Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18467, 19 May 1928, Page 9

Racing and Trotting

NOTES BY

“ ARGUS.”

RACING NOTES. The past week has been decidedly quiet locally as far as racing affairs are concerned, but the coming fort* night will provide a good deal more interest. The first event looming up is the Amberley Racing Club’s meeting, which will be held next Saturday. It was unfortunate for all concerned that the Government, would not sanction the holding of the meeting at Riccarton. as quite apart from being a profitable adjunct to the Christchurch Jubilee celebrations it would have attracted much stronger- patronage in every way than a meeting at Amberley. It is safe to predict, however, that next Saturday's fixture will be a big success. The acceptances are not available yet, but from a good list of nominations it is quite certain the fields will be large, while the competitors will include a number of horses whose future prospects are of considerable interest.

The withdrawal of Battle Colours from his engagement at Ashburton was a disappointment. He has been galloping well during the past week, and possibly he will be seen at Amberley. If he puts in an appearance he will be a very hard horse to beat. His recent form has been good, and it is probable he will go on improving yet. Thorndale bears a bright appearance after his race at Ashburton, and he is not at .the end of his winning. He has not done much during the past week, but F. P. Clarridge knows thoroughly the treatment that suits his horse, who has retained his form this season particularly well. * 4= * t Fresco looks well at present, but he will require to improve on his Ashburton form to have much chance in the chief event at Amberley. * * * * Rotor is due to make his appearance in open company at Amberley. He has shown that he can run out a mile in hack fields, and he should be equal to a useful effort at a mile and a quarter. * * * The Bailiff is a likely hack who may run well at Amberley. His Ashburton form was disappointing, but he met with bad luck on the journey, so he need not be condemned on account of that failure. * *• * * Zaragoza has been moving along freely in her work during the past week, and she should be hard to beat at Amberley, where she is engaged in a seven furlong race. * * * * Gold Mint finished on strongly at Ashburon, where Gay Sonnet just beat him. ana a repetition of that running will make him dangerous at Amberley. * * * Malmsey showed up very attractively when she won at Ashburton. She appears to have benefited by the racing she has done lately, and another stake may come here way before long.

Lancer looks well, and his hack form gives him a great chance for early engagements.

Early in his career Master Clarence showed promise of being useful, but he has not realised expectations. A fall last November, when he was racing at Riccarton necessitated a spell, and since he resumed work he has not been galloping up to his old form. Possibly he will be improved by a little racing.

It may interest readers to know that M. M Garten, who has ridden Limerick in most of his engagements and also helped to break him in in New Zealand, was not too sure that Limerick wouid beat Gothic in the All-aged Stakes at Randwick. The day before that race he told me that he was scared that Gothic would get too far away from him in the early stages, and, while he was sure Limerick would be going very fast at the finish, he was just a little doubtful whether Limerick would reach the English horse (states an Australian writer). M'Carten also said that, although Limerick had won his races at Rose hill and Warwick Farm easily enough, he did not seem to be showing quite the same dash as on his previous visits to Australia. The day after the All-aged Stakes I met him again, and he said: “ Well, you see I was wrong, and I have arrived at the conclusion that you never know what a good horse can do. When the barrier rose and Gothic did not dash away with Vaals and Greenline, I was very pleased, and Limerick was able to keep close to Gothic without the least trouble. Passing the six furlongs I could see trouble looming up for me, as Greenline was leading, with Vaals close to him, and Gothic was just behind Vaals, while I was back with Amounis. I could see that if I attempted to move up gradually Pike on Gothic would go with me, and I would be outside three horses. There was only one thing -to be done, and that was to make a dash and try and slip past Gothic and Vaals quickly. When I kicked Limerick he almost shot from under me, and in a flash I was up alongside Greenline. I then took a peep round, and could see that Pike was hunting Gothic along. I waited with Greenline until the three furlongs, and that colt was going pretty well. Tn fact, Toohev on Greenline must have been thinking he had a chance, because he said to me, * How are you going?’ I did not answer, bxit at the same moment shot Limerick away, which was the best answer. I knew when Limerick gained such a lead that it would be impossible for any horse to give Limerick that start and beat him, and, frankly. I was surprised when Gothic got so close to me. There is no doubt he is a great horse.”

Zuexis made his first public appearance at Ashburton, and created a very favourable impression. He began badly, probably as a result of having had no previous experience, but he showed a great turn of speed, a repetition of which will land him a winner before long. .* * * All continues to go well with Lomint, who won the Cornwall Handicap at the Auckland winter meeting last year, and she is standing up to her work in a manner that must be pleasing J. E. Thorpe. The Catmint mare has come on quite a lot in the last couple of weeks, and has been moving with freedom in her work. With a continuation of her present rate of progress, she may be ready sooner than expected, although it is unlikely she will be at her best next month.

A North Island paper states that Peter Maxwell has not been schooled over fences since he ran at the Grand National meeting in August last. It is on record that a winner of the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase did not cross a fence in the twelve months prior to his win at Aintree. * * *• *

Shining Armour will, according to reports, require some straightening up to make him a good hurdler, as he is inclined to screw about at his jumps. * * *

The race for the King’s Cup was a great one, and the interest manifested in the event exceeded expectations. Almost as soon as the race was over racing men were asking-where the next King’s Cup was to be run. Queensland will, under the original scheme, have the honour of running that race, but there is a* possibility of a change of venue. Mr Ernest Lee Steere, the chairman of the Western Australian Turf Club, told me at Randwick that he was endeavouring to persuade the Queensland Turf Club to allow the Western Australian Turf Club to hold the next King’s Cup, writes “ Cardigan.” The reason why Mr Lee Steere is anxious that the King’s Cup should be run in the West is that Western Australia celebrates her centenary in June, 1929, and, naturally, West Australians are anxious that such an important race should be run when the State is having its hundreth birthday. Of course, the Queensland representatives at the A.J.C. meeting could not give Mr Lee Steere a definite answer before consulting the full committee of the Queensland Turf Club, but it is to be hoped that the Queensland Turf Club will see its way clear to accede to the request of the sister club, as centenary celebrations are not held every day, and in asking for the concession I think the West Australian Turf Club is making a perfectly reasonable request. I am sure that the ruling bodies of the other States- would be only too pleased to approve of the West Australian Turf Club’s request. As June and July are the wet months in the West, the King’s Cup would not be held until later on in the year. Mr Lee Steere considers the risk would be too great, as the course at Perth is bounded on two sides by the Swan River, and in the winter months floods are more than a possibility. If the Queensland Turf Club does waive its claim to the King’s Cup next year, it is to be hoped that the West Australian Turf Committee will hold the race at a time when the meeting does not clash with important events in the eastern States, or other West Australian racegoers will not have an opportunity of seeing interstate, horses competing. Mr Lee Steere had an idea of running the race in September, but important meetings are held in Sydney and Melbourne during that month, and also in October. The best month would be November, two or three weeks after the Melbourne Cup meeting. Horses may then be sent from New South Wales and Victoria for the King’s Cup, and some of them may remain in Perth for the Perth Cup meeting, which is held at the end of the year. In that way both meetings would receive the benefit of interstate competition, and there is nothing like it to make any meeting successful.

TROTTING NOTES. Nominations for the winter meeting of the Ashburton Trotting Club will close at five o’clock on Tuesday evening. Forfeits for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes are due at the same time. * * siiBaron Bingen is doing good work in his training under J. N. Clarke at New Brighton. The young pacer looks particularly bright and well. * .* * * G. S. Smith is keeping Acron in steady work at. New Brighton. The mile record-holder does not look any too sound, however, and he may not race much longer. * 3: sje Firpo, who won a mile saddle event at the recent Forbury Park Club’s meeting, is being trained by his owner at New Brighton. Firpo is a somewhat heavily-built pacer, but -he has a fine turn of speed, and if he would always go away right he would still be troublesome in mile saddle events. - sfc ' •* * The two-year-old gelding by Guy Parrish from Leila Denver is a real useful sort. He seems to be well mannered, is well developed, and in addition to having a good action, can go fast. He is doing useful work under J. N. Clarke, his owner, at New Brighton.

It is doubtful if the American pacer Direct Todd has ever been better than at present. He is carrying plenty of condition,- and going really well in his work. He works well without hopples.

Loganwood does not look so bright and well as he has been on previous occasions. The solid, consisten pacer is, however, apparently coming on the right way in his training.

A good-looking gelding by Homeleigh Dick from Scar let Rose, the dam of Vice-Admiral, is in work at New Brighton. He is a three-year-old, and igoes at the trotting gait.

. * * * * Although Mac Dillon went a fair race at Dunedin a couple of weeks ago he did not race up to expectations, as he had been showing fine form in his training work. Mac Dillon is a good, useful pacer.

The Rey de Oro gelding in Nelson Price’s stable is not being hurried along, and he will not be raced till next season. He is growing fast, and is to be given time to thoroughly mature.

* * * * La Sonnette has improved out of all knowledge as a racing proposition since going into Nelson Price’s charge. The New Brighton mentor seems to have a way with him of getting the best out of unreliable horses, and has had innumerable successes in this direction. La Sonnette has raced most generously since being'trained at New Brighton.

* s}s si* J. Lorgelly is going on with the angular trotter Wild Hebe, who, without winning, has been responsible for some capital performances this season. The Wildwood Junr trotter looks as well as ever he did.

Si: oje * * High Jinks is now in Nelson Price’s stable at New Brighton, and it remains to be seen if he will succeed in getting the pacer to show his training form in public.

Native Chief, after leaving J. J. Kennerley’s stable when he beat Great Bingen in the match, went to J. Bryce. That trainer made no attempt to work the fast but erratic pacer, but he was handed over to a man to drive about the town, and otherwise try and quieten the fast horse. Recently, however, Native Chief has been returned to J. Bryce, who is now working him with a view to his being raced.

Logan King, who is a brother to Loganwood, is in work at New Brighton. He seems to have a good turn of speed, and is becoming better mannered at the barrier, having gone away well in his recent efforts. Whilst he may never emulate the deeds of Loganwood on the track he may win good races in the future.

Avenger looks well, and is pacing satisfactorily in his work. To date the pacer has hardly come on as well as expected, but he may do a lot better next season.

Epigram is in steady work at Addington. He does not look quite so bright as at the beginning of the season, but he has done a fair amount of racing. He would be a great pacer if he could be trained for two-mile events, and his trainer has done particularly well to get him to race so long without a breakdown. Epigram can both stay and go fast, but it is very doubtful if he will be seen long on the race track on account of unsoundness. * * * * Sea Queen does not seem to be in her best form at present, nor is she trotting as well in her work as formerly. She looked like developing into a really useful trotter early in her racing career k as she is a good stayer. * * * It is within the realms of probability that the smart trotter Tamerlane will be taken to Australia and raced there. * * sfc' * The Matchlight gelding Firelight has been leased to Mr W. M’Donald. the owner of King Pointer, and he will be prepared for his future racing by O. E. Hooper. * * *• * The two-year-old Trustworthy, a speedy daughter of Worthy Bond—Connie, will probably make her next appearance in the Great Northern Derby. She is spoken of as a most promising candidate for the classic.

Off the front end of the trotting events at the Auckland winter meeting, Sebisca will be a hard horse to beat. He is just about at the top of his form now, and should have won at Te Aroha and Cambridge.

It cannot be gainsaid that many racing and trotting clubs are figuratively groaning under the burden of taxation, and now that a rough balance has been struck by the Forbury Park Club for its meetings this season, it must be included among the number. As a matter of fact, says the Dunedin writer, “Adonis,” the season’s workings will show a loss of approximately £SO, which would have been very much heavier but for the refund to which the club is entitled under Section 8 of the Finance Act of 1925. Were the stewards of the club sd inclined, they could say that they had been working for the Government during the season, a statement which will be acknowledged to be well founded when one glances at the amount paid over by way of taxation. The amount was no less than £12,955 Is 6d, made up as follows:—Spring meeting: Totalisator tax £1312 15s 3d, dividend tax £2363 Bs, stakes tax £250, receipts tax £32 9s sd, amusement tax £96 7s 6d. Summer meeting: Totalisa tor tax £1550 7s 9d, dividend tax £2731 2s, stakes tax £260, amusement tax £llO 10s lOd. Winter meeting: Totalisator tax £1332 18s 9d, dividend tax £2399 12s, stakes tax £240, amusement tax £96 Is 2d. When it is stated that the club also paid £634 8s 5d by way of local taxes, £lB 15s income tax, £6l 10s lid land tax, and £3O 2s 9d as tax on members’ subscriptions, the question, “What has become of .the money?” is stifled before it is framed. On the face* of it, the Government would appear to be “on a good wicket,” but the position savours somewhat of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. SOUTHLAND NOTES. (Special to the “ Star.”) SATURDAY, May 18. On the whole, the weather experienced here during the past fortnight has been favourable for training operations, but the outside of the course proper has proved very dead and somewhat holding for fast work. On the other hand, the sand track has been greatly appreciated and is in good order. That gay old battler, Baldowa, has been relegated to the paddock and may not race again, but it does not do to write the enduring son of Balboa off, as he has a habit of coming back in the spring for another tilt at the gallopers of the day. The retired racer’s box in G. Hope’s quarters is now occupied by Red Boa. a rising three-year-old brother to Baldowa, and be promises to furnish into a very nice horse. Apart from a crooked white blaze down his face, compared with a straight one possessed by his elder relative, Red Boa is as like as can-, be imagined to Baldowa. He may grow into a taller gelding, but that remains to be seen. When sprinted early in the season he moved smartly and with action similar to that of his brother. G. Hope is keeping Solzia moving along with a view to racing the son of Solferino at Wingatui in June. F. W. Ellis has been calling upon his well-known handicap performers, Queen Balboa, King Balboa, and Bilbo! for increased efforts during the past we«_k, and the trio look like racing in the best company at the Dunedin winter fixture. King Balboa came back from Timaru fresh and well, and it was pleasing to note that he did not lighten

up when travelling and racing at the South Canterbury meeting. Local trainer J. A. Rowland has worked some improvement in Celerity 11. since the Riverton Easter fixture, and the English mare is now looking bright and muscular. She is engaged in the Birthday Handicap at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting, but this is no guarantee that she will be a starter and her admirers would be well advised to keep this statement in mind. Her mission at Wingatui may be to race in the principal events of the second and third days. Rowland also has Flving Mist engaged at the Dunedin winter meeting. She is very well at present, but the track will have to be fairly firm if she is to be seen at her best, as the Martian mare slides about and adopts a go-slow policy when the going is sloppy. The steeplechaser Nylotis, by Obolies —Driftwood, by Singlestick ll.—Tugela, has to be included in F. W. Ellis’s string. His condition is not of the best and the local mentor will have difficulty in turning him out as well as could be wished for a tilt at the Wingatui country next month. In the meantime, A. S. Ellis has had the chestnut gelding out qualifying with the Birchwood Hunt.

The rising • three-year-old, Silver Paper, has not been near the tracks yet, but he is putting in road work in good hands and is thriving on it. He appears to be sound, his injured foot having grown down again, and he will strip a very fine specimen of his tribe when he makes his next appearance on the tracks.

Although Tommy Dodd looks healthy and bright, all may not be well in other respects, and those who have looked him over since his return from Melbourne are going to suspend judgment until he has accomplished*a fair share of galloping, when he is worked regularly again. Indications point to F. W. Ellis having two suspicious cases in hand when he takes Listening Post and Tommy Dodd up for trying purposes again. #

The Doleful Dittv is getting through solid work on the local tracks, from R. M’Kay’s stable, in view of the Dunedin winter meeting, but he may not travel north unless his trainer is satisfied with the weights. Like several other mentors, he is finding that under the seven stone minimum very few horses low down in the handicaps are winning a fair share of prize money, the best rewards invariably going to the performers who top the lists.

The steeplechaser Greenstone is progressing in a very satisfactory fashion under the care of F. J. M’Kay, and he promises to race at Dunedin next month a better horse than when he won well between the flags recently at Invercargill and Riverton. For his principal employer. Mr W. T. Hazlett— Greenstone is owned by Mr Hazlett’s eldest son—M’Kay has Apache and Latin Quarter looking and galloping well. He is also devoting some time to the working of the four-year-old gelding Taramoa, who is very like Frenchman in appearance, and this is not to be wondered at, as he is by Solferino from Directoire, whose progeny are all very much alike, and Frenchman was got bv Danube from this prolific dam.

There are some very nice youngsters in hand here at present. The Graphic, by Paper Money—Kilberry (who produced Tommy Dodd to Solferino) is a forward youngster under the cai« of F. W. Ellis. She is a well-grown young lady purchased for an Australian owner, and she is being got ready to race across the Tasman Sea in the spring. She is rather well-named, as her owner is connected with the newspaper industry in Victoria’s capital. A yearling gelding under the care of F. W. Ellis is a half-brother to the defunct Jack o’ Lantern, and he is a credit to his breeders, Messrs Grieve Brothers, also to Some Boy 11., and the Ashburton-bred matron Eight Bells.

J. A. Rowland is educating a very nice colt by Tea Tray from Santaline, and it is interesting to learn that this rising two-year-old represents the first foal of an English dam. Another novice under Rowland’s direction is a two-year-old filly by Some Boy 11. Joan, who will race as Full Fling. She is a sturdy, well-nourished youngster, and moves freely. When the Dunedin winter meeting has been disposed of the master of Endeavour Lodge will take several youngsters by Some Boy 11. in hand for their breeder-owner, Mr A. Chisholm, including descendants of Sabor and Hineamaru.

The local trotting trainer, J. R. Forbes, left here on Monday for North Otago, with the trotter Peter Boy, who is to race at the Oamaru Trotting Club's fixture this week. He trotted well at the recent Forbury Park meeting, but was hardly at his best, and will probably perform better on Saturday.

The local three-year-old trotter Tornado, who just missed a place in the New Zealand Sires’ Trotting Produce Stakes at Dunedin, was unlucky, as he contracted a cold on his journey north, and could not do his best on race day. The son of Nelson Bingen will probably come out next season a greatly-improved performer: at least this is the opinion of those who know him best. S. Tbdd’s other horses in active commission, Alva Lass and Sandown, have been getting through beneficial work here of late.

• When the southern trainer, A. M’Lellan, saw the state of the Forbury Park track at the winter meeting in Dunedin, he regretted that his mud champion Downcast was not available. In the. meantime, the smart Adonis pacer is out in a paddock.

The Invercargill-owned pacer, John Dee. was not brought home from the Forbury Park meeting. He remained in Dunedin, and has been working at Forbuary in preparation for the Oamaru fixture. He paced well in a work-out at Forbury one day last \Veek.

Since he returned from the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s winter fixture, Desert Star has been kept busy by A. M’Lellan, in view of the Oamaru meeting. He has been worked alone, and speeded up, with the result that he looks to be a better horse to-day. At Forbury he preferred to pace alongside his. first challenger instead of gping out after the leaders, and this may have been the result of his being held back to slower companions on the tracks here prior to racing at Dunedin. However, he has been hurried up since his return, and this treatment may lead to more satisfactory performances at Oamaru.