TOPICS of the TURE

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20311, 22 May 1934, Page 10

TOPICS of the TURE

(j) fJoTES AND NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

I CCEPTANCES for all events at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s May meeting close at nine o’clock this evening. * * * * Nominations for the Greymouth Jockey Club’s meeting on June 9 close at 9 p.m. on Saturday. Acceptances for the minor events on the first day of the Auckland winter meeting, ajso for the Great Northern Hurdle Race and Steeplechase and Cornwall Handicap close at 5 p.m. on Friday. * * * * Acceptances for the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting close next Monday. O'rnvxOß'S GOOD AVERAGE. D. O’Connor as a race-rider has his opportunities greatly limited by weight, but he certainly makes the most of those that come his way. He has had 18 mounts in the last fourteen weeks and has won nine races. Three seconds, a third and five times unplaced make up the total. His record in heigh-weight events during this period is:—l. 1. 1. 0. 0, 1. 1,2, 1. 1. His two unplaced high-weight mounts were Aesculus and High Grader at 'Trentham in March. LUNA LUX. The non-appearance of Luna Lux in any of his recent engagements has given rise to an idea that all might not be well with him. Latest reports from the Hastings tracks, however, state that he is looking and moving well. HIGH GRADER’S ACCIDENT Particulars of the mishap to High Grader are that he got a little restless on the float and kicked a hole in the partition. In extracting his foot he tore off one of the quarters of his near fore coronet. The Lord Quex gelding is running out in the paddock and is showing very little lameness, but of course it will take some time to heal. END OF HIGH PITCH. High Pitch ran his last race in the King Country Steeplechase at Te Rapa on Saturday. lie blundered through an obstacle and having injured himself, 'vas pulled up. Later it was found that he had broken a bone in one of his legs and he was destroyed. * * * * L. J. Ellis will be riding at Washdyke on Saturday, when his mounts will include Haere Tonu, Final Shot and Silver Streak. A. E. Ellis will ride Hurlingham. LATE MR JOSEPH WALLACE. Racing men will regret to learn of the death of Mr Joseph Wallace, for many years secretary of the Banks Peninsula Racing Club. 111-health led to his resignation five months ago. The funeral took place at the Waimairi Cemetery. RICCARTOX SCHOOLING Ridden by G. Barr, Fleeting Glance jumped four hurdles at Riccarton this morning. She got round safely, but did not jump up to her usual high standard. The Polazel gelding in H. Nurse’s team, ridden by G. Murfitt, Royal Limond (G. Salt) and Silver Foil (H. Turner) set out for a tour of the hurdles together. The Polazel gelding, a natural jumper, led over the first three well clear from Royal Limond and was then pulled off. Royal Limond ancf Silver Foil, who is very sore, jumped another. Rational 11. and Arcade jumped eight steeplechase fences at Riccarton yesterday, both shaping well, though Rational 11. had one unsatisfactory encounter with the sod wall. * * * * Hounslow was never dangerous in the Te Kuiti Hurdle Race at Te Rapa on Saturday, though he was running on at the end. IN FIRST-RATE CONDITION. Zane Grey, who is engaged in hunters’ and minor steeplechase events at the Auckland winter meeting, is getting through a solid preparation at Ellerslie. He has been schooled over the big fences several times of late, and his jumping has been highly satisfactory. It is doubtful if Zane Grey has ever been as fit as he is at the present stage, and if he fails to win some money at the approaching meeting no excuses can be made for him. MAKE UP’S SUCCESS. The performance of Make Up in winning the King Country Steeplechase at Te Rapa on • Saturday is described as first class. Emancipation jumped high and carefully, and was never dangerous, although he was staying on at the finish. Speakeasy was going well until he blundered and lost his rider about a mile from home. Copey and Town Beauty fell at the second to last fence, where Copey was right in the picture, and threatened to be one of the hardest to beat. Lucess was closer at the finish than at any other stage, and should be better for the run. Spalpiko went surprisingly well in his first race for a long time. FAILURE OF THESPIS. Thespis, a hot favourite in the Te Kuiti Hurdles at Te Rapa on Saturday, was soundly beaten, and as was the case last year his early favouritism fcr the Great Northern Hurdles was anything but consolidated. He failed to jump most of his hurdles well, hitting the second very hard, a mistake that at Ellerslie would have put him out of the contest altogether. Finally he finished fourth among a bunch, about half a dozen lengths behind the winner, Cargen.

• RE-lIANDJCAPS-In the re-handicaps for the South Canterbury meeting telegraphed from Timaru, Water Power from 7.10 to 8.10 in the*Flying Handicap was omitted. For the Auckland winter meeting, the following re-handicaps are announced: Cornwall Handicap, Prince Colossus 7.5 to 7.8, Protomint 7.2 to 7.8. Great Northern Hurdle, Cargen 9.0 to 9.3. ALL GET IN THE MONEY. B. 11. Brodie has got into the money j with each horse that he has saddled up ■ since he began training. Locksley and ! Hot Stuff both won for him, and, judgj ing by his form in the Longbeach Hack ! Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, I Eupator, Brodie’s latest charge, will soon follow suit. Eupator is now raced by Miss D. Gormack. PRESENTATION TO S. J. REID. A pleasant ceremony took place at Trentham over the week-end, when the local trainers assembled to make a presentation to S. J. Reid, who for ten years has been private trainer there for Mr V. Riddiford, and who has retired and taken over the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. J. M’Laughlin. presided over a representative attendance, and in a speech in which he eulogised the character of their guest, and the good fellowship that had always existed between them, ended by asking Mr Reid to accept an illuminated address. In his response Mr Reid said he greatly appreciated the sentiment behind the gift, and it would always be a valued possession. During his career he had gathered together a number of valuable trophies, but none would give him greater satisfaction than this token of esteem from his fellow-trainers at Trentham. A. Goodman and R. J. Mackie also spoke, and the latter associated the names of R. Reed and B. H. Morris with the gathering. For sometime Reid was resident horseman for the Brentwood stable, and latterly B. H. Morris was the first jockey. The address is decorated with a view of Brentwood stable, the heads of those two good horses. Historic and Grand Knight, also the stewards’ stand, birdcage and saddling paddock at Trentham. WASH DYKE TRAINS. For the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting at Washdvke on Saturday a special passenger train will leave Christchurch at 7 a.m., arriving at the rcecourse at 10.33 a.m., and the return train will leave Timaru at 5.45 p.m., arriving in Christchurch at 9.20 p.m. The express train leaving Christchurch at 8.35 a.m. will stop at \\ ashdyke, connecting there with a racecourse special from Timaru. It will be possible for Christchurch passengers to see the ivhole programme and return by the southern mail train. ENGLAND’S BEST EVER. At various periods men who have been closely identified with the breedlng of horses and with racing have published their opinions as to thoroughbreds that have come under their view. Mr Somerville Tattersall, whose name as a seller of bloodstock is known all over the world, and is well qualified to write on racehorses, recenty contributed to a London journal an article entitled “ Great Horses in My Lifetime. ’ Evidently he has no belief in horses of recent years, as he closes his hst of the 15 best colts with a horse foaled 3o years ago. lie gives preference to St Simon, Ormonde, Galopin Isonomy, Bend Or, Robert the Devil’ Minting, The Bard, Donovan Orme' Persimmon, St Frusquin, Cyllene Firing box and Ard Patrick. Surprise is expressed that Mr Tattersall’s review u contain any reference to 47 mn ' ' vh ° was „ Sold bv his firm for 4-,000 guineas. Mr Tattersall closed hsi list of the 12 best fillies with Pretty TonF wbo raced as a three-year-old in 1004, and his order of merit is as follows: Scept La FlechSi Kins Plaisanterie, Pretty Polly, Janette, Pih frimage, Memoir, Thebais and Saucy LADY OWNER SCHOOLS ’CHASER Melbourne will not appeal as a racmg centre to Mrs J. Campbell, trainer of the last New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase winner, Thurina. n he winter of 1932, Miss Dorothy ■ ’ a keen Melbourne huntswoman, j trained her own horse. Precocious, to Q» In i 1 u 6 V -R.C. Grand National ■ bteeplecha.se. Precocious is still in *he I same ownership, but Miss Shiel is nowadays Mrs Frank Dexter, wife of the sporting editor of the Melbourne Argus Another change that has occurred since Precocious won his Nationa! is that the Victoria Racing Club Committee has framed a regulation which prevents women following the occupation of trainers, either as amateurs or professionals. Mrs Dexter is however, not allowing that to keep her from taking a hand in the preparation of Precocious for the 1934 Grand National. On a recent morning those present at the Mentone (Melbourne) racecourse received a surprise when Precocious -came out lor his first school over the bi~ fences for twelve months. Mis Hexter was in the saddle. She is a dashing horsewoman, and, in her charge-, Precocious gave a faultless exhibition of jumping. LOVES THE GAME. Lewis, noted Victorian jockey, has recovered from an eyeaffliction which confined him to his home for four months. He is in his fifty-sixth year, but is talking of resuming race-riding. There is one thing certain in his case: it is real love of the game and not financial necessity that makes him keep going. The story goes that Lewis some years back lent a Melbourne suburban council £40,000. r a c»x g fixt it n ]■: &. May 26—South Canterbury J.C. June 2, 4—Otaki-Maori R.C. June 2, 4. s—lAinedin J.C. June 2,4, 6 Auckland li.C. June 9—Cl rey mouth Jockey Club June 9—Foxton R.C. June 14, 16 Hawkes Bav J.C. June 16—South Canterbury J C. June 16—Waipa R.C. June 21, 23 —Napier park R.C. June 23—Ashburton C.R.C. June 30—Oamaru J.C. July 4 —Dannevirke H.C July 10. 12. 14—Wellington R.C. July 21—Hawke’s Bay H.C. July 25—Rangitikei H.C. July 26 Waimate D.H.C. July 26, 28—Poverty Bay T.C. July 28—South Canterbury H.C. July 28— Manawatu R.C.