ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21994, 20 June 1941, Page 8

ON AND OFF THE TRACK

A Budget Of News And Views Racing June 21—Waipa R.C. June 21.—Ashburton County R.C. June 21. 23— Manawatu R.C. June 28 —Dannevlrke Hunt, .’■jne 28—Oamaru J.C The Auckland pacer Tangaroa is to come south to join Bayard in F. C. Dunlevey’s stable at Addington. The cnly meetings—racing or trot--ting—calendared for July in tire South Island are the Hunt fixtures at Waimate and Washdyke. The Sydney Cup winner Contact has arrived at Plrongia, and will do stud work there next season. Contact Is by imported MarConigram. Anlni could not accept for Awapuni as she carries two largely swollen hind legs where she banged the post and I rail and the sod wall last Saturday in | the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. I Owners of mudlarks who were look- | ing forward to soft going at Ashburton l are likely to be disappointed. MidCanterbury missed the bad weather experienced further north, and the track should be good to-morrow. It is not common to find a field composed almost entirely of mares, but nine of the 10 acceptors in the Havelock Handicap at Hastings were of that sex. The exception was Dark Water, who ran second. Owing to the Gore trainer W. A. Thomas being called up for service, four of his team—Gold Bank, Embargo. Crown Peak and Direct Bell—have been handed over to J. Fraser, jr„ who is now located at Ashburton. Centrepoise ran another good race against the sprinters at Hastings, finishing fourth. It was a good effort for a stayer, and he pulled up all right. Centrepoise will contest the main handicaps at Trentham, a course on which he has previously shown good form. While the ruling of the Conference that Mr G. H. Paul's application for a gentleman rider’s certificate had not been granted stood,'Norse was ineligible for entry jn any race, and dropped out of the Achilles Plate at Dunedin. The disability having been removed, Norse has been nominated for Oamaru. Trotting clubs have finished for the season, and it is left to racing clubs to provide harness events for the remainder of the term. Only six such races remain before July 31—two at Ashburton, two at Oamaru, one at Waimate, and one at Washdyke. All are for horses in the slow classes. The Australian record for 13 furlongs established last week by the grey gelding Jymjon, who registered 2.412 at Handwick, replaced that made by Gay Crusader at 2.42.1 on the same course in 1937. No races are run over this distance in this country, so there is no New Zealand record for comparison. A surprising acceptance for the Winter Handicap at Ashburton was that of Metric. The Coastei- was weighted only 101 b above the minimum in a hack race, but has been paid up for in an open handicap on relatively a stone worse terms. It is possible that a slip was made somewhere. At the Trotting Conference the president will move a new rule: “In all cases the starter's decision as to whether a proper start has been effected, and as to any other matters in connection with the start shall be final and subject to no appeal.” If adopted, this will bring trotting into line with racing on this point. The Germans have not bombed the spirit out of English owners and breeders. Entries for the classics for 1942 are as big as ever, and among the nominators are the King, Lord Derby. Lord Glanely. Lord Astor. Lord Rosebery, Duke of Westminster, Duchess of Norfolk. Miss Dorothy Paget and other prominent owners.

Kobi now races in the colours of W. M. McKinnon, who had the misfortune to lose Curie recently. These two horses were gifts from Mi’ Frank Ormond, for whom McKinnon has trained for many years, but they were made sales by the exchange of 10/- on each occasion. Curie won nearly £2OOO for McKinnon.

Lists of world pacing records published in America do not include Lawn Derby’s 1.59 2-5, probably because nobody has taken the trouble to supply authentic particulars to American authorities .and perhaps because some New Zealanders have developed a foolish habit of claiming all manner of records. Lawn Derby’s mile was accomplished under rigid conditions at the headquarters of harness racing, and it is a pity it has not secured recognition in U.S.A.

There is a strong class of jumpers engaged in the Rangatira Hurdles on the opening day of the Manawatu meeting. Foxiana, Mataroa, Great Quex and Travail are ail recent winners. Then there are Tidewaiter, W’ho fell at the first obstacle in the Great Northern Hurdles; Limbohm. Grand National Hurdles winner, who should be improved by recent racing; Segra, who should appreciate the drop in weight, and a promising recruit to hurdling, Majority.

Gay Fox had his first race as a hurdler at Hastings, and he won, but had to survive an inquiry for he hung out badly, in the straight and earned Malacca with him. Gay Fox gave a good display for a novice jumper and should make good in the role. Most likely he will be reserved for the hack hurdle events at Trentham. Recently he was purchased by Mr T. D. Cameron, of Masterton. from Mr W. Devon, who is now in Australia, but he remains under the care of A. Jenkins at Opaki. Survoy will be scanned with interest it he appears at Ashburton. Since he won the Wellington Steeplechase two years ago, a run in, a sprint race at Washdyke in April marked his sole appearance, so that his jumping form is slipping from memory. The chestnut gelding won four jumping races cn end alter capturing the Champion Hack Handicap at Riverton. At Ashburton with 9.0 he ran 3.9 3-5 over hurdles, and won again at Washdyke. Then followed victories in the Great Northern and Wellington Steeplechases and retirement. He has been in work more than once since then, but only once has he been to the races.

About £250,000 worth of.. British blocdstock was imported to the United States during 1941. Some of the best lines were represented, and the influence on American racehorses is likely to be beneficial. Nobody seems to offer an adequate explanation why It has been necessary for other racing countries to replenish their blood from the original source, but nobody questions the need. An American authority recently put the matter thus: “About 15 per cent of every generation of breeding stock has been imported, and in three generations this 15 per cent manages to monopolise 60 per cent of the pedigrees of the best horses.”

In connection with the Gloucester Cup race, it should be stated that no protest against Norse was entered by anyone interested in other placed horses, and that none of them has been associated with the proceedings. The inquiry, instituted by officials, was under wav long before other owners were aware that anything was amiss. The disqualification of Norse was an almost automatic one, in view of information from the Conference that no certificate had been granted to Mr G, H Paul. It is understood that affirmation of this from the same source was responsible for the non-acceptance of Norse for the Achilles Plate at Dunedin.

The National All Aged Stakes (li miles), on the same conditions as the race at Easter, and the August Free-for-AlI (11 miles) are feature events on the August programme at Addington. An innovation is the Metropolitan Four-year-old Stakes (li miles), obviously designed to attract this season's rich crop of three-year pacers. AU these events are worth £5OO. In the National Stakes, three-year-olds are to start from scratch, four-year-olds off 24 behind, and older horses off 36 behind. In the Four-year-old Stakes, winners of one classic race will be penalised 12 yards, and of two classic races 24 yards, “classics” being defined to include free-for-alls and handican-fcr-age races. For aU three races, the committee reserves the right to select (immediately after final payments) the horses that are to start.

American sports people are usually such good advertisers that it is surprising to learn that the latest published'lists of race records give Little Pat 2.12 (pacer) and Rosalind 2.124 (trotter) credit for the fastest times for 14 miles. These times were gross, no deductions being made for yards behind, a plan adopted by some Australian States. Little Pat started from 60 yards behind, and in New Zealand would be credited with 3.7. Rosalind gave away 80 yards, and by our reckoning registered under 3.6. Rosalind is the mare who last year trotted 1.58 S (flying start) in double harness with Greyhound. Little Pat 1.58 S stepped 2 6:1 at two years, 1.59 J at three. 1.582 at four (a competition record for a gelding). He has 89 times broken 1?.5 on half-mile tracks, sometimes from barrier starts.