RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22670, 25 August 1943, Page 6

RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

True Range, topweight in the Otago Hunt Cup, is to be given a spell. Royal Lancer has resumed work at Invercargill, with a view to another attempt io win the New Zealand Cup. The winter scale of weights does not operate after August 31. and the 7.7 minimum in hack races and 7.0 minimum in the two principal flat races each day, will be reverted to. F. Smith, leading trainer of gallopers last season, made a good start for the new term by winning with Balfron and Representative at the Pakuranga meeting. H. N. Wiggins, who has been engaged as first jockey for the stable, piloted both. From the point of view of time, Manian’s trot of 3.33 3-5 for 13 furlongs was relatively the best effort at Addington last Saturday. It was equivalent to about 3.16 for a mile and a half. The race record for this distance is Worthy Queen’s 3.14 1-5. In the Tally-Ho Handicap at the Otago Hunt meeting. Bashful Lady has one pound less than she carried to victory in the Islington Handicap. The minimum in the Tally-Ho Handicap, however, is 141 b lower, and Paladeo, third in the Islington Handicap, drops 101 b. Although the handicappers were different, the weights for the Taranaki Hunt Cup were almost a replica of those for the Pakuranga race. Huirangi Sun cannot be rehandicapped, while Forest Glen is sure to be raised a few pounds. Huirangi Sun is entitled to rank as favourite if he starts at Hawera. During his trip to Melbourne in quest of the Cup, The Joker will race in the nomination of Mr F. J. Fay, of Dunedin, who recently purchased Kiloney. A lease from Mr J. A. Brown from August 14 to November 30 has been registered. Backers were divided in their opinions regarding the Four-year-old Trotting Stakes, four horses being evenly supported. It will be the same in connection with the Four-year-old Stakes fpr pacers. Volusta, Trusty Scott, Captain Morant and Nola Scott, and Scottish Lady are likely to dispute favouritism. There will be support also for In the Mood, Lucky Gem and Golden Shadow. A member of the Trotting Association has expressed the opinion that the Metropolitan Trotting Club acted illegally in balloting horses out of its Maiden Handicap, and that owners' affected have a claim against the Club. The committee is not likely to be perturbed at this. The advertised conditions included a clause that if the acceptors for each division exceeded 19 starters would be balloted for, and entries were made on that understanding. Apart from that the Rules of Trotting, like the Rules of Racing, empower a club to refuse any entry or prevent any horse which is an acceptor from starting, “if they think it is in the best interests of trotting,” without assigning any reason. The Dominion’s richest hunters’ race, the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, ended sensationally, in a reversal of the judge’s placings and the suspension of R. Beale. Huirangi Sun passed the post a nose in front of Forest Glen, but the stewards reversed the placings owing to interference. When The Dozer, who was going well in front, fell at the fourth to last fence, Huirangi Sun was left in command by seven lengths from Forest Glen, and so they raced down the hill. Huirangi Sun lost a little of his advantange when he struck hard at the stone wall at the foot of the hill, and shortly afterward he was tackled by Forest Glen. Before the last jump Huirangi Sun began boring out on Forest Glen, and in the run home he carried him out practically to the outside fence. Gar Vaals plodded on for a moderate third, and Bisquit, who tired a long way from home, was fourth.