TOPICS OF THE TURF

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 735, 12 April 1933, Page 11

TOPICS OF THE TURF

y/IOTBS AND NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

for the Reefton Jockey Club's meeting close at nin e o'clock this evening. * * * * Acceptances for the Kumara Racing Club's meeting close at 8.30 p.m. tomorrow. RED HECKLE AMISS. It says something tor the hardiness of Xew Zealand thoroughbreds that, with tracks as hard as iron in recent months at Riccarton, the casualty list ] has been as light as it has. A good ; galloper who is now out of action is ! Red Heckle. The near foreleg has fill- j ed, and it is very unlikely that he 1 will be able to meet engagements next week. When Red Heckle was amiss i earlier in his career it was the off fore-! leg that was affected. * * * * L Allegro, who holds the distinction of being the only horse to defeat Silver Scorn, is an Auckland Easter Handicap candidate who is reported to be very well, although he has not been long in after a respite from training. ROTH EX’S QUEER RECORD A. E. Wormald is having a successful season, thanks to Hurlingham and Ranelagh. On the other side of the ledger is the remarkable record of Rothen, the third member of his team. In eighteen starts this season Rothen has failed to win, but has gained eleven minor placings. Here is his record since August 1.-000332022003022222. Rothen is engaged in the Kildare Ilighweight at Riccarton on .Monday. * * * * Additional riding engagements for Ellersiie are*:—H. Wiggins, Sunny Sky. W hakapara: H. Dulieu. Prince of Orange, Zane Grey; L. Dulieu, Claremore, Imperial Prince: E. Garrett, We e Prince; P. Atkins, Gold Trail, Inflation. WILSOX WILL BE BUSY. S. Wilson’s complete riding book for Tauherenikau oh Saturday comprises: Miladi, Good Hunting, Palace, Quebec, ' Chile, Grand Blow* and Clangor (if ; started in the hack event). At Ric-; <-’art° n on Monday he will ride Martian j Chief, Pegged Exchange, Chief Light, Concentrate, Cottesmore and probably j Acceptable. In the autumn he will be i t on Concentrate, unless Martian Chief ] earns the penalty. * * * * Other Tauherenikau riding engagements announced include:—G. Ridgway» Quietly, Rene Belle and Lady Pam; W. E. Shand, Cape Town; and G. F. Dick. Melisande. A. Jenkins will be at Feilding. where his mounts will include Miss Hushabye, Thomist and Takakua. * Sfe * * In addition to those already mentioned. riding engagements for Riccarton include:—J. W. Jennings, Gustavo; B. H. Morris. Might Eminent (Sockburn i. Red Manfred. Silent Flight; C. E. Eastwood, Ranelagh; 11. Turner, Rothen.

t ' Another Riccarton acceptor who will : jbe an absentee is Sir Drake, who is • very sore and is under veterinary : treatment. : ! TRENTHAM GALLOPS. « At Trentham yesterday the trial grass was good going. Pegged Exchange obtained an advantage over 1 ; Cottesmore at the start of a six-furlong gailog. Cottesmore had drawn up to him at the top of the straight, but | Pegged Exchange then shot away and wen by two lengths in lmin 17 3-ssec, the last half-mile in 51 2-ssec. Might slipped over six furlong sin lmin 16 2-5 sec. He did the first .half-mile in 51 3-5 I sec. Eminent avenged his defeat by j Clangor in a gallop on Saturday by : drawing away at the finish to beat i Clangor by two lengths and a half over a mile in lmin 43 3-ssec. The first halfmile was done in 50 l-ssec. These gallops were all done before breakfast, when conditions were not so favourable for time-making as they were later. SCHOOL FOR JOCKEYS. The A.J.C. school for apprentice jockeys was inaugurated at Randwick on Monday of last week. There were more than seventy lads in attendance. Colonel Farr, assistant secretary of the Australian Jockey Club, who has undertaken the position of instructor, Mr | Colin C. Stephen, chairman of the club. Mr G. T. Rowe, the secretary, and Mr J. Gaxieu, the starter, were present. Colonel Farr briefly outlined the objects of the course of instruction, stressing the fact that, in addition to theoretical lectures, practical demonstrations were to be given. The scheme was an endeavour by the club to help the apprentices to become of more assistance to their masters, to become better jockeys, and in later life to be more fitted to undertake the training of horses. It was hoped to use the moving picture camera as.an aid for instruction, and j in this connection pictures, capable of J being projected in slow motion, would | be taken of the Doncaster Handicap, I at the start, the turn into the straight. | and at the finish. A practical lecture I came from Mr Gaxieu, who gave the | apprentices the impressions of a start the angle of the starter. His | “ don’ts ” and his advice on the management of horses at the barrier were instructive, and'could be helpful to jockeys of almost any experience. VALUE OF OPPORTUXITY.

A change, from one country to another often does a lot for a racehorse or a sire, and the London “ Sunday Observer ” recently had the following reference to Chief Ruler, who has been a pronounced stud sutcess in Xew Zealand: “Chief Ruler, who figures at the head of the winning sires’ list in New Zealand, is by The Tetrarch, and is the last living foal of the Oaks winner, Jest. His name is unfamiliar to English racing people for the excellent reason that he was absolutely useless when in training, and never ran. For a year he played a humble but serviceable part in the mechanism of Mr J. B. Joel's stud. And now he has gained the stallion championship of Xew Zealand for the second time, thereby adding an interesting page to the romance of horse breeding. Opportunity is a great thing in everything, and, overshadowed by others at the same stud, some stallions never received a fair trial in England. If they had, they might have done well, and then when they did so, on being sent to some other country, it was inferred by some critics that it was merely the result of striking a lower standard than iq England.’’

Paganelli is reported from Te Rapa to be in great order. The trouble with him at Ellersiie may be the reverse going, which has previously beaten him. TWICE RUNNER-UP,

Great Star on Monday will be making his fourth attempt' to win the Great Easter, and he has been knocking at the door twice. In 1929 he finished second with 7.0 to Cimabue. He missed a place in the 1933 race with 8.2, but in 1931 he was second with 7.10 to Charmeuse. Last Easter he was racing in Auckland, and he won the Easter Handicap. While his record makes him a better horse at Ellersiie than at Riccarton, it should not be overlooked that he has, apart from his Great Easter seconds, other good performances at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s course where 'he has won thrice. At two vears he was successful in the Plate. A vear later he won the Halswell Handicap. *?»le November. 1931, he scored in the Members’ Handicap. Great Star, who has been working on “ off ” mornings, requires a great deal of fast galloping, and he is looking very fit.

. * * * * Aga Khan, one of the fancied lightweights for the Auckland Easter Hand.’cap. 1S a ls° an acceptor for the President’s Handicap (one mile and a quarter) on the first day, and this minor event looks a much easier one to SIMILARITY IX NAMES.

In the Feildmg acceptances is a horse Koreroa and in the Wairarapa acceptances is another horse Korero. In spite of the similarity of names these are different individuals. Both are three-year-oM geldings, the former being bv Rangitiro from the Taitoko mare Azecta, and the latter by Surveyor from the Elevation mare Consultation, thus a full brother to Landmark and Revision. Koreroa, who is owned and trained at Feilding by Mr S. Warn, has raced three times, winning a juvenile event at Feilding last Easter. Korero who will be making his debut at 1 auherenikau. was bred bv Mr J. J. ?°S y^ nd will carr y the colours of Mr J. F. D. Corrv.

Three scratchings will be necessary to enable the Visitors’ Handicap, on the opening day of the Riverton meeting, to be raced in one division. The safetynumber is nineteen, and there are twenty-two acceptors. WEST TOAST EX TRIES.

Riccarton nominations for Greymouth include: Shamata, Silver Sight, Diable, Reserve Fund. Scarlet Pimpernel. Verden, Fleeting Glance, Don Jose. Rational 11., Polvdora, Riri and Royal Sceptre. Xearlv all of these horses have also been entered for the Westland Racing Club’s meeting at Hokitika. Both clubs have received a very satisfactory entry'.