Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 302, 21 December 1931, Page 10

Topics of the Turf

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JT IS REPORTED that 11. Wiggins, who had been engaged to ride Gustavo in the Auckland Cup, is now likely to be on Jaloux. * * * * Acceptances will close to-night for the Wairarapa meeting, at 8 o’clock; for the Marton fixture at 9 o’clock; and for the Waiau meeting at 9 o’clock. 4« 4* * First Raid has been recommissioned by R. C. Keeper after a spell. * •* * * Speedmint, who is an acceptor for the Queen’s Plate at Ellerslie, possesses more than speed and is an honest galloper. * The Egmont Racing Club, established in 1882, will hold a jubilee cup meeting on February 3 and 4. The principal event will be the Egmont Jubilee Cup, of 200 sovs, including a cup to the value of 50 soys, one mile and a quarter. ❖ * * * W, (“Togo”) Johnstone, the -well known Sydney jockey, who accepted an engagement a few months ago to ride in India, scored an important success in Calcutta on Saturday. He rode Telasur to victory in the King Emperor’s Cup. TO RE GELDED. When Linoleum (Limond—lnlaid) carries Mr Currie’s colours he will be a three-year-old gelding, for it is the intention to add him to the list next month. After the Wellington meeting he will go out to Koatanui for a spell of three or four months, and will afterwards be brought in to undergo a preparation for next season. The Auckland owner, Mr A. D. Potter, has acquired from Mr L. W. Nelson a yearling filly by Chief Ruler from Black-Eyed Sue, an imported mare, by He from Anthracite, by Orby from Elephant. The youngster is to be taken in hand early and she will probably be broken in about*the end of next month. * * * * H. Gilmer has left Auckland to ride at the West Coast meetings.

Acceptances for the Waikouaiti meeting will close at nine o'clock to-morrow night.

Ganpat, who before the Waipa meeting contracted a slight cold, is now working along ‘Steadily with a view to competing at Ellerslie. A consistent galloper, he should not be long in hack company. * * * * Another Riccarton contingent will go north this evening, when H. Cutts will leave with Winsome Hind, Fleeting Glance, Sailor’s Love, Babel, Cricket Bat and Zeebrugge. Sir Charles Clifford’s horses will race at the Manawatu and Wairarapa meetings. AUCKLAND HURDLERS. Some of the hurdlers at Ellerslie have been working really well and one who has pleased lately is Kawainga. She has made marked progress in the past few weeks and her schooling effort the other morning was very good. Lack of experience may be against Kawainga just at present, but she is certainly doing well enough to indicate that she has possibilities as a hurdler. * * * * Dominican has greatly improved in his jumping as the result of regular schooling. E. C. Rae is giving him a very solid preparation and he should race well. * * * * Palace is out of action for the holiday racing. He struck himself a few days ago and a splint has developed. KING’S cup OF 1932. The 1931 and 1932 King’s Cup races in Australia will be run in the same season. Each State has the race in turn. This year it was held in Perth and the West Australian Turf Club included the event in its October programme. Easily the most important racing period in Tasmania, where the 1932 race will be decided, is the “ Tasmanian fortnight,” which begins annually towards the end of January. The Hobart and Launceston Cups are the main features of the fortnight as a rule, taking "precedence in date of running in alternate years. The King’s Cup at the Elwick racecourse, Hobart, is set down for decision on February 3. Victorian stables used to set themselves to win the Island Cups and trainers like James Scobie, R. Bradfield and A. Skirving were regular invaders, but in recent years the lure for them has not proved as tempting. The King’s Cup may, however, prove a magnet. Limerick won the 1928 race at Randwick and Phar Lap that of >930 at Adelaide. There may be a New’ Zealand horse or two available this time. GOOD TRIAL. On the strength of a good gallop with Bronze Eagle last Tuesday, Heremia has advanced in favour for his Robinson Handicap engagement. His six furlongs in lmin 14 3-ssec, although a second slower than Bronze Eagle’s time, was comparatively an excellent effort, and he has only to maintain this rate of progress to lose his hack status in a very short time.

T. 11. Gillett is expected back from the north to-morrow morning with Gustavo, who went amiss in winning the President’s Handicap at Dannevirke on Wednesday. The trouble is in the near foreleg and may be the result of a jarred ligament. GISBORNE REPRESENTATIVES. The Gisborne horses Lordly Knight, Sunny Sky, Sunny Song, Autumn Sun and Russet Moor are all expected at Ellerslie to keep their engagements at the Auckland Racing Club’s 1 Summer meeting. Autumn Sun will be one of A. 11. Eastwood’s mounts on Saturday when the Riccarton lightweight will also be astride Great Star, United, Instalment and Whirlalong. * * * * An addition to the Riccarton team of. F. D. Jones is a two-year-old by Hunting Song from Lady Brentinck by Absurd. Like his brother Belvoir, the youngster is owned by Mr G. F. Moore. CHANCE TO REPEAT WIN. Killigrew’, winner of the Westland Cup twelve months ago with 7st lib, is an acceptor for the same event next Saturday with 7st lib. Miss Mercia, who won the Goldfields Handicap on the first day of the 1930 meeting with 7st 131 b, is an acceptor this time for the Stewards’ Handicap with Bst 121 b. Killigrew has not raced this season, but Greymouth reports are that he is working nicely. * * * * A. Cook’s novices, Chateau and Lapstone, both displayed speed in the Waipa Plate at Te Awamutu and they are young horses whose form should show early improvement. Chateau is the more forw’ard and he is a good stamp of horse who should be quite ready for the country meetings just after the holidays. NORTIIERN YOUNGSTERS. A northern tw T o-year-old that is thriving on his w r ork is the Tippler—Miss Myra gelding Closing Time. At the Dargaville meeting he beat Tea Trader, who on the second day reversed the placings. Since then Closing Time has not raced, but he has shown such noticeable improvement that many folk will be surprised if he fails to land some stake money at the forthcoming meeting. Gay Marigold is handily weighted in the Nursery Handicap at Ellerslie and has been going well enough in her work to suggest her being given a chance in that event. Her smallness will be against her in the event of a big field facing the post. Tea Trader is in fine fettle. VILLIERS STAKES. High Disdain, who won the Villiers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, though an Australian-bred gelding, did his early racing in New Zealand. Carrying the colours of Mr A. M’Donald, for whom R. S. Bagby trained him, High Disdain won twice at Manawatu meetings and once at Wellington. At three years he had a win at Taranaki. Sent to Australia to race, he was sold to a Sydney owner in the following season. Among the unplaced starters in the Villiers were the hard-worked First Acre and Trevallion. The latter, who is a brother to the New Zealand Oaks winner, Korokio, led but grew weary. CARBINES GREAT GRANDSONS Carbine’s great grandsons have been much in the limelight this season, and another one of the tribe was successful at Randwick on Saturday when Spearman. by Spearhead, won the Holiday Handicap. Spearman, who is owned b)' the former New Zealander, Mr E. J. Watt, finished fourth in the last Caulfield Cup. Third place in the Holiday Handicap went to Salvador, a half-brother to Eurythmic, by the A.J.C. Derby winner, Rivoli. * * sfc * Mr F. Rose, who recently sold the promising hack Heremia, has a two-year old full sister (Lapidary—Blodwyn) in work at Tirau. This filly is a wellturned youngster and is even better developed than Heremia was at the same age. She is showing plenty of pace in her work, but will probably not sport silk until the Matamata meeting in February. Eva Rose is the name claimed for this youngster. FIXTURES. December 26 —Hurunul Turf Club. December 26—Waipukurau J.C. December 26, 28—Westland R.C. December 26, 28—Taranaki J.C. December 26, 28—Dunedin J.C. December 26, 28, 29 Manawatu R.C. December 26, 29, January 1, 2—Auckland R.C. January I—Waiau R.C. January I—Waikouaiti R.C. January I—Wyndham R.C. January 1, 2—Wairarapa R.C. January 1, 2—Greymouth J.C. January 1, 2—Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 1, 2—Stratford R.C. January 1, 2—Marton J.C. January 2—Oamaru J.C. January 2, 4—Southland R.C. January 7, 9—Thames J.C. January 8, »—Reefton J.C. January 9, 11—Vincent J.C. January 13, 14—Foxton R.C. January 16—Bay of Islands R.C. January 16—Birch wood H.C. January 19, 21—Wairoa R.C. January 20, 22, 23—Wellington R.C.

TROTTING VISITORS. Differential Handicapping Discussed. AUCKLAND BOTHER. With a letter forwarded to Mr H. F. Nicoll, president of the Trotting Conference, this week, Mr F. B. M’Farlane, the Melbourne owner now in Auckland with a team of five horses for the Auckland Trotting Cup meeting, has probably brought the correspondence to a close (says the Auckland “Star.”) It has been definitely decided that the interpretation of a horse’s “ best performance ” is his fastest time recorded, either to win or to gain a place. Naturally, the decision is not appreciated by Mr M’Farlane, who feels that so far from being encouraged to bring horses from Australia to add interest to meetings in New Zealand, he has been told that horses from Australia are not wanted on this side of the Tasman. Mr M’Farlane points out that although owners of New Zealand’s best gallopers have for years visited Australia, and carried off numerous important events, including the Melbourne Cup and A.J.C. and Victoria Derbies, there has never been any suggestion put forward by Australian owners that New Zealand horses should be subject to penalties which would amount to barring them altogether. As a matter of fact, the clubs welcome the visitors. In West Australia. Mr M’Farlane might have gone further and quoted the trotting sport in West Australia. When the Australasian championship was held at Perth the West Australia Trotting Association, so far from barring the New Zealand horses, offered special inducement to get them over, and as we know, the championship was won by the then Canterbury-owned Taraire. Great Bingen, then the best pacer in Australasia, was also sent across, but he was not himself, and did not show his best form. Scarcity of entries caused the association to drop the championship and give prominence to the West Australia Cup, and in three or four years it w’as twice won by exNew Zealand horses, Taurekareka and Tommy Dillon. Both horses were handicapped seconds slower than their New Zealand records. Discrimination.

No doubt a good argument can be put forward to warrant some protection being given our owners against Australians coming across and lifting our best prizes, but Australians might equally apply it on their side. It has long been contended that the trotting sport differs from that of galloping because handicapping is based on time, but it is not so now’, and the time a horse records plays no part in allotting his future handicap, the penalty being imposed according to the class-limit of the race he competes in, and then a penalty is incurred for a win or second place performance. No penalty follows a third place performance.

But these rules are made only for New Zealand horses, and with those brought from other lands, the interpretation is very different, because an imported horse is penalised on not only wins or second place performances, but on a third place, if it happens to be his fastest, irrespective of his handicap mark, or whether third place w’as ■worth pounds or shillings. The Club’s Position.

Granted that the New Zealand owner is entitled to some protection, there is another aspect of the matter, and this is the position of the trotting clubs. It is the good horses that the public go to see in competition, and for proof of this w r e have only to quote the New Zealand Trotting Cup, the richest stake given to any horse race in the Dominion, and a race which people from all parts of New Zealand go to see. In the Auckland Trotting Cup next Monday it is not the local horses that draw the crowds, but the visitors from the South, and the attraction would be greater still if the Sydney crack pacers, Walla Walla and Marble Ridge, were in the field. The appearance of a horse of the renown of Walla Walla in the Cup would be worth a lot of money to the Auckland Trotting Club, but while the _ present interpretation—or at least the interpretation of the Stipendiary Stewards’ Committee—holds good, there is no prospect of seeing any Australian champions in action in the Dominion. Some owners may be pleased, but the whole of the public will regret it.

RACING AT RANDWICK. High Disdain Successful in Villier’s Stakes. SYDNEY, December 20. The Australian Jockey Club’s meeting was commenced at Randwick yesterday. The principal events resulted as follows: — VILLIERS STAKES Of 7 sovs each, with 750 sovs added; second horse 150 sovs and third horse 75 sovs from the stake. One mile. HIGFI DISDAIN, Mr J. Kingsley’s b g, by Claro —Contempt, aged, 8.9 (D. Munro) 1 PORT SAID. Mr J. S. Taylor's b g, by Egypt—Bengal Lady, aged, 7.8 (Simpson) 2 PENTHEUS, Mr R. Walder’s br h. by Rossendale—Cereica, syrs, 9.9 (J. Pike) • 3 Seventeen horses started, including First Acre. Casque d’Or was first prominent, from Port Said. Then Trevallion joined Port Said but was unable to hold his place in the straight, where High Disdain came through and won easily by three lengths. Panola was fourth. Time — lmin 36 4sec. HOLIDAY HANDICAP. Of 4 sovs each, with 400 sovs added; second horse 80 sovs. and third horse 40 sovs from the stake. One mile and a quarter. SPEARMAN, Mr E. J. Watt’s b g, by Spearhead—Scream, 6yrs, 9.0 (j. Munro) 1 GEM LIGHT, Mr G. Lightford’s b g, by Treciare—Headlight, syrs, 8.6 (E. Bar tie) 2 SALVADOR, Mr J. H. Andrews’s ch g, by Rivoli—Bob Cherry, 4yrs, 7.6 (Hickey) 3 Twelve horses started, Including Vertigern. . , In an exciting finish, Spearman won by a head. Time—2min 42sec. TROTTING FIXTURES. December 26—Ashburton T.C. December 26—South Waii'arapa T.C. December 26—Gore Trotting Club. December 26—Hurunui Turf Club. December 26. 28—Westport T.C. December 28, 30. 31—Auckland T.C. December 30—Winton T.C. December 30—Reefton T.C. January I—Waiau R.C. January I—Waikouaiti R.C. January I—Wyndham R.C. January 1, 2—Greymouth J.C. January 1, 2 —Canterbury Park T.C. January 2—Oamaru J.C. January 2, 4—Southland R.C. January 4—Westland T.C. January 5. 6—Greymouth T.C. January 8, 9—Reefton J.C. January 9, 11—Vincent J.C. January 16—Wellington T.C.

HANDICAPS. Canterbury Park Trotting Meeting. The following handicaps have been declared by Mr F. C. Thomas:— INTRODUCTORY HANDICAP, of 150

KING’S EMPEROR’S CUP. United Press Assn. —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. CALCUTTA, December 19. At the Calcutta Turf Club's meeting, the King-Emperor’s Cup, one mile, was won by Captain Elgee’s Telasur 9.3. ridden by the Australian jockey, Johnstone. The Maharajah of Kolhapur’s Grand Wazir. 9.3 (O’Baid) was second, and Mr C. Lowdhury's Glanville, 9.3 (Marland) third. Nine horses started. Won by two lengths. Time—lmin 40 l-3sec.

sovs. Trotters on ly. Class 3.38. One mile and a half. Bingen Spiers Micky Audubon 36 Stanley Bingen Deceitful 36 Victor Bingen Scuttle 36 Peter Fashion Dark M’Kinney 48 Great Burton Young Carbine X4 Nellie Hugo Biddy Parrish 96 Radley Great Amazon & 12 All Peters 96 TEMPLETON HANDICAP, of 150 sc vs. Class 3.32. One mile and a half. Llewellyn scr Autowin Fleet Arrow Silver Bingen 12 Colorado Real Huon 12 Russell Pointer Headlight 12 Chimer Ulm 12 Nona Bingen Ratloc 24 Nelson’s Chum Morrison 24 Harold Denver Banffshire Lad 24 Lee Thorpe Bold Bill 36 CANTERBURY HANDICAP, of 450 sovs. Class 4.28. Two miles. Great Logan Regal Voyage 12 Milo Minto King Pointer 2 i Red Shadow Logan Chief Dilworth Free Advice 36 Arethusa Carmel 36 Dundas Boy 12 Harold Logan 72 LYTTELTON HANDICAP, of 180 sovs. Class 4.40. Two miles. White Satin Real Girl 12 Holly Bank Bay Admiral 12 Locanda Boy 12 Location Lifebuoy 12 Curfew Boy Lily Harold 24 Bracken A.rachne 36 Anon Kelp Donard Pageant d’Or 36 Some Guy Brentlight 48 Ron Proud Dillon 4 8 STEWARDS’ HANDICAP, of 200 sovs. Trotters only. Class 4.43. Two miles. Repute scr Mountain Mist 48 Kyra Boneta 60 St Petrox Gemlight 60 Great Way Ukelele Lady 72 Biddy Parrish 12 Fifa 72 Nelson Ata 24 Quick fire 84 White Satin 36 Duke Bingen 84 Trampcrisp 36 Nelson Boy 84 Ambition 36 Cannonball 96 ISLINGTON HANDICAP, of 200 sc Class 2.47. One mile and a quarter. Black Lion Invader Zenith Mac Dillon 12 Happy Land Belinda 12 Ayrmont Sodium 12 Chimes Steel All Wakatn.ua Colonial Boy 12 Wraekeen Major Lind 12 Trimmer Avenger 12 Great Author Warplane George Roy Pageant Rollo 36 Eugene de Oro Grand Canyon lor Dilworth 36 RAILWAY HANDICAP (in saddle), of 180 sovs. Class 2.17. One mile. Sunranes Peter Daunt Ariki Some Guy Bob Logan Pearl Logan 12 Holly Bank Lily Bingen 12 Dusolina Author Franz 12 Bracken Blue Glen ler St George 36 AU REVOIR HANDICAP, of 200 sovs. Class 2.16. One mile. Real Girl Olive Nelson 12 Great Triumph 12 Lily *Bingen 12 Winter Erin’s Pointer 12 Audubon Arachne 12 Pearl Logan Salient 12 Bay Admiral Tactless 12 Ron Roicole 12 Kreisler Netta Oro 24 Roddy Belle Ax worthy 36 Our George 12 Harvest Child 36