ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21850, 31 December 1940, Page 8

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget of News And Views Racing 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—Wairarapa 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 Dec. 31—Auckland T.C. Jan. 1, 2 —Canterbury Park T.C. Jan. 4, 6—Greymouth T.C. Great Northern Derby to-morrow. First race at Waikouaiti to-morrow at 12.30. Passaform is troubled by a split hoof, and may not be a starter at Invercargill.

With only 31b. more than he had when he scored an easy win at New Plymouth, Friesland looks the logical favourite for the Stratford Cup.

Bronwen gave H. N. Wiggins his sixth winning ride in the Railway Handicap, the last four being achieved in successon.

There will be racing on New Year's Dav at Waikouaiti, Wyndham, Auckland, Hastings, Marton, Stafford, Wairarapa and Greymouth; and trotting at Addington.

Most of the prominent riders were at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, and J. Williamson turned the opportunity to account by riding four winners at Awapuni.

Nominations for all events (including the New Zealand Three-year-old Championship) at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting, are due on Friday next.

Queen Beth was one of the leaders for nearly six furlongs in the Fernhill Handicap at Dunedin. The Washdyke mare should be improved by the race, and promises to be hard to beat over five furlongs at Waikouaiti.

Beau Leon when he finished third in the Auckland Cup, was in receipt of 351 b. from Royal Chief. In the King’s Plate, Sir Beau, Don’t Forget, Sir Cameron and Lamboum much the same class as Beau Leon challenged Royal Chief at a difference of 141 b.

Certissimus will start at a short price In the Introductory Handicap at Addington, and he needs only to begin well to have an easy win. The running of the Point trotter, who will be making his first Christchurch appearance, will be the main attraction of the day.

Craiglea has made rapid improvement during the last two or three months, and she looked to be a bit unlucky on the second day at Dunedin.

Black Thread is to tackle a middledistance to-morrow, his assignment being to carry 9.2 in the Wairarapa Jubilee Cup.

An interesting contestant at Addington to-day will be Dusky Sound, who was extremely unlucky in the Trotting Cup. He was given a let-up after that meeting, and as R. Townley has not been so well situated in regard to track facilities since his move to Tinwald, the black pacer may be in need of a race.

The Trentham trainer T. R. George has already captured the New Zealand and the Auckland Cups this season with Serenata and Beau Vite respectively, and the stable will rely on Serenata again to complete the big treble in the Wellington Cup next month. In view of the weight that Beau Vite must get if nominated, it is unlikely that he will run.

Beau Vite was not paid up for in the King’s Plate, and his only other start at the current meeting at Ellerslie will probably be in the Clifford Plate on the final day. This is a wise policy, as the four-year-old had a hard campaign in the spring and has a lot of racing ahead of him yet in New Zealand and Australia before he has his winter holiday.

The performance of Statuette in registering 3.15 2-5 without being driven right out at Ashburton, has created a deep impression, and Addington track habitues acclaim the filly to be the best young pacer trained there for several years. A number of them even assert that she will defeat Special Force and Certissimus in the Three-Year-Old Championship at Washdyke. That is placing Statuette on a high pinnacle, but there is no doubt that she will have a big following.

The Waikouaiti Cup, of £6OO, offers the biggest prize at any holiday race meeting in the South Island. Forty years ago this race was worth only £4O. and no other race on the programme was allotted more than £3O. At that time the Wyndham Cup was worth £45, compared with £5OO to-day. and the Invercargill Cup, £65 (now £550). The total amount of stakes per diem was £285 at Invercargill (now £1750), £222 at Waikouaiti (now £1720), and £220 at Wyndham (now £1555). Owners and trainers must have had a struggle to make racing pay in those good old days.

The trouble which affected Ronald Logan at Ashburton was due to knuckling over when working a few days before the race. He is all right again, and R. W. Townley proposes to put him into jvork again to-day with a view to competing in the Three-Year-Old Championship. Ronald Logan is a better youngster than appeared at Ashburton.

There seems to be an idea abroad that because W. Doyle drove Ned Worthy in the Auckland Cup he now trains him. There is nothing in this rumour. Ned Worthy is and always has been prepared by R. W. Townley for Mr Henderson Hunter, of Wyndham, and he was taken north by W. Doyle because Townlev had Ronald Logan to look after. Ned Worthy, who commenced his career by winning the Winton and Wvndham Juvenile Stakes, has collected £2130 and a gold cup.

A suggestion has been made that after the Champion Stakes at Ashburton, the forthcoming race at Washdyke will not attract many starters, and one commentator practically advised owners of horses which finished behind Special Force at Ashburton to turn them out. This they are unlikely to do, and the starters next week will include Gold Chief, Walter Moore and Ronald Logan, (provided the Orari colt has recovered from a recent slight mishap). Certissimus. of course, is a certain competitor, and Statuette is another. If no others outside those mentioned parade the race will be historic. Special Force, Certissimus and Statuette have never met. and none of the rest have raced against the trotter. There is more than a possibility that Peter’s Find will represent the north, and he has never encountered Special Force, Certissimus or Statuette. He has won two races on 'grass tracks, and he was suffering from a cold when he was beaten in the Derby. An invitation to nominate has been extended to the trainer-lessee of the Petone youngster. Gold Flight.. If the eight horses mentioned are nominated the list will include every one worthy of consideration, and half a dozen of them will be sufficient to draw a huge crowd.

SUMMER CUP Orelio Beats Lou Rosa King’s Plate to Sir Beau By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, December 30. For the second day of the Auckland Racing Club’s summer meeting the weather was fine, the track fast■and the attendance 15,500 against 14,500 last year. The totalisator handled £83,375/10/ compared with £69,026, an increase of £14,349/10/-. For the meeting so far the total is £226,637/10/against £200,080, an increase of £26,299/10/-. Results

FERGUSSON HANDICAP Of £350; 1 mile. 1/I—Brahman, 8.12 (Wiggins) .. .. 1 4/4—Black Majesty. 8.13 (Morris) .. 2 11/10—Lady Acushla., car. 7.4 (Stockley) • . • Also started: 8/8 Hunter’s Night 9.0, 7/5 Calula Boy 8.12, 3/2 Town Survey 8.8, 5/6 Radiant Vaals car. 8.0, 2/3 Karatoki 8.5, 9/9 Elise car. 7.101, 10/11 Rununga 7.7, 6/7 Flying Vixen 7.7. Won by half a head, a length between second and third. Time —Imin 38sec.

PONSONBY HURDLES, Of £400; IS miles. 4/4—High Star, 11.0 (Ritchie) .. .. 1 2/3—Bachelor King ,9.10 (Burgess) 2 5/6—Aussie Ra, 11.8 (Baker) .. .. ..3 Also started: 3/2 Kaiwaka 11.5, 1/1 Cherry Plum 10.10, 10/10 Night Hawk 10.3, 6/5 Bright Idea 10.0, 15/14 Silver Eagle 9.10, 12/13 Little Ruse 9.10, 13/12 Te Monatekapa 9.8, 9/9 Fleur d’Or 9.3, 14/15 Prince Rangi 9.0, 8/8 Melvanui 9.0, 11/11 Son of the Soil 9.0, 17/17 Sardue 9.0, 16/16 King Lume 9.0, 7/7 Rival 9.0. Won by four lengths, a neck between second and third. Time —3min 12 ‘ SeC ’ KING'S PLATE, Of £750; w.f.a.; 1 mile. 1/I—Sir Beau, 8.2 (Morris) 1

2/2—Royal Chief, 9.2 (Ellis) 2 4/4—Don’t Forget, 8.2 (McTavish) .. 3 Also started: 3/3 Gayest Son 9.0, 6/6 Lamboum 8.2, 5/5 Sir Cameron 8.2. Won by a head, a neck between second and third. Time—lmin 36 4-ssec.

SUMMER CUP, Of £1000; 11 miles. 3/3—Orelio, 7.10 (Hooton) 1 5/s—Lou Rosa, 7.8 (Wiggins) 2 2/2—Cornish, 7.9 (Waddell) 3 Also started: 6/6 Royal Appellant 8 9, 8/8 Sly Fox 8.8, 9/9 Mittie 8.4, 4/4 Greek Queen 7.12, 1/1 Belle Cane 7.10, 7/7 Foxsen 7.3, 12/13 British Talent car. 7.4, 13/12 Erlick car. 7.3, 11/11 Pern car. 7.21, 10/10 Princess Vai car. 7.2. Won by three-quarters of a length, half a length between second and third. Time —2min 4sec.

CRITERION HANDICAP, Of £450; 6 furlongs. 5/s—Corn Prince, 8.6 (Broughton) 1 2/2—Edna’s Birthday, 7.11 (McTavish) 2 3/4—Minko, car. 7.124 (L. J. Ellis) 3 Also started: 6/6 Par Avion 9.4, 1/1 Premature 9.1, 4/4 Borak 8.1, 7/7 Hogarth 7.0. Won by half a head, a neck between second and third. Time— Imin 14 3-ssec. WAITEMATA HANDICAP, Of £350; 15 miles 1/I—Cillas, 9.4 (L. J. Ellis) .. 1 7/s—Acreman, 9.2 (McKenzie) .. ..2 6/4—Horeke, 7.9 (Stockley) 3 ALso started: 13/11 Wildore car. 8.7, 10/10 Chain Acre 8.12, 15/15 Hunting Bee 8.10, 5/8 Odtaa car. 8.3 J, 14/13 Hackenschmidt 8.6, 3/3 Night Pilot 8.3, 8/7 Maioro 8.2, 2/2 Mendelssohn 7.12, 4/6 Gold Spot 7.11, 9.12 Raepata 7.7, 16/16 Bronze Ora 7.7, 19/19 Marchby car. 7.94. 11.9 Kaalooa car. 7.94, 18/13 Kingcraft 7.7, 17/17 Hot Shot 7.7, 12/14 Korotangi 7.7. Won by a head, threequarters of a length between second and third. Time—2min 7 3-ssec.

ELECTRIC HANDICAP, Of £500; 6 furlongs. 2/2 —Bronwen, 8.5 (Wiggins) .. .. 1 1/I—Arvakur, 8.4 (L. J. Ellis) 2 4/3 —Marshall Hall, 8.1 (McKenzie) 3 Also started: 3/4 Corato 9.0, 9/10 Pirate King 8.8, 10/9 Saxton Tor 8.6, 11/11 Aero King 7.13, 5/5 Sure Pay 7.3, 8/8 Kentucky car. 7.10, 6/6 Gold Money Song 7.3, 7/7 Foxola car. 7.5 J. Won by half a length, three-quarters of a length between second and third. Time —lmin 12 4-ssec. PLUNKET HANDICAP, Of £500; 1 mile 9/B—Forest Acre, 7.7 (Gollop) .. .. 1 1/I—Endorsement, 8.5 (Wiggins) .. 2 8/9—Esquire, 7.8 (Dye) 3 Also started: 5/5 Bronze Moth 8.13, 4/4 Silver Quex 8.13, 7/7 Valamito 8.6, 3/2 Clipper 8.3, 6/6 Valerian 8.0, 10/10 Royal Message 7.11, 2/3 Olympus 7.10, 11/11 Queen City 7.7, 14/14 Paddy the Rip 7.7, 12/13 Sunola 7.7, 13/12 Tea Gong 7.7. Won by two and a half lengths, a neck between second and third. Time—lmin 37sec.