ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21958, 9 May 1941, Page 7

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget Of News And Views Racing May 8, 10—Egmont R.C. May 10—Ashburton County R.C. May 10, 12—Poverty Bay Turf Club May 10, 12—Marlborough R.C. May 15, 17—South Canterbury J.C. May 17, 19—Otakl Maori R.C. May 17, 19—Waikato R.C. May 24—Foxton R.C. May 31, June 2—Napier Park R.C. May 31, June 2—Wanganui J.C. May 31. June 2—Dunedin J.C. June 2,4, 7—Auckand R.C. June 7—Dunedin J.C. June 7—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Trotting May 3—Oamaru T.C. May 10—Waikato T.C. May 10, 12—Forbury Park T.C., May 24—Ashburton T.C. First race at Ashburton to-morrow at 12 o’clock. Acceptances for the first day of the South Canterbury meeting will close on Monday. * t Although she has not won a race this season, Shadow Maid has collected £766 In place money. * White Globe. Australia’s champion unhoppled trotter, races in five-ounce plates. Lord Daley, another star trotter in Sydney, also runs very lightly shod. It Is probable that T. R. George, who went to Masterton from Trentham last winter, will shortly shift his team of about 20 horses temporarily to Carterton for the coming winter months. The Sandwich Man, who has not raced since the Christmas meeting at Wingatul m 1939, has been taken in hand again, and is to be tried as a steeplechaser. # Two years ago Rabble and Mungatoon won doubles at Washdyke, and last autumn the Wrecker accomplished the feat. Not one of these horses has won a race since. There is unlikely to be a big field in the next New Zealand Trotting Derby. The race is not to be run until November, but already forfeit has been declared for all except twenty of the youngsters which were nominated. A trip to the Egmont meeting for Hunting Chorus was planned, to be followed by Waikato and Auckland, but the nominations for Waikato were missed. Hunting Chorus will now race at South Canterbury as a preliminary to the Great Northern Hurdles. Zincall £2164, Marlene £2lOO, Gold Bar £1785, Dusky Sound £1726, Peter Smith £1645, Gold Chief £1625, Nelson Eddy £1264. Molly Direct £l6lO, and Great Divide £1605 were on top of the pacers’ list for the first nine months of the current season. Gold Chief has won most among the three-year-olds. Fifty-seven horses by Jack Potts have won 108 races to date this season, and 24 others have earned place money. Their aggregate winnings since August 1 amount to £26,061. Last season the progency of the American horse won 122 races and £31,467 in prize money. Gold Bar. possibly the fastest pacer in the Dominion, is on 4.32 in the main event at Forbury. In consequence there are only seven acceptors. Gold Bar has not been immaculate in consistency, but he will cripple speculation, on the win totallsator, and it would be rank folly -taUack anything against him. ' Among several other young horses that have recently been placed under the care of R. 8. Bagby at Ellerslie is a rising two-year-old full brother to High Caste, by Bulandshar from The Begum. The newcomer is a fine individual, although not as big and massive as High Caste was at the same age. P. Atkins, who has secured racing stables in Hastings, has received the young horses, Cheddington, a three-year-old by Phaleron Bay from Silver Rule, and Worton, a three-year-old by Beau Fere from Vervain, from Mr H. W. Gaisford, Orlngl. It has not been announced, however, that Atkins intends to abandon race-riding entirely for training. As an eight-race programme was provided for the Waikato Trotting Club's meeting on Saturday the totallsator will open only once for the two divisions of the Eureka Handicap. Owing to the limited number of numerals on the totallsator a number of horses in the divisions will be bracketed, in addition to those racing in similar interests or from the same stable.

The distinction of winning two good steeplechases lately with horses who were having their first start over country belongs to the Papatoetoe trainer, J. J.. Goodwin, who won at Ellerslie with Rey Lu and at Pukekohe with Selwyn. Goodwin believes in having his jumpers well schooled and the virtue of this is borne out by the good form shown by Rey Lu and Selwyn, who should achieve more success.

The distance of the Waverley Steeplechase was advertised at about two miles (Rules of Racing say that no steeplechase must be under two miles), but judging by the time recorded the Waverley two miles must be a little short. Talenta won the Hack Cup over a mile at the rate of about 13Jsecs to tlie furlong, yet Hornpipe over an extra mile with 201 b more on his back than the Tlderace» filly and over a dozen fences was credited with about 14lsecs to the furlong.

The Hawera country is not big, but it affords steeplechasers so early in the season a very acceptable run in preparation for future events. Many good horses have started their steeplechase season at the Egmont meeting, including Clarion Call, Aurora Borealis, Makeup, Copey, Nukumai, Omeo, Brigadier Bill, Tukei, Passin’ Thru, Sir Roseberry and the diminutive Dick and the winners among the hurdlers there in the past have included El Gallo, Omahu, Brigadier Bill and Mister Gamp.

The Te Rapa trainer, M. Stewart, has a strong combination. Young Parry, Crucible and Grand Dame, in the Waikato Handicap. Crucible and Grand Dame have won at two miles, and Young Parry may also prove a good stayer. He is a half-brother to the Auckland Trotting Cup winner Carmel and The Abbey, winner of many races at the distance. Crucible is a young improver who may reach a high standard. Stargum has been racing consistently at all distances, and he demonstrated his staying powers when narrowly beaten in the Cambridge Summer Handicap by Ropata. Stargum made amends by winning the shorter President’s Handicap and was placed in the Henderson Handicap last month at Epsom. Club King was second to Agility in the Taranaki Cup and, improved with racing on the West Coast circuit, ran a dead-heat with Kete Kura in the Henderson Handicap at Auckland. The race looks open, but Crucible. Stargum, and Club King may be fancied.