ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21360, 1 June 1939, Page 14

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing June 3, s—Napier Park R.C. June 3, s—Wanganui J.C. June 3,5, 7—Auckland R.C. June 3,5, 10—Dunedin J.C. June 10—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 17—Bay of Plenty R.C. June 17—Greymouth J.C. June 17—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 24—Walpa R.C. June 24—Otaki-Maori R.C. June 24—Ashburton County R.C. July I—Dannevirke Hunt C. July I—Oamaru J.C. July 4,6, B—Wellington R.C. Trotting June 3—Methven T.C. June s—Ashburton T.C. Jenny, who gave P. Johnson his first winning ride in the Great Northern Steeplechase, had finished unplaced in a hurdle race on the same afternoon. Three scratchings will be necessary to reduce the Jervois Handicap on the opening day at Ellerslie to a singledivision race.

Bryce Street, who was lame after racing at Te Rapa, is still suffering from trouble in a tendon, and the Waikato gelding will miss the Great Northern meeting.

There were seven starters in the Otago Steeplechase last year, and six in 1937. The acceptors this season number seven, but three of these have been paid up for in the hack event also.

The trustees in the estate of the late Mr W. Higgins have refused an offer of 2500 guineas for Beaulivre. Had the colt been entered for the A.J.C. Derby he would bring a good deal more than that.

Ned Worthy, one of the best three-year-olds engaged in the All Aged Stakes at Ashburton, is a Southland pacer, who won the races for horses of his age at Wyndham and Winton. Ned Worthy is trained by R. W. Townley.

Last year Southland horses accounted for seven of the eight steeplechas and hurdle races at the Dunedin winter meeting, the only one they missed being the Greenfield Hurdles won by Scrap.

A change has been made in the venue of the next Trotting Conference, which is to be held in Christchurch on August 7. For several years the Conference has been held at Wellington in July.

The Ashburton meeting on Monday Is the last trotting fixture on the season’s calendar, and the good horses will go into retirement until August. There are a few races included in the programmes of racing clubs, but these cater for pacers in the maiden or improver classes.

Liberator, a year after winning the Great Northern double, was beaten by a nose when carrying 12.9 in the big steeplechase by Levanter. This gelding had failed to impress in a maiden event earlier in the meeting. Levanter turned out to be a good horse, as in the next season he won another Great Northern as well as the Grand National.

The sale has been completed of Mi’ Frank Ormond’s rising two-year-old colt Ahab to J. T. Jamieson of Sydney. Ahab, by Bulandshar (imp.)— Lucinette, is by the same sire as High Caste, who is trained by Jamieson at Randwick. Jamieson also leased on his own behalf from the Karamu stud the rising two-year-old gelding by Bulandshar—Provence.

Northern opinion is that one of the hardest horses to beat in the Cornwall Handicap is going to be Tooley Street, who has made forward strides since

the tracks eased, showing that it was the hard ground that hampered him at Hawera. The other morning this horse did a brilliant galloy over seven furlongs. He did not race at Te Rapa, so he will come up fresh.

Charade and Smilin’ Thru are the only mares engaged in the Great Northern Hurdles, to be decided on Saturday, at Ellerslie. It is interesting to note that, since 1907, when the distance was increased to two miles and a-half, Wee Pat is the only mare that has been successful, but that will not daunt Hawke’s Bay admirers of Charade.

After F. V. Cutts had driven Hillcrest to victory in the Hobson Handicap on Saturday, the judicial committee of the Auckland Trotting Club, acting on the instigation of the stipendiary steward. Mr F. Beer, considered a complaint that Cutts was responsible for interference as the field left the back stretch in the last round of the race. The committee decided to reduce Cutts to a D grade driver until August 31. The effect of this penalty is that Cutts is not allowed to drive in a race during that period.

Vernon Costello, whose death ocurred this week in Hawke's Bay after a short illness was a good rider, but it was as a trainer that he made his mark especially with jumpers. He trained good winners for Sir William Russell, wlhning the Great Northern Steeplechase with Corazon, and the Great Northern Hurdles and Wanganui Steeplechase with Landbird, the latter event for Mr J. Macfarlane. For Sir William he also won a Wellington Steeplechase and a Grand National Steeplechase with Nadador, who won two Hawke’s Bay Steeplechases in successive years, and the Wanganui and Napier Steeplechases. Braeburn was another fine steeplechaser that Costello trained for himself, winning the Napier Steeplechase twice, and the Wanganui Steeplechase.