RACING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17188, 3 November 1923, Page 7

RACING AND TROTTING.

BY

“ARGUS.”

The Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting will be continued on Monday, when the Derby twill be a great nttraction, especially to those who take special interest in classic events. The field will not bo large, but'the race is full of possibilities. Ballymena, winner of the Australian Jockey Chib's Derby, lias not done well since he returned from Sydney acid lie may not. bo so t\ell as when ho was successful at R and wick. His chief opponents on Monday will be a couple of fillies, Razzle Dazzle and Wild Hind. Roth of them showed good two-year-old form Rnzzle Dazzle being one of the best of her age. and they bare demonstrated this season that they" have trained on all right. Up to a mile these two fillies are good and they are likely to keep Ballymena busy, though they have not yet been tried out over the Derby distance. The Waiau Racing Club has been granted a. permit to bold the annual race meeting on January 1. instead of on a later date, as in previous years. It. is hoped that by holding tlie meeting on a holiday the club will bo favoured with n record attendance. The programme, in which there is a slight increase in stakes, has been approved, and the schedules are now in the printer's hands, and will ho ready for distribution shortly. The club, always progressive, is building a secretary’s office, which will greatlv improve that officer's facilities on the day of the meeting. The Southland owner. Mr W. Stone, has purchased Master Sandstone, a Solferino four-year-old. who won a race at Core last month. Southern reports credit Master Sandstone with being a hack of more than average The cross-country rider T. O’Connor had a very successful time at the Bircliwood Hunt meeting, held at. Invercargill on Wednesday. He won a hunfers* hurdle race and a hunters’ ! flat race on Taproot, also steeplechases on Isla Bank and Copper Trail. These winners were all trained by A. Gerard at Winton. The Antagonist gelding Counterstroke. who was a fair i>erformer j when trained at Riocarton, looks like •doing well in Southland, where lie has twice run into second place this season. He may run well at Winton this month. The Gore Racing Cub made a profit of £3OO over the spring meeting lest month. Tt was a welcome experience as the club did not come well out of last season’s meetings. S. August, the Hutt Park trainer, is remaining in Auckland with Holly Boy. Zolock Palm and Hue Coronado tor the Otahuhu spring meeting. A trio of southern horses. Quiver. Prince Lyons and Bon Lomond, who were sent to Auckland + o compete at the spring meeting of the Auckland Trotting G'ulb, joined the team of horses under tho control of J. Shaw at the conclusion of that fixture. and they are working under his direction in view of events ahead. Xgata. who had been off ilic scene since contesting a race in tho early part of last December, made a reappearance on flie scene at the averlev meeting last month, when he contested the Brewer Handicap. The son of Maniapoto is said to have been above himself, and his unplaced performance need not be taken seriously. Tt has transpired that at the last meeting of the Auckland District Committee resentment was expiessed at the tag which the conference judges to their judgment dismissing tho appeal of S. A. Lindsay against the refusal of his trainer's license, says the Auckland writer “Archer.*’ The comment complained of had reference to tho training of the mare Muria, and suggested that the commifctee had failed to take proper action. A resolution was passed regretting that the judges should have so miseoncieved their functions as to have made this uncalled-for comment. The ox-Australian jockey. B. Carslake. has reached a weight that limits his riding opportunities in England, but ho makes the most of them. Up to the commencement of August, his mounts for this season only totalled 123. but his winning percentage was 21.05. the only rider among the leading division who had done better being 1 Ledson with 22.60. Although S. Donoghue was third in respect of races won. ho had aeragod only about one win in each nine mounts. It is almost unnecessary to add that he has not paid to follow this season.

LONGBEACH STUD.

TH URN HAM AND GAY LAD. At the invitation of Mr John Grigg I spent a pleasant day recently at Longbeach, where I was able to inspect, the two English bred stallions. Thurnham and Gay Lad. and also to have a look at some good looking Gay Lad youngsters. The trip to Ashburton had perforce, to be made by a train leaving Chirstchurch at 7.20 a.m., necessitating ah early breakfast. I travelled in tho company of a number of commercial travellers, and was able to appreciate the complaints which I had frequently heard from these ambassadors of commerce .regarding the inconvenience they were occasioned through tho inadequate railway service in Canterbury. I suppose it is equally bad elsewhere, so I should expect to find that the present Government had very few supporters among the " commercials.” On arrival at Ashburton, we picked up J. J. Lewis, who was bound in the same direction, to have a look at one of the hunters, and we were soon whirled out to Longbeach. a very famous farm in the days of Mr Grigg’s father. It is very much reduced in size now, having been cut up into quite a number of farms. Possibly it will become quite as famous among horsemen as it. was in olden days from an agricultural point- of view. Mr .John Grigg. the owner of Longbeach. and its stud, is au enthusiastic sportsman To the present generation he is best known as a breeder and an dent of the Ashburton County Racing Club aid chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club, on whose comm it tee and stewards he has served fo: many rear*. It will he news to the vounger set to learn that in his youth John Grigg was :» famous footballer. TinI records show that he represented ( antcrl>ur>; nluje_yvi x Christ’s College

boy. Then he went to Cambridge University, where he continued to play Rugby with success. This much is well remembered by sportsmen who wore prominent at that time, but it is not so widely known that, he also represented Jxis University College in the final of a soccer coin petition, having gained his knowledge of the Association game through playing tho “drib bling game ” that, was in vogue at Christ’s College Ik-fore the iutroduc tiou of the Rugby code. On his re turn to New Zealand he played again tor Canterbury and then took up the more serious business of life .it J,ongheach. It was a matter for great regret to the enthusiasts of that, period that ho diil not continue liis active association with Canterbury Rugby. One of his contemporaries lias told me more than once of the doings on th«* football field of John Grigg, whom lie described 1 as one of the greatest threequarters who ever played football in New Zealand. My informant is a sound judge, who has kept closely in touch with the game over a lengthy period, during which he lias followed . the doings of latter day giants of the Rugby field, so his opinion is worth something. But T am wandering from my subject, which has to do with horses rather than footballers. Tt may be claimed for Mr Grigg that he lias exerted a wide influence _on racing in at least one .district in New Zealand considerably removed from his home. .Some years ago he sent a hatch of horses to Southland for sale, mostly two and tliree-year-olds, by Calibre, if my memory serves. They were disposed of at. auction, most of them at. moderate prices, and later the experiment was repeated. As a result, many young sportsmen in Southland came out. as owners, and these Longbeach bred horses still .are found among the winners in the south, while some of Hie mares are going to produce good racehorses in the future. During the last few years the Long beach Stud has been considerably cxi tended till now, in addition to a fine collection of mares, it boasts two Eng lish-bred stallions. Gay Lad lias been ther© for several seasons, while he was joined recently by Thurnham, who was ! purchased in the North Island a few j months ago. Mr Grigg, apart from his ! interest in flat racing, is an enthusiastic hunting man, and J verily believe he | would rather win a Grand National I Steeplechase with a horse of his own breeding than claim a Derby hero un der similar happy conditions. Certain it is that lie seems to have his mind very frequently on hunting and the cross-country sport. It was largely owing to his enthusiasm that the Christchurch Hunt Club was induced to hold its successful vn.ee meeting at Riccarton early in August. T recall, too. his remarks last autumn concerning his colt bv Gay LafJ ' from a (laughter of First Glance. He has hopes of winning good races with this handsome and well-grown youngster, but it is as a prospective sire of good jumpers that liio is viewed, even at this, early stage of his life, before he has started his l->repar«ations for a racing career. It was, too, with an eve to the breed ing of jumpers that Mr Grigg purchased Thurnham. He. heard of this well bred English horse l>eing in the North Island, where he did not appear to he fully appreciated, and when some of his stock commenced to win hurdleraces and steeplechases the idea came that ho was just the horse to improve the jumping stock of the South Island So Thurnham came, to the Longbeach Stud. On the occasion of my recent visit lie was the first horse led out for inspection, and T was much interested to seo him. He is a horse of com mandmg appearance, a beautiful chest nut, standing 16.1, yet so proportionately built that one. scarcely realises how big he is. He has great loins and quarters, a good head and eye. vet with all his power he is a horse full of quality: in fact, a typical English thorough bred. This, however, is no matter for surprise, when one looks at his pedigree. His sire, John o’ Gaunt, a highclass racehorse, hv Isinglass from the famous mare La Fleche. by St Simon from Quiver, the ancestress of Potv meins and a near relative to our own Musket. Thumham’s dam. Ladv Dis dain, is by Bend Or from Maid Marian, a Hampton mare who lias earned great fame as the dam of Polvmelus. a won derful English sire, also Grafton, an eouallv successful sire in Australia. This is breeding enough for anything. Already Thurnham has shown in the North Island that he can sire good jumpers, as witness the deeds of Young Thurnham and First Born, the host young steeplechaser . and hurdler respectively of last winter. He has also had his winners on the flat, the most recent being Pelham, who creat-ed a good impression by his success at Tron thim last month. With the opportunities that will now come his wav. Thum ham may he expected to sire high class hurdlers and steeplechaser’s. His use fulness as a sire will -not be confined to the jumping department, either, for a hors© of his individuality and breeding mav before long he found siring Derbv and Cup winners. And in the meantime South Island jumping enthusiasts owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Grigg for giving them an opportunity to breed steeplechasers and hurdlers of good class. Tt certainly will he no fault of his if the south fails to hold its own in big lumping races in future. Next we had a look at Gay Lad. whom I had not seen since bo left his training quarters at Riccarton. Always a good-looking horse, be has now let down into stallion condition. He. is shorter on the leg than Thurnham, and of different type, but he is a, grandlooking horse. When in training ha was a good galloper, who took a power of work, being a heavy-topped horse and I am sure w© never saw' the best of him as a racer. He has had only a short stud career, hut already he lia.i sired a number of very promising horses, and with the more extended opportunities that will now come his waves a result of the promise shown by his earlier stock, he is likely to develop into one of our leading sires of tlm future. His present yearlings are a good-looking lot. and I hear very high opinions concerning some of this season’s foals. Bidding farewell to the stallions, we had a look at the yearlings, six in number, all by Gay Lad. The first one brought out for inspection was a. colt from Love-a-Du<~k. an imported mare by Atnadis (snp of Love Wisely, by Wisdom) from Blue Throat.. by Missel Thrush (son of Orme and the St Legev winner Throstle.) from Militia, hv Petro pel (son of Musket j. This colt, a black, is of fair size, with good legs and showing lots of power He is a half-brother to I’Amour, and looks as if he mav I make a good one. Second on the list of colts is a chestnut from Assertive • a l.t • until id ly bred English mare bv ! Cockoiie 11. (soil ul Count Silioriiberg) I'lie II by Zi ii fill: del (one ‘•f the best oi TVi '•inimoil’< sons) from Canterbury L’iUuinu by .Tristan front

Pilgrimage. This is a family that, is well known in New Zealand through Pilgrim’s Progress, a son of Pilgrimage, while it is very prominent in England to-day as a result of the stud successes of Swynford (sou of Canterbury Pi I grim), who is the sire of Tranquil, one of tho best of this season's three year-olds. The Gay Lad-- Assertive colt is a horse of commanding appearance, who may develop into a high class racehorse. The third colt is «a chestnut from Sporting Lady t bv All Red from Merry-go Round, by Gipsy Grand from Whirlpool, and so back to Mermaid, who founded one of the greatest families in New Zealand. This colt is of- medium size, hut ho is n strongly built youngster, standing on good legs and feet ; a likely sort, to gallop fast While the colts took the eye as full of promise, the. pride of the stud is a filly by Gay Lad from Lady Talbot. This mare has no race record. She was never even tried. I understand. This is no drawback; in fact , many of the great brood mares of history went to the stud, like her, with their vitality unimpaired. Lady Talbot is hv Pil grim’s Progress (Isonomv—Pilgrimage) from Lady Lillian, by Phaethon (son of Trenton and Sapphire) from Lady Zetland, by Perkin Warbeclc 11. from Forget-Me-Not, an imported mare by King Lud. It is a great pedigree, containing ninny names famous in New Zealand racing history. What is more, I.adv Talbot’s yearling filly looks like making further history. She has great thighs and powerful quarters, good legs and beautiful shoulders; in fact, it *is hard to fault her. T\ hen seen in action the gobd impression formed of her in repose is strengthened. She is a goorl walker and gives the idea that she will make a high-class galloper. Mr Grigg drew our attention -to the likeness which this filly shows to Beeswing, and later, on returning to_ the house, we could see the resemblance on studying a picture of the famous English mare’ The likeness is not hard to understand either, when the filly’s pedigree is studied, as Beeswing’s grandson. Adlentuier. appears twice in the pedigree of Ladv Talbot and he comes in for a third time through Gay J.ad. A filly by Gay T.ad from Flower nf thr "West is a well-grown youngster, much more promising than the older progenv of that imported marc. She has a plain head, but she looks like- being a useful sort. Tho last yearling in this list is a filly from Arch Lassie, by Marble Arch from Lassie Doon. who traces to tho Gorton marc. Mistral, a great producer for the Jate Sir George M’Lean. This filly is short in the leg, hut is strongly built and looks like being speedy. , All' th« stock nt the stud, old and young alike, are in fine condition. Thi yearlings have not. been got up with a special sale polish. hut they are healthy and well, with no superfluous lumber on them. As for the stallions, they arc both beautifully mannered and made good friends with us. They, as well as the yearlings, arc a groat credit to Ike Lewis, who has spent most of his life at- Longbeach. a*nd who has a great memory for horses and their pedigrees. To ni". one of the most pleasing features of my visit came from observing Mr Grigg and his great fondness folds horses, a characteristic which showed the true horse lover. T spent a row Tianny da.v at Longbeach, and after bidding. farewell to "Mr and Mrs Grigg I returned home, hoping to re i*ew my hat>ny associations on some future occasion.

HANDICAPS.

WINTON JOCKEY CLUB. Pew Press Association-. INVERCAItniI/L. November 2. The following handicaps have been deTRIAL STAKES, or 180 sovs: «dx furlorgf.—Marmont Ost-. July Spark Set 101 b. Martian Dance Sst nib. Fairy Bins Bst 51b. Rose de Val Sst slb, Kilplaidio Sst slb, Beauty Light Bat slb, Kyleboa Sst slb, C'uryl Sst slb. Mountain Rose Set olb. Little tVink Sat 51b. Hurdy Gurdy Sst 51b. Gay Gauntlet Sst olb. Bonny Princess Bst. sl'>. Navy Cut Sst olb. Obligio Sst 51b, China Sst slb. Bright Mark Sst Sib. Side Light 8«t slb. Stringency Sst 51b. Murconigram ineligible. HOKONUI TROT HANDICAP (in harness), of 185 sovs; two miles.—Our Nurse ser., Dixie Dillon ecr. Ada Befl 12yds behind. Menember 24yds. Bricklayer 24yds. Little Rain 36yds. Kentucky Direct 36yds. Dark Rosine 36yds, Lucky Harold 48yds. Bon Lou 48yds. Roving Don 48yds, Hylas 48yds. Miss Adonis 43yds, Firelight r ’2yds. rile Sheik 72yds. Quickniarch S4yds, Away 96yds, Golden Nut 36yds, Lenamhor 144yds, Downcast 144yds, Oaknut 168yds. WINTON CUP, of 500 sovs: one mile and a quarter.—Soseday lOst 61b, Corn Rigs 121 b, Loughrea Sst Gib. Radial Sst 41b. Silent King 7st 101 b, Couuterstroke 7st 71b, ia the Pink 7st. 2lb. Lady Blissful 7st 2lb. Gnncase 7st. Vice Royal 7st, Baldowa Gsfc 9lb, Bar Salvador 6st 7lb, Sir Otway 6st 71b, Ealasor Gst 71b. STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP, of !90 soVf ; three miles.—Noble list Olb. Romance list 2R>. Siiverspire list, Isla Rank list. Mettle Drift lOst 21b. Copper Trail lOst 21b, Blazing Light lOst Juan 9st lllb, Prize Rose 9rt lllb, Mickey Free 9st sib, Palladio 9st olb, Eongahere 9st. Lady Lea 9st, Greenstone 9~t, Dorian 9st. I LYING HANDICAP, of 180 sovs; six fvrongs.-Anomaly 9st ICIJ>, Counterstroke Set, Laughing Eyes 7st 81b. Baldowa 7sfc 71b. Mountain Lion 7st 71b, Vice Grand 7st 71b, Royal Admiral 7st 31b. Rose Lady 7st 31b, Miss Muriel 7st, Sir Otway 7st. BARKLEY HACK HANDICAP. of 150 sovs; siv furlongs.—Bloom 9st 51b, Valdamo Sst 3lb, Morse Signal 9st. 21b. Andante 9st 2ib. Solero Sst 131 b.. All British Sst 7lb. King Sol Bst 7jb, Tione Set 71b. Wapping Sst 41b, Frivol Sst 41b, Master Sandstone Bst 41b, Maytiine Sst 41b, Border Knight Sst 2lb, Marmont Sst 21b. Snowfall Sst. Marconigram Sst. Barricon 7st. 101 b. Coastguard 7st 101 b, Stringency 7st 71b, Bright Mark 7st 71b. OTA hi RT TROT HANDICAP (in saddle), of 150 sovs; one mile and a half—Bell Harold srr. Adon ser. Mentor ser. Wee Spark scr, Harvest Queen scr. Queen s Own scr. Edith Charlotte scr. Dark Homer ecr. Rosodale scr. Gold Chimes scr. Harold Thorpe. «c.r W’-r.ning Point scr. Coldstream Guard scr! Oakland 12yd., bphind, Jloonalow 24yds. Our Nurse 24yds, Darkstream 21yds, Rothstar 24yds. Ardlussa 36yds. John lowan o6y,is St. Thomas 60yds, Landlady eOyd. Guo Vatlis 72yds, Red Admiral' 84yds, Oaknut 144yds. TRADESMEN'S HANDICAP, of ISO sots; one mile.—Corn Biers 3st Tib, Radiol Bst Jjlb. C-C tint erst roke Set. In the Pink -et lllb Lady Blissful 7s t Olb. Vice Grand 7st M?’ ?? yal 7st 71b * T ’rancaise 7st 4lb, M'.ea Muriel 7st. San Salvador “st q- r Otway 7et, Balaeor 7st. Wapping Wt.

PONY RACING.

EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION. SYDNEY. November 2. At tho pony racing inquiry liouser, a trainer, gave evidence as to the prevalence of eloping, and the existence of a jockeys' One dope, he said, was used to deaden and another to liven horses. He produced statements of a veterinary and an analyst showing that on© horee died through the use of dope. Witness alleged that doping was general. Regarding the jockeys’ ring, he said that while, he was not prepared to pay .1100 to a bov to win, there were other® prepared to par £SO to him to l« s e

?,F,V'S WINNINGS,

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK, November 1 Zev. the conqueror of Papyrus. )n U won in purses eo fur this year 265.073 dollars. It he wins the L; 5 tonic Handicap -n Saturday his winnings will top the 300,000 -dollax