ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21154, 29 September 1938, Page 13

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing October I—Otakl-Maort R.C. October I—Kurow J.C. October I, 3—Ohinemuri J.C. October 6. S—Dunedin J.C. October 7, B—Hawke's Bay J.C. October 8, 10—Auckland R.C. October 12, 13—Masterton R.C. October 15, 17—Avondale J.C. October 30, 32, 24—Wellington R.C. October 22, 24—Gore R.C. October 24— north Canterbury R.C. October 24— Waverley R.C. October 24—Waikato Hunt Club. October 27, 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club October 39— Banks Peninsula R.C. Trotting October I—Methven T.C. October B—New Brighton T.C. October 15—Waikato T.C. October la— Manawatu T.C. October 32, 24—Greymouth T.C. October 22, 24—Auckland T.C. October 24—Qamaru T.C, Qotober 29—Invercargill T.C. □Stober 28—Thames T.C. The AJ.C. spring carnival win open at Randwick on Saturday. Nominations for the New Zealand Trotting Cup will close on Friday. A.’ E. Ellis will leave Wellington today en route for Melbourne, where he is to ride Floodtide in the Cups. . The principal events on the first day (Saturday) qf the AJ.C. tneeting are the Derby, Epsom Handicap and Spring Stakes. Acceptances for the New Zealand Cup will close at 5 o’clock on Friday evening, when nominations are due for other important events at the meeting. Happy Landing, when a maiden, was given 7.5 '.121b above the minimum) in the Melbourne' Cup. He has been a winner since then, but is on the minimum in the New Zealand Cup. St. Constant, who won the Quality Handicap at Hawkesbury a week after his success in a handicap at Rosehill, was once sold for £l. He is engaged in the Epsom on Saturday. Much interest was taken at Marton in Beau Vite, but the BOOgns son of Beau Pere and Dominant looked far above himself. No line could be gained on his galloping ability as he was hopelessly left in a bad start. The Mitchelson Cup, the first £lOOO flat race of the season, will come up for decision at Elderslie next week. No South Island horses are engaged, but there are entrants from Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki. Investors who placed their faith in Deficit in the final event at Marton were unlucky, for that gelding bled and took no part in the race. There was no refund for backers as the horse was in the starter’s hands. • • • • When Gold Rod won the Hill Stakes (one mile) at Rosehill, M. McOarten kept him at top for another furlong, taking this course in view of the Chief Ruler horse’s engagement in the Metropolitan Handicap. C. G. Goulsbro had decided to accept an offer to go to Melbourne to ride tor the stable of J. Fryer, in which case he would have left with A. E. Ellis this week, Tile latest report is that Goulsbro has changed his plans and will stay in New Zealand. Sly Fox, by his win in the Champion Plate at Avondale, is out of hack class, but this will not prevent him from fulfilling engagements in the Gordon and Hobson Handicaps at the Auckland spring meeting, entries tor which closed before the Avondale meeting opened. ♦ • • • When Middle won the Higgle Handicap at the recent Wanganui meeting, he was very sore, and it was practically decided to turn him out and not race him again. He has, however, made a good recovery, and has been sound since, so that he was entered for the hurdle events at the forthcoming Auckland spring meeting. • • • • H. and A. Cutts expect to have Great Flight, Harwich, Happy Moments and the two-year-old Winning Rival at the Dunedin meeting next week. Keen Sight is engaged, but may be kept for Tren'tham, where the stable may also have Wild Chase, Trench Fight, Counterblast and Winning Rival in action. • • • • Messrs G. A. Lang and G. B. Walden, owners of the two-year-old winner Military Maid, picked the filly up for practically nothing. At the Westmere dispersal sale they purchased After Glow 11., who was in foal to Beau Pere and had a filly foal at foot, for 140gns. The foal was Military Maid, and since then the mare has produced a colt to Beau Pere. * • • • New Zealand’s nearest approach to representation to the AJ.C. Derby is through Respirator (Windbag-Recuper-ator). He is trained by J. T. Jamieson for two other ex-Maorfianders, Messrs H. and G. Tancred. Respirator was beaten recently in the Rosehlil Guineas but that is a good omen rather than a bad one, as there seems to be a hoodoo on winners of this race in the Derby. « • • • Two very high-priced French horses which were imported to Australia have proved bad bargains so far as racing is concerned. Actor, whose aggregate cost now approaches £lO,OOO, has proved untrainable, and if he makes a return It will have to be at the stud. Genetout, another costly purchase is standing up to work, but has failed to reach the standard his form In France warranted his admirers to expect. • • • • Geebung, owned by Mr D. V. Seaton, may be barred from running in the Derby at Randwick owing to his owner-

breeder failing to record his foaling with the keeper of the Stud Book. The Derby conditions require that this shall be done at least six months prior to the race. Geebung was registered and raced as a two-year-old, and it is contended that this fulfils the requirements of the Stud Book. A horse which might effect a surprise In the Caulfield Cup is Aitchengee, who won at Moonee Valley, the race to which K. Voitre received fatal injuries. It was alleged that six furlongs to go he was a furlong behind the field, and allowing 50 per cent, for exaggeration, his finishing run was a remarkable one, as the race was run in 2.35. A week or two earlier Aitchengee beat The Trump at weight-for-age, finishing second to Ajax. Aitchengee is H.N.G. spelt out and it is amusing to hear it foreignised. by some radio announcers. Nurperous inquiries are being made regarding a date for the South Canterbury meeting, in lieu of that commandeered for the general election. The problem is an extremly knotty one. Every Saturday is occupied up till December 17, a date on which it would be useless to expect many horses from the south with the holiday fixtures only a week away. One suggestion that has been made is that the Hororata Club, which has been allotted December 10, might be willing to transfer to the 17th, allowing South Canterbury to race on the 10th. Hororata is essentially a meeting for Riccarton horses, and it is considered that the change would make very little difference to the country club, while It would allow South Canterbury to overcome the present difficulty. The matter Is one that rests with the Hororata officials. Royal Star II (the numeral is required as a horse named Royal Star won a New Zealand Cup) is engaged at Otaki next week. He is a five-year-old (New Zealand time) gelding by Veslngton, imported from England by Mr W. Higgins, of Wellington, who bought him for 420gns. after he had won a selling race at Lingfield. Altogether Royal Star II won three races in ten starts in minor company to England.