Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 11

Topics of the Turf

AND NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

"VOMINATIONS will close at eight o’clock to-night for the Banks Peninsula Racing Club's meeting. *** * . The Ashburton County Racing Club will take nominations of yearlings for the John Grigg Stakes on Monday. **** v ■ ' D. Cotton, head man at J. S. Shaw’s Riccarton stable, is making steady progress towards recovery from his illness, though not yet ready to resume duty. * * * * Mr M. M. Friedlander has put the three-year-old Convivial in work again. She seems to be quite sound after her spell. * * * * J. Tomkinson has the three-year-olds Tamaki and Liberate, both owned by the trotting trainer E. C. M’Dermott, in preparation for the Motukarara meeting. Emissary and Moonbeam are on the easy list, but they will be in action again soon, as another trip to Trentham is in view next month. ★ * * * Te Uira, the two-vear-old sister to Phar Lap, has arrived in England. BLACK DUKE’S HAT-TRICK. Black Duke is nearing his second century in racing starts, a record unusual in any country. He won twice over hurdles at the Dunedin Christmas meeting, so his success in the Warrington Hurdle race yesterday completed a hat-trick. It was very comfortably achieved. In the early stages of the race, R. Beale on Black Duke was content to lie in last but he begap to send his mount along as they left the b.a.ck stretch. Black Duke was second as they came to the home turn, to Red Lance. The pair jumped the last hurdles together, but then Black Duke forged ahead and he won rather comfortably from Red Lance, who should pay his way as a hurdle race*. Sunward was a good third, halt a dozen lengths ahead of Lycidas, the fourth horse. Morena ran a disappointing race. WIN’ WAS DESERVED. Epris was in the limelight on the West Coast during the holidays. He won once arid probably with luck would have scored again. Taken to Trentham, he ran a surprise second in the Ruapehu Handicap, but failed later at the meeting. He was second again in the Hals well Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday, so his.success in the Berwick Handicap at Wingatui yesterday can be counted a form success. He was third choice, Sunny Maid and Colossian being preferred on the machine. Colossian drew No. 1 at the barrier and settled his chance by failing to jump away. Money Flies was in charge early, but R. J. Flower apparently likes to be in front, and Sunny Maid was in charge at the far turn. She led into the straight, with Silver Lark, Epris and Money Flies all handy. Sunny Maid was the first of these to cry content. Epris outstayed the opposition and won well from Money Flies and Silver Lark. The last-named is a four-year-old Silverado mare trained by J. Ross for Miss A. Boyle, of Oamaru. Epris is trained at Oran by F. C. Pratt for Messrs A. L. and H. E. Pratt.

GUARANTEE’S FINISH. Guarantee has always been recognised as a galloper of ability, but unfortunately he has not always chosen to show in a race what he is capable of. He put in a sterling finish to win the Publicans’ Handicap at Wingatui yesterday. The start was a good one, but Kemal Pasha and Grecian Prince were slow to get going. Cherry Queen set the pace, with Mobile in atteridance. Meadow Lark was third early, but could not hold that position. Grecian Prince moved up quickly, while Silver Streak and Sil\*er Ring were nicely placed. Kemal Pasha came into the picture at the home turn, but Guarantee was third last into the straight. Mobile had his head in front at the half distance, with Kemal Pasha and Silver Streak pressing him closely and Guarantee joining in. Guarantee swept on to win by a length from Kemal Pasha, with Silver Streak threequarters of a length away. Mobile was a good fourth. It .was his first win since November, and he will be winning again ere long. Grecian Prince finished seventh and Silver Ring ninth. NEW GELDING BOMBSHELL. Indications by the V.R.C. chairman, Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon, in/Melbourne a fortnight ago that the Victoria Racing Club might take drastic steps towards the exclusion of geldings from weigh t-for-age races has thrown a bombshell into racing circles which may have far-reaching effects (says an Australian writer). In fact, if the V.R.C. should make a definite move in that direction, and if the A.J.C. should follow the lead, the last will probably have been seen of the first-class gelding, which has been more or less a feature of Australian racing during the last two decades. Whether the A.J.C. would act is only a matter of conjecture. The two ruling bodies, the V.R.C. and A.J.C., have generally worked together, and a few years ago both agreed amicably to the debarment of geldings from the classics and the Sires’ Produce Stakes. The matter of a general w.f.a. ban on geldings, however, is one for serious discussion by the whole A.J.C. Committee. The hint by Mr Mackinnon, naturally, will be regarded seriously by A.J.C. committeemen, but as taht body does not meet again until February 15, the matter is left in abeyance. TAURAMAI’S TIME, The time in the Dunedin Cup—2min 32sec— was good, but the record remains with Pilliewinkie, who registered 2min 31sec in 1925. Silver Scorn, in 1933, won in 2min 31 2-ssec. GRECIAN PRINCE LEFT. Grecian Prince was produced again for the Stewards’ Handicap, but it did not prove a happy idea. He was troublesome at the post and got hopelessly left. Rin Tin Tin led away, and at halfwaj’ was still in front, with First Song in close attendance, with Trivet, Imperial Spear, Chhotta and Grand Finale next. Rin Tin Tin, First Song and Trivet led into the straight pretty well on terms. First Song assumed charge to win by a length from Trivet, with Imperial Spear three lengths away. Trivet was favourite each way, while First Song ranked as fifth and second j fancies on the machines. The winner \ has been proving himself more than i useful lately.

SAXOPHONE’S WIN. Weatherly, who ran last in the Post Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday, was last homfe again in the President’s Handicap at '* Wingatui yesterday, but he led early. Red Dance, Dodge, Queen of Song and Saxophone were nearest to him half way. The field was particularly well bunched coming to the home turn. Dodge, Saxophone, Venite and Golden King were the first to enter the straight. Saxophone proved too good in the run home and won easily by nearly three lengths from Dodge, with Golden King third. The winner, a six-vear-old daughter by Nigger Minstrel, is owned by Mr L. C. Hazlett, and she is trained by A. J. Cassells at North Taieri. DUNEDIN CUP. Mr A. C. Mills, of Otautau, who will leave on a trip to England, 'has the double distinction of breeding and owning the Dunedin Cup winner of 1935. Tauramai is by Paladin from . the Bezonian mare Fairform, dam of Rin Tin Tin and Charmaine. Fairform was out of Satisfaire by Birkenhead from Content by Dreadnought from Lullaby by Apremont. Tauramai had his first start in a hack event on the first day of the Dunedin spring meeting and ran badly, but on the second day he won the Dunedin Guineas. At Gore later in the month, he again had a failure and a win. He raced at Riccarton in November, running third in the Derby. He won at-Wingatui at Christmas but failed at Invercargill at the New Year. It is obvious from his resume that his form has been in and out. There was no semblance of a fluke about his success in the Dunedin Cup. As soon as the field settled down he was in charge, and he remained in front to the end. Yet it was no replica of SteetOn’s New Zealand Cup win. He was never much ahead of his nearest opponents. Cuddle was nicely •placed throughout. When she was beaten her rider. R. J. Flower, wisely did not knock her about. She could have been much closer than third last ridden out. Osculate ran a really good ace, but found the winner too good. Nightform showed himself as a genuine* s’-.ayer. His efforts to run third- after having been second last five furlongs from home was good. Tout 3e Monde’s ourth looked an honest effort. Polydora did not disgrace herself, and she may reward loyal followers in the autumn. Hunting Go had every chance. Steeton greatly disappointed Southlanders. VINTAGE FOR AUSTRALIA. Mr and Mrs D. W. Westenra, Mr and Mrs J. Campbell, also Vintage and his half sister, Lady Graceful, left last night for Wellington,* and they' are due to sail to-day from Wellington for Sydney, on their way (to Melbourne. Vintage will race at the Victoria Racing Club’s meeting on March 2, 6 and 9. The party will then shift to Sydney, where there will be several meetings to engage attention, winding up with the Easter Carnival at Randwick. During the absence of Mrs Campbell in Australia her stable at Riccarton will be under tsie care of F. E. J ones, who took chstrge yesterday. He willkeep Delice, Rose of Tralee, Final Shot, Courtyard and Starlight going, and most of them will be raced during the next few rnonths. Gay some and Tunnel le#-will be spelled, also the Polazel— Velocium two-year-od, Sorrento, who has been gelded. FALL MARS RACE.

Madam Pompadour would have had to make a fair effort to win but she was near enough to be a possibility when she fell just after turning into the straight in the Trial Handicap at Wingatui yesterday and brought down Lady Leighton.. It was apparently a purely accidental fall, but in the mixup it caused Bright Prospect received a check. Valarth and Arrowform were the pacemakers, the latter being responsible for most of it. Knowledge tackled Arrowform at the half-distance and > drew ahead to win by a length with Valarth third. Honeste and Bright Prospect beat the others. Knowledge is a six-year-old gelding who had not previously won a race. He has not been at all easy to train. T. H. Gillett has charge of him for Mr E. Hay. He is smartly named, being by Psychology from Miss Cute.

FOR AUSTRALIA. Valuable Shipment of Horses. (Special to the ** Star.") WELLINGTON, This Day. A big shipment of horses was due to leave Wellington for Australia in the Wanganella to-day. In all it composed over a score, many of the horses being yearlings who were purchased for Australian interests at the recent national sales at Trentham. Vintage and Lady Graceful, in the charge of their owner (Mr D. W. Westenra) and trainer (Mrs J. Campbell) ; Gold Trail, Sir Nigel and The Khedive in the charge of J. M. Cameron, Bay Tree, consigned to his owner (Mr E. J. Watt), and the brood mare, Star Queen (Sunstar—Black Queen), consigned to Mr Keith Angas, Adelaide, were the older horses. The Khedive’s certificate is issued through to Cape Town, where his recent purchaser, Sir Joseph Robinson, lives, but it is possible he will have a race or two in Victoria on the way to his future home. The rest of the shipment comprised yearlings. They were the Limond— Solange bay colt, consigned to F. T. Cush, Sydne}'; Captain Bunsby— Helen chestnut colt, J. King, Sydney; Iliad—Par Money brown colt and Iliad —Oddity bay filly, Mr G. N. Magill, Sydney; Night Raid—Quadrilateral brown colt, Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon, Melbourne; Chief Ruler — Tinkler chestnut filly, Mr G. L. Scott, Melbourne ; Nightmarch—Waterlow bay filly. Captain Bunsby—Caught bay filly. Lord Warden—Moiselle chestnut filly, and Lord Warden— Palestrina chestnut filly, Mr Keith Angas, Adelaide; Iliad— Ebba chestnut colt, Mr W. J. Winterbottom, Perth; Chief Ruler—Prophet’s Mark bay colt. Mr F. F. B. Wittenoom, Perth; and Iliad—Graciosa bay filly. Chief Ruler —Drama chestnut filly-, and Night Raid—Philomela chestnut filly, Mr E G. Meares, Perth.