RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23288, 25 August 1945, Page 7

RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

First race at Addington at 11.17. It is expected that High Play and Immediate will sail for Sydney within the next day or two. Al-Sirat will start his three-year-old campaign in the Wanganui Guineas with W. J. Broughton as his rider. Dinero, one of D. Teahen’s pair in the Addington Stakes, is bred to trot. He is by Quite Sure from Enigma. At one time the Australian Hurdle Race was run over four miles. This year the distance had contracted to 2 miles 5 furlongs. A week before Tente won the Australian Steeplechase, he ran a deadheat at Moone< Valley with Quixotic, who just previously had won the Grand National. For the Inst two years the Dunedin Jockej' Club raced on Boxing Day and the first Saturday after New Year, with an interval of about 10 days between. This season the summer meeting dates are Boxing Day (December 26) and December 29. Jockeys are not the best judges ii} the world, but the fact that D. Munro is considering rides on Sleepy F OX , and that W. Cook has contracted to ride Typhoon, suggests that they do not rate Australian horses highly. There are no better horsemen in Sydney than these two. At Takanini early in the week the three-year-old White Blaze had her first gallop since a very serious illness. She jumped out smartly and pulled up well. Findon is reported to have developed trouble in a hock, and the outlook for the big grey is not bright. War Guard was bred by Mr B. Grice, but did all his early racing in the north lor Mr A. J. Corrigan, who passed him on to Mr H. Bull, of Auckland. Until recently he was trained at Te Rapa by M. Stewart, out now is in T. Rodgers’ stable at Epsom. Brookly Song had had no previous experience as a jumper when he won the Hunters' Steeplechase at the Pakuranga meeting, but he is bred for the business. A five-year-old. he is by Hunting Song from Hulomee, a mare with Birkenhead blood.

Cabin Boy is rather a problem for punters. Some little time ago he was bitten on the nose bj’ another horse and one of his nostrils was not working effectively. This may have been the cause of his failure to respond in the last round a week ago. Brackets on the totalisator at Addington to-day will be:—lmprovers’ Handicap; Sir Raymond and Frances Easton. Queen Marj- Handicap: Golden Shadow and Poppotunoa; Punctual and Scottish Lady. Addington Stakes: Dinero and Sure Gift. National Handicap: Ned Worthy and Indian Clipper. Advance Handicap: Gallant Chief and Highland Scott: Claremorris and Sea Born. Avon Handicap: Steel King and Rangefinder. Metropolitan Stakes: Renown’s Pride and Worthy Gold. Lightning Handicap: Claremorris and Sea Born; Ned Worthy and Indian Clipper.

The proposal to run the Melbourne Cup on its old date —the first Tuesday in November—does not necessarily imply that the Government is yet ready to restore mid-vzeek racing. Until the coal and transport position improves racing may still be restricted to Saturdays and holidays. If it is agreed hold the Melbourne Cup on the Tuesday, the position will probably be met by gazetting that day as a public holiday. Even when restrictions are no longer necessary, it is not certain that proprietary clubs will be allowed to race in mid-week. The restoration of the stake for the Melbourne Cup to 610.000 will not

strain the resources of the V.R.C.. indeed the need for a reduction to £7OOO and £7500 was never apparent. Last year the prize was only £6OO more than that for the Caulfield Cup The “Victory" prize of £lO.OOO is a long way from a record for the race. At one time all entry and acceptance fees were added to the £lO,OOO stake; now the club retains these and pays out £lO.OOO net. When Bitalli won in 1923 the gross amount was £13.288. of which the winner received £10.238 (£7OOO plus £2BB'. Carbine’s Cup was worth £13.230 (winner £10.230): and Windbag'S £13.215 (Winner £10.215). There is a possibility that before long a Royal Commission mav be hearing evidence in favour of the establishment of an ofi-the-ccurse betting organisation, to cater for people who now operate in the illegal startingprice market: and in favour of the licensing of bookmakers. The same position arose in South Australia some years ago. with’ the result that licensed betting shops were legalised. It is interesting to recall that, one of the arguments which swayed the Assembly to favour the shops instead of totalisator agencies, was that big dividends would entice more people to bet. This- was interesting, as it was based on the promise that the totalisator bet better prices than the bookmakers. Red Leader, who had a few races in lumping events, without showing much form, has left A. McMillian's stable and he will be used as a lady’s hack. Palm Bearer, the Coronach two-year-old in F. D. Jones’s stable, is on the easy list, while he recovers from a cold. Her owner has decided not to hurr.v her. and she will not. be tightened up for spring' racing.

Addington Prospects Last Saturday’s racing and a week of fine weather should have improved the condition of many horses, but competitors prenared inside the snowstorm area will stili be at a disadvantage. A fast track is anticipated at Addington to-day, and the following may be fancied: — Improvers’ Handicap: Sir Raymond, Loyal Chief, Jeeves. Queen Mary Handicap: Cameronian, Imperial Lady. Golden Shadow. Addington Stakes: Casabianca, David Dryden. Sure Gift. National Handicap: Knave of Diamonds. War Guard. Cabin Boy. Advance Handicap: Scott Axworthy, Claremorris, Dundee Sandy. Avon Handicap: Forewarned, Fantom, Steel King. Metropolitan Stakes: Josie Dell, Jack’s Son. Czardas. Lightning Handicap: Dusky Sound, Watcher, Sabu.