RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23115, 1 February 1945, Page 2

RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Some North Otago trainers who intended to race horses at Winton missed the nomination date.

Signal Officer is back in work at Invercargill. He is to be prepared for the Riverton Cup. Jack o’ Lantern and -Pocket Flash are both to run in the Winton Steeplechase. Sal has been showing renewed signs of soreness in work, and may not get to the post at Winton. There will be racing on Saturday at Winton, Blenheim, Matamata, and Wairoa and trotting at Trentham. The Trial Stakes at Winton is run on an “all 8.0” basis. In a handicap Llnloch would be top-weight and probably will start favourite. Foxchase is to return to the South Island, and will carry the colours of Mr D. McFarlane, Christchurch.

H. N. Wiggins has returned by air to his home in Auckland, but following medical advice will do no race riding for a month. His next meeting will tie Te Aroha.

Lord Advocate is to make another trip to Trentham in March, and may go oh to Ellerslie for the Easter Handicap. One of the five yearlings bought by Stan Reid at Trentham is to go to Ceylon. The ex-New Zealander was runner-up in the bidding for the 3001 gns. Foxbridge-Ann Acre colt. Artificer again beat Coronaire (Great Northern Derby winner) in the Takapuna Cup, and apparently is the best staying three-year-old in the North'

Airdrie, who won a steeplechase at the Grand National meeting when in E. J. Ellis’s stable, has broken down at Wingatui.

Eligible for 21 races during the three days at Trentham, W. J. Broughton had 20 rides without landing a winner. On top of that bad run comes a month’s suspension at Auckland. Native Scott is to have his next race at Auckland, in the Otahuhu Handicap at the end of next week. The little pacer will be in warm demand. Dr J. E. Rogers has sold Southern Sail to Mr D. H. Blackie, who will use her at the stud he proposes to establish in Auckland Province. Southern Sail, daughter of that good mare Set Sail, won the Dunedin Cup three years ago.

On the final day of the National Sales the active members of Mr M J Moodabe’s team were offered, but three of them, Whackie, Majestic and Desert Victory, failed to reach the reserve. They have since been sold to Mr E. B. Rawlings, of Christchurch, and the h . ol i®, es wtH ’inter C. H. Humphries’s stable at Riccarton. The r,ew owner of the two-year-old Lord Coronach is Mr N. Simpson (Auckland), secretary of the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association. After racing the colt Mr Simpson will use him as a sire.

While Mr J. M. Paul, of Hastings, was securing 1550 guineas—a New Zealand record for a filly—for the Robin Goodfellow-Sunny Maid yearling at Trentham, he had the misfortune to lose the riiare, who died during his absence. Te Hinemoa was a long way back commencing the last five furlongs in the Takapuna Cup, and she was not prominent until the straight was entered. At one stage Water Vixen and Royal Merit had a lead of 10 lengths from their nearest competitor, and a much longer one from Te Hinemoa. who finished fast and won going away. Good horses in Auckland are required to carry more lead than is usual in this island. Lord Chancellor was given 10.2 in the Takapuna Cup. Te Hinemoa won with 9.9, and is due for 10.0 or more in a similar type of race. Landveyor was not nominated, but he beat Te Hinemoa at level weights in the A.R.C. Handicap, and would have had 9.13 or thereabouts. Lou Rosa was 41b below Lord Chancellor in the Auckland Cup, and on that basis would have had 9.12 or thereabouts in the Takapuna Cup. Racecourse records are an interesting feature of the sport, but they are not always entitled to the same respect as those associated with some other sports. This appears particularly to sprint races. Silver Scorn’s 1.9 2-5 can be cited. The Riccarton “six” is mostly down grade, and the filly had the assistance of a strong nor’-wester. There was one timekeeper, situated threequarters of a mile from the starting barrier. Before a runner-can be credited with a Dominion sprint record, the Association demands a certificate from three timekeepers using certified watches, and one from a surveyor that the track is level and has been accurately measured. On top of this evidence it is required that the runner received no assistance from wind. Racingrecords are not an infallible guide to class. It is noteworthy that the list of Australian records does not include the names of Phar Lap, High Caste, Ajax, Peter Pan, Gloaming, Heroic, Amounts, and other real champions. Neither can the names of Gloaming, Limerick. Beau Vite and horses of their ilk be found in the New Zealand list. Even Kindergarten’s one record is shared with Smoke Screen and Sir Beau. Ip athletics records are held only by those who reach the heights.