RACING AND TROTTING NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18586, 11 October 1928, Page 2

RACING AND TROTTING NOTES

RACING FIXTURES. October 11, IS—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 13—Masterton Racing - Club. October 20, 22—Oor® .Racing Club.- - October 20, 2.2 —Wellington Racirig Club. October 20, Racing Club. October 22—North Canterbury Racing Cllub. October 22—Waikato Hunt Club. October 22—Waverley Ra< 'ng Club. October 22—Waipawa County Racing Club. October 25, 27—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 27—Banks peninsula Racing Club. , . November 3. 5,7, 10—Canterbury Jocktey Club. , . November 8, 9—Whangarei Racing Club. November 14, 15—Winton Jockey Club. NOMINATIONS. October 12—Banks Peninsula Racing Club. , , October 12—Auckland Racing Club. October 29—Winton Jockey Club. HANDICAPS. October 13—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 15—Otforth Canterbury Racing Club. October 15—Gore Racing Club. November 2—Whangarei Racing Club. November 3-—Winton Jockey Club. ACCEPTANCES. October 12—Waikato Racing Club. October 12—Wellington Racing Club. October 15—Waikato Hunt Club. October 15—" Waverley Racing Club. October 15—Waipawa County Racing Club. October 17—North Canterbury Racing Club. October 17—Gore Racing Club. October 19—Canterbury Jockey ClubOctober 19—Banks Peninsula Racing Club. October 19—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 29—Canterbury Jockey Club. November s—Whangarei Racing Club. November B—Winton Jockey Club. TROTTING FIXTURES. October 17—Auckland Trotting Club. October 20, 22—Grey mouth Trotting Club. October 20, 23—Gore Racing Club. October 22—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 22—North Canterbury Racing Club. October 22—Northland Trotting Club. October 27 —Banks Peninsula Racing Club. November 6,8, 9—Metropolitan Trotting Club.' November 14, 15—Winton Jockey Club. November 24—Wellington Trotting Club. NOM IN ATIONS. October 11—Metropolitan Trotting Club. October 12—Banks Peninsula Racing Club. October 29—Winton Jockey Club. November 3-r-Wellington Trotting Club. HANDICAPS. October 12—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 13—Greymouth Trotting Club. October 15—Gore Racing Club. October 15—North Canterbury Racing Club. October 16—Metropolitan Trotting Club. November 3—Winton Jockey Club. November 12—Wellington Trotting Club. ACCEPTANCES. October 16—Northland Trotting Club. October 16—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 17—Gore Racing Club. October 17—Greymouth Trotting Club. October 17—North Canterbury Racing Club. October 19 —Banks Peninsula Racing : Club. October 30—Metropolitan Trotting Club.' November B—Winton Jockey Club. November 16—Wellington Trotting Club. RACING NOTES. Nominations for the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting will close at six o’clock on Friday night. ^ — 4= V* * /’‘■ho'ugh Sir George Clifford has seveial horses engaged at the Wellington Racing Club’s spring meeting it is; unlikely that any of them . will make the trip tp Trent ham. * * 4c I # is probable that C. Emerson will do most of the riding on Sir George Ciitford’s horses at Riccarton next month. * * 4r * In »he Dunedin Guineas on Saturday Childsplay will be ridden by C. Emerson, Silver Paper by A. E. Didham, Market by A. E. Ellis, and Starshooter by B. H. Morris. * * 4c 4e Star Stranger is reported to look the picture of health and racing condition and the prediction is offered that he wiii mn a great race in the New Zealand Cup. as well as in other important handicaps this season. 4c 4e 4c 4c Toxeuma is credited with a good performance in the Auckland Guineas, in which he ran second to Prodice. He is expected to win some big stakes later in the season. -4> 4c 4c 4> Mr G. M. Currie’s Limond filLy Episode. who was the best two-year-old of last season, has not yet struck form this season. She need not be condemned for her failure in the Auckland Guineas ar. she was unlucky, and she is certain to improve a lot during the next few weeks.

The connections of the Wellingtonowned three-year-old, Staghunter, are puzzled by his lack of form this season. He was galloping well before the Auckland meeting, biit he ran very disappointingly in the Guineas. His admir ers are confident that he will prove his present form to be wrong, but in the meantime there is no reason to fancy him.

The name of Bold and Bad would not be calculated to greatly assist a horse in his stud career, but, after all. results tell. Bold and Bad was imported from England to South Australia a few years back, and two of the first of his progeny to race have proved winners. One of Bold and Bad’s progeny to win bears the title of Good as Gold.

There must be something highly impressive in the physique of A’pelle. the hve-year-old son of the French-bred horse Sardanaple, who was recently sold in England for £30,000, for he is voted in well-versed quarters “ the best-looking horse in the world.” It was an English syndicate, that effected the purchase of Apelle, who goes to the stud next year. The world, however, is a big place, and, judging from the eulogistic references to the Americanbred horse Man-o’-War, the United States, it is reasonable to conclude, would have a word to say on the point as to which country holds the bestlooking horse of the thoroughbred 'amily.

Those who have seen Mr C. O’Connor’s work as a starter year in and year out will be puzzled at the hostility displayed against him by a section of the Ellerslie patrons, savs the Wellington writer, “Vedette," after witnessing last Saturday’s demonstration. He may or may not have been guilty of errors of judgment on two occasions lately, but his work has been so uniformly good that the outburst is remarkable. He has acted at Ellerslie so tong that the present generation, with no experience of other starters, do not realise the high standard of his work. Amongst racing people generally it is recognised that he is above suspicion, and the man who has not made an honest mistake or two has not been born. From what can be learned from the jockeys riding in the Mitchelson Cup. half of them believed it was a start and the other half i hesitated, because Mr O’Connor did not call out, and the assistant starter held up his hands. Mr O’Connor yelled for them to go on, but as the leading seven were some fifty yards or so on their journey the remaining seven pulled up. 11 was just chance that some backers received a run 'and some. did not. Such is the luck of the game, and in the circumstances the club was powerless to do anything. If the stewards had decided to pay back to investors the money on the seven horres left it would have cost £4OOO. As things turned out it might have paid them to have done so, and made the first loss the last. * 4: * A consideration of the sires’ list in connection with the Australian Jockey Club’s Derby reveals that in the sixty-four contests that have eventuated to xiate no less than fifty-five different horses claim jthe parentage of winners. Maribymong (by Fisherman) arid Chester (by Yattendon) hold the record each with a trio of Maribymong’s winning representatives were Richmond, Woodlands and Bargo, while Chester’s successful representatives were Abercorn, Stromboli and Camoola. The Musket line comes out well in the summing up. Nordenfeldt (by Musket) scored iri 1885, MartiniHenry (by Musket) claimed the winner, Singapore, in 1889. Trenton (by Musket) was responsible for Trenchant, who won in 1893, and then in 1896 and 1897 two descendants of Carbine (Charge and Amberite) respectively claimed the attention of the judge in first place. Havoc (by Nordenfeldt) ! claimed the winner, Belah, in 1903, and three years later Multiform (by Hotchkiss and thus a grandson of Musket) had a winning representative in Noctuiform, while in 1913 Multiform furnished another winner in the shape of Beragoon. Wallace (by Carbine) was included in the list of successful sires when his son, Mountain King, won the Derby in 1907. Horses tracing to St Simon also have an attractive record. Maltster (by Bill of Portland), Hautvilliers (by Haut Brion), Poseidon (by Positano), Cisco (by San Francisco), Biplane and Artilleryman (both by Comedy King), Ballymena (by Nassau), and Rampion (by Rossendale) comprise the list of Derby winners of the St Simon line.

The sum paid for horses that proved equal to winning Derby honours is always interesting. In looking up facts bearing on the Australian Jockey Club’s Derby, writes " Phaeton," I find that the four highest-priced yearlings that captured the blue ribbon at Randwick were Heroic (1800 gs), Nordenfeldt (1200 gs), Manfred (1400 gs), and Cisco (lOoOgs). The yearling prices of some other winners during the period mentioned were as follow: Melos, 500 gs; Stromboli, 500 gs; Picture, llOgs; Cranberry, 320 gs; Hautvilliers, 430 gs; Sylvanite, 590 gs: Poseidon, 500 gs; Parsee, J6sgs; Tanami, 300 gs; Cetigne, 200 gs; Biplane, 375g5; Gloaming, 230 gs; and Cupidon, 525g5. Kilboy, who won the Derby of 3916, was purchased a few days before the race from the breeder, Mr J. B. Reid, by Mr W. G. Stead, for 6000 gs, and Mr E. Luttrell acquiring a half-interest, the colt won the Derby for a partner--1 ship. The cheapest of all Australian | Jockey Club Derby winners was Bob Ray, who as a yearling was sold for ! 35gs. The latter won the Randwick blue ribbon in the colours of the late !Mr D. O'Brien. This year’s winner, I Prince Humphrey, was bought when i a yearling for 70gs. It has, however, ito be stated that he was subsequent!” sold for a sum -.that it is said reached . to four figures.

The non-possession of a Bruce Lowe number does not debar a horse from being a high-class performer. Cri de Guerre, winner of the recent Grand Prix de Paris, .is stated by the Paris Press to be without a number. He is a chestnut, strongly built, and, as a foal, was sold for about lOgs. When he was sent at Deauville as a yearling be was bought by ;E. Cunningham for £145. He won a few minor races, and was then hired to make the running for Kantar in the Prix Biennial, one mile and a quarter, at Longchamp, in April. Kantar was all out to beat Cri 1 ?.e Guerre, and that caused several offers to be made for the latter. He was purchased by Lord Derby, mcl Mr Ogden Mills (owners of Kantar) for £2OOO, and a winning contingent y of £2OO. Before the Grand Prix he won a race for them, and, though the jockey, Esling, did not believe Cri de Guerre could. win the big event, the Marquis de Saint Sauveur, manager 'or Lord Derby and Mr Ogden Mills, :hought highly of his chance. Cri de’ Guerre was sired at a 30gs fee by the Government stallion, Martial HI., 'who is by Airlie (son of Ayrshire) out of Gilia, by Champignon. Shortly before jshe threw Cri de Guerre, his dam, t Cruseillesj, was sold for about £25.

TROTTING NOTES. Nominations for the two trotting events at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting will close at six o’clock on Friday night. Mr T. Fogg, who has been appointed handicapper to the Forbury Park Trotting Club, is a resident of Dunedin. He is an enthusiastic follower, of the sport, having been a member of the committee and a steward of the Forbury PaTk Club for several years, positions which he will noW automatically oease to occupy. He has at different times raced a number of horses, the best-known being Le Todd, a good performer in unhoppled trotters’ races.

A wide dstribution of trotting handicapping in the South Island has taken place during the last few weeks. The late Mr H. Brinkman acted for a large number of clubs and each trotting club which has made an appointment has chosen a different man. The New Brighton Club appointed Mr F. C. Thomas and the Metropolitan Club Mr G. Paul. Since then Mr H. A. Jarden has been chosen for Oamaru, Mr G. S. Simpson for Greymouth and Mr T. Fogg for Forbury Park, while Mr F. Ilickinbottom will act in the case of the trotting events at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting. One effect will be to give owners a wide of officials under whom to race their horses.

The appointment of Mr T. Fogg as handicapper to the Forbury Park Trotting Club created a vacancy on the committee which has named Mr W. Quirk for the position. Mr Quirk was previously on the committee, but lost his seat at the last electionA in a very close vote, after the first count had shown him to be elected.

At the annual meeting of members of the Thames Trotting * Club a suggestion was made that the club should incluae in its programme a race for unhoppled horses (pacers and trotters). While the aim of clubs should be to cater for all classes of horses (says "Orion”), it would be a retrograde step to introduce an unhoppled event. The Auckland and Otahuhu Trotting Clubs have cut such races out of their programmes, recognising that they have been little short of fiascos.

Auckland’s prospects of supplying the winner of the Great Northern Derby are not getting any brighter as the race draws near. Trustworthy js merely doing steady exercise, without showing any speed, and she may not be tuned up sufficiently to display the form she showed last autumn when she won a couple of races. Rolfe Audubon did not go at all well recently in a workout. Certainly he showed speed over a mile and a quarter, but he was not pacing evenly and threatened to go on to a tangle at any moment. All the same (says "Orion"), he looks like being a good one later on. Bloss Audubon is not being speeded up at all, a.nd on anything he has done cannot hope to hold his own with the southerners. He is a common-looking customer, but he does what is asked of him right., and therefore he at least promises well for the future. Bell Axworlhy, who arrived from Matamata on Tuesday, has met with an injury, and was very lame last week, which is not going to assist her. Alice Axworthy came back from Sydney on Monday with S. August but her .form on the other side was very poor, and she cannot be considered as a possibility rimt^form.

If the rise~or fall of stake money can be taken as a guide as to the progress of the trotting sport in Sydney, the barometer shows the light-harness sport is not on the up grade. Twelve months ago a day’s racing at Epping carried £IOOO. It now carries £6OO. The thing that hurts owners and trainers is that so far from a reduction of prize money the financial' condition of the cluu would justify an increase (says the “Trotting Record.”) During the past twelve months the club has receivea some £IO,OOO from the tin hare people for rent of the centre of the Epping course for a dog-racing track, and . ii this £IO,OOO had been added to tlic £6OO per meeting each day’s racing, would have carried £llOO. The genera, opinion is that there is no justification for the club hoarding tip this money, it being a non-proprietary concern.

PROMINENT JOCKEY MAY RETIRE

A SUCCESSFUL CAREER. The well-known Riccarton jockey, F. E. Jones, will not be riding at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting thii week, and it is possible that his caree, in the saddle is at an end. This de cision is based on medical advice Jones has experienced some trouble in his back for some time. He is o. opinion that it is due to a fall abom a year ago. The trouble has gradual ly become more-acute, and as the resui. of a medical examination a few days ago he has been advised to give up race riding. Jones served his apprenticeship at Chokebore Lodge, under the late Edward Cutts, and from when he commenced race riding his ability in the saddle was quickly recognised, the re suit being that very soon his service:were in request among owners and trainers, quite apart from the opportunities that came his way in the big stable to which he was attached. During his career he has ridden the winners of many important races ois different courses throughout the Do minion. At Ellerslie his successes in elude the Foal Stakes three times, also the Auckland Cup and the Great Northern Derby. As might be expected, he has a par ticularly good record at Riccarton, where he has handled eight winners oi the Champagne Stakes, three of the Oaks, two of the Derby and two of the Metropolitan Handicap, in addition to capturing the Stewards’ Handicap, Welcome Stakes, Canterbury' Cup, Stead Cup and Great Autumn Handicap. He has done well also at Wingatui, where he has won the Champagne Stakes nine times, and the Dunedin Cup, M’Lean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas, the last three times. At Trentham his successes include two wins in the Wellesley Stakes and one each in the St Legei and Trentham Gold Cup. Among the good horses of whom he won important races were Warstep, Autumnus, Fleetfoot, Counterfeit, Madam Madcap, Masterpiece and Pilliewinkie.

When increasing weight commenced to limit his riding opportunities, Jones took up training, but that side of the business did not appeal to him, and at the end of a few years he returned to the saddle. It was soon evident that his spelt had done him no harm, as in his hater years he was as good as ever. He was a very consistent rider in the front rank among the Dominion’s horsemen. He was a good judge of pace and he scored many notable successes in welter races. He was particularly successful on two-year-01ds, especially in six furlong races, where was required, this being

amply demonstrated by- his wonderful record in the Canterbury Champagne Stakes and Dunedin Champagne Stakes.

Though he has ridden for many owners, there are * two with whom he has been particularly identified. He has been closely associated with Sir George Clifford’s stable during the greater part of his career, while he has over the same lengthy period carried the colours of Mr C. G. Dalgety on many occasions. One of the first, if not actually the first, races in which he rode was on Mr Dalgety’s mare Stepdancer in the New Zealand Cup of 1905. It is a great tribute to Jones, quite apart from his ability' as a rider, that he enjoyed the confidence of these two owners and their trainers throughout the whole of his riding career. Jones has been keenly' interested for years past in the trotting sport, where he has handled many winners, and as a pilot of well-gaited pacers he has had no superior on New Zealand trotting tracks.

AUSTRALIAN RACING. (United Pre*a Assn.—By Electrte Telegraph.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, October 10. Benoni was scratched for the Caulfield Cup. Valisanne, a candidate for the Debutant Stakes, arrwed from Adelaide, and Kavalli and Magnify arrived from Syaney. Sharp Son, Oatendale and Statesman, looking well, did useful work at Flemington. Vaals and Black Duchess did pacing at Caulfield. The New Zealander, Waicullus, ridr den by W. Lewis, won the Grovedale Handicap, one mile, at Geelong to-day in Imm 43sec.—Australian Press Association.

EPPING THOUSAND WON BY GRACEFUL DERBY.

Private cabled advice received last week stated that the New Zealand gelding, Bankhead, had run second in the Epping Thousand (Sydney), beaten by a head after meeting with a lot of interference. Evidently' the information concerned the first heat of the race, in which Bankhead was beaten by- half a head by' Marie Dillon, who later finished second to Graceful Derbyin the final. The conditions of the race provided for three divisions, winners to run off, first horse £6OO. second £l5O, third .-£7O; second in heat £35, third in heat £25. Details of the race are as follows; First Heat. Marie Dillon, S._ M. Ball’s br m by' Maoriland—Bella Dillon, aged, 12 (owner). 1 Bankhead (N,Z.), scr (J. Bryce) .. 2 Don Douglas, scr (0. Kelly) 3-

Olliewood, Excelsior, Melba's Rock, Don Gale. Spring Bells, One Step, and Mirra!Wood also started.

Won hv half a head, one length and a half ! between second and third. Time—3mtn 28sec. Second Heat. Talisman. J. H. Hogan's br h by. Rock Girl, 6yrs, scr (owner) .. 1 Rock Huon's Last, scr (A. Strick2, All Steel, scr (Hv Cohen) .......... Direct Mantle, Relief, Walla Walla, Kenwyn, Minton Bells, and Torpedo Huon also started. Won by a neck, halfa length between second and third. Time—3piin 31§ec. Third Heat. Graceful Derby. A. E. Wood’s blk g by Globe Derby—Pickaway, scr (J. D. Watts) 1 Iluka Derby, scr (L. Wallace) .... 2 Lonely wood, 6yds (11. Cohen) 3 Black Marie, Steel Globe, Alaska, Frisco, Ula Ribbons, GoonumbJa, and Piastex also started. Won by a length and a half, a length ;setween second and third. Time— Imin 24 2-ssec. Final. Graceful Derby, scr (J. W. Watte) 1 Marie Dillon, 12yds (S. M. Ball) .. 2 Talisman, 12yds (J. H. Hogan) .. 3 Won by a length, two lengths between second and third. Time—3mia 26sec.

GOOD PROSPECTS FOR THE ST LEGER.

(Special to the “Star.’ ) LONDON, August 16. Racecourse companies have lately' leen endeavouring to recapture some f their dwindling patronage by’ fixing ha time of starting at a later hour, [t is not a universally approved innovation, but on Saturday’s it does—and •hould—work well enough to justify ts sponsors, though I am afraid that :he “good old days," which executives •igh for, are gone for a long time to •ome. The odd thing about this late Parting is that it has so far been tried inly when the racing has been poor—or at any rate moderate. I should like to see how a three o'clock commencement would “pull” when a race like ;he “Jubilee” or the Duke of York fandicap is down for decision. Of ourse, horse-racing has plenty of opposition now that dog-racing is so much n vogue—but, all the same, I know vhich will survive in the end!

The St Leger will be close at hand vhen these notes appear. Since I wrote my last message we have been given mother view of the colt Flamingo, who an second in the Derby, and then 'ailed so dismally in the Grand Prix le Paris. True, he was not saddled for he race in which he was engaged at Nottingham; but his connections sent um to the meeting, in order to get him estored to the- surroundings, and to nspire him with the confidence he eemed to possess before he wentj to The step must have been taken because of what the trainer had discovered at home. At any rate, Flaningo showed a great dislike for the environs of a racecourse, and those who saw him fretting and sweating will not be in a hurry to back him to win die St Leger at Doncaster. He is a colt who has been raced up ;o the limit of his capacity, and, though he was a great favourite of mine early n the year, I am now of opinion that others of his age have trained on better, so that they are now past him in all respects. In this category I place -*-first and foremost—Cyclonic, a son jf Hurry On, that will make them all gallop on the famous Town Moor. I have previously referred to the joint trouble from which the Derby winner, Felstead, suffered when the ground was -so. hard, but he is now well and in good training for the race, as he needs to be, if he is to go to the post at his best. This one and Cyclonic are the assured stayers in the race, while I think we arc justified in talcing Fairway on credit after what he did in the Eclipse. The St Leger once looked like cutting up badly, but at this moment all is set fair for a good celebration, and I still think that Cyclonic is the best horse for those wagering abroad. In .view of his displays at Ascot and Good-

wood, I fail to see how he can miss a place at Doncaster. Fairway, who justified us so splendidly when he ‘‘came back” at Sandown, is, of course, the great danger* of Major J. Cou&u*uld's horse. If the stamina of Fairway is as good—or nearly as good—as his speed, then there is no question about what will win the last classic of the season. Yet it is a point upon which I have no “inside" information, and it w’ould be ill advised to take his stamina for granted.