TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

GOOD MASTERTON NOMINATIONS

(By “The Cynic.”)

The excellent nominations received for the Masterton Racing Club’s annual meeting on October 12 and 13 fully justify the courageous policy of the stewards in deciding to race in face of a last-minute alteration in dates owing to the General Election. The events on both days have attracted useful sized fields of good class performers and provided acceptance day does not lighten the list overmuch, the club should have a most successful meeting. Fifteen horses have nominated for the Masterton Handicap, the chief event on the first day and included among the candidates is Wotan, sensational winner of the Melbourne Cup. The club, with the co-operation of owners and trainers, has done its part and it is now up to the public of the Wairarapa to rally round and ensure a bumper attendance. Indications certainly point to a first-class day’s sport. A number of improvements are being effected at the course, which will be in splendid order for next month’s fixture. The committee of the Masterton Retailers’ Association has asked the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, to invite business firms to close from noon on the second day of the races. In Great Order. Sovereign Lady has never looked better and if H. R. Davies can keep her in the same condition until November she should win a good handicap race at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Throughout her career Sovereign Lady has been lightly raced and the same policy is to be followed this season. Possibly she will be given a race at Motukarara as a preliminary to Riccarton and this will be a big help as it is a hard job winning open class races without the benefit of racing. Disda.in. Disdain also continues to make satisfactory progress under Davies and she is being given useful sprinting tasks to keep her from putting on too much condition. At times this brilliant filly suffers from trouble in her quarters, but there is nothing wrong with her at present. Lecture, the youngest member of the team, is a two-year-old filly by Myosotis from Berate, a half-sister by Silverado to Chide, Riri, and Chidden. When trained, Berate was a fast sprinter but wind .trouble was responsible for her retirement to the stud. Lecture has not done much lately and she has been suffering from a cold, but she was allowed to stride along on the two-year-old track recently when she moved attractively. She is a goodlooking filly which is certain to be given plenty of time. In Paddock. Capricious, a three-year-old maiden filly by Night Raid from Egotism, is having a let-up at present owing to muscle soreness. She is in F. Roberts's I stable. Defaulter, the star member of Roberts’s team, is progressing in excellent style and the Dunedin Guineas should only be something in the nature of an exercise gallop for him. This Defoe colt does not knock himself about in training and he looks an ideal Derby proposition. Asset, which has not done any good in the few races she has had since going from the North Island, is sprinting well and may show better form the next time she is called on to race. Grampian, a hurdler with ability but disappointment as a racehorse to date, may rejoin P. McGrath’s team shortly to undergo a preparation for hurdle races at the New Zealand Cup meeting. He is in solid condition following a snell. Waitaka has improved a good deal during the season he has been in the stable of F. Roberts, and he will start on the serious staae of another preparation shortly. He may be raced at Trentham next month, and his form in the Winter Cup. in which he had the bad luck to be beaten by Catalogue in the last few strides, suggests that he will win a worthwhile handicap race this season.

Promising.

H. Nurse has had Tantivy, a maiden four-year-old gelding by Hunting Song from Grey Eyes, a Greyspear mare, in work off and on for some time. Tantivy sprinted well with Gillie this week and may be a difficult proposition the first time he races in novice company. Gillie is also coming on well. Kinnoull and Grey Honour are members of D. Cotton’s team which will be racing at Trentham next month, while Density, if she comes through her Dunedin engagements well, may also go north. On past form Density will find difficulty in running out the mile in the Dunedin Guineas, but there is not a better-looking or better-conditioned horse here than this Pink Coat filly. Kinnoull came through his race at Ashburton well and should be at the top of his form for Trentham, a course on which he scored one of his two successes last season. Grey Honour also races well at Trentham and is shaping nicely in work. Master Hotspur is in fine fettle following his successful run in the John Grigg Stakes, and his next task will probably be in the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham. Pelmet, formerly in T. H. Gillett’s stable and also owned by Mr E. Hay. won the Wellesley Stakes in 1935. Judging by the easy manner of his Ashburton success, something will have to go wrong to prevent Master Motspur from going close to following in her footsteps. Peony Rose. Peony Rose has been getting through useful work and will be ready to race at the spring meetings. Last season she won four races, was second twice and third four times out of 15 starts. Argentic. Argentic, who has been made topweight in the New Zealand Cup, was foaled in 1929. Last season he won the Teschemaker Handicap with 8.5 in 2 min. 6secs., was third in the Buchanan Memorial Handicap with 8.13, unplaced in the New Zealand Cup with 8.11 to Cerne Abbas, Wild Chase 8.13 and Silver Streak 7.9, won the Metropolitan Handicap with 8.9 from Cuddle 9.12, Boomerang 7.3, Catalogue 8.13, Queen of Song 3.3 and others, ran third in the Auckland Cup with 8.13 to The Buzzer 7.6 and Knight of Australia 7.5.. with Wotan 8.8, Cerne Abbas 8.1, Padishah 7.5£, Shy 7.2 and others unplaced, and in his final placed performance was third with. 9.3 in the Clifford Plate to Courtcraft 8.2 and Jonathan 9.3, two lengths away, in 2min. 5 4-ssecs. In the previous season Argentic 8.9 was beaten a length and a-half by Cuddle 9.3 in the Auckland Cup, won in 3min. 23secs. He won the Wellington Handicap with 8.4 in 2min. 21Jsecs., and Metropolitan Handicap with 8.10 in 2min. 30 l-ssecs. Change of Luck. A change of owmers and trainers often brings a change of luck. This appears to be the case with Screen Star, who opened his winning account at Marton after a long spell of outs. At Foxton the previous week he ran a creditable second and followed this up by Winning the Tutaenui Hack Handicap on Saturday. He came out again in the last race and ran second to Nelumbo. Overdue Win. Nelumbo’s win was also long overdue. It was his first success since he won at Wairarapa over 12 months ago. Heavily Backed. Nightguard was backed straightout in Sydney last week for the A.J.C. .Epsom Handicap at Randwick to win £5OOO. He was also coupled in doubles with the Metropolitan favourites, Cooranga and Royal Chief, to win £12,000 and £15,000 respectively. One commissioner put £5OO on him straight-out. Sir Tommy. Having his first race for over 12 months, Sir Tommy made a forward showing on the first day of the Avondale gathering. Jumping out smartly in the Henderson Handicap he made a valiant attempt to win from end to end but the more seasoned Royevrus, finishing on, got up to head him over the last twenty yards or so. On the second day he again went a solid race but failed to finish in the money after having every chance. Sir Tommy has run good races on the turning Paeroa track and he will bear watching when he steps into the starter’s hands this week. RACING FIXTURES. October I.—Otaki-Maori Racing Club. October 1. —Kurow Jockey Club. October 1, 3—Ohinemuri Jockey Club. October 6, B.—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 7, 8. —Auckland Racing Club. October 8, 10.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 12 and 13.—Masterton Racing Club. October 15. —South Canterbury Jockey Club. - October 24. —Waikato Hunt Club. October 20, 22, 24.—Wellington R.C. October 22, 24. —Gore Racing Club. October 24.—North Canterbury J.C. October 24. —Waverley R.C.