On and Off the Track

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 11

On and Off the Track

A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWi FIXTURES Racing Jan. 7. B—Reef ton, J.C. Jan. 14, 15—Vincent J.C. ♦ Jan. 18, 20, 22—Wellington R.C. Jan. 22—Ashhurst R.C. Jan. 22—Wairio J.C. Jan. 22, 24—Thames J.C. Jan. 28, 29—Pahiatua R.C. Trotting Jan. 6—Greymouth T.C. Jan. 15—Cambridge T.C. Jan. 15—Timaru T.C. Jan. 27, 29—Forbury Park T.C. Jan. 29, 31—Nelson T.C. Feb. 3, s—Wellington T.C. Feb. 12 —Canterbury Park T.C. Feb. 12, 16—Auckland T.C. Feb. 19—New Brighton T.C. Feb. 26—Kaikoura T.C. Feb. 26—Wairarapa T.C. Mar. s—lnvercargill T.C. Mar. s—Wellington T.C.

Entries for the Timaru Trotting Club’s summer meeting are due tonight at 9 o’clock.

Last Refrain, who has had about thirty starts since he resumed racing last February, is to have a short spell in the paddock.

Rosseau was expected to win a race oh the southern circuit, but track conditions were unfavourable for him all through.

Double Gift looked better and raced better on her southern tour than she had ever done previously, and she finished with determination in all her races. Her form during the holidays seemed to justify a trip to Trentham.

Wild Career continues to be a rather unlucky little gelding. A poisoned leg probably robbed him of victory in the Criterion Handicap at Riccarton, in which he ran the sprint race of his life, and he was unfortunate in the Southland Handicap, in which he excelled any of his previous middle-distance performances to encounter such a greatly improved horse as Trebleack.. Although it will be a long time before Fog Peak can race again, it is possible that the injury he sustained at Invercargill may prove to be less serious than was at first supposed. He was kicked on the shoulder by Western Song, and it was thought that the bone must be broken, but this will remain in doubt until the swelling can be reduced.

The Invercargill Cup winner Milford is one of very few of the stock of Anomaly now racing, and is much the best of those that are left in commission. Anomaly was by King Mark from Hoy, and was related to Lady Links (dam of Kinnoul). His dam was Te Arau Maid, a mare by Benzonian from Sister Frances (Seaton Delaval — Agatha).

Prior to the Auckland meeting Royal Chief and Peerless were rightly regarded as the Dominion’s best three-year-old and two-year-old respectively. Now the honours have been claimed by Courtcraft and Te Hero. It is probable that Royal Chief was not at his best at Ellerslie, but that may be merely supposition, and in the meantime Courtcraft is entitled to the crown.

Salient Knight was one of the leaders for a mile in the fast-run Invercargill Cup, and on that showing he was strongly fancied’ for the secondary handicap on th’e"fifial ‘ day. He disappointed his backers by petering out from the home turn, being well beaten by his less fancied mate Survoy who was in the money on each day of the meeting.

For the first time since 1929-30, the aggregate of totalisator investments at racing and trotting meetings held during the Christmas and New Year holidays throughout the Dominion has exceeded £1,000,000. The total amount handled at 22 fixtures was £1,012,439 10s, as compared with £869,955, for the corresponding meeting last season, an increase of £142.484 10s.

Confidently expected to race well on the first day of the Southland meeting, Surge decided to call it a day after going six furlongs. On the second day, when her supporters had deserted her, the sister to Water Power put all her energy into her task and paid a big dividend. The heavy rain which fell before her second outing probably accounted for her reversal.

Arrangements have been made for the Australian pacer Lawn Derby to appear in an exhibition race at Cambridge on Saturday with Nervie’s Last and King's Play. The members of the Cambridge Trotting Club will present a trophy to the owner of the winner and a trotting enthusiast will donate a gold-mounted whip for the winning driver. The race will be run at a mile and a-quarter.

At present the two-year-old championship must be awarded to Te Hero. He won the Foal Stakes and Royal Stakes at Ellerslie quite decisively, and although he did not meet Gay Son or surmount, he effectively disposed of Peerless (who was at least as good as either) and Amigo. There may be another shuffle during the autumn, but at the moment Te Hero can be rated as No. 1 juvenile of the season.

A feature of the Southland holiday meetings was the success achieved by R. E. McLellan’s Invercargill stable, mainly with Trebleack and Milford. The first-named made the greater improvement, and at the end of , the circuit appeared to shade Milford for the honour of Southland’s best performer, though there was little in it. Conceding 51b, Milford ran his stablemate to less than half a length in the Southland Handicap, in which Trebleack got the better run and Milford was under the additional disability of starting from the pen. It is Just a year since Trebleack won his first race, and as he is only five he has better future prospects than the older gelding.

A survey of totalisator figures for meetings during the holiday . period reveals that increases were recorded everywhere except at the Westland and Waipukurau races, and at the Ashburton trots. These shrinkages were due mainly to unfavourable weather. For fifteen race meetings (28 days) and seven trotting fixtures (11 days) the aggregate turnover was £1,026,470, against £870,446 for the same term last season.

Through the agency of Willow Wave, who won the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Crampion Handicap and was third in the Pdesident’s Handicap, Messrs D. Windle and W. McDonald, with £l7OO and a £5O gold cup headed the list of winning owners at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting. Mr G. J. Barton, who raced six horses, collected £905, Rongomai (2) and Starwyn being the winners. The Australian owner, Mr J. F. McKenney, recieved £650 and a £25 trophy for Lawn Derby’s success.

During her extended visit to Canterbury. Rodeur failed to exhibit any of the stoutness which had characterised her efforts last season in Southland,, but she showed a return towards form at Invercargill. Although beaten into third place on the first day, she fought better when tackled, and at her next start she cracked up the hot favourite Lord Nuffield and stalled off Peony Rose’s challenge. Tire Robspierre mare may now go on to fulfil the prediction that she would hold her own in open company.

In fourteen starts this season Top Row has been ten times in the money —four times first, five times second and once third. His last five runs have produced three wins and two seconds, and his earnings for the season to date total £865. In a little over a year he has won more than £l3OO. Top Row’s recent successes have sent him up in the weights at provincial meetings and he will probably do most of his future racing at more important fixtures.

Lord Nuffield was one of the stars among the hack sprinters at the New Zealand Cup meeting, but the Straightcourse three-year-old has failed to carry on. He was possibly unlucky on the first day at Invercargill, but there appeared to be no excuse for him on the second. Backed as if the race was over, he crumpled when Rodeur took the lead from him three furlongs from home. Lord Nuffield has a lot of speed, and it may not be long before he makes atonement.

When Paladino two or three years ago made an exhibition of a field of novices at Wyndham a future was predicted for him, but he failed to train on and later became unsound. After a long spell he joined R. E. McLellan’s strong, and returned to the winning list at Wyndham last week| It looked as if he might have scored again at Invercargill with a stronger rider. The Paladin gelding has developed into a big lumbering galloper of a type which often loafs on a small boy.

W. J. O’Shea intends to return to Sydney with Lawn Derby at the beginning of next week. He is reported to have stated that he is still dissatisfied with the New Zealand handicapping system, and that unless those responsible can offer some better solution he will not return for the championship meeting at Easter. So far as Lawn Derby is concerned, it is difficult to see what the visitor has to complain about. The horse won a £lOOO race on his second start in New Zealand, after breaking at his first appearance. He complained, also, probably with some reason, of the assessment of Speedy Boy (who is under offer to Mr G. J. Barton), but after this pacer was rated on 4.26 he was entered for a 4.25 race.