WOODVILLE’S MARKED SUCCESS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 697, 25 February 1933, Page 12

WOODVILLE’S MARKED SUCCESS.

Win and Place Betting is Rendering BadlyNeeded Help to Racing. PUBLIC SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION.

(Special to the “ Star. ’)

WELLINGTON, February 25. An outstanding feature of this week’s Woodville District Jockey Club’s autumn meeting was the enthusiasm displayed by an unexpeciedly large attendance in the racing and in the betting. Probably no meeting in the district this season has had a keener and more spirited patronage, and the Woodville stewards are to be congratulated on the success of the active and progressive policy they adopted toward popularising the fixture. The win and place system of distributing dividends undoubtedly assisted in drawing the public, while advertising and reduction of gate charges did the rest. It is interesting to note that in spite of the lower admission fees the gate takings were up over £SO on the first day, and there was another similar increase on the final day. The totalisator turnover of £11,930 was an improvement of 22* per cent on last year’s figures, and, if rain had not set in after the third race on the first day (the morning had been fine and sultry, and most people were caught without coats), the increase would probably have been well over 30 per cent. Another notable point about the meeting was the splendid response of owners. Whereas at almost all recent meetings there has been a definite decline in the number of runners, there was an increase of sixteen on last year’s figures on the first day this year, and an increase of nineteen on the second day. In twelve of the sixteen races three place dividends were paid, and in the other four there were two place dividends. All the dividends were over £1 for £1 invested, so that the public were satisfied. The club combined its one totalisator face to register both win and place pools. The top two rows of eight windows on a black ground were used to show the place pool, and the bottom two rows, on a red ground, were used for the win pool. The place total was shown on the old total window, and the win total was regularly indicated on a blackboard. Gaps were dispensed with for horses scratched, and when there were over sixteen runners (as in the Maiden Stakes on the first day) the extra numbers were provided for on a blackboard. This method appeared a better one than installing an extra machine, for both sets of figures were always right before the public’s eyes. The Woodville machine, of course, is a manual one, not offering the same difficulties as electric machines, in which a radical change has to be made. Consistency in Form. The form of the horses racing at the meeting was regularly consistent, and it should provide a much better line for important autumn events than that shown at any country meeting held recently at this end of the island. The witness for consistency is the fact that five both-way favourites won on the second day, and one other paid a place dividend. The best of the open handicappers at the meeting was undoubtedly the six-year-old Stonyhurst-bred Brambletorn, who should have won both days instead of being second to La Poupee on the first day, then winning the second day. P. Atkins must be blamed for the defeat, as he was not awake soon enough to La Poupee’s stealing through on his inside after he had everything else well at his mercy. J. Leach, who was back in the saddle on Thursday, made no mistake, having him well placed and in a winning position from start to finish. Brambletorn, who is a full brother to Sharpthorn and a half brother to Thorndale, Prickles and Scarlet Rambler, has been racing excellently all this season for Mr J. Allison, of Waipawa, for whom he had done all his racing. He has won six times out of fifteen starts, and he should have won at least two of the races in which he was beaten. With the steady improvement he is making, he should be a hard proposition to beat in any near engagement he keeps, for he is a big horse who can manage weight. It would not in the least surprise if an important handicap were to come his way during the autumn. Outside of Brambletorn the open distance handicappers at the meeting were quite ordinary. It was pleasing to see La Poupee’s finally registering a win after futilely trying since the spring of her two-year-old career, when she scored brilliantly in the A.R.C. Welcome Stakes and W.R.C. Wellesley Stakes, but there was no special merit in the performance. During the last two years she has seven times been second and eight times third, but that had been the best she could do till this week. Arrow Lad’s second on Thursday was stylishly achieved in his best manner, and there was no disgrace in his being beaten by Brambletorn. He is in good form again, and he is likely to win a race at any time now. He is a hardy customer, and age has helped him to master ordinary weights. Atholspear’s poor showing on the first day puzzled his connections as much as anyone, for he raced excel-

lently at Blenheim among the moderates and seemed to be coming on to a good patch again. He was unable to settle down in a decent position at any stage, and never at any point did he threaten danger. That form was not right, and he should not be passed by because of it. Desert Gold’s Granddaughter. A promising middle-distance sort seen out was the dual highweight winner, Grand Lahu, who gave every evidence of possessing excellent stamina. This might well be expected from her, as she is a four-year-old mare by the staying sire, Grandcourt, from Desert Gold’s Absurd daughter, Auratum, who raced only a few times as a two-year-old, winning a juvenile event at Woodville. Her lines thus combine stamina and speed. In the past she had been raced mainly over sprint courses, winning occasionally, but she showed staying ability by capturing the main event at Waipukurau on Boxing Day. Subsequently she was well backed at Ashhurst, but bled and was pulled up. This affliction appears now to have been mastered, and if she remains sound she may shortly win in good open class, as she has the true cut of a galloper and can act the part. Among the sprinters there was nothing in the same street as Golden Wings, who outclassed his opponents at his one appearance just as he did at Wanganui. He has in the past proved difficult to control in races, but he now runs with a new style of bit, and this is enabling his riders to keep him in restraint early. In his present form he may be the best sprinter in the Dominion. It is saying a lot, but that is the impression his latest efforts have given. The return to form of Bayacre on the second day was not unexpected. It was his first win since he scored narrowly at Wanganui over two years ago, btit prior to his return from Australia last month he had been racing into places, and he was up with them all the way in his two races at Wanganui a week ago. In other days he was a bad horse at the barrier, but he has behaved himself lately. Diatomous, although beaten into second place by Bay Tree, to whom he was conceding over two stone, is entitled to be classed as easily the best juvenile at the meeting. He has been taken round the meetings a lot lately so as to settle him down, and for a colt that is not over-big he has had solid weights to carry. All his pace was there on Wednesday, and he fought stoutly with his lightly-weight-ed rival before yielding just on the post. His trainer, A. E. Neale, is satisfied he will produce stamina later on, and his maternal lines certainly back up this opinion, for is he not from the Martian mare Spangle, a sister to Nightmarch’s dam, Marsa? Mr E. J. Watt Comes Back. Bay Tree reintroduces Mr E. J. Watt, now of Sydney, to the New Zealand turf. This youngster, who is a fullbrother to Azalea, is a biggish, thickset colt, and as he looked only three parts ready (if that) on Wednesday, better things can be expected from him. Previously he had had a couple of starts at the Hawke’s Bay summer meeting without showing any form whatever. He is one of the yearlings purchased by G. Price last year for Mr Watt, 360 guineas having been paid for him, and it is probable that his present trainer, J. H. Jefferd, will be taking him across to Sydney later on. Mr Watt was one of the best-known racing men in New Zealand less than a couple of decades ago, but he permanently transferred his activities to Australia in 1919. He first launched out as an owner in New Zealand in 1904, and it was not till 1910 that he first began to patronise Australian meetings. For several years subsequently he raced extensive teams simultaneously in the Dominion and in the Commonwealth, but he was having such a run of fortune on the other side of the Tasman that he finally decided to concentrate his activities there. He has been a great winner in both countries. In New Zealand he has won many important races, including the New Zealand Cup with Midnight Sun, the Great Northern Champagne Stakes with King Billy and Aborigine, the A.R.C. Easter Handicap with Aborigine and Ventura, the C.J.C. Great Autumn Handicap with Palaver, Boomerang and Cheddar, the Wellington Cup with Bunting and the Great Northern Hurdle Race with Wimmera. In Australia he has won most of the classics and many big handicaps. Mountain Knight won the A.J.C. Derby and St Leger and the Victoria Derby for him in 1915, the best season he ever had, when his horses earned £12,628 in Australia and £795 in New Zealand. In all he has won over £130,000 in stakes in both countries since 1904. Bay Tree did not carry Mr Watt’s old livery on Wednesday. Formerly his horses ran in dark blue, white waistcoat, collar and cuffs, dark blue and white cap. Bay Tree’s colours were the same, but in different combination, the new livery being dark blue, white sleeves, black cap. Probably this is the livery Mr Watt has registered in Australia.