Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 31 March 1931, Page 12

Topics of the Turf

AND NEWS EMM EVERYWHERE

RACING NOTES. Nominations for the Reefton Jockey Club’s meeting are due at nine o’clock to-morrow, night. * * * * Nominations for the South* Canter-, bury Jockey Club’s meeting will close at nine o’clock to-night. * * * * A schooling barrier will be available at Riccarton to-morrow morning, fbr the benefit of young horses with early, engagements. * * * * H. Cutts will leave to-night for the north, with Straight course and Winsome Hind, who will represent Sir Charles Clifford at the Wairarapa meeting on Saturday and Monday. The two horses are both in good fettle. * * * * Some Acre has shown signs of soreness during the last couple of days, and it was very much in evidence after he worked this morning. It will be a matter for regret if the trouble prevents him from fulfilling his Easter engagements at Riverton, as in other respects he is in great order at present. * * * * An Australian buyer has been making inquiries concerning Straightcourse, so there is a possibility that he will find his way to the Commonwealth. The recent doings of Waterline may have something to do with the desire to secure Straightcourse. both horses being by the imported sire The Ace.

F. Jones has given Synonym a bit of schooling lately, and he shapes as if he might pay his way over hurdles later in the year. sjf * * * P. V. Mason has broken in three yearlings. They are the brother to Agrion, by Limond—Waterwings, filly by Limond—Makepeace, and filly by Tea Tray—La Paix. They are now regular attendants at the track. & * * * D. P. Wilson contemplates racing Black Duke in the Riverton Gold Cup on Saturday and railing him north by the Sunday night express, which will enable him to be at Riccarton for Monday’s engagement in the Sockburn Handicap. * * * * The pocket edition of the New Zealand Turf Register has made its welcome appearance, at an opportune time. It covers the results at all totalisator meetings during / the last three months, racing meetings from December 5 to March 19, and trotting meetings from December 6 to March 18. Each section is separate, with its own complete and handy index, enabling the form to be followed easily. Its publication on the eve of Easter will enable followers of racing and trotting to keep abreast of the form, in view of meetings during the holiday. The booklet is published by the Christchurch Press Company. George Jones left Trentham on Monday for Auckland with Lady Pam, Spear Lad and Cape Gold. * * * * Although J. H. Jefferd was uncertain during the currency of the Manawatu meeting about a trip to Auckland for the Easter fixture, he has Star Stranger and Cyprus accepted for, so probably they will be racing there. J. M. Cameron has Hunting Cry, The Hawk and Lotus Lily still engaged. * Hs * The Surveyor filly Foot Rule, who was recently given a few weeks’ spell at Ellerslie, is now beginning to get back into racing shape again. She hit out very freely in a work-out over six furlongs on the course proper a few mornings ago, and, providing she does well from now on, may be given a race at the Easter meeting. * * * * R. C. Syme, the Waikato trainer, has recently received an addition to his team in Te Taone, a five-year-old gelding by Archiestown. Te Taone, who won a couple of races about two years ago, since when he has done practically no racing, is destined for a jumping career. He is the right stamp for a hurdler, and has moved pleasingly in the few light tasks already allotted him. He is temporarily on the easy list through running a nail into his hoof during the week, but the injury is not sufficient to keep him idle long. * * * * With the busy portion of the flatracing season in the Dominion now drawing near its close, the jockey premiership is practically assured for H. Gray, who also headed the list last season. With seventy-four wins to date, he has more than double the number of successes credited to the next on the list, and even if he should not win another race this term he would probably still be an easy first when the final compilation was made. He is followed by L. J. Ellis 35, H. Goldfinch 34. A. E. Ellis 33, 11. N. Wiggins 32, B. H. Morris 32, T. Green 32, R. Reed 32 and K. Voitre 30.

The Wingatui trainer S. G. Ware expects to be at Riverton on Saturday, and to leave for Christchurch on the following night, to superintend the. racing of A 1 Jolson and Antrim Boy at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting. * Jfc * Ht The classic events at the Auckland Racing Club’s Easter meeting are likely to attract good fields. Nine fillies are left in the Great Northern Oaks, including Lady Pam,.who finished second in the New Zealand‘Oaks at. Riccarton and won the New Zealand St Leger Stakes at Trentham. Jenny Diver and Pakittire look as though they are approaching their best, while Gay Idea should also go well. Bronze Eagle, who won a. double in most convincing style at Trentham, will be one of the best backed in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes. ' High Comedy, who dead-heated with Oratorian behind him on the first day, and subsequently accounted for the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, is. also engaged, and he should also go well. Dulen and Chief Jewel will attract most attention of the others. In the Great Northern St Leger, which is run on the second day, Karapoti will monopolise the betting after his performances in the Great Northern Derby and Trentham Gold Cup. Lady Pam and King March, who finished in that order with only a head between them in the New Zealand St Leger, . should prove his most troublesome opponents. * * * * An Australian writer, in referring to number of important races won by New Zealand-bred horses at meetings in the Commonwealth, made much of the fact that annually Australia produced vastly more horses than New Zealand, and added that ihe many successes registered by horses hailing from the Dominion furnished material for a deal of thought. It is remarkable how New Zealand is kept in the limelight in Australian racing by horses bred here. Just as Limerick lost the leading position as chief weight-for-age performer, Nightmarch took his place, while Phar Lap was credited to the Dominion, and as he retires—it is hoped for but a short period—his conqueror, Waterline, stands out as an important winner. Now that Chide has struck form he, also, will add to the interest.

TROTTING NOTES. The rain which fell last night and early this morning necessitated the race track at Addington being closed for training work this morning. The cinder track on the training course was freely used, but although a number of horses were working, all their training was done at slow and steady speed. Jjs * * ❖ Nominations for two trotting events at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting will close at nine o’clock tonight. *.'*'<«* Peter Eyre was the outsider in the Palmer Handicap at Wellington last week and he gave a very pbor display, tailing off early and finishing a long way in the rear., * * 4: sfc Entries close to-day for the annual Easter trotting stock sale to be held by H. Matson and Co. at Tattersall’s Horse Bazaar on Thursday, April 9. Catalogued entries will be offered first. * * # * The pacer Acron arrived from the North Island by the ferry steamer on Sunday. The mile record holder has been doing stud duties in the Wairarapa district for the past two seasons. Acron looks in capital health, and will probobably join Mr J. R. M’Kenzie’s stud at Yaldhurst. * * * * Great Glee, who looked very well, hardly raced up*to expectations at the Wellington meeting last week. In the Mafch Handicap he got third, after Ija slow beginning, but he did not seejm to put much dash into his work. In the Palmer Handicap, of two miles, ne was solidly backed, but trotted below his showing in the previous race. Possibly the track did not suit the Great Audubon trotter. * * * * The Hawera trotter, Ben Bingen, wlao was driven in both of his engagements at Wellington by E. C. M’Dermott, went a very poor race in the mile and five furlongs event, but did a long way better in the two-mile event. He kept well to his gait in the longer race and looked to have it won a furlong from home, but Biddy Parrish outstayed him at the finish and won by a very narrow margin. Ben Bingen had won earlier in the week at the Manawatu meeting, when racing against the pacers. * * * * Great Way, who has not done much racing this season, made his appearance this month at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting, where he trotted a fine race for a mile and a half in the Temuka Handicap. It looked as though the race would do him a lot of good, but he did little better at Wellington last week. It is evident that he will require some more racing before reaching his best form. He showed a lot of speed in patches at Timaru, which was not in evidence at Wellington, although in his last race he stayed on better. He was one of the outsiders at Timaru and finished up in fourth place, and although well backed at Wellington, he occupied a similar position. * * * * The trotters who raced at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting last week were above the average, and the mile and five furlongs and iwo-mile races provided good contests ® In the shorter race Biddy Parrish was made favourite, and she looked to have the race in safe keeping, as she made a capital beginning and took the lead with a round to go. Merce Bingen was with her in thfe straight, and just when an exciting finish seemed in prospect, Biddy Parrish stumbled and broke. Before she could settle down Merce Bingen got well clear and won rather easily, while Biddy Parrish was so slow to get back to her gait again that she only got fifth place. Ben Bingen did not go steadily, and Blue and Gold broke repeatedly. Biddy Parrish made no mistake in the twomile race and won cofpfortably. * * * * Worthy Queen, who won the Linton Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club's meeting last week, is owned bv Mr J. R. Corrigan, of Hawera, who had a very successful day. She is a wellbred filly by Worthy Bingen from Queen Chimes, and was bred by her owner. Her sire, Worthy Bingen, is by Nelson Bingen from Bertha Bell, and therefore is a brother to Peter Bingen and Great Bingen. He raced as a trotter and showed good form till he went wrong, and was put to. the stud in the North Island when quite a young horse. It is worth mentioning that Great Nelson, another brother to Wortry Bingen, also goes at the trotting gait. Worthy Qneen's dam is Qneen Chimes, by Coldstream Bells from the Vancleve mare Vanquish, so that the young trotter has the best of blood in her veins. Queen Chimes as a three-year-old won the Champion Stakes at the Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting on Easter Saturday in 1918, driven by J. Bryce. She was shipped by steamer the same night for Wellington, and was sent by motor lorry to Hawera, where on Easter Monday she won the first Waimate Plains Trotting Clubs l'uturity Stakes. She was one of the first horses in the Dominion to travel by motor lorry, a means of transit that has now become very popular. Those who saw Worthy Queen race predict a great future for the young trotter.