Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 63, 16 March 1931, Page 12

Topics of the Turf

SfOTESAND NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

RACING NOTES.

Xonc of the South Island horses racing at Trentham on Saturday succeeded in getting into the money. t t t * ’ High Comedy was responsible for a good performance in the Plunket Nurs•ry Handicap. He is a speedy customer but he may never go verv far. * . * aje * Full Feather occupied his usual position, at the tail of the field, in the early part of the Thompson Handicap. He moved up a little at the home turn but he never looked dangerous. * * * * Black Duke was close up to the front lot at. the finish of the Thompson Handicap. He put in a great run to get there, as he was one of the last three at the home turn. * * * * Ephialtes spoilt any chance he might have had in the Tinakori Handicap by bolting while doing his preliminary. He galloped a mile and a quarter, going once round the course. =*= =t= •=»= Cricket Bat was not well placed in the early stages of the Plunket Nursery Handicap, but he was running on in fine style at the finish. He will be worth keeping in mind the first time he starts in a six furlong race. *' * sje sje Solvent was in a handy position not tar behind the leaders in the early stages of the' Plunket Nursery Handicap. She never looked like a winner, however, and. she was fading out at the end of the journey. * * * * Winsome Iljnd was well placed from the start of the Tinakori Handicap, being not far behind the leaders as they raced on to the course proper. Then she received a check and though she was finishing on, her chance of being in the money was gone. sK =?= sj; Eaglet, the favourite for the Thompson Handicap, was in the middle of the field in the early stages. She was still giving away a long start to the leaders at the entrance to the straight, and though travelling very fast over the final furlong, she never looked a possibility to be in the money. * * * * Xightmarch has shown evidence of soreness since he arrived at Trentham, and for this reason he was not started in the North Island Challenge Stakes. His trainer, A. M’Aulay, is hopeful, however, of running him in the Trentham Gold . Cup, on the second day of the meeting. * * * * True Shaft drew an outside position at the barrier in the Railway Handicap and was not prominent until well into the straight. He put in a solid finishing run, coming home just behind the placed horses, with not much between him and Limerick. An early win for True Shaft will not come as a surprise.

The Blenheim three-year-old. Kozan. was well placed all through the Tinakori Handicap, but the last half-fur-long found a weak .spot, after Pythia had kept him up to his work from the start. Kozan is a three-year-old by Tea Tray from Rachel, and though he is not likely to reach the class of his half-brother. Rabbi, he will win his share of sprint races.

Limerick ran a wonderfully good race in the Railway Handicap. He began very slowly and was last for the first two furlongs. Then he started to improve his position and a brilliant run in the straight landed him just behind the placed horses. If he keeps sound the veteran will soon be winning races again.

Mister Gamp registered a sound performance in the Rimu High-Weight Handicap. He showed unexpected dash from the barrier and -was always well placed, finishing on strongly. Ilis defeat was no disgrace, as his conqueror, Air Laddie, looks a very useful sort. Mister Gamp will be in good order to take on a hurdle race very soon.

Oratorian was staying on in good style when he got up to dead heat for second place in the Plunket Nursery Handicap. This Hunting Song colt, a half brother to Oratrix and Concenthate, was a high priced yearling. He has not been hurried, but he has been placed more than once and now shapes like being a high class three-year-old.

Ball Dress ran quite a good race in the St Leger. She was one of the front division early but she dropped back a little going along the back. She did not lose much ground, however, and she was well enough placed at the entrance to the straight. From this point she failed, the journey being a trifle too far, but she may win up to a mile and a quarter before the season ends.

Air Laddie, the winner of the Rimu High-Weight Handicap, is an Austra-lian-bred four-year-old by Biplane. He showed smart winning form at Woodville recently and it \fas not overlooked by the Trentham crowd. He was always going well and won without much effort. The opinion his connections hold is shown by the fact that he figures in the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps.

Silvermine registered a notable performance in winning the Thompson Handicap. He was never far from the front and he finished with great determination, worrying Laughing Prince out of first place in the last couple of strides. The Taranaki gelding has a fine record in important events in all parts of the Dominion, and is now staying on much better than in the early part of his career.

North Island three-year-old, Karapoti, gave further evidence of his class by his win in the North Island Challenge Stakes, in which he carried the full penalty of 141 b. He met his chief opponent, Lady Quex, at 71b worse than weight for age, and this alone made the win a notable effort, as Lady Quex ran the journey out in great style. With a less patient rider, Karapoti might have lost. He is a brilliant galloper and very solid.

Laughing Prince ran one of the best races of his career in the Thompson Handicap. lie was set a big task under 9.11, opposed to a fine field of milers, but he was in the picture all the way. He looked to have the race won a hundred yards from the post, where he was half a length in front, but Silvermine hung on gamely and the pull of 191 b in the weights was just too much for the top weight to give away. Laughing Prince, however, lost none of his admirers in his defeat.

Pythia, the winner of the Tinakori Handicap, is a three-year-old filly by Psychology from Flora Macdonald, a good performer in her day, but not a great stud success. Royal Mac, her second foal, was a good horse if he had stood training, but of the later progeny of Flora Macdonald, Dumblane must be considered the best. In Pythia, however, she has left a brilliant sprinter, who will be worth following in open company later on. Her win in the Tinakori Handicap was even better than its face value, as she drew an outside position at the barrier.

King March was responsible for a good performance when he suffered a narrow defeat by Lady Pam in the New Zealand St Leger. He stayed on in great style but this might be expected from a son of Rossendale, who endows most of his stock with stamina. King March comes from a very successful Auckland family, his dam, Queen March, by Lucullus, being a half-sister to Te Kara, a good performer over a distance. King March did his early racing as a three-year-old in Australia. He is a promising sort for long journeys next season.

Bronze Eagle created a mild sensation by the ease with which he settled the opposition in the Plunket Nursery Handicap. He was one of the leaders from the start, and after leading to the course proper, he gradually opened out a long gap. It was his second appearance in public, his other start being at the Auckland summer meeting. He has exceptional speed and it is hard to say how good he is. He was bred in Australia, being by the imported Phalaris sire, Brazen. Bronze Eagle cost 320 guineas as a yearling. He is trained by J. L. Gray, son of the crack jockey. * * * * Simba, the winner of the Silverstream Handicap, was always one of the leaders. He drew out clear after going three furlongs and after that never looked in danger of defeat. He showed early promise as a two-year-old, but afterwards went off. He had done no good this season until the Dannevirke meeting less than a week ago, when he won a race, which earned him a penalty at Trentham. His latest effort was very impressive and he takes the eye now as a colt likety to win good races in open company. He is bred to stay.

Lady Pam was backed in the New Zealand St Leger as if she was the next thing to a certainty, but the good thing nearly came undone. After trailing the field in for six furlongs she started to move up and she took the lead at the home turn. She seemed to have the race in hand when the straight was reached, where she was being ridden very confidently. Then King March threw out a strong challenge. The rider of Lady Pam seemed content to wait till a few strides from the post, and she only got home, the margin being no more than half a head. Lady Pam has improved steadily in stamina and now takes rank as a good three-year-old over any distance. * * * *

Cadland, the winner of the Railway Handicap, opened this season as a good hack and soon had to take his place in open company. He raced consistently at Trentham in January and was then spelled, making his reappearance at the recent Rangitikei meeting, where he won the chief sprint event. As a result he was made a hot

favourite for the Trentham race on Saturday. He was not one of the early leaders, but was always well placed and he had the race won a hundred yards from the post He is a four-year-old by Acre, whose stock all go well, and he is likelv to go oil to even better things, as he can run out a mile well.

TROTTING NOTES.

Nominations for the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter meeting will close at noon on Thurs-

Ruin went a good race in the Trial Handicap, and with some more racing experience the Wrack three-year-old will win a race. He failed over the last quarter of a mile.

King Abdallah, who was second to Wild Voyage in the mile saddle event at Timaru, is partial to sprint events in saddle. lie is a quick beginner, but deficient in stamina.

Ratloc was distinctly unlucky in the Seadown Handicap. He did not get away too well, and afterwards got in on the rails and could not get out till too late. He made a fine dash over the last furlong, which gave him second place.

Ilonora Bingen and Louis Bingen, who carried the bulk of the investments in the Kingsdown Handicap, were never near the leaders. The first-named broke early, and Louis Bingen did not exhibit any speed.

Hostess, who has not been racing well of late, was on her best behaviour in the Timaru Cup, and getting a good position at the end of half the distance, saw out the finish like a real stayer, getting third money.

Quincey Thorpe, who won the Kingsdown Handicap at Timaru, is bv Our Thorpe, who has produced verv few trotters, from a mare by Quincey from \vhom. no doubt the winner acquires her gait. She is just a useful sort whose good beginning gave her the victory.

Royal Purple, who is an aged mare by Nelson Bingen, stayed out the journey in the Kingsdown Handicap bet- * . n anything in the race excepting the winner, and finished second after being prominent throughout the contest.

Compromise's performance at Motukarara made him just a little better backed than Fleet Arrow, for the Trial Handicap at Timaru. He won in brilliant style and looks like making a good pacer. He is by Man o’ War, whose progeny are racing well over a distance.

Lord Antrim and Roval Parade, who finished second and third in the Trial Handicap, are both three-vear-olds. The former is by Basso Dillon Wilkes, who has few of his. progeny racing, whilst Royal Parade is by Peter Chenault from Lady’s Child.

Cranleigh surprised many by his fine race in the Timaru Cup, in which he finished second to Milo Minto. He was with the leaders all the way, and although in the past showing little form over two miles, saw out the last part of the race in fine style.

Lough Guy put up a fine race in the Temuka Handicap. From the back mark the four-year-old trotted fast and covered the distance in 4min 43 2-ssec. Had less use been made of him in the middle stages of the race he might have troubled the winner.

The imported Our George is gradually racing into form, and in the Washdyke Handicap paced quite a good race. In the meantime, it looks as though he is best in races up to a mile and a half. Saturday’s race should do him a lot of good.

St George had a very easy victory in the Fairlie Handicap. He has been gradually racing into form. He was second to Happy Land in the Nelson Cup at Wellington. St George is by Rey de Oro from Belette, the dam of Lady Joan and Epigram, and was bred by Mr W. J. Morland. He has not always been too sound.

Netta Oro won the Seadown Handicap and made amends for some of her recent failures, but she must be accounted lucky in that Ratloc did not get a good run till too late. Netta Oro is by Rey de Oro from Lady Renetta, a mare that had some speed when racing. She may be best over races up to a mile and a half.

Biddy Parrish owed her success in the Temuka Handicap in some measure to the patience of W. J. Tomkinson, her driver, who, once in a good position, conserved his final dash till the last quarter of a mile, when Biddy Parrish came on and beat Lough Guy, who was made a lot of use of in the middle part of the race. Biddy Parrish, who is by Guy Parrish from the well-known trotting mare, Rose Peters, has settled down to trot solidly in her races, and her showing on Saturday was a very good one.

Ethiopian got second in the Fairlie Handicap, but although he showed plenty of speed and stamina, he failed to keep to his gait. At the end of a mile he was in a good position and broke up, dropping back to nearly last. Settling down again he paced solidly, only to make another mistake, but his stamina enabled him to get second place in a not very strong field.

Real Girl, who has been racing very consistently of late, had an easy victory in the Washdyke Handicap. She is by Real Guy from the dam of Dundas Boy and was bred by Mr W. T. Lowe, who leased her to Mr F. E. Sutton. Real Girl has a lot of speed, though in her earlier races she failed to control it, but has now settled down to pace solidly. She is best over short courses.

At the last meeting at New Brighton Wild Voyage fell in the straight when in a leading position in the mile saddle event. Her showing in this event probably accounted for her being made favourite for the Wai-iti Handicap at Timaru and she won very easily. She is k six-year-old mare by Happy Voyage and looked like being a good two-miler, but her recent efforts over the distance have not been impressive and she has been relegated to sprint events. She put up fast time for the distance and may later on race better over a longer journey.

Milo Minto, who failed to go away right at. New Brighton, where he was heavily backed, accounted for the Timaru Cup in convincing style. He made a good beginning and was always with the leaders. His stamina in the final stages of the race gave him the victory. He is by Oinaka, a great stayer in his day, and was bred in the Methyen district. He was purchased by his present owner a couple of seasons ago, but caught strangles and had to be laid aside for a long time. lie has raced well this season, and is a good two-miler who will yet do better over the distance.

Vendome. after a short spell, is back in work again. The Australian-bred pacer puts on a lot of flesh when let up and it usually takes some time before she reaches her best form after a spell. Vendome has been a very useful performer for J. J. ICennerley since she came to the Dominion " .