Topic of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 828, 31 July 1933, Page 10

Topic of the Turf

AND NEWS FRQM_ EVER VWHERE

AN OTHER season ends to-day in New Zealand and Australia. The last races for the 1932-33 year in the Dominion were run on Saturday. * * * * Final acceptances for the Grand National double and Winter Cup, also acceptances for the minor events on the first day of the C.J.C. meeting close at 5 p.m. on Thursday. * * * * L. G. Morris will ride Shatter in the Winter Cup. A. M'Donald will be cn Tuna Lux in the Grand National I Steeplechase. TWO P’S. Many who went to Riccarton on Saturday with the idea of seeking the pea lor the chief events of the Grand National meeting considered that they found two —Polydora for the Winter Cup and Punchestown for the Grand National Hurdle Race. # UNDER A CLOUD. Two Winter Cup candidates under a cloud are Silver Ring and Red Boa. The latter was lame after the Brabazon Handicap. Silver Ring missed his engagement in that race through ha\ mg shown some sign of soreness. ALL RIGHT AGAIN. Ilenrv of Navarre is reported from Awapuni to have thrown off the soreness which he showed after Trentham, and he is a likely visiter to Riccarton. lie is engaged in the Grand National Hurdle race at the minimum. After completing the course in the steeplechase at Foxton on Saturday, the aged Elysian gelding Elicit dropped dead. HIS STAMTXA should help. Twice in succession has Punchestown shown courage and superior stamina in winning over hurdles. The distance of the Longbeach Hurdle on Saturday was a mile and five furlongs. The way in which Punchestown came home certainly suggested that the additional seven furlongs of the Grand National Hurdle race wiil not trouble him. Advance Camp showed much improvement in this race, but he meets Punchestown 151 b worse m the L..J.G. event. Morena meets Punchestown 61b better but. on Saturday’s form, he would need a much greater concession. RIGHT KIND OF DEBUT. Gladium made a highly successful debut in New Zealand at Foxton on Saturday when he won a double the Motuiti Maiden Stakes, six furlongs, and the Rangiotu Hack Handicap, five furlongs and a half. He was favourite each time, and was ridden in both races by S. Wilson, who will be at Riccarton next week. Gladium recently returned from a visit to Sydney, where he raced unsuccessfully. He shaped well there, but ran greenly. lie will be four vears old to-morrow, and is a brown gelding by the Phalaris horse Shambles from De Gage, by Kilbroney -from Miss de Vat, by All Red from Northern Rose, bv Finland from RoseShield, by Hotchkiss from Rose of Wellington, by St Leger from Fleurette bv Robinson Crusoe from Rase ot Denmark, by Stockwell from the imported mare Marchioness, by Melbourne.

BRABAZON FORM,

With the odds much against her in running, Polydora, in the Brabazon Handicap on Saturday, beat ten of her possible Winter Cup opponents in brilliant style. Cranford laded out too soon to please his admirers, and, as h £ meets Polydora on 31b worse terms i n the Cup, he will have to improve a lot. Martian Chief, first up, did well, and the run should improve him. Jaloux gave a little encouragement to his connections for later on. F. E. Jones has reason to regret that Spoon ; was not accepted for in the Cup. At 8.3 she would have had plenty of admirers. Cottesmore ran a good race, and Riccarton evidentlv suits him. Polydora certainly looks to hold those she beat on Saturday fairly safe on form and figures, but, as punters know to their enduring sorrow, these things do not always work out. One of the beaten lot who impressed was Shatter. If this gelding is near the leaders entering the straight to-morrow week, he will be dangerous. The w-eights in the Brabazon and Winter Cup compare:— Brabazon. Winter Cup.

. ONCERNIXG POLY DORA. Polydora. by her success at Riccarton on Saturday, passed out of hack class, as her seven wins have been worth, in all. £521. With minor placings added, her winnings total £638. She did not race at two or three years, but made her debut on November 12 last, when she ran unplaced in the Seymour Handicap at Riccarton. At Ashburton on December 3 she was second to Denise over six furlongs and a fortnight later was unplaced in the five furlong Trial at Riccarton. The West Coast courses did not suit her, and she struck much trouble in her races over there at Christinas and New Year. Twice she was runner-up at Hokitika to White Doe over seven furlons. Then she won over the same distance at Omoto and Reefton. Both of wins were gained in style similar to that of her gallant victory on Saturday. At Riccarton at Easter Polydora was unplaced in the Autumn Plate, but only just lost the Addington Handicap, one mile, to Chief Light. Don Jose beat her over seven furlongs at Omoto on .April 24. and Cranford defeated her over a mile at Ashburto nin May. At Wingatui she won the mile Brighton Handicap, but was beaten by Red Boa in the seven furlong Farewell Handicap. In succession she has since won over a mile at Ashburton in May. At Washdyke. over a mile and a quarter at Ashburton, over a mile at Oamaru and over seven furlongs at Riccarton. Polydora was bred by her owner. Mr G. Hall, while her dam, Swees Smile, was. bred by Sir George Clifford. Polazel. sire of Polydora, was by Polymelus. Sweet Smile is by San Francisco (son of St Simon) from Winning Way (dam of Winning Hit) by Cannie Chiel (son of Clanranald) from Lady Wayward by Bill of Portland (son of St Simon) from Elusive by Trenton (son of Musket) from Eleusis bv Barcaldine. FIVE ON ENI), While Polydora added greatly to her Winter Cup admirers at Riccarton, Foreign Queen satisfied her supporters by scoring her fifth win in succession. It was gained in the seven furlong Wharangi Handicap at Foxton. She had only three opponents, but she won easily, and no horre can do more. If she can see out the final furlong—and there is no evidence against it except that she has not hitherto tried—Foreign Queen is going to be hard to beat at Sst 31b. GALLOPERS. TOO. Well-known trotting trainer, E. C. M'Dermott was apparently out to show what he could do in the galloping line on Saturday. He owns and trains the Maiden winner, Cherry Queen, while he is part-owner of Advance Camp, runner-up in the Longbeach Hurdle, with AV. J. Tomkinson, who trains this jumper. Cherry Queen is a rising four-year-old by Diacquenod, who is now in Australia, where he recently changed owners. Cherry Pie, dam of Cherry Queen, also produced Chief Cook. Shfe is by Elysian (son of Soull) from Cherry Blossom by San Fran (son of Gozo). from Prize Bloom by The Possible (son of Nordenfeldt), from Primula by Torpedo (son of Musket). NOT ENCOURAGING. The Winter Cup candidate Playground was unplaced in a field of six for the Foxtoq Handicap, a mile and a quarter, on Saturday. It was his first race over the distance. Joie de Val, who is engaged in C.J.C. minor events, was runner-up in this race to Copper King, but Eminent, another entrant for here, was last in a field of four for the mile Awahou Handicap. St Warrigal. an acceptor for the Grand National Steeplechase, was favourite for the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Club Cup, but was beaten half a length by Xukutere. Red Bank, an cceptor for the Grand National Hurdle, failed again at Gisborne. CHANGED PLACES. Zeebrugge, owing to the injury he suffered at Trentham, will in future have use only as a hack, but Imitator who hitherto has earned his keep that way at Stonyhurst, looks like being a useful substitute. For a first appearance, his effort in the Maiden Stakes on Saturday was very promising. LIKE LA' TO WIN AGAIN, D. O’Connor has made a happy start as a trainer. He scored his second success in eight days when Doiran won the Kennels Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday. This three-year-old brother to Zeebrugge scored in style that suggests other successes in the i ear future. Manetho and St Joan, who followed him home, are likely to pay for their fodder early in the new season.

Polydora (1) .... st lb 8 13 st 8 lb 8 Martian Chief (3) 8 13 8 5 Cottesmore* (4) . . 8 10 8 0 Cranford (5). 8 2 8 9 0 Shatter (6) .... 9 12 „ 8 Jaloux (7) S 0 S 0 Iiurlingham (9) 9 5 s 13 Red Boa (11 > 8 3 8 8 0 Charmaine (14) .. 8 0 0 Palermo (15) S 12 8 3 Errantry (16) ... S 12 8 3