ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21560, 24 January 1940, Page 9

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing: Jan. 26, 27 —Pahiatua J.C. Jan. 27, 29—Auckland R.C. Feb. 1, 3—Wairoa. Feb. 1, 3—Wanganui. Feb. 3—Canterbury Feb. 3—Tapanui Feb. 3—Matamata. Feb. 8, 10—Egmont. Feb. 10, 12 —Poverty Bay. Feb. 10, 12—Gore. Feb. 10, 12—Rotorua. Feb. 16, 17—Winton. Feb. 17—Tolaga Bay. Feb. 17 —Opunake. Feb. 17, 19—Waikato. Feb. 22, 24 —Dunedin. Trotting: Jan. 25, 27—Forbury Park T.C. Jan. 27—Marlborough T.C. Jan. 31, Feb. 3—Wellington T.C. Feb. 10—Canterbury Park T.C. Feb. 10, 14—Auckland T.C. Feb. 17, 19— Manawatu T.C. Feb. 17—New Brighton T.C. Forbury Park meeting to-morrow. • • • T It has been arranged that M. McCarten will ride Beaulivre in his races in Australia, when the weights permit. In the Takapuna Cup, Our Jean is to be tested over a longer journey than she has hitherto tackled. Seven nine will be a feather weight for the massive filly but very big horses seldom stay.

Rocks Ahead is to make a further appearance in the sprint races at Forbury. This suggests that there may be some doubt whethex' the Wyndham marg is in foal.

The Herries Memorial Cup race at Te Aroha will again be worth £lO5O. During the two days of its meeting the country club will distribute £6lOO in cash and cups.

The Riccarton trainer C. C. McCarthy acting for Miss Wilson, of Reefton, has purchased the Posterity-Episode gelding Entail from Mi- G. M. Currie.

Cheddington, runner-up to Lou Rosa in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, is eligible for a maiden race for two and three-year-olds at Matamata. The event is run at set weights, and Cheddington is sure to be a torrid favourite.

Betting at Forbury to-morrow will again be transacted on what is known as the “Forbury” system. The “win” machine will pay 75-25, and the place machine the customary three dividends.

It appears to be rather hopeless to persevere with Willie Win, who has not won a' race for two and a half years. He seems to have steadily deteriorated since he finished second in the Melbourne Cup of 1936, and is drifting towards the bottom of the handicaps.

The value of the Wairio Cup is programmed as £3OO, but £lOO of this amount is represented by the right to hold for one year a perpetual challenge trophy. The cash won by Heidelberg was £l6O, and he is still eligible for hack races.

Beaupartir was well placed mid-way through the Summer Handicap at Trentham, but he faded out in the last half-mile. The Beau Pere four-year-old has not fulfilled anticipations, and probably will do better if he is reserved for shorter races.

Haughty Winner has won twelve races during his career, and seven of his successes have been achieved at Trentham. He has started fifteen times on the Wellington Club’s course, and has been in the money on twelve occasions.

Nelson Eddy still claims the “Star’s privilege of being temperamental, and his backers are always uneasy until he is safely on the trip. He is not a good horse to back, as liis price is always short, but it requires some courage to support anything against him in the 3.1 class at Forbury.

The Rotorua Racing Club has just about completed the remodelling of Its course at a cost of £4OOO. The track, just under a mile, is now 90 feet wide throughout. All the buildings have been enlarged, and the members and public stands have been shifted eight or ten chains.

If all the horses in the Dunedin Trotting Cup were in separate stables, eight would be a nice field for the Forbury track, but with Great Jewel, Southern Chief and Lucky Jack representing one stable there will be only six totalisator numbers. This may not detract from the race itself, but it is apt to slow up speculation.

Avakur, who followed up two wins at Ellerslie by another at Trentham, has been operated on for wind trouble. Another of The Begum’s progeny, Royal Descent (brother to Arvakur and half-brother. to High Caste) is affected in this way and probably he will undergo treatment in ths hope that results will be equally satisfactory.

Colonel Grattan has not won a race this season, though he was second on each day of the Canterbury Park meeting. The Forbury track should suit him, but in the 4.26 class he always seems to meet something just too good. The Colonel does best when allowed to step along and it is a big task to lead from start to finish in the “Cup” division.

The track and the distance in x,ne main trotters race at Forbury will suit Te Kahu, but Timworthy is capable of making things merry if he consents to trot evenly. This gelding has a tremendous amount of speed, but apparently will need a good deal of racing to cure him of his waywardness.

With a turnover qn Monday of almost. £llO,OOO, the Wellington Racing Club established a new record for Trentham, the aggregate for the three days exceeding £300,000. The highest total for three days racing in _ the Dominion was registered at Ellerslie in 1920-21, when £395.820 was put through the single pool on the first three days of the Christmas meeting.

Beau Repaire, who won the Wellington Racing Club Handicap from his half-brother Royal Chief, was not offered at. the yearling sales. When the Westmere stud was dispersed, Mr W. J. Smith, of Sydney, who purchased Beau Pere, also bought Modiste II and her foal. The youngster, now Beau Repaire, was later secured privately by Mr R. T. Reid, of Hamilton, at a very substantial price.