TOPICS of the TURE

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 191, 13 August 1931, Page 12

TOPICS of the TURE

NEWS ™OM EVERYWHERE

RACING FIXTURES. August 15—Canterbury Jockey Club. August 22—Pakuranga Hunt. August 22—Hawke's Bay Hunt. August 29—Taranaki Hunt. TROTTING FIXTURES. August 14—-New Zealand Metropolitan 'Sxotiing Club. RACING NOTES. Snowfall, the winner of the Grand National Steeplechase this week, has started in fifty-three races, for twelve wins, with £2749 in prize money. * * * * The programme for the spring meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club has been issued, and as was only to be expected, there is a considerable reduction in stake money, the sum of 4140 sovs being given this year, against 5740 sovs for the last spring meeting, a decrease of 1600 sovs. The events are just the same, and the stake money for the classic events (the Avondale Stakes and Avondale Guineas) remains the same, 500 sovs each. The only increase is in the Champion Hack Plate, which has been raised from 300 sovs to 500 sovs. The Avondale Cup has been reduced from £9OO sovs to £SOO sovs and other events in similar proportions. * * * * Auckland reports state that Boroscope is to open his three-year-old racing at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting The Weathervane—Tortrix colt, who was originally trained at Te Awamutu, joined A. Tinker’s stable at Te Rapa in the atumn. feoroscope has improved markedly in condition of recent months and is an upstanding thoroughbred who should play his part well in three-year-old company this season. have not been many opportunities, owing to unfavourable weather, to give him much fast work, but they will be increased from now on, as the tracks are now steadily improving. Baroscope is likely to be some little time yet in reaching his best. * * * * Cruachan, who is among the active track workers at Te Rapa, is being prepared to undertake racing on the flat at Ellerslie this month. The ex-hurdle horseman, R. Percival, is superintending the training of Cruachan, Te Taone, Whakama and Lang Veridas, members of R. Syme’s team during the latter’s absence at the Grand National meeting with Wiltshire. Cruachan is the only remaining member of the stable with immediate engagements. Lang Veridas is an Australian-bred gelding by Prince Veridas. * * * * Paganelli may do first racing of the new season at the Avondale meeting. The Lord Quex —Ringdove gelding has been working at Te Rapa for the past month and although he has not been asked to go fast so far he has hit out nicely in his work. His trainer, M. J. Carroll, has Paganelli looking in very forward condition for this stage of the season. Paganelli is to race in future in the interests of his trainer and of the Taranaki sportsman, Mr R. W. Roberts. * * * * The question of country clubs racing in Auckland was referred to at the annual meeting of the Auckland Racing Club this week. Mr O. Friedlander said that the general opinion in Auckland was that the Auckland Racing Club was ill-advised to allow the Taumarunui Racing Club to race at Ellerslie. He thought it had been stated by the conference that they were strongly against clubs racing away from their own courses except when a course was under repair, then the meeting should be held on the course nearest to it. That was not followed in the case of Taumarunui, and under the present conditions he thought business people in Auckland had something to complain about. He hoped outside meetings would not be held there in future. The president. Sir Edwin Mitchelson, said that the Taumarunui Club was in a very bad financial position and in consequence was allowed to race at Ellerslie. He was assured, however, that the district committee had passed a resolution that in no circumstances would it pass a programme for a club that did not race on its own course. It would never happen again in Auckland.

At one time Australia supplied India witfc large numbers of racehorses, but some years ago the market shifted to England. Now buyers for India are again busy in Australia.

Chide is one of the early favourites for the Metropolitan Handicap, to be run at the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting in October. He is reported to be one of the most forward horses in training at Randwick.

The ex-New Zealander, Georj-« Young, who is now established as a trainer at Randwick, is getting a good team together. He has five horses in work, Havaspot, Wild Time, Arcturus, Piety and Top Jig, and there may be further additions before long.

Among the winners on the first day of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting this month, was Affirm, who was successful in the Wilgah Steeplechasers’ Flat Handicap. He is a ten-year-old brother to .Royal Box, Tarleton and Historic, and was bred by Mr G. L. Stead. At one stage of his career he changed hands for 900 guineas, and he is now owned by Mr T. J. Hayes He was a good favourite for the Caulfield event.

According to exchanges just to hand, Waterline, conqueror of Phar Lap at the latter’s last start in the autumn, won the Moondah Plate (six furlongs) at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s Steeplechase Meeting at Caulfield last Saturday week. It was his first appearance since his Doncaster failure, at Easter, which was attributed to his having taken a chill. In his latest success Waterline carried top weight, 9-9, and he won dicisively.

The well-known Victorian, Mr E. A. Connolly, has announced that he has decided temporarily to retire as an owner, and all his horses are in the market. This followed an inquiry by the stipendiary stewards into the running of Ithuriel at Epsom, but Mr Connolly stated that the reason was that he feared that the worry of his horses would cause a recurrence of his illness. He intends to continue to take an active interest in racing.

The Australian stipendiary stewards continue to impose disqualifications for unsatisfactory running. It seems an extraordinary thing that when really expert vigilance is in evidence riders continue to take risks. The stewards, of course, are frequently supplied with a guide before a race is run. If the market creates suspicion they naturally become doubly vigilant. That is one direction in which the bookmakers can give a lead, as they do not fail to extend the .odds against a horse when there is no money for anything that should, by all the laws of the game, start a well-backed chance.

Mr A. P. Wilson, stipendiary steward to the New Zealand Racing Conference, who has made Palmerston North his headquarters since taking up his New Zealand appointment, purposes removing to Auckland in the near future. The change has been necessitated by the retirement of Mr Angus Gordon, and the decision of the Conference not to replace-him. Mr Wilson will now personally supervise operations in the north, while Mr B. N. Sandilands will no doubt attend the fixtures at the southern end of the North Island.

Wako King, a starter in the Grand National Steeplechase and a candidate for the Grand National Hurdles, has an unusual record for a horse so ambitiously engaged. He has not yet won a jumping race, either over hurdles or country, though he has been second on seceral occasions, some of them in good races. His last success was at the Ohinemuri meeting in 1929, when he won over seven furlongs on the flat. On the second day of that fixture he was narrowly beaten in the Hack Cup, one mile and 100 yards. It was not till the next season that he was sent oyer fences, and he early showed promise by finishing second and then third in hurdle races at the Waikato spring meeting. However, his next placing was not till the end of the term, when Master Lu beat him by a neck in the Te Awamutu Steeplechase. Last season, in a score of starts, he was second in the Waikato Hunt Cup, then second in the Greenlane Steeplechase and-the Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie in June. All these were useful efforts, and it is .rather surprising that he still ranks as a maiden hurdler and steeplechaser.

A report from Melbourne states that Phar Lap is in wonderful order to step out on his five-year-old career, and those who have been privileged to see him at the Braeside property of his part-owner, H. R. Telford, declare that he has never looked so well as he does now. Since his spell, which followed upon an attack of kidney trouble, he has built up considerably, and, as Telford remarked, “he is big enough to pull a truck.” It is expected that the champion will make his first appearance in the new season in the weight-for-age races at the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting at Randwick. These remain standard weight-for-age races, and therefore differ from the Victorian weight-fot-age races, which now carry penalties and allowances. When Phar Lap was defeated in the C. M. Lloyd Stakes at Flemington, tfiere was a mild outcry against the new conditions, and it was said that the champion had been “ butchered to make a Flemington holiday.” People who said that overlooked the fact that previously he carried the full penalty and won the Caulfield Futurity Stakes in most brilliant fashion. It was generally admitted that Phar Lap’s effort in the Futurity Stakes adversely affected him, as he was not at his best for the heavy ordeal.

TROTTING NOTES. The ex-Southlander, Tarndale, who was second in the Canterbury Handicap, is now trained by J. M’Lennan at Oamaru. He was a trifle unlucky in meeting Satin King in such good form. Tarndale is by Harold Rothschild, and he is seen at his best in two-mile races. * * * * Quickfire did not begin so well in the Avon Handicap as on the first day, and he made little impression on the leader over the first mile. He was making up ground in Hie last quarter of a mile, but he broke in the straight, and had to be content with second place.

Mac Dillon, who does not always go away well, made a smart beginning in the Dash Handicap and was the early leader. He lost his place just as the straight was reached, when John Jinks appeared to have him w’ell beaten. When John Jinks broke, Mac Dillon went to the front, but failed to withstand Sunchild’s final run, being beaten by nearly a length.

Sir Voyage had the easiest of victories in the Avon Handicap, in which he was made a very hot favourite. He commenced a good deal better than usual, and was in front before half the distance was covered. Sir Voyage looked as though the race on the first day had done him a lot of good, and he had little to trouble him on the journey.

Somerby stayed on much better in the Belgium Handicap than he did in the Trial Handicap on the first day. He was always up with the leaders. He stopped badly on the first day over the final stages, but in the Belgium Handicap he stayed out the last part of the race convincingly. Somerby has improved a good deal of late, as was expected after his good track work.

Gemlight, who won on the first day, was responsible for another good race when he finished second to Boneta in the Improvers’ Handicap. Although a trifle troublesome at the barrier, he made a smart beginning and was soon in a good position. He was * forced along in the straight in an endeavour to catch Boneta, with the result that he broke, and the mistake may have cost him the race.

After winning the mile harness event on the first day, it was surprising that Great Logan was not better backed for the Speedway Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter. As on the first day, he made a good start, and he beat Dilworth at the finish by a narrow margin. Great Logan has been raced over all distances, but is best up to a mile and a quarter, and he is on the top of his form at present.

Wben Sunchild won the Dash Handicap, he scored his first success since going into W. J. Tomkinson’s stable about four months ago. He was raced in the south by C. R. Hadfield, for whom he put up some good races over all distances. When at his best the Sungod gelding is a good pacer, who is equally at home in saddle or harness, and over any distance. Sunchild put plenty of dash into his work in the final stages.

Milo Minto, w’ho was second to Nelson de Oro in the Lincoln Handicap, put up a good race on the first day in the Selwyn Handicap, in which he had none the best of the running. He raced into a good position early in the Lincoln Handicap, but although he finished well, he could not quite catch. Nelson de Oro. Milo Minto, after being laid aside soon after going into O. E. Hooper’s stable, raced well last season. He was tried over all journeys, but he seems to be best in sprint races.

Belinda, who won the Belgium Handicap, is one of the best stayers racing. She has been a somewhat difficult mare to train, meeting with continuous slight ailments, which necessitated short spells in her racing preparation. She is a very lightly-fleshed mare, by Oinako from Dorothy D, the dam of Harold D, Gold Queen (who is the dam of Roi l’Or) and Brent Boy. She is trained by J. M’Kendry, who has had a lot of success with her. There is little doubt that she would have qualified for the New Zealand Cup had the weather conditions been favourable, and further successes seem assured during the season.

The performance of Roi l'Or in the King George Handicap stamped him as one of the best pacers in commission. Although giving away 48yds, the Waimate horse was quickly up with the leaders. M. Holmes then eased him and took a position near the rails, where he remained till half-a-mile from home. Roi l’Or was then asked to go on and after a brilliant run he came into the straight just behind Glenrossie and Dundas Boy. He finished resolutely, being narrowly beaten by Glenrossie, but his effort was a brilliant one. Although the track was good, the wind was against fast times, yet Roi l’Or went the two miles in 4min 20 4-ssec.

Nelson de Oro, who is trained at Oamaru, accounted for the Lincoln Handicap by a very narrow margin, after being prominent all the way. He is by Rey de Oro from Effie Bingen, a mare who raced both as a trotter and a pacer. Nelson de Oro is a fine pacer, who is £§en at his best up to a mile and a half. He started on the first day in the Queen Mary Handicap, run over two miles, but after racing well for half the distance, he faded out of the contest.

Dilworth did not race well on the first day, in the International Handicap, but she made a good beginning in the Speedway Handicap, being quickly in the lead. The Nelson-train-ed mare got a useful break early in the race, and looked like a winner coming into the straight, but Great Logan just got up to beat her. Dilworth is a fine young mare by Travis Axworthy, and she has raced well in the past over all distances. Like Great Logan, she was not fancied much, and she returned her backers a good dividend.

The race on the first day evidently did Boneta a lot of good, as she trotted more steadily in the Improvers’ Handicap and turned the tables on her victor of the first day. Boneta, who is a somewhat heavily built mare by Bon Patch, was for some time trained by N. L. Price, for whom she won over two miles. She is a moody trotter, but her owner-trainer has got her to race much more steadily than formerly and there is no question about her stamina. She showed an inclination to leave her feet in the first round, but afterwards trotted steadily.

In the Queen Mary Handicap, on the first day, Satin King made up his ground very fast from the back mark, and eventually finished up in fifth place after leading into the straight. In the Canterbury Handicap, the exSouthlander was not hurried in the early part, and gradually made up his ground. In the final half-furlong, he finished brilliantly, and won in fast time. Satin King raced well m the south last season, and about six months ago he went into O. E. Hoope.r’s stable. He is a very fine stayer, who looks as though he will now race well in the best company.

On the first day Glenrossie was second to Regal Voyage in the August Handicap, after being prominent ail the way. The Wellington-owned pacer made a good beginning in the King George Handicap and was always well placed. He took charge at half the distance and stayed on to win in convincing style. Glenrossie had not raced well at Addington on previous visits, but he has some good performances to his credit at Auckland. The Matchlight pacer has worked himself into the best class, and being only a young“ horse, he should be capable of further improvement, as he is a fine stayer.