ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21819, 23 November 1940, Page 9

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views Racing Nov. 23, 25—Levin R.C. Nov. 23, 25—Auckland R.C. Nov. 25—Southland R.C. Nov. 30—Ashburton County R.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 2—Feilding J.C. Dec. 6, 7—Whangarei R.C. Dec. 7, 9-—Woodville District J.C. Dec. 14—Otakl Maori R.C. Dec. 14—Walpa R.C. Dec. 14—Hororata R.C. Dec. 21—Manawatu R.C. Dec. 26—Waipukurau J.C. Dec. 26, 28— Manawatu R.C. Dec. 26, 28—Taranaki J.C. Dec. 26, 28—Dunedin J.C. Dec. 26, 30, Jan. 1, 2—Auckland R.C. Dec. 28—Westland R.C. Jan. I—Wyndham R.C. Jan. I—Waikouaiti R.C. Jan. 1, 2—Hawke’s Bay J.C Jan. 1, 2—Walrarapa R.C. Jan. 1, 2—Stratford R.C. Jan. 1, 2—Greymouth J.C. Jan. 1, 2—Marton J.C. Jan. 2—Oamaru J.C. Jan. 2, 3—Southland R.C. Trotting Nov. 23, 25—Forbury Park T.C, Nov. 30. Dec. 7—Waikato T.C. Dec. 7—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 14—Roxburgh T.C. (non-totalis-ator) Dec. 21—Reefton T.C. Dec. 26—Ashburton T.C. Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westport T.C. Dec. 27, 28, 31—Auckland T.C. Dec. 28—Winton T.C. Jan. 1, 2—Canterbury Park T.C. Jan. 4, 6—Greymouth T.C. First race at Forbury to-day at 12.30. The Dozer has been scratched for the Alison Cup. Beau Vite is back at T. R. George’s stable, but no plans have been made for racing in New Zealand. Gladynev is to return to the Dominion, and his owner is keen to run him in the Wellington Cup. The single pool system will be used at Levin; and win and place at Forbury, Ellerslie and Invercargill (Monday). Although he is in his thirties, A. Knox, who won the Melbourne Cup on Old Rowley, is able to weigh out at 7.5 all the year round. The Jugoslavian boy Ivan Unkovich, who rode Tidal Wave in the Melbourne Cup, is 20 years old, 4ft 7in in height, and weighs 6.1. His father is over six feet and was the shortest of a large family. The horse which appears to be the draw at Forbury to-day is the young trotter Certisslmus. It is a long time since a square-gaited three-year-old has aroused such widespread interest in the Dominion, and he will be a hot favourite if he Loes to the post. Sight Draft, the dam of Globe Trotter and Enrich, is now at the St. Aubins stud, New South Wales. Mr W. J. Smith bought her for 125 guineas at the clearing sale of Mr W. Higgins’s stock. Mr Smith owns Beu Pere and Belle Cane, and has been a lucky buyer of New Zealand stock. The Mangere-owned pacer Kenworthy, who had been racing in Canterbury this season under the supervision of J. Young, returned home, accompanied by Bayard, who raced unsuccessfully at the Addington meeting. In the south Kenworthy started nine times for a win and three thirds, his earnings totalling £305. Most of the provincial clubs in the North Island who adhered to single pool betting when win-and-place was having its vogue, have changed to win-and-place with satisfactory results. The latest to change over is Levin. This is the first two-day meeting held by the club, the extra permit being the one it purchased from Napier Park last year. Old Rowley was the commonest-look-ing horse in the Melbourne Cup field. He was given away when a yearling, and at the end of this season he is to ratire and become a shepherd’s hack. When at home he is never stabled. He is allowed to run in a yard with a cover on, and can shelter in a shed if it rains. No armed guards for Old Rowley. There is a very even field in the King George Handicap at Forbury, and backers will be rather puzzled. King Potts is capable of winning if he gets safely on the trip, but he is not a good horse to back in a big field. Peter Smith, Regal and Accountant all raced well at Addington, and if King Potts gets into trouble Peter Smith and Regal will be an interesting pair. Murmuring (Bulandshar—Teh Tattle) , a colt for which Mr C. Wheeler bid 2000 guineas for Mr John Wren's money at the Trentham sales, is in the Ajax stable. He is to make his debut in the autumn, and it is predicted that he will be the glamour horse of the future. Most New Zealanders would like his prospects better if his dam were not by Tea Tray. When the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club decided to keep the Wellington Cup stake at £3OOO with the addition of a trophy, it was suggested that the distance of the race should be increased to two miles. A special meeting of stewards was held to consider the matter, and on a close division the present distance of a mile and a half was retained. "Beau Vite arrived with his usual armed escort—an armed attendant sitting with the driver of the float, and two motor-cycle patrol men following. They walked with the horse to his stall, where the patrol men stood guard. As the 20 runners went on to the track and to the post Beau Vite was escorted by two plain-clothes policemen.” From a Melbourne Cup story. Meamea divided Taurangi and Little Robin at Bulls recently, and in view of the, form of these horses in the New Zealand Cup, Meamea should be favourite at Levin to-day. Aurora’s Star and Master Cyklon appear to be the best of the opposition. If Lady Tinkle and Mittie both start in the sprint, the bracket will be in strong demand. Night Eruption and Vascones are others likely to be su-pported. The Takapuna Plate to be run at Ellerslie is a fixed weight event for hacks according to age, and under the conditions it favours a good three-year-old. Among those of the age accepted for are Cillas, Chain Acre and Gold Money Song, three of the best-per-in Auckland, and on his third in the Great Northern Guineas Cillas should be hard to beat. Of the older horses Monte Cristo is the best performed. There are not many better hacks in the Dominion than this Bronze Eagle four-year-old and as he has to give the younger horses 51bs. only he is sure to keep them busy. At a race meeting at Pinnaroo (S.A.) only a handful of people was present, and ,yie totalisator handled only £26/16/- in two-shilling units. The turnover on a hurdle race was 8/1; and there were only nine investors on the doubles. It might be wondered why the meeting was proceeded with, but It was Melbourne Cup day and the bookmakers did a lot of business on Flemington events. The main purpose of many small meetings in South Australia is to give bookmakers and backers an opportunity to operate on interstate races.