THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 233, 1 October 1929, Page 3

THE TURF

WAVERLEY RACING 'CLUB LABOUR DAY MEETING ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME r e are many country meetings iu Zealand, but it would be safe to mtger that few of them are -as popular as that held annually on Labour Day by the Waverley Racing Club at their centrally situated course, and it is equally certain that the fixture to be held on Monday, October 28, just four weeks from next Monday, will prove just as popular as any held in the k past. Waverley caters for all Tara- [ naki on the holiday date, and thus the ' club may rely on patronage from up and down the line. Though the metropolitan fixture at Trentham on the same date naturally attracts many of the star performers at this stage of the season, the records show that some of the best horses in New Zealand have graced frhe Waverley course, and it is to be found also that the winner of the Waverley Cup has more than once gone fs Riccarcon to win the New Zealand Cup. That will show the class of horse often found contesting events at Waverley.

Another attractive feature about the ■Waverley fixture if the manner in which visitors are treated with the customary Taranaki hospitality. It is a pleasure to attend a meeting when secretary W. Macfarlane holds the reins and guides his team in the task of getting his job through with the minimum of friction.

With the first race set down to start about 11.45 a.m. the train service is usually very convenient, and doubtless the Taranaki and Wanganui special trains w r ill be as well patronised this year as ever.

The principal event on the programme, naturally, is the WaverleyWaitotara Cup, which this -car carries a-stake of £4OO, the winner’s portion being £240. The distance, as usual, is a mile and a-quarter. The other 4 ‘leg’’ of the double is the Brewer Handicap, the stake for the sprinters being set at £l9O, the first horse earning £155 for the six-furlong journey. Attached to the Handicap Hack Hurdle Race, run over a mile and &- half, is a stake of £l5O, while the remaining hack events on the flat are also well endowed. The winner of the Morton Memorial Maiden Race gets £,105 of the stake of £125, and as the /vent is run at weight-for-age it is hure to be as well patronised as ever. IThere is a seven-furlong event called he Wilson Hack High-Weight, with stake money of £ll5, and a hack sprint of six furlongs with £125 added. A mile race for £l5O is the Moumahaki Hack Stakes, and the programme is completed with the Jackson Hack [Memorial Stakes, with a stake of £125 and the distance set at five furlongs. n his is usually an interesting scurry.

Altogether the Club has an attracprogramme fur owners and trainand from the Taranaki, ‘Wanganui Rangitikei districts there is sure be plenty of support for a club that not been afraid to treat supporters racing generously. IM conncc tion the closing of nominations at 8 p.m, on Thursday, October 3, it is well for owners ana «■ trainers to remember that the Telegraph Office at Waverley closes at 5 P-m. By lodging their entries early will avoid disappointment. Handicaps will be declared on or about Thursday, October 10, and the accep- * tAnvcs will close on Monday, October 21, at 8 p.m. A sympathetic circle or • sportsmen will wish the Waverley Club a bumper list of nominations. ' THE ELLERSLIE MEETING (GREAT CHARTER’S PENALTY [ Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Sept, 30 For his win at Hastings Great Charter has been rehandieapped to larry 8.9 in the Flying Handicap at Ellerslie on Saturday. LIMERICK ALL RIGHT GOOD GALLOP BY CONCENTRATE, k ■ [ Australian Press Assn. ] I SYDNEY, Sept. 28. 'Ji There were ideal conditions at RandWwick this morning, when trainers were given the choice of the grass or tan tracks. On the tan, with no flags out, Honour finished three lengths ahead of Jal'eux at the end of a round in 2.12, running the last seven furlongs in 1.31. Pomp and Pedestal did four in 56 comfortably. Paquito spurted throe in 38, and Cimabue, on the bit, took 43. Reonui and Gesto ran four in 51 J. Limerick and Tidal went together f ©ver four furlongs in 51, after doing a steady round. pulled up ' well, while Tidal was a trifle dotty on the legs. Perception covered six in 1.16}.

On the ‘‘A” grass track, the Derby favojlrite, Phar Lap, led Eillon over len in 2.18 L k Ceremony sprinted three in 39, and Bdghtmarch did seven in 1.28 eagjly. I, Lit Edge beat Raisin over seven in | Stormy and Poitiers were together 'bver five in 1.6 j. Concentrate led Oral by ten lengths it the end of seven in 1.29. NOTES AND COMMENTS (Ey “ Kestrel One race meeting will be held in New Zealand to-morrow, that being the Hunt Club’s fixture. Next Saturday there will be racing at three Centres, the Auckland, Napier Park and Kurow meetings being set down tor decision. The Ellerslie gathering ■rill be concluded on Monday next. Reminders. Nominations for the Waverley Racfag Club’s Labour Day meeting are lue on Thursday night. Nominations for the Wellington. Rachg Club's spring meeting are j due Friday night. > Handicaps for the Masterton are due next Monday and a'ccep-

fauces will be due the following Monday night. On Friday next entries are due for the majority of the important events at the C.J.C. November meeting, including the Stewards* Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Canterbury Cup and G. G. Stead Gold Cup. An acceptance for the New Zealand Cup is also due at 8 p.m. Nominations close on November 6 for the Feilding Jockey Club’s Jubilee meeting, which will be held on November 30 and December 2.

The Egmont Racing Club have issued a handy little folder of the programme for their summer meeting, which will this year be held on December 18 and 19.

Napier Park acceptances are due tomorrow night, the fields appearing in Thursday morning’s issue.

Coming Back from Bandwick Though the Koatanui team will Stay for their important engagements at the Rand wick spring fixture, it is well on the cards that they may not stay for the final day of the meeting. They aie due back in Wellington in time for the spring meeting at Trentham, and Ceremony’s reappearance on the turf in New Zealand will be awaited wits interest. Walter Rayner should be pleased indeed with the success achieved by Ceremony, and if he follows it up with good displays on the part of Pomp and Drastic the bookmakers at Randwick will have cause to remember the Koatanui team. From Fordell Just what horses will constitute Fred Tilley’s team for Trentham and Riccarton it is difficult to say until the nominations are known, but it is certain that the team from Fordell will be in great fettle for their brief campaign, judging by their display at Wanganui. Cashier and Laughing Prince appear the two certainties for inclusion, and perhaps it is safe to say that Consent will also be a member. Experience Tells As was pointed out in the summing up of prospects for the Nursery Handicap at Hastings, racing experience would be a deciding factor in the ultimate result. So it proved for the winner of . the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui. Simba was able to beat the other juveniles with case after again hanging out at the bend. Clever’s First

When Clever finished just behind the fourth horse, Tourist, in the Glenaray Handicap at Hastings on Saturday it marked the first time the PsychologyMiss Cute filly had been seen in public since last autumn. She ran a fair race and should be at least useful later on. Talisker In the Marangai Handicap at Wanganui, Talisker was the elect of backers at quite an acceptable price, and in finishing fourth he was responsible for a really decent performance in view of the fact that ho had to be ridden hard over the first furlong to get a position. He carried 8.2 in that event, and if he goes to the post for the Mitchelson Cup on Saturday he will not be neglected. The half-brother to Kick Off is likely to win more than one good handicap before the season ends. Admiral Drake

Consistency appears to be Admiral Drake's forte, for in his last three starts he has finished in second place, while his first outing this season resulted in an unplaced performance. By Chief Ruler out of the imported Tame Duck (by Earla Mor, a son of Desmond, out of Duckshot, by Gallinule), Admiral Drake is well enough bred, but the fact that he was nearly beaten for second place in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas on Saturday would appear to indicate that the Chief Ruler colt is not quite up to classic standard. When the best of the Dominion’s three-year-olds return from Australia he may find it hard to win in good company. Cribbed Positions

When The Masher won the Glenaray Handicap at Hastings on Saturday he changed post positions at the start and this, it is reported, cost his rider, C. Davies, £5. Even though the better position at the barrier may have assisted The Masher a lot he covered a good bit more ground than necessary at the turn, but he managed to keep his nose in front at the post. The Masher has shown sufficient to indicate that his win at Wanganui, when he returned a sensational dividend, was not such a fluke as many thought.

Coming to Hand There arc indications that the Kosscndale gelding Vertigern is likely to play a part in some of the later spring handicaps or early in summer, that is if the handicappers do not treat him so ’ unkindly as they appear likely to do. At Wanganui Vertigern ran quite a decent race in the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes on the second day, and no doubt he will be a greatly improved horse before the season advances much further. Last season his best performance was his victory under 8.3 in the Wellington Cup. and after winning the Paul Memorial Handicap at the Taranaki Jockey Club's February meeting he developed log trouble, having to be thrown out of commission.

Queen’s Choice When Queen’s Choice finished second to Kick Off on Saturday at Hastings the Clarenceux gelding was ridden by the apprentice W. Horne, who is given credit for riding a decent race on the comparative outsider, who returned a nice dividend. Perhaps Queen’s Choice was assisted by following Kick Off through on the rails, but he will win more races. Last season he was placed on twelve occasions out of fifteen starts. Kick Off’ The aged Kick Off appears likely to make quite a name for himselfl thi,s season if he can be kept un concert, pitch by Luke Wilson. His win at Hastings on Saturday was his third placing in as many starts this season, for ho scored a second and a win at Wanganui. Kick Off won rather easily on Saturday hut it is stated that ho was lucky in getting through on the rails. Still, the field was very moderate and he should be able to account for them again. Valpre May Improve A hack that may bo worth keeping in view for events ahead is Valpre, the three-year-old filly by Chief Ruler

out of Valerie and therefore a halfsister to the two-year-old Isa. Valpfe showed out for a flash-Hn her only engagement at Marton and thvn dropped back in the ruck, while at Wanganui on the opening day she was again quick to show out in the race won by Zarene, only to fade out of the picture. Valpre repeated the performance on the concluding day and again finished in the ruck. Perhaps she may do better at a meeting like the Waverley fixture.

Prince Lu z • When Prince Lu was beaten in the Gonvillo Hurdles at Wanganui there were many reasons advanced for his indifferent display, among them being the vet’s report that, he bad colic. One critic offers an explanation that may be nearer the truth. Prince Lu is not clean-bred on his dam’s side, and possibly that, says the writer, will be against him when racing over a journey in open company on big courses. Broadcasts

It is reported that a special description of the important races at Bandwick, in which New Zealand horses are engaged, will be broadcasted by wireless from Australia for the benefit of New Zealand listeners-in. Crashed

A jubilant racegoer at Avondale came to earth with a vengeance last Saturday week. After most people had been .paid out on Historic, the Avondale Cup winner, the racegoer presented himself at the “late window” and put down a bum » of tickets,'and said to tho clerk in t ‘.ised tone: “So and so on Historic. Jut these are number four tickets, not threes,” said the payout clerk. A brief colloquy convinced the unfortunate punter that he had bought tickets on the unplaced Paddon in error. The sequel is that he had a small commission to execute on tho Avondale Stakes winner Lineage and having invested practically all his capital on Historic, and presuming him. self to be in funds, had not tho necessary time to “raise the ■wind*’ before the totalisator closed on the Avondale Stakes. The original error was a particularly costly one, for Lineage returned a substantial dividend. Overtime

The younger son, junior partner in the office, was kept at work one afternoon when he particularly desired to he absent. Ho groused somewhat. “Silence,” thundered tho old man, “You’re an ungrateful cub. Where would you have been to-day but for me?’’ And the young man replied in a feeling voice: “Ellerslie, sir.” One Good Turn

Yes,” said the man from Ceylon, a she sipped his final drink, “elephants are certainly intelligent. Some years ago, out East, I was able to relieve a young elephant of a thorn in his foot. I never saw the beast again until a few weeks ago when I took the youngsters to a circus. The elephant looked round the place, saw me, and promptly lifted me out of the stalls and put me in a box.’* Fred Davis’ Team.

Although Hastings trainer F. Davis originally intended to bring five horses to Auckland for the forthcoming spring meeting, latest advices from the Bay indicate that the quintet has now dwindled to a couple—Great Charter and the brilliant two-year-old ChrysolBoth these horses were scheduled to race at Hastings. It i s understood that Gascony is to be reserved for short weight-for-age races this season.

Two for Ellerslie. Accommodation has been booked at J. Shaw’s stables at Ellerslie for Reremoana and the two-year-old Isa, who are expected to arrive at headquarters to-morrow in charge of their trainer, O. Cox. A Picture.

Pink Coat put in an appearance at Ellerslie on Saturday morning after his long trip from Timaru. The colt looks a picture of fitness, states “Early Bird.” Mounts for Ellerslie.

The following riding engagements have been made for the Auckland meeting next Saturday:—A. E. Ellis, Pink Coat and Prodice; E. Ludlow, Grand Spirit, Good Boy and Catoma; K. Bobinson, Lady’s Boy; J. Burgess, Marita and Ah Wera; E. Stanway, Sleepy Sol; K. Gill, Lady Court; P. Brady, Chesterman; H. Dulicu, Star of the East and Kauri Park; J. Cammick, Bed Lion. For Bandwick Carnival.

In addition to the jumper Zircon, his owner and rider (W. Garrett and E. Garrett), the Sydney boat which left on Friday had on board trainer A. Bhodes and several prominent sportsl men trekking to the other side to participate in the big A.J.C. spring carnival at Randwick, opening next Saturday. Among them were Messrs H. B. Mackenzie, C. G. Macindoe, and B. T. Boid. It will be remembered that Mr Macindoe’s colt Prince Humphrey won the A. J.C. Derby 12 months ago, and although the Auckland sportsman has no representative in this year’s classic, it is quite on the cards that ha will see a New Zealand horse repeat Prince Humphrey’s performance, for in Phar Lap and Honour the Dominion has two worthy contenders for classic honours. Correct Cards.

It would be interesting to calculate how many hundreds of thousands of race books have b'cen handled by Mickey Marr, the genial old chap whose smiling face was missing from the accustomed place at the Wanganui Club’s spring meeting. Many a patron of the fixture "missed his well-known “Correct card here!” He was at the meeting, but only as a spectator, for the committee decided to let a local man have the privilege of selling the racebooks. Mick’s last fixture here was the winter meeting on May 16 and 18, and considering that he had been selling correct cards since October 1 and 2, 1903, on commission it may be said that he had a good innings. And well he might, for he gave every satisfaction. Prior to 1903 Mick held the right of sale by tender in 1898, 1899 and 1902, so that it may be said that he has been selling cards at Wanganui for 29 years out of 31. Still hale and hearty, and ever ready with a joke or reminiscence of olden days, when he trained and rode horses himself, the hope may be expressed that Mick will be with us for many a year yet.

Hostile Criticism. Some of the best riders in New Zealand have been adversely criticised when they ventured to Australia, and T. Green is the latest to come under the lash. In discussing the hostile demonstration which followed the defeat of Paganelli by Amounis in the Canterbury Stakes, “Musket” wrote in the “Sydney Mail” that the finish was so close that no one off the line was competent to give a decision. He added,

however, that the race “should have been won by Paganelli, whose rider (T. Green) is not in the same class as J. Munro, the rider of Amounis.” Ho might with justice have added that Paganelli is not so good, nor ever will be so good, as Amounis, comments a Wellington scribe. Concrete Tracks.

When “Maecenas” visited New South Wales in July last so little rain had fallen for many months that the race tracks were as dry and hard as those usually experienced in this Dominion in the late autumn. Naturally, such concrete-like courses do not favour horses tender in the feet or legs, and amongst other performers that have suffered are the two New Zealandowned geldings, Seatown and Limerick. When Seatown landed in Sydney, Trainer J. Butler was very hopeful of winning one of the big spring handicaps with the favourably handicapped son of Archiestown ,but it only took one race in Queensland to find the weakness of Seatown ’b heels, and the trainer wisely decided on returning him to this Dominion, wheie the tracks remain reasonably springlike for many months in the year. Like a Rugby Scrum.

Pressmen who attend at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s office on race nights and other occasions to obtain a list of the acceptances for the Wait* ganui fixtures will appreciate the consideration shown them when they compare the treatment meted out by the Avondale Club. At the same time it is interesting to note that the Avondale Club’s secretary is an ex-journalist, which makes the lack of consideration all the more harder to understand. “Early Bird” takes the club to task as follows:—Press representatives who were unlucky enough to be on duty on Saturday night to get the weights and acceptances for the second day fully qualified for the North Island Rugby team, for they had to push and shove their way through the swarming mass of humanity to get into the office of the club. Obtaining the weights, they then had to fight their way out, and barked shins was the result. It was a hopeless exhibition •of mismanagement, and it was not only the Pressmen who had a grouch at their treatment—owners and trainers directly concerned were unable J) get into the club’s office for some time after the Pressmen had departed. More consideration for those actively associated with the sport would be appreciated. Other clubs can do it, so why not Avondale