ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21676, 10 June 1940, Page 7

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Buaget of News And Views FIXTURES Racing June 15—Combined Benefit Meeting, Washdyke. June 15—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 22—Otakl Maori R.C. June 22—Ashburton County R.C. June 22—Waipa R.C. June 29—Dannevlrke Hunt July 6—Hawke’s Bay Hunt July B—Oamaru J.C. July 9. 11, 13—Wellington R.C. July 20—Waimate Hunt July 20— Manawatu Hunt July 20—Matamata R.C. July 27—Rangitikei Hunt July 27—Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt July 27—South canterbury Hunt Trotting June 29 —Timaru Trotting Club. Entries for the Ashburton Racing Club’s winter meeting (June 22) are due to-morrow. Density has been entered for the Epsom Handicap lone mile) to be run at Randwick in October. A good many southern horses are expected to go into temporary residence at Washdyke this week. Norse has been nominated for the Melbourne Cup, but not for any of the other important spring handicaps in Australia. All Irish won £2225 at the Great Northern meeting. Streamline's victory in the Great Northern Hurdles was worth an even £lOOO. Considering their fewness. Washdyke horses did reasonably well at Wingatui. Three wins, six seconds and a third fell to them during the three days. Valantua, when he finished second to Bay Duke in the open sprint at Wingatui, carried the colours of trainer F. Shaw, who recently took him over from his breeder, Mrs Mackenzie. Bridegroom has not been produced since he won the Manawatu Steeplechase. and he has been so lame that it is unlikely that he will race again this season. Last week it was announced that the substitute Derby and Oaks, arranged to be run at Newbury, had been abandoned. It has now been arranged that the classics will be contested at Newmarket on Wednesday and Thursday. The Hunting Song gelding Centrepoise, winner of the last Metropolitan Handicap, had to be spelled after the Wellington Cup meeting, and he has again been turned out. probably for some months. Centrepoise has not actually broken down, but he is threatened with ligamentary trouble.

Sheeny, winner of the St. Clair Handicap at Dunedin, carries the same colours as The Raker, and is trained by N. J. Dwyer at Oamaru. She is a six-year-old mare by Rabbi from Cessation, and has been slow in losing her maiden status.

After All Irish had won the Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie, it was announced that he was to be turned out, and one of his owners said the gelding might not race again. Should this decision be adhered to, important crosscountry events this winter will be robbed of much interest.

Moneymore. who won the novice handicap at Dunedin on Saturday, Is not, as his name suggests, by Paper Money. He is a three-year-old by Cockpit frm Sestu. Moneymore. who is trained by G. A. McKay, showed speed last season, but did not appear as a three-year-old until Easter, when he was twice second at Riverton.

The Riverton mare Blissful Lady made a game attempt to win from end to end in the Tainui Handicap at Dunedin, but found Lazybones in an energetic mood. The Nigger Minstrel gelding likes a soft track, and he is partial to the Dunedin course, where he has been a winner at each of the three winter meetings he has attended.

Rebel Mate provided the highlight of the racing on the opening day of the Dunedin meeting by carrying 10.2 into second place, a head behind the winner, in the Winter Handicap. He was never dangerous in the King George Handicap on Saturday, and obviously his great effort of the previous week had told its tale.

There was a remarkable difference in the state of the Wingatui track last week compared with its condition a year ago. Last June the Birthday Handicap was won in 2 16 and the Winter Handicap in 1.14 3-5. This year the times were 2.36 and 1.25 4-5, and they gave a fair Indication of the change in conditions.

Bay Duke has broken down several times, but he quickly recovers, and although he is rising ten he retains his speed and acts well in soft going. His win at Dunedin was his third since the New Year. The Diacquenod gelding was imported from Wanganui by the late G. Bain, and he runs In the ownership of Mrs Bain, for whom he is trained by R. McNay, at Riverton.

The Greenfield Hurdles at Dunedin was a colourless race. Turaki was scratched, and Hunting Chorus did not survive the first fence. Norseman, who had not distinguished himself in his previous efforts at the meeting, gave a much improved display, leading throughout to win very easily from Garonne, with the others well beaten Being by Valkyrian, Norseman is bred to jump, and on the fiat he is Immensely superior to the average hurdler.

A pleasing feature of the racing at Wingatui on Saturday was the success of Slayer. Even with 11.12, the Valkyrian gelding was well treated on figures In a not very classy field, but the going was all against heavily-weighted horses. Slayer lost ground by pecking at the last fence just as he had taken the lead, and he had to be ridden out to regain his position, but his performance was indicative of further success before the season ends.

Cherokee, who narrowly defeated Alma in the principal flat race at Dunedin on Saturday, is a four-year-old mare by Colossus from the Bonlform mare Orders Bright. She is trained by E. J. EUls for Mr B. Hammond, of Wellington. Cerokee made her first South Island appearance at Wingatui at Christmas, and she scored her first

win at Winton, following it up with a victory in the valuable Champion Hack Handicap at Riverton.

Horses for courses again. All Irish has raced six times over the Ellerslie steeplechase course, and has won on each occasion. He commenced by winning the Hunt Cup, Pakuranga Hunt Cup and Hunters' Steeplechase in 1937. He contested hurdle races only at Ellerslie in the 1938 season, and last year his only outing over country was in the Winter Steeplechase, which he won. Last week he added the Great Northern and Winter Steeplechase to his list of successes.

Pink Lad has won only two races, but he has succeeded each time he has tackled a mile and a quarter. In the Aidworth Handicap at Dunedin on Saturday he was inclined to pull at the start, but his rider got him to settle in behind the leaders. Holding third place until the straight was reached, Pink Lad then galloped to the front and won pulling up from Raroa. Obviously the Pink Coat gelding requires a longer distance than is usual in hack races, and he may be given another opportunity at Ashburton.

Spanish Lad. with the advantage of a 71b allowance, attempted to lead all the way in the King George Handicap at Dunedin, with Monipere as his closest attendant as he swung into the straight. The leaders stopped in the run home, and the finish was fought out by two Washdyke-trained mares, Cherokee and Alma, tl.e verdict going to the first named, who gave W. F. Ellis his third successive win, the Invercargill apprentice having previously scored on Sheeny and Bay Duke.

The opinion has been expressed that the acceptance of some of the horses in the Ashburton All Aged Stakes should have been rejected to keep the field within reasonable limits. As no provision was made for this in the conditions of the race, elimination of any entrant would not have been legal, and there would not have been much trouble from overcrowding If the race had been run on the big track at Ashburton. In any case the selection of starters is a risky business, and if it had been tried at the Ashburton meeting it is probable that Gold Bank would have been one of the rejects. One can never forget the first invitation races at Addington, during Walla Walla’s visit. Roi I’Or was adjudged unworthy of inclusion in the field for the two-mile Free-for-All, and confounded the selection committee by competing in a handicap on the same afternoon and stepping 4.14 1-5, under conditions that were not one hundred per cent.