Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 145, 20 June 1931, Page 12

Topics of the Turf

/VOTESAND NEWS FROMEYERYWHERE

RACING NOTES. Nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting will close at nine o’clock on Monday night. ❖ * * The Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting will be held next Saturday. Acceptances are due on Monday.

Nominations for the principal events at the Grand National meeting are due next Friday. The races which require attention are the Grand National, Beaufort and Lincoln Steeplechase, Grand National and Sydenham Hurdle Handicaps and Winter Cup.

Receipt is acknowledged of the order paper for the annual meeting of delegates to the Racing Conference, to be held in Wellington on Thursday, July 16; also copy of a memorandum containing particulars of the material alterations to the present Rules of Racing contained in the proposed new rules.

Ms # ifc Dunraven has been getting through useful tasks lately and he is getting into racing shape. It is proposed to run him at Ashburton and Oamaru, with Trentham to follow, if he goes on all rightt. The brother to Limerick should pay his way, but there is no prospect of him approaaching the class of' his famous relative.

Two more of Mr G. F. Moore’s horses have arrived at Riccarton and have F. D. Jones’s team. They are the six-year-old Morena, by Bisogne from Senyora, by Signor from True Shot, and the yearling by Diacquenod from Phrosa, by Limond from Cowl.

A report was current recently that the two-year-old, Belvoir, had been sold to a southern owner but it lacks confirmation. The Hunting Song youngster still occupies a box at the stables of F. D. Jones, who knows nothing of the reported sale. The position with Mr G. F. Moore’s horses is that any of them could be bought, at a price, but there is no present intention of letting them go at a sacrifice. Belvoir has shown enough to suggest that he \vill make a good three-} r ear*old and it is doubtful if he could be secured at present for less than £ISOO. That looks a big figure, for all that- he has done, though it will not be an extravagant Value to place on him if he develops as is hoped.

Birkbeck’s injured leg is progressing favourably, but it is doubtful if this useful jumper will be raced again this winter. * * * * The trouble which prevented Deportment from racing at the Dunedin meeting has proved so serious that the South Canterbury. steeplechaser will have to be given a good spell. * sis * sjc The Southland steeplechasers, Snowfall and West' Dome, also the flat, racers, Red Boa and Miss Redowa, were shifted recently to Washdyke, where they will be trained for the remainder of their winter engagements. Gay Fashion is still in the slings at Wingatui as the result of her mishap when racing at the wiqter meeting, but is making excellent progress. * * * * The Auckland .gelding . Claremore is spoken of as a likely sort • for Grand National honours. His second to Spalpiko in the. Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie was a creditable performance for, a horse with very little experience over country.- * * sje

The possibility of H. Gray being granted a jockey’s license by the Australian Jockey Club has been discussed by a Sydney paper, accompanied' by the statement that he may be riding in Australia in the spring. The crack jockey, when questioned on the subject recently, stated that the report was news to him as he had made no recent move in the matter.

H. B. Lorigan has Concentrate, Gesture, Oratorian, St. Roger and Cimabue in strong work at Trentham and from this lot he may draw. a useful team for another spring campaign in Sydney. Though no definite plans have been made the trip is a probability. * * * The Trentham trainer, A. J. M’Laughlin, may spend the next few months in Sydney, for health reasons, in order to benefit by the mild winter conditions ruling there. If this programme is carried out, he will take some horses, including Mr J. A. Taylor’s yearlings, the Pombal—Veil colt and the Lord Quex —Ayah gelding. * * * * Ephialtes, who has shown useful form in the North Island this season, winding up with a win in the Raukawa Cup at Otaki, may do his spring racing in Sydney. * * * * A question of interest in New Zealand racing law cropped up at a recent meeting, says the “New Zealand Referee.” The decision of a starter to fine some riders was appealed against and the stewards upheld the appeal. The point is whether the stewards had the power to hear such an appeal. One might easily gather from a perusal of the rules that they had not, but Conference officials are of the opinion that the stewards acted within their rights. The rules provide: “The starter may fine any jockey who disobeys his orders, or who attemptts to take an unfair advantage in the start of any race, a sum not exceeding ssovs, and shall immediately report such misconduct to the stewards and such fine shall be deemed to be a fine imposed by the stewards.” It is understood that the revised rules propose to make the starter's power in this respect absolute.

While A. Trilford was in Auckland early this month, in charge of Carinthia, he was offered a position as trainer to a North Island owner.

When Nukumai fell in the Great Northern Steeplechase he received a slight injury to one of his legs, and it was thought inadvisable to run him at the Waikato meeting. He has made a good recovery, and will be seen out again at Trentham next month.

Mr W. S. Spence, secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, is in a position to show that despite the fallingoff in totalisator revenue, which was to some extent provided for by the anticipated fall in revenue from all sources by a reduction in stakes, the financial position will work out on the whole very satisfactorily for the club’s winter meeting.

Mr J. M. Samson, who has announced his intention to settle his big team at Wingatui, was recently on the lookout for a suitable properly at Seadown, near the Washdyke racecourse (reports (the “Referee”). The type of country could not be procured at the desired price, and for this and other reasons Mr Samson decided to have the horses prepared at Wingatui, where he could take a more personal interest in their work. A rumour was current a few days ago that an effort was being made to lease stables at Riccarton for the Samson team, but apparently it was not well founded. * # * * A Melbourne report states that Mr Sol Green was questioned, during a recent visit to England, regarding the respective merits of Strephon and Phar Lap, and he expressed the opinion that Phar Lap was the better of the pair. * # * *

When doing a round of the leading studs recently the “ Special Commissioner ” of “ Sporting Life ” said he was particularly attracted by a grand colt by Coronach from Pagan Sacrifice. This youngster is a half-brother to the Elderslie Stud importation, Iliad, and a three-parts brother to a colt that made 7100 guineas at the Doncaster sales last year. It is said that the youngster is one of the best-looking yearlings likely to be found on a catalogue this year.

The appearance of Okopua’s name among the entries for the Moteo Hack Hurdles at the Napier Park meeting is a reminder that a three-year-old may compete over the battens. The rule reads: “ No horse under three years and six months of age shall run in a hurdle race.” However, very rarely does a horse of such age take his place in a hurdle field. Okopua is a three-year-cld brother to defunct Paiko, and is a half-brother (by Chief Ruler) to other good performers in Euchre, Bissac and Orcades, and also to Ici (dam of Mendip), but has been a rank disappointment to date, not having been in a place in fifteen starts. Many times, too, he has been freely fancied by his connections. Perhaps the idea is to run him once or twice over fences in order to see if this will convince liim that he must settle down to more honest work in races on the flat.

The effect of the prevailing depression on the breeding of thoroughbreds was referred to by Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon, chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, in a recent interview with the Melbourne “Argus.” “Naturally one does not like the depression,” said Mr Mackinnon, “ but I have a distinct feeling that it will eventually be for the good of the horse breeding industry. Our stakes have been so good and the prices of yearlings have consequently soared so high that anyone with a mare would send her to what was termed a ‘fashionable stallion,’ in the hope of breeding something that he could sell, not something that he could race himself. Consequently that care which should be given to the mating of mares with horses has been largely overlooked. It is early yet to give one’s views on the effect of the exclusion of geldings _ from . the Derbies, but my opinion is that this is going to be of immense _ benefit from the breeding point of view, which, after all, is the proper view. We have read in the papers of- protests, but when you analyse these protests you find that they come principally from breeders—breeders who'do not breed to race, but who want to avail themselves of the market. Examine. the catalogues of the last ten or twenty years, and see how many of the colts offered by these breeders were ever put into the ring as geldings. No, they will not take the risk of gelding their colts—they leave that to the poor buyer if he feels inclined to do so. No" doubt it is hard for the breeder to have to provide paddocks for unsold colts, but that is his look-out.”

One of the latest candidates for hurdle events in Auckland is the chestnut gelding Good Boy, who has been entered for the Manunui Hurdles, to be run on the first day of the Taumarunui meeting. Good Boy shaped well when schooled over the pony hurdles recently, and with a , bit of experience might develop into a payable proposition as a jumper.

Bon Aryan, a candidate for steeplechases at Napier, has been off the scene for a long time, but he is by no means new to the game. In the Petane Steeplechase two years ago he ran second to Crishna at his first start, and subsequently big things were expected from him. He was taken to the Wellington meeting, and then to the Grand National meeting, but he failed to materialise. Last winter he was produced once, in a gentleman riders’ event at the Hawke’s Bay meeting, but since then he has not been raced. He is a ten-year-old brown gelding by Boniform from Arion, a mare apparently by Merriwee and bred at Porangahau by Mr E. J. Watt.

TROTTING NOTES

A correspondent has requested some information concerning the earliest racing at Addington. The first meeting held on the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s course was commenced on Monday, November 6, 1599. The first race was the Trial Handicap, in saddle, of 40 sovs, and it was won by the favourite, Mr F. M’Claffertv’s General Standish, who had 12sec start and was ridden by the late T. Cotton. The winner had £l2B invested on him and paid a dividend of £2 Is. Jewel, ridden by J. Fraser, was second and Jefferson (N. L. Price) third. Other starters were Annie Rooney, Lassie, Index and Prince 11. The last-named started without any investments on his chance. General Standish won by 200 yards, with 30 yards between second and third. The winner’s time was smin 23sec.

A correspondent has asked for particulars of the Fritz—Ribbonwood match, which took place on the first day of the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting, on April 11, 1903. The conditions of the race were as follows: A sweep of 500 sovs each, with 100 sovs added. Best three heats out of five. One mile. Ribbonwood won the first three heats, paying £1 10s, £1 10s and £1 4s. The times were 2min 14 1-5 sec, 2min 13sec and 2min lOsec. He won the first heat by five lengths, the second by a length and a half and the last one by eighty yards. He was driven by D. J. Price and Mr J. A. Buckland (owner) drove Fritz.

A. Cox has the three-year-old trotter Todd Lonzia in fine order; in fact, the youngster has been improved considerably by his recent racing. Cox is giving him plenty of useful work and if arrangements can be completed, he intends sending the trotter against time for a mile one day next week at Addington. Provided the conditions are favourable Todd Lonzia should trot a fast mile, as the track at Addington has never been in better order than at present.

It was intended to send Cyone to race at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, which commenced to-day, but the pacer met with an injury and did not go. Her trainer, F. Holmes, intended going north in charge and Netta Oro would have been taken by him also. As Cyone could not make the trip, it was deemed advisable not to go with only Netta Oro, so she also stayed at home. * * * The trotter Surprise Journey looks in fine order to commence the new season’s racing. He has had a good spell and his present work on the track is steady jogging. * * * Instead of racing on consecutive days, the Invercargill Trotting Club has decided to race on two Saturdays and has applied for October 17th and March 5 as its dates for next season. •5jS Mr H. F. Nicoll, the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference and the Ashburton Trotting Club, was the promoter of the New Zealand Sapling Stakes and he has been a great patron of the race since its institution, horses bred at Durbar Lodge having played an important part in the decision of the classic since its inception in 1919. In that Season Lady Swithin finished second to Doraldina and the following two years he won with Childe Pointer and Latona respectively. When Ahuriri won in 1922 Mr Nicoll had no representative. He was second to Kohara the following year with Gibraltar and won the next season with Nantwich, while ‘ Lingfield, also bred and owned by him, was third. Haydock finished second to Richore the next season and Mr Nicoll had no representative in 1927, when the North Island Enawah was successful. Wrackler and Wrackeen both started in 1928, the former being third. Mr Nicoll was not represented the next season, although his son bred Grand Canyon, who was favourite, and ran unplaced, but the Wrack—Nell Pointer youngster had been sold prior to the race. Mr Nicoll won again with Arethusa last season, and in the latest race his representative, Ciro, finished out of a place, but Grand Canyon’s brother, Tempest, who was second to Silver de Oro, was bred by his son, Mr A. J. Nicoll. There have been thirteen contests for the two-year-old classic. Mr Nicoll has won on four occasions, and has been second three times. He has been twice third, on one occasion w-hen he also provided the winner. On one occasion he had no representative. This season marks the first occasion on which his representative has been unplaced. A point that must be most pleasing to Mr Nicoll is the fact that all his representatives in the race were bred by him.

Although F. Smith is never responsible for any very fast times with his horses in training he sees that they get plenty of work, says the Auckland writer “ Orion.” He adopts the method of many of America’s leading trainers —that is, he works his horses repeats, or twice within a few minutes. Ail his horses engaged at the meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club were given repeat workouts on Tuesday, but never did he ask them to go fast in the early part, although he sent them along the final quarter. His team is not a particularly strong one, but all are in the best of condition, and he should get some of the money before the crowd go home after the second day’s racing. * The performance of Sir Voyage at Ashburton, where he won the Stewards’ Handicap, and recorded the fast time of 4min 33 2-ssec, would not come as a surprise to those who saw the son of First Voyage win at the Waikato meeting, where he was on the front of a 4.50 class, and made his four opponents look as though they were not trotters at all. The track was heavy, and Sir Voyage did not put up fast'time, but the manner in which he performed made it clear that he was a fine trotter, who would not be long in reaching the best company. At Ashburton he had his second start in the Dominion, and again he won. It is very evident, writes the Auckland correspondent of this paper, that Mr Paul was impressed with the performances of Tomkinson’s horse, as he has penalised him 48 yards for the Auckland meeting, which brings Sir Voyage back to a 4.42 mark. For his two wins Sir Voyage has come back 96 yards, or eight seconds, but it is only right that he should, as too much leniency is being shown to winners in many cases.

METROPOLITAN TROTS.

ANNUAL REPORT. The committee of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, in presenting the annual report, expresses regret that, owing to the economic depression prevailing throughout the Dominion, there was a loss of £3297 on the season’s operations. The meetings held during the year provided racing of a very high standard, resulting in exciting and close finishes. Among many excellent performances, the following were deserving of special mention:— Harold Hogan’s performance in pacing two miles in 4min 13 2-ssec, which was a world’s place record; Arethusa’s 4min 24sec for two miles, a world’s record for a three-year-old; Admiral Bingen’s 3min 18 3-ssec for a mile and a half, a New Zealand place record for a trotter; and Red Shadow’s 3min 16 4-osec for a mile and a half, a New Zealand place record for a three-year-old. The stakes distributed during the year amounted to £36,300. During the year the club sustained a loss through the death of the following members:— Messrs J. S. Barrett, L. R. Corsbie, J. H. Hall, A. Howard, H. Quane, G. Rutherford and T. V. Whitmore. Mr J H. Williams has been elected president, Mr C. M. Ollivier vice-president, and Mr F. E. Graham treasurer, all without opposition. Four nominations have been received for three vacancies on the committee and thirteen nominations for twelve stewards, necessitating a ballot in each case. The committee records its thanks to the various subcommittees for their able assistance, to Mr Rattray and his staff for capable management, also to Mr Highsted and the ground staff for the excellent condition of the track during the season. The balance-sheet shows the principal items of revenue to have been:— Totalisator £37,754 12s 3d, nominations and acceptances £6905 10s, stands and gates £9313 7s, privileges £3809, interest £2391 16s Id, rent £IO4O 0s Id, and members’ subscriptions £ll3O 17s. The payments included: —Stakes £36,300, Government taxes (totalisator £14,662 Is 9d, dividends £15,167 ss, stakes £lßls, amusement £977 14s 2d, income £35 5s lOd, and land £325 0s 7d, less recovered from dividends and owners £16,982 ss) £16,000 2s 4d, salaries and wages £2722 5s Bd. expenses of race meetings £3246 14s lOd, Trotting Conference levies £1073, rates £1944 17s Id, advertising, printing and stationery £II4S 7s sd, improvements £739 7s lid, donations £576 Is 3d, repairs and maintenance £774 7s lOd, rent of course £sll 11s. The year commenced with a credit of £439 5s lid and after £3OOO had been withdrawn from deposit, closed with a credit of £214 2s Sd. The assets of the club are set out at £86,919 3s 4d, including Government inscribed stock and bonds £41,663 ss, properties £29,406 Is 2d, office building and land £11,623 10s 6d.

TAUMARUNUI HANDICAPS. The following l handicaps have been declared by Mr F. J. M’Menamin for the first day of the Taumarunui RacingClub’s meeting, to be held at Ellerslie on July 4 and 6:— HUNTERS’ HURDLES, of 130 sovs; two miles—Billy Boy 10.9, Fair Abbey 9.12. Mashoor 9.12, Town Beauty 9.10, General Lu 9.5, Dominican 9.2. St Lucas 9.0, Land Measure 9.0. TARINGAMUTU HANDICAP, of 130 sovs; seven furlongs—Valroo 10.5, Catoma 9.12, Lucy Rose 9.10. Lady’s Boy 9.8, Vandyke 9.7, Tetrarchate 9.5, Puriri Park 9.2, Prince of Orange 9.0, Valstreet 9.0. Bronze Tray 9.0. Desert Star 9.0, Grand Talk 9.0, Barometer 9.Q. Catch-'em 9.0. Abbess 9.0, Helium 9.0. TAUMARUNUI HANDICAP, of 250 sovs; one mile and a quarter—True Blood 10.6, Antique 10.3, Standfast 9.10, Gay Cockade, Te Hoia 9.1, Flying Prince 9.0, Trishna 9.0, Barometer 9.0. MANUNUI HURDLES, of 130 sovs; one mile and a half—Patutahi 9.11, Marble King 9.10. St Ames 9.9. Dark Prince 9.9, Kairuri 9.7, Harbour View 9.2, Coolmint 9.2, Owairaka 9.0. Luke Boy 9.0, Land Measure 9.0, Arapawa 9.0, Production 9.0, Justify 9.0, Good Boy 9.0, Abbess 9.0, Royal Day 9.0, Whakama 9.0. IVAITUHI STEEPLECHASE, of 130 sovs; about two miles and a half —Quinsilia 10.12, Billy Boy 10.9, Mashoor 10.7,

Town Beauty 9.10, Harbour View 9.6. Royal Visitor 9.4. Arapawa 9.0. St Lucas 9.0, Day Lark 9.0. OWHANGO HANDICAP, of 100 sovs; one mile—Claremoro 10.6, Taurua 10.5, ,First Lap 10.5, Indolent 10.4, Sub-editor 3 0.1, Grand Spirit 10.1, Bronze Tray 9.6, Holly Holm 9.5, Grand Talk 9.5. Wee

Prince 9.2, King’s Archer 9.2, Royal England 9.0, Cargen 9.0, Excella Tea 9.9, Red Lion 9.0. RANGAROA HANDICAP, of 150 sow six furlongs—Prodice 11.3, Paddon 10.2. Ruffles 10.0, Hampton 3*ark 9.11, Cynthia N. 9.7, Tetrarchate 9.5. Flying Prince 9.2, Bennie 9.0, Full Measure S O.