Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16846, 23 September 1922, Page 11

Racing and Trotting

Note* by “Argus.”

Id transpires than the -mishap which caused Rouen to be withdrawn from the Wanganui and Avondale engagements was caused by a thorn getting into one of his legs. The son of Bezonian is improving, and will probably be seen out at the Wellington Racing Club's Spring Meeting. The secretary of the Otahulm Trotting Club has received a request from the Minister of Internal Affairs, through Mr H. F. Nicoll, the president of the New Zealand Trotting .Association, asking for particulars ot the .<,'441 appearing in the balance sheet against Racing Commission. Full particulars and vouchers have been forwarded, says an Auckland writer, and it is generally considered that the amount iu question is a most reasonable one under the circumstances. A northern writer states that of late owners have been complaining of the tendency of a number of clubs to go a bit over the limit, in respect to acceptance fee®, and this is a question that those concerned should give the most earnest consideration. At the present time the 10 per cent Government tax is pressing very hardly on owner®, and even if it is deemed necessary to cutdown the. stake money the first endeavour should be to make the racing as cheap as possible. Many owners are feeling the pinch, and anything clubs are able to do to help things along in the matter of nominations and acceptance should be done, or numbers will be eventually compelled to retire from the sport. The ex-New Zealand, horseman H. Gray had an exciting experience in England at the recent Lewes meeting on a horse named Troika, on which ho won the Welter Handicap. Writing of the occurrence an English writer says:—“Troika is nob an ideal mount by any means, and in the Welter Handicap he made his eleventh appearance of the season. No fewer than six jockeys have been unsuccessful on him, but the New Zealand rider. Gray, managed to coax him into doing his best, and he won after a good race with the outsider. Fiddlebaek, and Heather Cross. Troika made every yard of the running and won by half a length. He used to bo under the care of Tabor, but the son of Torioisk had so repeated! v disappointed the Epsom * trainer that ho sold him to Mr F. J. Benson. Hector Gray had an exciting experience. as he could not stop the horse after passing the post, and in the result. Troika jumped the rails and a fence before pulling up. ASHBURTON RACES. FTRST BAY’S SPORT. The spring racing campaign in the South Island was opened yesterday, with the first day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting. The weather was warm but a strong wind proved somewhat unpleasant. There was an average attendance and though the totalisator figures. £13,042 10s, showed a drop of £1424 compared with the first day of last- year’s meeting, they were very satisfactory in view of there being no holiday yesterday. Good fields contested most of the events and the sport was full of interest, gaining additional importance from its bearing on more important events ahead. Proceedings opened -with the Penscroft Hurdle Handicap. The withdrawal of Golden Prince. Pomposo, Kauwhero and Oalma left a field of seven, Falstaff being a warm favourite, with Mazama, Bellrock, Mandrake and Likelihood in fairly even demand among the others. Backers were well on the spot, as Falstaff took charge at the start and stayed there all the way. He had several of his rivals in . close attendance, but they never had the top weight doing his beet and he won very easily. There was a great battle for second place. Likelihood staying on well to beat Mandrake by a neck. Falstaff was bred at the Shipley Stud in Victoria, being by Comedy King from Petruvia, by Stepniak—R anee Niina, by St George—Watersprite. so that he comes from a. good branch 4if a very famous New Zealand family. As a yearling Falstaff was purchased by Mr G. 1). Greenwood for 210 guineas, but lie did not come up to expectations. He was then sold to Messrs Riddiford Brothers, and J. W. Lowe tried him over hurdles. The results were not satisfactory and lie was passed on again. Last season he did some racing on the West Coast and in the winter T. H. Gillett had him back at the hurdle game. He showed useful form at Wingatui in June and a month later he ran well at, Trentharn. The field he beat yesterday was made up of moderates. but the stylish manner in which he won gained him many admirers. Likelihood ran a sound race and he may gel a stake shortly, but he is never likely to reach top class. Mandrake kept closer to the loaders than usual but as a natural result he had no great finishing, run. Bellrock went all right in the early stages hut failed to stay. Mazama has no liking for the jumping game, but he got round safely. Sonny was in second place when ho fell, six furlongs from home, while Allevne. a six-year-old mare by Masterpiece. ialied off from the start. A field of twelve contested the Braemar Welter Handicap.. Linden, High Heels and Horatius being withdrawn. Jazz wa- n good favourite. Red Gown (coupled with Carmine) being second choice, with Counter-Stroke next, carrying just half as much money as Jazz. Tbestius pursued his usual tactics by jumping < it in front and. trying to win all thj wav. He had Counter Attack and - zz as his nearest attendants in the car stages, with Oounterstroke nc the head of the others, while at the home turn Rod Gown also moved up. Tbestius was still well clear at the entrance to the straight and looking a certain winner. Over the last furlong, however, lie- stopped badly and f'ounLerstroke, gradually wearing him down, won f.v a short neck. Counter .Attack was three lengths away, with Red Gown, Kilkeo and Jazz next. O-.-ur.torstroke carried bis big weight veil and staved out the journey in good style. He- was a long time getting out >f hack class but he looks a useful we! • :er horse, though never likely to shine n any better company. Thestiue is as speedy a,s ever and onlv us wind troubles have kept him from winning good races. Counter Attack looks well and as he is now racing very solidljr ho should soon be among the winners. Red Gown ran a decent race, and die should be worth keeping in mind. Kilkee vfts finishing fast but be never looked like a winner at any stage. Jazz had every chance, as he was one of the leaders from the rise of the harrier. but he faded out on reaching the straight. It looks as if lie needed things his own .way. Old Geld was never prominent at any sts-ccc of the journey-

h Marti! was withdrawn from the Tina ; wald Handicap, leaving a field of - j «ight. Royal Mac wound up a little Z ; better favourite than Some Kid. f i Royal Mac led Some Kid from the - harrier, with Songbird anS Silent- King :i ! handy, while Royal Star soon dropped | to the rear. There was not much j j change till the straight was reached, | - where Songbird and Some Ivid moved j ii up to Royal Mac, the trio fighting out I , a great finish. Over the last fifty j - yards, however, Songbird gradually as- j r serted himself and he heat Royal Mac j f by a neck, with Some Kid half a | e length away. Bonnie Winkio was ur. j 1 the head of the others. Songbird’s performance was full of ! l merit, as he carried his big load like a a tradesman, finishing very strongly. He. J looks a bit on the big side yet. and f from appearances he is going to win a j lot more good races this -season. Up to j e a mile, in fact, he will have to be reck- 1 ? or.ed with in the be-gt- handicap com- I i pany. Royal Mae showed plenty of speed, ’ t but just failed to see the journey out. fc Some Kid ran. well and he may win j t ■ soon, as the race is likelv to improve ic him. :1 Bonnie Winkio was not prominent j t early, but lie was running on at the | - end and his turn will come soon, over j s a longer journey. q Royal Star i.s» another who will be j s seen to greater advantage over a. stay- i i er'ti course. In this race they went too ! _ fast for him. 1 The Wingatui trio. Silent King, T.in_ J i den and Twinkle, were the outsider® of j the field, but they will do better later j on. , There were eleven starters for the j , Allenton Hack Handicap, Lucid, Blasses j g and Timepiece being scratched. Lover sign was a strong favourite, while of j j? the others The Reaver. Lord Leslie, i Many Kittle (coupled with ’Frisco i Maid) and Horatius were evenly gup- | Z portejl. ! Many Kittle was first to break the j line but Lovesign soon ran past and ; ’ she led Many Kittle and Moorland to j tlie homo turn, where Dame Strait-lace ’ and Lord Leslie were both going well ! ° behind the front lot. Love-sign lost a ' lot of ground through running wide on the bend, leaving Many Kittle in j charge, and going on in good style, he i ’ won easily by a length from Lovesign, j r Dame Straitlace, finishing well, was*a j length further back, followed by Horn- j tins and Matata. 3 The winner is a three-year-old by j Winkio from Boniform’s Sister. Sing- j 1 low. Ho won a small race last season j but be has come on nicly during the ! last few weeks and now gives promise of ' being a useful stake earner. He j is speedy but he has still to demon- j stratc that he can stay. Lovesign is a -speedy filly, but as she ? is by Nassau from a sister to Bon Spec this is not a. matter for surprise. Had j she taken the shortest way home she : j might have made matters interesting ; 1 for Many Kittle. i Dame Straitlace ran a good race and ! . she looks certain to pay her way this j \ season. t The Reaver was fourth but well be- > hind the placed trio and none of the j r others showed up at the finish, r Moorland went fast for half a mile ! and then faded out. i TJnio collided with the fence after j . going about a furlong and fell. It ; was found that he had broken a shoul- i der and ho was destroyed. His rider, ! _ C. M’Gregor, escaped with minor in- j . juries. Before the start of this race j E. J. Ludlow was suspended for the j * remainder of the day for failing to j keep an engagement to ride Unio. r A field of eighteen lined up for the Selma Trot Handicap. Liberate was a i . good favourite, but half a dozen others j i also came in for solid support. There were a' dozen horses on the j limit but most of them went off badly ! ‘ and before a furlong had been covered j Dolly Doyle was in the lead. with j j Lady Michael and Plywood as her near- • j est attendants. Half a mile from home Dram bin and Liberate were chas- 1 j ing Dolly Doyle but she always had a bit in reserve and she beat Liberate j » comfortably by half a length, with j Drambiu, who was not driven out, a moderate third. Dolly Doyle is an aged mare by F. E. Bells and she has a good t-urn of speed, which should enable her to win again. Liberate was unlucky, as ho did not j j go off well and he put up a fine per- ; formance to finish where he did. Drambin showed- a lot of speed and was unlucky to bump against such a smart pair as the two who beat him. ! Later on he should catch a race. Lady Michael went fast in the early ■ L stages and it looked as if she was very ’ unlucky not- to finish in the money. She should pay for following. The Alford Hack Welter Handicap attracted a field of sixteen. Warhue i a and Warhaven divided favouritism. : with Goldspinner and Wink also well j 1 backed. \\ ink was out in front early, with i * Marauder, Warhue and Headlong handy, Goldspinner being one of • the last to move. On reaching the straight Goldspinner had joined the front lot j and a good finish seemed in prospect, j when Boadicea came along on the out- i side and won easily. -Wink just beating ! * Goldspinner for second place, with ; Roniform. Warhue, Headlong and i First Aid. almost in line, close up. Boadicea, a four-year-old mare by i Clareneeux from Peronilla, by Achilles j —Prelude, showed speed in more than i 1 me race last sea-son, and she is going j to be useful. Her success yesterday | came as a surprise, as there seemed an j idea that she was not at her best yet. : Wink carried her weight- well and ran a solid race, she looks like being I ' an early * Goldspinner, a three-year-old by Nas- : sau—Signal and thus a half brother to ’ Bon Spec, was very unlucky. With * anytning like a decent run he could \ not have been beaten. Warhue ran a fair race but Wnrhavon was never prominent. There were twelve starters f--r ] Trial Plate. Mr J. Grigg’s- bracket j (Ardom and Divination) carried a lit- I tie more money, than Bluff, while Con- { tempt and Wharfedale- also had plenty j E of admirers. Winkie’?, Mission was first out j 8 but she did not last- long. Then Bar- i B maid took charge, leading Contempt ! * and Ardom to the home turn, where she was in trouble. Once in the ° straight Wharfedv'-o «--«n*ie -with a strong 1 run and a great finish saw Contempt, g Aa-dom and Wharfedale finish practi- j i cally in line, the verdict being in the -■ order named. After a gap came Bluff, i f Barmaid and Warseen, at the head of a i strung out field. j Contempt is a three-year-old filly ! \ Bonny Glen from Lady EhVbi.in. so j ■ that she is a sister to Disdainful and j - Scornful and a h«tf sister too Bee. Snub j - and Bluff. She is a smart galloper, as j J she showed more than once last season i ( and she is likely to win more races j * this season. Ardom. by Gay Lad from Mettle, is j j a useful sort and a. credit to her young j - sire, who is-getting a great chance at j. > the stud. .

Wharfedale was unlucky. If he had | gone off the mark smartly he would ! have won, but his turn will come later ! on. Bluff never looked like a winner and he must be marked off a® a bad race- | horse. A field of seven contested the Spring S Handicap. It was a good betting race, ! with Limelight, Battle Scene and Sunny Look fancied in thai order. Sunny Loch began well and he was j in close attendance on Martis to the j ; straight, where they were joined by 1 I Martis and Limelight, the last ! named mare having got off badly. In i tiie run home Limelight went on to win easily, but there was an exciting • j finish for the places, only the judge j being able to say that Sunny Loch had : | beaten Mantua, and that M.artis was j { fourth. | Limelight possesses a fine turn of : j speed arid though she may never do well under a big weight, she looks cer- j I tain to win plenty of money this sea- j j Sunny Loch is not thoroughly wound : ji but ho should soon be among the i | winners. ; Martis showed plenty of speed and j ; he looks like being a useful three-vear-j oW -