ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21179, 28 October 1938, Page 13

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing October 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 29—Banks Peninsula R.O. October 29—Rangltikel R.O. October 29—Rotorua Hunt. November 5,7, 9, 12—Canterbury J.C. Trotting October 29—Invercargill T.O. October 29—Thames T.O. November 8, 10, 11—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Banks Peninsula races to-morrow. The Victoria Derby will be run tomorrow afternoon. laughing Lass will not be an acceptor for the Stewards’ Handicap. Final payments for the Cup and Stewards are due on Monday. A. E. Ellis will ride Willie Win in the New Zealand Cup, as well as in the Peninsula Cup at Motukarara. Disdain, who was recently bought by Mr Alister Young, is now in L. G. Morris's stable at Awapuni, according to a northern report. Betting systems to-morrow: Win and place, Motukarara, Rotorua, Invercargill, Wellington; single pool, Rangitikei, Poverty Bay. Araboa has been withdrawn from the Stewards’ Handicap. His form at Gore was not good enough to justify a trip to Riccarton. The Bulandshar filly Koneta, who finished second in the Wellesley Stakes, will not be a runner at the New Zealand Cup meeting. In the Riccarton Handicap, nine furlongs, Sly Fox is weighted 101 b above Argentic. In the New Zealand Cup, Argentic will have to concede 181 b to Sly Fox.

Queen of Song must be galloping well at Mentone, as the local correspondent of the “Sporting Globe’’ tipped the Washdyke mare for the Moonee Valley Cup.

Buzalong, winner of the Caulfield Cup, was declared to be the plainestlooking horse in the race, and he appeared worse because of blisters, the result of being sprayed for ticks when he crossed the Queensland border.

Mr J. R. McKenzie recently purchased a two-year-old gelding by U Scott from Rustic Maid, a daughter of Country Belle. This young pacer is held in high regard, and he is considered to be one of the smartest of his age seen for some time.

It is fairly well known that no horse by Hunting Song has won a two miles race on the flat, but it is surprising to find that the Hurry On sire has never been represented in a New Zealand Cup. Sly Fox will repair the omission this year.

The Victoria Derby was instituted in 1855, the winner being the filly Flying Doe. During the last sixty years only four fillies have succeeded, the last being Frances Tressady in 1923. The time record for the race Is 2.314, established by Hallmark in 1933.

At the eight racing and trotting meetings held in the Dominion on Saturday and Monday last, £394,001 was invested, as compared with £374,244 last year, and £317,938 in 1936. Decreases, totalling £9758, were made at the Ranglora, Greymouth and Oamaru fixtures.

There Is an idea in the North Island that The Buzzer Is a rod in pickle for the New Zealand Cup, but he has done nothing since his Auckland Cup victory ten months ago to encourage backers to fancy him. His best recommendation is that he has won over the Cup distance.

Mat Goodger, who for a time trained that wonderful all-rounder of the early ’9o’s, Liberator, was entertained by the State Theatre at Hastings on the occasion of his 91st birthday. Mr Goodger still takes a lively interest in racing and was a guest at the recent meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club.

Prior to the Wellington meeting, Tidewaiter was the popular pick for the New Zealand Cup, but his form at Trentham was so moderate that he has been almost discarded. The Tidal gelding previously had had sudden lapses, and usually took some time to freshen up, and at the moment his Cup prospects are not bright.

Half the second acceptors for the New Zealand Cup are in the aged class, which has produced only three winners in over twenty years. Argentic, Made Money and Mungatoon are nine; Padishah and Milford eight; and Willie Win, Arctic King, Ponty, Cape Gabo and Ardchoille seven. Probably some of the old brigade will drop out when the final payment has to be made.

It is not often that a horse wins in the 3.43 class from 60 behind, and the fact that Gold Bank accomplished this at Gore with a bit in reserve, stamps the Worthy Bond gelding as a particularly promising pacer. In four starts he has scored a second and two wins, and on the other occasion he fell. Gold Bank’s dam Lovematch, is a sister to Matchlight.

A price of 2000 guineas was put on Romford last week in Melbourne when inquiries were made by a prospective buyer. It was not forthcoming. Romford finished second to Esperanto in the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield, and then won a handicap. His owner (G. H. Cann) paid 775 guineas for him as a yearling at the Melbourne sales last March, and trained him in Tasmania for this season’s two-year-old races.