Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18156, 16 May 1927, Page 2

Racing and Trotting

NOTES BY

ARGUS

RACING NOTES. Acceptances for the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting will close at eight o'clock to-night. * * * * Nominations for the winter meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club will close at noon on Thursday. * * r The four-year-old gelding Philanderer, by Gay Lad from Loye-a-Duck, has j joined F. D. Jones's active team. Pro- i vided he goes on all right, he may be one of the horses for the Sydney trip : later in the vear. * * * * F. I). Jones is breaking in the year- ' ling by Paladin from Waterspray. The youngster is a brother to Arikhvai and j a half brother to Pilliewinkie. * Jfc ★ :fc Jarreticre has had a change of stables . and she is now under F. P. Claridge’s ■Sfi After Rapier left Riccarton it was re- j ported that he had met with an acci- I dent. =*r sjc- sjc Brigadier Bill, who wop the first clay's hurdle race at the Egmont meeting last week, has been racing consistently and in his three previous starts had notched a win and two thirds, so that it was not surprising that he was in good demand. The All Red gelding is freely engaged at the forthcoming winter meetings, but he has hitherto j shown no liking for a long journey. . and for that reason may' not be fancied in the big events. I * * * In the event of Omahu figuring in the list of contestants for this year’s Great Northern Steeplechase, he will have the record of having taken part in the big cross-country - race at Ellerslie on no less than six occasions. On three occasions Omahu has filled the role of runner-up. In the race of 1921 he ran second to Coalition, the succeeding year he beat all his field with the exception of Sea De’il, while in the race of 1921 he finished second to Sir Roseberry. In the race of 1925, when going in great style four fences from home. Omahu overjumped at the post and rail fence and fell. . Omahu is rising thirteen years, and he is now on the down grade. * * * * Time was when the night before a race meeting was always lively', and plenty of people were present. The motor-car has altered all this, and • nowadays from the appearance of any town twelve hours before a race meeting it would be difficult to discover that it was close at hand. At Hawera last week this was even more pronounced, for hardly any racing folk could be found, yet on race day the enclosures t were well filled with hardly any of j the regulars absent. * * * :*c Some time ago a scheme was pro- J pounded in Auckland with a view to providing increased training facilities ] to meet the growing needs of local requirements by the laying down of new training tracks at Takanini, writes “Phaeton.” A few gentlemen closely' in touch with racing interested themselves in the proposal and subsequently a company, now known as District Tracks, Limited, was formed and registered for the purpose of carrying out the scheme. Following this, the work •was put in hand without delay', with the result that the tracks are now practically ready for use. The tracks are contained in an area bounded on the inside by a post and rail fence and on the outside by a wire fence, and this should ensure safety'. There is a plough track on the inside of about a mile in circumference and about 25ft wide. Alongside this is a splendid grass track about 75ft wide, nicely graded, with banked turns and a couple of fine straight stretches. The grass track is carrying a good sole of grass and its lay-out'should please. It remains to be seen whether the provision of these facilities will attract many trainers lo Takanini. So far there has been no move in that direction, but this could not be expected until everything was in readiness. The tracks should provide a good training ground for a number of horses and in time should become a training centre of importance. . The process may be very gradual, but there may be many’ factors to help its progress, and perhaps it may not be many years before a number of trainers become settled there. It is to be hoped that the undertaking will prove a success and that the tracks will ultimately serve their purpose well. * * ♦ * The imported horse Spelthorne. who has been purchased by Mr P. Miller, for the Kia Ora Stud, has arrived in Sydney. Spelthorne is a bay, five years of age, standing over sixteen hands high. He is by’ Spearmint from Dutch Mary', bv William the Third from Pretty Polly, one of the greatest race mares England has known. Spelthorne acquitted himself well _as a

■three-year-old. He fimshed_ third to Zionist and Foxlatv in the Newmarket Stakes, one mile and a quarter, and won the Sandringham Foal Stakes, one mile and a quarter, the St George Stakes, one mile and a quarter, the Duke of York Plate, one mile and a quarter, and the Irish St Leger, one ■mite and three-quarters. In his races he carried the colours of LieutenantColonel Giles Loder, whose filly. Cresta Run, won the Thousand Guineas last month. -Z :? * * Redfern, who figures as the sire of a couple of the Australian-bred yearlings brought to Auckland last week, was imported from England by the late Sir William Cooper, who purchased him at a high figure in England in the hope that he would win an important race in Australia. Redfern, however, failed to train on properly, and he was si:bsequently sold as a stallion. Got bv St Denis (son of Hampton), Redfern can boast of a high-class ped gree, and the two Auckland owners who invested money in the purchase of his progeny may get a good return. * * * * The Auckland gelding Eden llall is having a spell and will not race again until th<- spring. The Quin Abbey gelding has paid his way handsomely since being purchased at \\ anganui twelve months ago by Mr C. G. Macindoe and has earned his holiday. This season he contested eighteen races for three wins, two seconds, and two thirds, and invariably he ran good races. His winnings for the season include £1662 and two gold cups, one valued at £SO and the other at £IOO. Eden Ha’l is only rising live years and should hate much more success ahead of him.

Pointed reference continues to be made in Australia in regard to the i paucity of high-class jumpers. A horse of the stamp of Redleap is not, it is pointed out, to be expected more ' than once in a comparatively long ’ stretch of years, but the steeplechasers of the present arc not nearly up to the general standard of the past. 4 1 * * * I The three Valais yearlings purchased i at the recent Sydney Easter sales by i patrons of Tames Scobie s stable reprej sent over 10,000 guineas (remarks _ a I Melbourne writer). ohe Glittering i Gold colt, for which Mr A. T. Craig I R ave 5000 guineas, is a beautiful chest- ' nut, with a white stripe on the face ! and two small white marks on the fet- ; locks. He is strongly built, with ! powerful loins and quarters, and is hard ! to fault. The Valais —Acrobelle celt. ! who will carry the colours of Mr Peter | Dewar, is a lighter chestnut in colour, with conspicuous white markings. This ! juvenile is not framed on quite such a generous scale as Mr Craig s colt, but he gives the impression of being a readv-made galloper. Mr C. B. Ivellow’s purchase is a handsome chestnut fillv from Petronet, with very little white about her. She is of .good size 1 and length, with nice quarters, and the ; straight hind legs so much looked for ! nowadays when selecting youngsters. llt would he difficult to find three ' more promising looking yearlings. | *e ste * * Lord Woolavington and Lord Dewar j have been appointed members of the English Jockey Club, the membership of which is limited to sixty. They fill I the vacancies caused by .recent deaths. I Lord Woolavington is a prominent [ owner and has already bred two Derby 1 winners—Captain Cuttle and Hurry j On. * * * [ lam able to make the definite ani nouncement (says the Irish corres- | pondent of the Sporting Life) that l there need be no misgivings about the totalisator not being controlled on Irish j racecourses by the Turf Club. The tree j State Government has definitely relin* ! quised any idea it may have had of itself controlling the machine, and of I taking the profits arising from it. The I draft agreement between the GovernI ment and the Turf Club is at present in course of preparation, and will be ! delivered to the club within the next I few days for its approval. This agreement will provide for the control of the totalisator by the club for a definite period of years—probably fifteen. There was considerable dissatisfaction • among breeders and owners of horses, race executives, and the public generally when a hint leaked out some time ago that the Government might decide to run the totalisator and take the profits, and the announcement I make to-day will be acceptable to all , racing and breeding interests. * * * * “Musket,” of the “Sydney Mail,” is one of the Australian writers that has [ yet to be convinced _ that the New . Zealand gelding Limerick is entitled to j the distinctive place among the three-vear-olds that competed in Australia this 3-ear. In the course of a recent interview, “Musket” penned the following: “Limerick is undoubtedly an excellent gelding, for he proved too good for the older weight-for-age horses in the Cumberland Stakes and A. J-C. Plate, but how he would have fared against Windbag and Spearfelt must be left to conjecture. Those two great stayers had broken down and consequently had to be withdrawn from their engagements, so the way was made somewhat easier for Limerick, who is now acclaimed by his admirers as the best three-vear-old seen for many 3'ears. That claim is, however, open to debate. When here in the spring Limerick and Rampion met three times in set-weight races for three-3-ear-olds, and on each occasion Rampion displayed superiority, winning all three —W arwick Farm Ilobartville Stakes and A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbies—while Limerick was second in the first two and third in the other. The excuse for Limerick’s defeats by Rampion was that he suffered from a cracked heel and was not nearly the horse that he is now; but Limerick's heel trouble could not have been very serious, for two da>*s after j being defeated by Rampion in the 1 A.J.C. Derby he was only beaten by ! the barest of margins by Windbag in 1 the Craven Plate an<J was decidedly ! unlucky to lose that race, for he. was i squeezed on the rails at the critical i moment through trying for an inside run when Valicare began to weaken in the last 50 vards. But when the mare did drop back Limerick quickly shot up to Windbag and would have been the winner in another stride. That race, t therefore, provides conclusive evidence I that Limerick’s heel could not have l»een so bad as it was made out to be. In the Derby Limerick ran past Rampion approaching the turn in the L straight, but the latter came again and ; 1 fairly outpaced the New Zealander in ' i the run home, and Limerick had not 1 I the same inclination for a stern fight

as he had when opposed to \\ lnclbag, Valicare and Co. two days later. So. if the Maorilander is a high-class performer, what must Rampion be? Next spring, all going well, the pair will meet again in the weight-for-age races, and then the question of superiority should be definitely settled, but until Limerick has shown that he is better than Rampion I shall maintain that the latter is Limerick’s master.” WESTERN KING. CRACK AUSTRALIAN PACER. (Special to the “ Star. ) AUCKLAND, May 14. A couple of months ago it was reported that an Auckland owner was negotiating for the purchase of the pacer Western King, who is considered one of the best now racing m Australia, but the price then asked did not lead to business. However, there is still a chance of the horse coming this way, as J. Shaw has left for Sydney to trv and effect his purchase. Western King’s best performance is drain 32. sec for two miles, registered at Epping early in the year, and for which he earned his owner a stake of £l2O. The stakes in Australia, with the exception of a couple of events, are so small that one wonders why any really good horses remain there. However, when Auto Machine can win his division in a Sydney Thousand from 60vds ' behind it would appear there are not ! many good pacers across the other I side.

EGMONT RACES. GILGAI WIXS STEEPLECHASE. (Special to the “Star.”) HAWERA, May 14. The Egmont Racing Club's meeting was concluded to-day in cold weather and drizzling rain. The track cut up a little, but provided fair going, all tilings considered. An inquiry into San Forte's running on the first day was concluded, and the parties concerned were given the benefit of the doubt. In the Xgamutu Hack Handicap Baby Bun was always a short-priced favourite, with a fair amount of money for Onward Helen, Monsogne and Denier. From a start in which some of the boys were caught napping Baby Bun and Onward showed out first and then Denier shot up on the rails to lead down the back from Baby Bun and Onward,, with Toapaiti, Helen and Bright Glow next. Racing for the turn Denier had come back to bis field, with Onward, Toapaiti, Baby Bun. Bright Glow and Monsogne handy. Denier was done, a furlong from home, and Toapaiti ran past him to win by two lengths from Denier with Onward three-quarters of a length away third. Bright Glow, Baby Bun and Helen were next. Onward disappointed, and Denier just failed to stay out the journey. , The Manawnpou Hurdles saw Elvaetto, Peter Rosa and Mount Marta carrying the bulk of the money. Dead Sweet. Troilus, Just John, Mount Marta and Zircon ied over the first fence, and down the straight, Pekatahi led Just John, Dead Sweet, Troilus, Mount Marta and Zircon. Mount Marta tried to run ofi! at the stand hurdle and was right on the paddocks rails. Zircon took charge six furlongs from home from Dead Sweet, Troilus, Just John, Elv&ette and Euchre. With half a mile to go Zircon and Troilus were well clear of Elvaetto. who was followed after an interval bv Mount Marta, with Peter Rosa moving up fast. The order was much the same at the last fence, and Troilus and Zircon had a good battle to the post, Zircon prevailing by a neck. Elvaetto was two lengths away third, with Peter Rosa fourth, and Mount Marta, Gold Peak and Pekatahi next. Zircon showed a wonderful improvement on his first day's and was ridden in a markedly different manner. Troilus is a promising young jumper. In the Adamson Steeplechase backers were very undecided, end a number of horses wore fairly well backed. Lady Spalpeen. Omaliu, Eon mark, Little River :ind Tres Bon led to the first fence, and Rayo came to grief at the second. At the' stand double, where Lady Spalpeen ran off, Kendal and Little River took charge from Denmark. Gilerai, Passin' Through, Lady Comet and Omahu. Six furlongs from home Little River and Kendal still led from Eonmark, Passin’ Through. Gllgai. Omahu, Lady Comet, and Dick. Kendal and Lady Comet jumped badly four and five fences from home and lost their places, and Little River still led from Eonmark. Gilgai and Passin* Through. Eonmarlc rather crowded Gilgai at the last fence, but once clear Gilgai came again to win easily by two lengths from Eonmark. who beat the fast-finishing passin’ Through bv four lengths. Dick, Omahu end Kendai were next, and Lady Comet. Tres Bon and San Forte also finished. Birkeftiella was pulled up. Gilgai and Eonmark ran true to the first day’s form, and Passin* Through improved. In the Mokoia Handicap Bonogne was a very hot favourite, with fair backing for Oration and Be vis. Avola, Oration, Ladv Bentinck, Papaponga and Sun Up raced in close company l'or a furlong, and then Sun Up showed out from Lady Bentinck, Avola, Oration, Papaponga and Bonogne. The last-named was cut right back three furlongs from home, and Avola, Tip Tree, Sun Up and Pop Off had raced to the lead at the turn. Avola had charge a furlong from home, but Degage was putting in her characteristic run and got up to beat Avola by half a length. Poff Off was two lengths away, and then came Tip Tree, Oration and Papaponga. Degage is back to her best and should be hard to beat in big races from now on. Bonogne was an unlucky runner. In the Shorts Handicap Berinthia. and Denier were the best backed, with plenty of money for Subdivision, Eka, Royal Land and Xas tori. Berinthia and Tangerim turned round at the barrier rise and took no actual part in the race. Royal Land, Subdivision and Xastori led out from Denier and Eka. Denier rushed to the front, racing to the turn from Subdivision and Eka. with Royal Land and Xastorl next. Denier looked to be going well as they straightened up for home, but Royal Land came fast and beat him by half a length. Xastori a length away third, with Eka and Subdivision next. Royal Land, who was

well ridden by 11. Wiggins, easily beat Denier, making his second appearance. In the Davidson Handicap. Shining Armour, Toma, Xgata, Vivo and Danae were evenly backed. Royal Mint, Hipo and Shining Armour led down the straight from Danae. Nukumal, Toma, Ngata, Vivo and Diogenes. Captain Gazeley and Lady Anstruther moved tin fast iii the hack straight, and five furlongs from home Danae led Shining Armour, Captain Gazeley, Lady Anstruther, Xukumai, Hipo and Toma. Royal Mint having struck trouble and falling right hack. At the turn Danae still led from Shining Armour and Lady Anstruther. with Xukumai, Toma and Xgata next. Shining Armour looked a winner a. furlong from home, and then Xgata and Toma joined in and Royal Mint came again. In a great finish Toma won by a head from Xgata and Shining Armour, who were declared a dead h-nt for second place. Royal Mint was a head away fourth, and then came Nukumai. Lady Anstruther and Diogenes. Royal Mint was most unlucky, but Toma ran a good race, covering a good deal of extra ground. In the Borough Hack Handicap Paitonu was a good first choice, with a fanamount of support for Manly, Acred and Henna. Paitonu began best from Manly. Orcades, So vena. Romantic. Li* sox and Acred. Paitonu led down the back from Romantic. Manly Orcades, Toapaiti and Bisox, with Acred heading the rest. Paitonu still led at the turn from Romantic, Toapaiti, Orcades*. Manly and Bisox. Toapaiti ranged up with Paitonu in the straight and wore him down to win bv a head. Manly was

four lengths away third, with Romantic fourth, and Bisox, Mister Gamp and Komak next. Toapaiti won well, but Paitonu might have scored had not his rider. L. G. Morris, had his vision obscured by the peak of his cap at the vital moment. . The finding of the stewards in relation t.o San Forte is of extreme interest, for it touches on an important point. It read as follows:—"The committee is very dissatisfied with I\ Hoi man s handling of San Forte in the Egmont Steeplechase, and the evidence adduced on inquiry is far from satisfactory, especially as regards the .. V®^ s ?.|, J 5 * l 0 n _ B started when not in anything like lacing condition. The committee wishes to place on record that it does not and will not countenance horses being started in races merely for training or schooling purposes. Having given the evidence in this case due consideration, the committee is of the opinion that it is not quite conclusive and resolves to give the parties concorned the benefit of the doubt.” RE-HANDICAPS. AUCKLAND RACING CLUH. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 15. Toma lias been reliandicapped 01b for the Cornwall Handicap at the Auckland winter meeting. WANGANUI JOCKEY, CI.T’-l; j Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 15. Following are re-handicaps for tho Wanganui winter meeting:—Purua Hack Hurdles—Town Bird D.-i, Toapaiti 8.2, Royal Land 7.5. Hack Steeplechase—Eonmark 10.12, Gilgai 10.2. Century Hurdles—Zircon 10.5, Briga- ’ dier Bill 10.0. * Connolly Handicap—Degage 0.0, Toma ■ s.i. Borough. Handicap—Bcnzora 0.1.

AMERICAN RACING. ! j THE KENTUCKY DERBY. T t t By 'Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright- j Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. , NEW TORK, May 14. Tho fifty-third Kentucky Derby re- , suited:— l 11. P. Whitney’s Whiskery Jo 1 i K. Widner’s Osmund E/B. M'Lean’s Jock *1 > The race, which is over a distance of ( a mile and a quarter, is worth 51,000 j dollars to the winner. , ENGLISH NOTES. 1 I (Special to the “ Star.”) * LONDON, April 7. The Craven meeting at Newmarkt ‘ was a typically quiet affair, and I do not think we saw any classic winners run, unless Mousme is the exception. This nice filly performed as though stamina will be her great forte, and, while I have no idea whether she will “ accept ” for the One Thousand Guineas, it is worth making a note of her for some such high-class race. Mousme is from the dam of Maccine—an Ascot Gold Cup winner—and cost Sir G. Bullough 2000 guineas as a foal. Let us hope this bold purchase will prove profitable for such a good sportsman. Mention of Gold Cups reminds me that the world-famous Coronach is not, if repute be true, giving any great satisfaction over extended distances, and for that reason I doubt his becoming a Cup contender of any consequence. The best long-distance colt I can visualise at the moment is Lord Derby's Caissot, and, if Butters can prepare this chestnut to his liking, l am quite sure he will pick up some of ‘ the biggest prizes. The horse is a j big raking sort, and will, I should say, ; be amenable only to yielding underfoot conditions. 1 One classic colt, Damon, scored at 1 ; the Craven meeting, and while I would ' at the moment suggest the possibili- i ' ties of this Stockbridge colt for the ’ Two Thousand Guineas, 1 would hesi- j tate to recommend him for the mile i | and a half of the Derby. That he j ; has fine speed is undoubted, but his j stamina is entitled to be questioned, I seeing that he is by Stefan the Great. ’ Moreover, Persse, the Stockbridge ' trainer, produced a very attractive colt i —by Gay Crusader—Sundrilla—to win > the Column Produce Stakes on the [ same day that Damon scored, and I * would far rather take odds about this l one than Damon for the Blue riband . at Epsom. It is very satisfactory to note that the classic outlook is becotn--1 ing even more interesting than it has ! been all along, and now that formid- \ able rivals to Call Boy and Sickle are 5 assured, we can live in a state of c.\- , pcctancy until June I—the date of the : Derby. Incidentally, I hear that S. ’ Donoghue has already been approach- * ed by half a dozen owners to ride at - Epsom, but at present he is emphatic

WITHII i ■■ -t,..-.. ■. ■— in his refusal to tie himself down. “ Steve ” has already made himself acquainted with the merits of Bold Archer and Birthright, and no doubt he has turned them down in his mind already. As a matter of fact, so have the majority of backers —that is where the classic races are concerned. Sprinting is the forte of both, and at best neither may be generous. Orbindos atoned for a narrow defeat in the Lincolnshire by taking the Newbury Cup in very fast time; that is. having regard to the sticky state of the ground. The connections of Oibindos again permitted Archie Burns to “ come to scale ” a few lb overweight. so it was very satisfactory to see this confidence have a fitting reConsiderable gloom was caused m the racing world by the sad death of G Archibald —a verv accomplished and astute jockev. He'arrived in England a few years ago with a big reputation,

and it was to his credit that he thoroughly lived up to it. Constant wasting undoubtedly look its toll on he health of the dead horseman, and it provides yet another example of the fortitude of these gallant little fellows. Another hard-working and skilful jockey in IT. Robbins has passed away after a long illness. lie will be missed by all his friends—and they were many. I remember what a good race Robbins rode on Furore to win the Cesarewitch in 1917—and account myself lucky to have seen the race, having regard to the fact that I was on sick leave at the time! As I write we are rapidly approaching a busy week, in which the Queen’s Prize, the Great Metropolitan, the City and Suburban, and the Esher Cup arc to be decided. What a period it will be! It is rather interesting to note that the “Met” is run on Primrose Day, so it is easy to imagine the

rush there will be to back whatever Lord Rosebery runs in the race or any of the other events. I hear that \Voot> ton expects to take the ** City ” with Bulger, and I shall be most interested t:* watch the running of this colt. The *‘ Jubilee ” at Kempton—it was abandoned last year owing to the big strike—is to be run on May 7. There is another acceptance stage—April 26 but, as I carefully run through all the horses now engaged, I cannot get away from the chance of Alec Taylor’s candidates. I hope that the “ selected w will turn out to be Foliation, and, if she is the Manton runner, it may be possible to speculate profitably. But more anon. The Derby outlook, of course, can be dealt with at a later date. At present Call Boy, Sickle and Kincardine are the trio in which I am most interested.