Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17031, 3 May 1923, Page 2

Racing and Trotting

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FIXTURES. May 4, s—Marlborough Racing Club. May s—Thamm Trotting Club. May 5, 7—Forbury Park Trotting Club. May 9, 10—Kgmont Racing Chib. May 11, 12—.Ashburton County Racing Club. May 17, 19— ‘Wanganui Jockey Club. May 20, 26—Oainaru Jockey Club. June -2, 4—Otaki Maori Racing Club. June 2, 4—Canterbury Park Trotting Club. June 2, 4. 6 —Dunedin Jockey Club. June 2, 4. 6—Auckland Racing Club. June 4—South Wairarapa Trotting Club. NOMINATIONS. May 4—Forbury Park Trotting Club (Trotting Stakes, 1924). May B—Oaraaru Jockey Club. May 10—Canterbury Park Trotting Club. May 30—South Wairarapa Trotting Club. May 11—Auckland Racing Club. May 11—Dunedin Jockey Club. May 11—Otaki Maori Racing Club. HANDICAPS. May 4—Wanganui Jockey Club. May 31—Wanganui Jockey Club. May 31—. Auckland Racing Club. May 15—Oamaru Jockey Club. May 17—South Wairarapa Trotting Club. May 21—Canterbury Park Trotting Club. May 21—Dunedin Jockey Club. May 21—Auckland Racing Club. May 22—Otaki Maori Racing Club. ACCEPTANCES. May 4—-Ashburton County Racing C-lub. May 4—Egmont Racing Club. May 14—Wanganui Jockey Club. May 19—Oamaru Jockey Club. May 24—South Wairarapa Trotting Club. May *2s—Auckland Racing Club. May 26—Otaki Maori Racing Club. May 28—Dunedin Jockey Club.

RICCARTON RACES.

The Canterbury Jockey Club has decided on the programme for the Grand National meeting, thus providing further evidence that the jumping season is very near at hand. The cash stakes for the Grand National Steeplechase will remain at £2IOO, but the value of the cup will be increased from £SO to £IOO, a sum which will enable the purchase of a handsome trophy. The club lias adopted the plan of giving cups to’important events, the New Zealand Cup being another race singled out for such treatment, so that, with the trophy attached to the Stead Memorial Cup, it now makes quite a feature of trophies to commemorate important successes. The Jumpers’ Flat Handicap is another event at the Grand National meeting that has come in for attention, the prize money being increased from £250 to £3OO. This is a step in the right direction. The most important changes in the programme, however, are those affecting hunters’ races. The Tally Ho Steeplechase and the Ijongbeach Hunters’ Hurdles have been abandoned, and the programme will now include only two events for 'hunters, these being the Hunters’ Hurdle Handicap on the first day and the Hunt Cup Steeplechase on the second day. There may be a. disj>Qsition, in some quarters, to find fault with this policy, but it has to be remembered that when the Canterbury Jockey Club first gave such prominence to hunters’ events, there were no other opportunities for horses of this class to race. The position is now changed, however, as the Hunt meetings provide plenty of chances for the hunters to race, and the two events remaining in the Grand National programme will enable the best of them to compete for decent stakes at Riccarton. Two flat races will take the place of those that have been dropped. They are a six furlong trial stake, and a nine furlong handicap, the latter for gentlemen riders. It is a matter for some regret to find jumping events being cut out of the Grand National programme, but the changes should be popular with owners as a whole.

Acceptances for handicap events on the first day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting: and entries for the Laglimor Plate will close at five o’clock to-morrow evening. The weather was fine for training operations at Riccarton this morning. The plough, though still heavy, provided fair going for horses doing steady work, but all tlie galloping was done on the number six grass track. Kilfane opened proceedings by sprinting five furlongs in lmin 4see, finishing well. Distant Shot covered six furlongs in lmin 20sec. without be mo- nearly at her top speed, and Purple Spur sprinted home from the three furlong post. Fabrinade sprinted half a mile up the back in olsec. while Moorland and "Wanda went over three furlongs very comfortably. Tatau Tatau reeled off six furlongs by herself in ] min 14 4-ssee, a very attractive gallop.

Meteorite and Trevella were companions in a school over four hurdles. Meteorite outjumped his mate at the first three obstacles, but hit the fourth hard and came down. He cut one of his knees very badly and walked off very lame. It looks as if he will need a good spell. Tressayr had a slight advantage over Pluto at the end of six furlongs run in lmin 17sec, but Pluto covered a io. more ground than his mat's. Boadicea and Jazz w<?re associated over five furlongs. JBoadi oa being a comfortable winner in lmin 4 3-osec. Hineamaru ran five furlongs in lmin 4eec, having a mate over tin- Inst half mile. Palestrina occupied lmin 33 2-osec over seven furlongs. She covered the first half mile at a sound pace bu* was easing up at the finish. Castellan and Sunny I.cch ran six furlongs in lmin 14 3-ssoc, Castellan having bis head in fron. wh*?;, they reached <fcie winning post. Cerberus went once round the hurdles, jumping well, wiin the pace* on all the way. Manawaponga and Falstaff were companions in a strong gallop over a mile, the last six furlongs occupying lmin 22sec. Wink and Ardour sprinted three furlongs in 37 2-ssec, Ardour having an advantage at the end. Oricot and The Reaver were companions in a short sprint, both *,oing well Barmaid narrowly defeased Bor ny Mac over six furlongs, whi_*h they covered in lmin 18 2-ssec. Whipping Boy sprinted live furlongs in lmin 4 4-ssec, and was going on well at the finish.

Clean Sweep and Red W»nk were together at the end of a fivs furlong spin, which occupied lmin 2-ssee. Lord Nagar, Red Gow.i and Pad dington Green were schooled over four hurdles. The pace was solid all through and they jumped well, Lord Nagar beating Red Gown by over a length, with Paddington Green several lengths further back. Telemon is being subjected to a thorough course of schooling. He is improving steadily as a jumper, and he should pay liis way in hurdle races during the next few months. He jumped four hurdles on Wednesday accompanied by Falstaff, who gave a good exhibition. F. Cann, who had a fall while schooling Master Hand over hurdles at Riccarton on Tuesday, was taken to the hospital, where it was found that he had broken a collarbone. This is bad luck for him, with so many jumping events coming on. Sharp Burst was very lame after competing in the Wattle Handicap at the Amberley meeting on Saturday, and lie will require a long rest before any further attempt is made to train him.

Headlong, who until recently has been trained at Riccarton, is now an inmate of W. Warren’s stable at New Brighton. A strong contingent of West Coast horses will shortly be located at Riccartou, with a view' to competing at the Ashburton. Oamaru and Dunedin meetings. Weary Willie and Wharfe-d-ale arrived on Tuesday night, while Prince Ferouz, Counter Attack, Woodrow'. Paphian and Kikini are due to arrive to-night. Canterbury stables will be strongly represented at the Forbuij* Park Trotting Club’s meeting, which will be held on Saturday and Monday. A special train left Christchurch for Dunedin this morning, conveying upwards of forty horses who are engaged at the meeting. The South Canterbury Jockey Club made a .small profit over the recent meeting. The Australian bred gelding Mervotia, who cost his admirers a. lot of money when he was beaten in a hurdle race at the Manawatu meeting, is now being talked about as likely to earn distinction across country. He is looked to race in steeplechases at the Fgmont meeting next week and afterward s at Wa n gam ui. Mr G. M. Currie informed a Wanganui writer that Thespian’s trip to Randwick in the spring was unlikely, but that if he shows the same brilliant form early next season he may go over in the autumn. Bonnie Heather is again in work at Tauherenikau, after being in retirement for about three months.

Nominations for the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s winter meeting will close at noon next Thursday. Great Fun. who figures among the nominations for the hurdle races at the Egmont meeting, is also engaged in the Great Northern Hurdle Handicap, for which lie is one of the short priced division. He is an English-bred horse by Great Sport from Jean’s Folly, the dam of Night Hawk, who won the Doncaster St Leger and who is now at the stud in Australia. Great Fun has not raced in the Dominion, but he won a. three-mile hurdle race before he left England. A sub-committee of the Auckland Racing Club visited Ellers lie last week on a visit of inspection, aiul as a resuit logs are to lie placed in front of some of the steeplechase fences, to make horses stand off further from the obstacles. The tracks and the course proper also came under observation and the report of the sub committee will come before the committee as a whole shortly. The aged Camp Fire horse Depredation. winner of the 1916 Auckland Cup. may be raced again this winter. According to an Auckland report lie is doing light work and plenty of swimVolo, who was acquired by Mr A. E. Tattley at the last Grand National meeting, was very lame after schooling at Ellers lie last week, and it seems that he will be some time yet in making a return of his purchase money. Ngata is a notable omission from the list of nominations lor the Great Northern Hurdle Handicap and Steeplechase. Mr J. Bull has ouly Omahu to represent him. Sixteen horses claim the double engagement in this year’s Great Northerns, the list comprising the following;’ Active, Dick, Explorer, General Advance, Mary Bruce, Mia Bella, Naughty, Omahu, Orange, Passin’ Through. Royal Abbey 7, Sea De il. tSualde. Thiganthu, War Loan andj Whipcord. A notable performance was recorded a,t the Onkapnringa meeting. South Australia, on Easter Monday. when Dei ran won the Great Easter Steeplechase for the fourth time. Good Mark, who has shown useful form in the North Island lately, is a six-year-old gelding by Good Night, a brother to Bon Reve. by Boniforni from the Australian-bred mare Dreamer, by Mostyn from Moorooroo, bv Trenton" from . Nightmare- Good Night was a good looking youngster, but liis race record was confined to a couple of unsuccessful appearances as a tAvo-yea l-old. A two-year-old who figured among the unsuccessful division this season but wbc is expected to play his part attractively next season is Black Ronald, an Australian-bred colt by Magpie from the Maltster mare Maltee, who cost Mr C. Elgar 975g5. It is stated that there is a prospect of Black Ronald running liis first race at three years old in Australia, and. as the A.J.C. Derby is included among the races to; which lie claims engagements, his owner may have some hopes of capturing that valuable race with his colt, who is credited with good looks. It will be pleasing to chronicle an important success for Black Ronald, for Mr Elgar has not so far received much encouragement in his racing ventures At a meeting of the committee ol the Te Aroha Jockey Club it was decided to invite Her Excellency Viscountess Jellicoe to make a nomination or nominations for the “ Herries Memorial Cup,” to be run at the club’s annual meeting in March next. The committee are of the opinion that the Memorial Cup Race will be of interest tc< sportsmer. throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, the late Sir William Herries having so long identified himself with li the sport ol kings,” while the cup to be presented to the owner of the winning contestant will be provided for by reason of the handsome bequest made by Sir William Herries to the Jockey Club, whose patron he was for twenty-one years. It i* hoped that Ralston and Gartmore, owned by her Excellency, will develop handicap form next season and make the visit to Te Aroha. TWO-YEAR-OLD WINNERS. The New Zealand-bred two-year-old, The Monk, has Avon £7BBB in stakes in Australia, this season, an excellent return to the Victorian sportsman. Mr G. Tve. for the outlay of 1200 guineas he made at Wanganui, a little over a year ago, in the purchase of the Absurd—Cowl colt. Though The Mont: has dene so well, liis earnings have tAvice been beaten by n two-year-old in Australia. The list of big tAvo-year-old winners in the Commonwealth is as follows: £ 1916- Thrice, by The Welkin . 8927 1920-21—Furious, by The Welkin . . 7948 1922-23—The Monk, by Absurd . . 7838 1917- Outlook, by The Welkin . . 7349 1915-16—Wolaroi, by Kenilworth . . 7213 3913-14 —Woorak. by Traquair . . 6317 1914-15—Cetigne. by Grafton . . . 5356 3 918-19—Millieme. by Piastre . . 1154

NEW STAND AT RICCARTON

BEST IN NEW ZEALAND. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s new stand at Riccarton, which will be completed in time for the New Zealand Cup meeting, will be the finest- in New Zealand, and will compare favourably with the best in Australia. The first tier of the stand has been in use since the last Grand National meeting, and the second will be used at the same meeting this year. Ihe stand, which is being built to replace the one destroyed by fire in 1917, has a large number of conveniences and no pains have been spared to make it as up-to-date as possible. A large graded nromenade a t its back reaches tip to the second tier. and there are four stairways opening on to the promenade, so that the tier could be emptied of its occupants speedily if the necessity arose. Each tier will seat 2500 people, and in addition to that there will be ample stand ing room. There will be a members’ bar. public bar, and members’ and public luncheon rooms. In addition to cloak rooms for ladies there will be a special retiring room for the Governor’s suite. The Jockey Club is rapidly improving its course and in a comparatively, short time it will be able to hold its own with any in Australasia. The club has purchased a large paddock which will be used for parking motorcars. It is in a. more convenient position than the present place for accoin modating motors because it does not ’ead out to the railway line. This means that the road at the presen* public entrance will be free from motor traffic.

A further improA'ement that the club contemplates in the future is the erection of a fecial stand for owners.

BREEDING OF WINNERS.

LUCK OF THE GAME. A fev- days ago I published a list of high-priced horses and also of sale ring bargains. Following up the sub ject. it is interesting to note the num her of good horses who have been raced by their breeders. There have, of course, been many great disappoint ments among the privately-bred divi sion. but some noteworthy are included in the following list of pri vately-bred horses:— Stakes Won. Trafalgar, bred bv Messrs P and W. Mitchell. Victoria . *. .22 111 Desert Gold, bred by mA T. H. p Lowry, New Zealand . . . 23,133 i-oitrei, bred h-*- Messrs F. and W. Moses, New South Wales 9°o Wolaroi. bred by Mr D. U. Seaton, New South Wales . . . 20,016 * unous. bred by Mr E. E. D. Clarke, Victoria .... 20,000 Prince Foote, bred by Mr J. Baron. New South Wales . . 16 s°o Duke Foote, bred by Mr J. Baron, New South Wales . . . 14,069 Beauford. bred by Mr W. H. M’Kav New South Wales . . 14 050 Cider, bred by Mr Agar Wynne, Victoria . . . ' i3, 80 j Aborcorn. bred by Mr James White, New South Wales 30 731 Malvolio. bred by Mr J. Redfearn.’ Victoria 11 014 Warstep, bred by Mr C. G. Dalgety. r CA X Zealand .... 10.190 Lord Cardigan, bred by Mr J. Mayo. New South Wales . . 10,32-1 Reputation, bred by Mr W. E. Bidwill, New Zealand . . . 9,025 Most of the illustrious winners in the Old Country have been privately bred by the sportsmen tvliose colours they carried, and the following list of nine comprises seven Derby winners:— Stakes Won. £ Esinglass, bred by Mr H. MCalmont 57,455 Donovan, bred by the Duke of Portland 55,153 Flying Fox. bred by the Duke of Westminster .... 40,006 Ayrshire, bred by the Duke of Portland 35.915 Persimmon. bred by the Kiug (Edward VII.) . . . . 34,706 Pretty Polly, bred by Major Loder . 37,597 Orme, bred by the Duke of Westminster » 34,626 Diamond Jubilee, bred by the King (Edward VII.) . . . 29,185 Ormonde. bred by the Duke of Westminster .... 28.165 In a reference to recent sales in England a writer in tlie 44 Sportsman ” re marked:—‘"The men avlio buy costly yearlings are mostly millionaires, to whom money is no object. With them racing is a hobby, and they risk their thousands in the hope of securing an Ormonde, a St Simon, Orme or Isinglass. Should they have the luck to acquire such a horse, he will, in these days of big stakes, pay for all the failures.” It is mentioned that tli3 late Baron Hirsch expended 31,050 gs in the purchase of a number of yearlings in one season. The great bulk were failures, but one of the numbe* Avas La Flecbe. and she won in stakes £34,708. which paid for the lot. It has also to be added that when sold as a brood mare La Flecbe realise'! ] 2.600g5.