslow Handicap (for trotters) £350.

There has been so much controversy in Dunedin regarding betting systems at Forbury that unusual interest is being displayed in the return to-day to the single pool method. Whatever the result, partisans of particular systems will find no difficulty in finding arguments in favour of their personal views.

Many people were disappointed when Suleiman was scratched for the Cambridge Handicap at Te Rapa on Saturday, as in view of his record of three wins in as many starts his first appearance in open company was awaited with confidence. Sulieman was started in the Hamilton Handicap on the Second day, but found the class too good.

Owing to the fact that he is growing rapidly the two-year-old Defaulter has been placed on the easy list and probably will not race again until the autumn. Defaulter shaped well at the New Zealand Cup meeting at Rlccarton, winning on the second day, and he is a big colt who should be all the better for not being overtaxed at this stage.

Silver Coat won another highweight race in the Sydney area recently. He appears to be suited by a high scale of weights and can now run out a mile. Another of Pink Coat’s progeny which is developing weight-carrying ability and stamina is Pink Robe, whose win in the Highweight at Invercargill was her third this season.

The Palmerston North trotting mare Franz Derby has been leased by a patron of J. Handerson’s stable at Oamaru. Franz Derby was not registered until she has. ten years of age, and since then she has won five races, and has gained two seconds and three thirds. She is now twelve. She is by Nelson Derby from La. Franz,-by Franz (brother to Fritz). Although she. has been in training only a year and nine months, she. has won over all distances and on all kinds of tracks.

Although the totallsator turnover of £51,575 at Te Rapa last Saturday was a record for the course, it was not the largest for one day for the Waikato Racing Club (formerly Hamilton Racing Club), and was exceeded more than once when the meetings were held-at Claudelands. The highest turnover there was £55,895/10/- in February, 1921 and there was also heavy wagering in February, 1920, when £52,894 was handled. The attendance at Te Rapa on Saturday was probably also a record for the course. The gate receipts totalled £932. The single pool (75-25) system’ Will be operated at Forbury to-day, replacing the Club’s variation of win and place. The following may race prominently:— Roslyn Trot —Anna’s Voyage, Jenny's Guy, Esther. ’ ' St, Kilda Handicap—Heather Queen, Harold Wrack, Credit Funds. Progressive Handicap—Taruna-Policy, Bing Crosby. President’s Handicap Plutus, Big Author, Sea Gift. Spring Handicap Ivy Peterson, Colonel Grattan, Superior Rank. Caversham Handicap—Renown’s Best, Mystery Yet, Battlefield. Dominion Trot—Pilot Peter, Sir Kit, Grade Fields. Dash Handicap—War Buoy, Rocks Ahead. j ’ * * • The following riding engagements have been made for the Ashburton meeting: L. J. Ellis, Fayo, Nolana, Queen Dorothy, Invoice; A. Messervy, Raeburn, Dracula, Pelmet; M. Caddy, Gay Lyric, Patuma; H. W. Hibberd, Improvident, Last Refrain, Epic, Wine Card; C. T. Wilson, Love Affair, Peacock, Rebel Lad, Grey Honour; A. G. Parsons, Short Circuit, Guinea Fowl; D. O’Connor, Dropped Catch; C. Masters, Drlnkup; J. W. Jennings, Screamer, Phalanx, Rebel Chief; R. J. Mackie, Windward; G. Ridgway, Sunbeam, Convivial; F. J. Smith, Grampian. Rebel Queen; R. Beale, Sir Hugh; G. Linton, Conception; G. Eliott, Roy Bun; E, A. Jones, Happy Night,

Haerepo, Queen of Song, Double Gift, Top Row; M. Billington, Shirred Ribbon, Lady Athena; E. Mackie, Owlsgleam.

The Time Factor So many records have been broken, equalled or threatened at race meetings this season that interest in times has been stimulated to an unusual degree. There is something intriguing about these figures, particularly to racegoers who are interested also in athletics, but actually there is nothing more elusive on a racecourse than the time factor. On the same track conditions vary vastly from day to day and it is not necessarily a New Zealand record that represents the most meritorious performance. On the day that Silver Scorn was credited with 1.9 2-5 at Riccarton, Crash (a very moderate hack) assisted by the same nor’-west gale and hard track registered 1.9 4-5. time only twice bettered in New Zealand or Australia. Only a week or two ago Janet Gaynor ran seven furlongs at Riccarton in 1.24 2-5, 2-5 outside Finora’s track record which was established under more favourable conditions. Fog Peak, runner-up to Janet Gaynor, broke 1.25, yet was not equal to filling a place at Invercargill with only 21b above the minimum in a local field. Quite often the spectacle has been seen of a hack carrying a big weight in its own class registering the same fast time as a horse with a lighter impost in the open class. On the time basis, the hack appeared the better performer, but if the two met in a race a couple of stone might not bring them together. This anomaly is just as baffling as the divergency between weight-for-age and handicap racing. A New Zealand record, made over a sprint course on the down grade at Trentham, might be distinctly inferior to a time recorded at Wingatui where there is a "hill” to negotiate. Two New Zealand records, both over hurdles, have been set up this season at Trentham—2.4oi for a mile and a half, by Donegal; and 3.74 for IS miles by Patagonia. At the Grand National meeting at Riccarton, Journet recorded 3.36 2-5 for two miles, the best for the Dominion, though this is a couple of seconds slower than Bridge o’ Mar’s figures at Flemington. Donegal, Patagonia and Journet all carried light weights, and while they are the official record-holders their performances were inferior to some of those behind them. Thus, when Journet recorded 3.36 2-5 with 9.2, Clarion Call was only a length away with 11.5 on his back. It is illuminating also to note that while Finora holds the Riccarton (and N.Z.) record for seven furlongs, Gloaming, who could have given her three stone over any distance, does not appear in the list. Then Machine Gun carried 11.5 when he put up 58 for five furlongs, and Finora only 6.7 when she ran 1.24 for seven. Two Riccarton records were broken during Cup week, Catalogue (1.37) cutting l-ssec. off Arrowhead’s time for a mile; and Argentic (2.30), similarly reducing his own and Concentrate’s figures of 2.30 1-5 for a mile and a half. When Defaulter ran 47 in a two-year-old handicap he made time only twice bettered over the half-mile course—4s 3-5 by Surveyor and 46 by Conqueror. Many Australian clubs include an official list of track records in their programmes, but this is not the custom in this country. So far as Riccarton is concerned, the following appear to be the best for various distances:— 4 furlongs—Surveyor—4s 3-5 sec. 5 furlongs—Machine Gun—sB sec. 6 furlongs—Silver Scorn—l. 9 2-5 sec. 7 furlongs—Finora—l.24 sec. 8 furlongs—Catalogue—l.37 sec. 9 furlongs—Admiral Drake—l.sl sec. Nightly—l.sl sec. li miles—Bronze Eagle—2.2 4-5 sec. 14 miles—Argentic—2.3o sec. 2 miles—Palantua—3.22 1-5 sec. 2i miles—Gasbag—3.s2 sec. Gold Light—3.s2 sec. FORBURY PARK T.C. TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME 12.15 p.m. ROSLYN HANDICAP, Of £175 (3.43); 1J miles Chudleigh scr Anna’s Voyage 24 Esther scr Dollar Maid 24 Highrate scr Royal Romance 36 Moerangl scr Parrish Jenny’s Guy scr Chimes 72 12.50 p.m. ST. KILDA HANDICAP, Of £2OO (2.18); 1 mile Alpine Prince scr Heather Bingen Wrack scr Queen scr Cantata scr Morewa scr Coherto scr Racketeer scr Credit Funds scr Reno scr Dillon Queen scr Reylena scr Harold Wrack scr Royal de Oro scr Silver Laddie scr 1.30 p.m. PROGRESSIVE HANDICAP, Of £175 (3.38); li miles Adverse scr Bing Crosby 12 Golden Miller scr Bright Happy Morp scr Voyage 12 Irish Aggie scr Jane Worthy 12 Loyal Pat scr Policy 12 Master Potts scr Tanina 12 Norham Lady scr Cruiser 24 Reymere scr Royal Grattan 24 2.5 p.m. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, Of £5OO (4.32); 2 miles Chenwood scr Casanova scr Plutus scr Stirling Lady scr Rongomal scr Big Author 24 Southern Sea Gift (T) 24 Smile scr 2.40 p.m. SPRING HANDICAP, Of £2OO (3.15); 11 furlongs Colonel Agility 12 Grattan scr Civic 12 Dark Hazard scr Fortex 12 Ivy Peterson scr Icevus 12 RoUalong scr Red Pigeon 12 Southern Tricliff 24 Chief scr Red Ranger 36 Superior Rank scr Silver Laddie 36 Trltoma scr Vologda 36 Wynan scr 3.15 p.m. CAVERSHAM HANDICAP. Of £225 (324); 1J miles Harlequin scr Renown’s Best 12 Battlefield 12 Rongomal 24 Iraq 12 Stirling Lady 24 Mystery Yet 12 Agile 36 Peter Locanda 12 3.50 p.m. DOMINION HANDICAP, Of £2OO (3.58); 13 furlongs Anna’s Voyage scr Sonoma King 12 Dollar Maid scr Parachute 24

Royal Parrish Romance scr Chimes 24 Grade Fields 12 Pilot Peter 24 Leeway 12 Golden Bingen 36 Sir Kit 12 4.25 p.m. DASH HANDICAP, Of £350 (244); li miles Grace Satin King 12 McElwyn scr War Buoy 12 Rocks Ahead 12 Supertax 36 SUCCESS OF HUNTING SONG GELDING WIN AT VICTORIA PARK United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 24, 10.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 24. At Victoria Park races to-day, the Hunting Song gelding El Meynell, won the second division of the Three and Four-Year-Old Handicap.