RACING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20455, 7 November 1934, Page 12

RACING NOTES.

ffiaSffijSiSSSlS®S®illS3iSl®®Si V\ T EIGHTS for the final day of the C.J.C. meeting will be published in the “ Christchurch Times ” to-mor-row. Acceptances close at noon. * * * The three-year-old Marcus Cicero is to be added to the list and given a long spell. lie may not race again until next season. afc s»e * * Nominations for the Levin Racing Club’s meeting on November 24 close at S p.m. on Friday. General nominations for the Takapuna Jockey Club’s meeting at Ellerslie on November 24 and 26 also close on Friday, but at 5 pm. Nominations for the Feilding Jockey Club’s meeting on November *SO and December 1, close at 8 p.m. on Monday. SPLENDID ENGLISH SALES. “ Doncaster yearling sales.” remarks London “ Sporting Life,” “ can be likened to the barometer that indicates the outlook for all connected with the British Turf. The forecast is unmistakable —Set Fair for a period of unprecedented prosperity.” The aggregate for these sales in September _ was 298,730gn5, compared with lSS,73Sgns last year. Eighty-three yearlings each sold for lOOOgns or over and twenty-one of them brought 3000gns or more, the top prices being 9100gns, 7100gns : 6300gns, and 6000gns. ALL RIGHT FOR REED.

Roy Reed has never earneo money so easily in his life as he has this spring through the successes of Nightly. After Reed had ridden him in the Metropolitan at Randwick M. M’Carten was substituted as Nightly s rider. When Nightly won the Randwick Plate Reed successfully claimed a winning fee. On Moonee Valley Gold Cup day Reed put in a similar claim, and the stewards decided that .he been engaged by F. D. Jones to ride Nightly in this event also. They granted him a winning or losing fee. Nightly won, so the connections had to pay two jockeys winning fees, which amounted to £123 15s each. HAN DICAPPERS DIFFER. Weights were declared on October 29 for the Duke of Gloucester Handicap, one mile and three-quarters, to be run at Flemington on Saturday, and for the Williamstown Cup. one mile and a half, to be run a week later. Two different handicappers compiled these weights, and the variations include the

BACK FROM MELBOURNE. The trainer, A. P. Brady, who took Royal Visitor and Teak to Australia, returned to Auckland by the Wanganella this morning with Teak. Royal Visitor was fatally injured in a race at Flemington. Lion Heart was also aboard the Wanganella. Sfc * * * The New Zealand Derby winner Agrion sired three of the six winners at Goodwood (W.A.) on October 27. MOONEE VALLEY CUP. Not only were the connections of Nightly very confident about winning the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, but their opinion was shared by some of Melbourne’s biggest punters.- Consequently the Night Raid horse was a veryhot favourite. The Melbourne “Argus” describes his winning effort as follows: “ Rarely in an important race has the luck in running favoured a horse to the extent that it favoured Nightly. Jumping away smartly from his position near the outside of the field Nightly was able to cross over to the rails just behind the leaders before the turn into the straight was reached the first time. Subsequently he did not go outside a horse. For a while he seemed likely to meet trouble when, hemmed in on the rails behind L’Elite, Miramond and Petau, but when Petau went to the front near the six furlong post the pace was increased and the field spread out. Nightly became clear of what after all was only threatened trouble, and approaching the home turn he was going very comfortably in third place behind Petau and Miramond. Suddenly the leaders ran a little wide, and M’Carten on Nightly seized the opportunity. He forced the horse through the opening, and Nightly was in front at the straight entrance. Miramond ran on again when straightened, but he had no chance with Nightly, who defeated him by two and a half lengths. To sav that Nightb r was not in danger of defeat at anytime in the last six furlongs may seem to be an exaggeration, but actually* that was correct. Supporters of the horse did not have one anxious moment in the last six furlongs. Nightly* certainly* outclassed the opposition, and he still seemed to have something in reserve by the time the post was reached.” RED MANFRED’S STRE.

The Valais horse Manfred seems at last to be taking his proper place as a sire. He had two winners in two-vear-old events at Moonee Valley on October 27. His daughter Perfumery- won a division of the Van Yean Stakes at Flemington yesterday, while another daughter was narrowly defeated in the Mimosa Stakes. Manfred is represented at Riccarton to-day by* Red Manfred. FRENCH ST LEGER.

Another classic has been won by* a son of the Swy*nford horse, Blandford. Brantome was successful in the Le Prix Royal Oak (French St Leger), run over a mile and seven furlongs at Longchamp on September 16. Steve Donoghue crossed the Channel to ride Admiral Drake, who ran unplaced. This was the eighth successive win by* Brantome, who is regarded as the best colt seen in France since the war. His only rival in that respect is considered to be Ksar. RACING FIXTURES. November 3. 5. 7. 10 —C.J.C. November S. 10—Whangarej R.C. November 10—Hawke’s Bay J.C. November 17—Carterton R.C. November 17. 19—Waikato R.C. November 2 4—Levin R.C. November 24, 26—Takapuna .T.C. Nov. 30, Dec. 1 Feilding J.C. Nov. 50, Dec. I —Winton J.C. December I—Ashburton C.R.C. Perembier 6. B—Darsraville R.C. December 3. 10—V'oodville D.J.C. 1 3—Waina R.C December I.7—Hororata R.C.

E. C. M’DERMOTT’S FIRST. Popular Trainer Drives Cup Winner. Indianapolis, who won the New Zealand Trotting Cup y*esterday, was driven by E. C. M’Dermott, who has been associated with the sport for a great many* y*ears. The genial “ Mac ” first came into prominence as a rider in Bracelet events, which in those far-off days were for amateur riders and drivers. lie was not often seen in the sulky, but could usually* be found on a well fancied candidate in saddle events. Later, he both rode and drove in these events very consistently, and became jokingly called the “ Bracelet King,” chiefly on account of his successes. There were a large number of good riders and drivers in those days who confined their ability to amateur events. M’Dermott at that time rarely* owned a horse, but his services were in great demand by owners, especially if their horses possessed more than a reasonable chance of success. After a long series of wins, M’Dermott joined the professional riders and drivers, and hi> work in either sulky or saddle was much appreciated. When the late Mr J. Farrell had a large string of horses racing, M’Dermott invariably did all the riding and driving, and had innumerable successes for the Hinds sportsman. A Useful Team. Up to this time M’Dermott had few horses of his own, as he was engaged in business, but gradually he got together a useful team, which he trained at Addington in his spare time. With j

his own horses he has had considerable success, but dropped out of riding, confining his attention to harness racing. He purchased a number of pacers and 1 trotters, frequently at low prices, later producing them in good-class races with a fair measure of success, and is regarded by many as being a very ’ lucky purchaser of horses, on account of the success achieved by them. A ; i few years ago, M’Dermott had a fine ; pacer in Away, who was bred in Southland. Won Northern Derby. That was probably as near as the , well-known driver got to winning the big event. When Indianapolis was a three-rear-old his trainer, the late W. J. Tomkinson, was taken ill, and could not take the colt to Auckland. He engaged M’Dermott. who took the big ’ pacer north and drove him to victory in the Northern Derby. Since Tom- ; kinson’s death, M’Dermott has driven Indianapolis in several of his races, so he is well acquainted with the Cup ; winner. For some time past, M’Dermott has been in the first flight as a . reinsman, and when not driving his own horses his services are in general request. Seen soon after yesterday’s race, he stated that he had a somewhat easy drive with Indianapolis in the Trotting Cup, getting into no trouble throughout. The big pacer did not hit out too well in the early stages, possibly on account of his recent injury, but as the race progressed he warmed up to his task. It was M’Dermott’s first Cup victory, but he took it in his usual modest manner. lie is very popular with all associated with the sport, and his happy, breezy personality in sue- , c;ss and failure makes him an ornai irent to it.

following:— D. of G. H. W. Cup. st. lb. st. lb. Peter Pan 9 7 9 12 Hall Mark 9 6 9 9 Nightly (N.Z.) 9 6 9 6 Master Brierly (N.Z.) 8 11 8 10 Silver Ring (N.Z.) .. 8 11 9 3 Ruach 8 9 8 5 Sir Simper (N.Z.) .... 8 3 8 12 Deputv Ruler 7 12 8 0 Theo 7 13 S 0