THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 137, 12 June 1931, Page 4

THE TURF

RACING AT TE RAPA WAIKATO WINTER MEETING PROSPECTS FOR TO-MORROW (By 4 •’Kestrel.”) Cuming as it does so soon after the Auckland Racing Club’s Great Nertncrn meeting at Ellerslie, the winter fixture of the Waikato Pacing Club at Te Kapa is sure to suffer somewhat, casualties in the ranks of the jumpers being just as pronounced as those among punters. Still, the fields for the meeting, which will open to-morrow and will be concluded on Monday, must be considered fairly satisfactory under the circumstances, though a Held of five in the hurdles and six in the Waikato Steeplechase is not very encoui aging. It is reported that the track is in satisfactory winter order and though the going will be bolding it should be in good condition. In the Fairfield Handicap, with which the day’s racing commences, there is a sweepstakes of £2 each for starters to add to the winner’s share. King’s Archer, Wee Prince and Diamond Maid may engage attention. Seven arc engaged in the Maiden Steeplechase, and it would not be sur prising to find Wcstbroke preferred to Snow Prince and Branson. Tho Winter Handicap promises to be an eight-horse field, and the consistent Antique may be better backed than Lucky Alice and Standfast. Lucess stands out as the pick of the Open Hurdle field, while Antrim Boy may also be in the picture. Spalpiko and St. Warrigal may share favouritism in the Waikato Steeplechase, though Star Comet will have a lot of friends. Among the sprinters in the Flying Handicap the prospects of Ruffles may appeal to backers, with Paddon and Flying Prince also counting friends. Over the seven furlongs attached to the Whitiora Hack Handicap, with which the day’s racing concludes, Bronze Tray and Derry Belle may do as well as Valmarie. DESIRABLE POINTS HOW TO JUDGE A HORSE. WHAT BACKERS SHOULD LOOK FOR. The average racegoer likes to have a look at the horses before making his wager, and that leads to a good deal of th delay between saddling up and starting-time in New Zealand. Frequently half an hour elapses in the Dominion between the parade in the “birdcage” and the signal “They’re o£. ” Backers want to see the horses as they walk round, and they want to see them do a preliminary. A correspondent wrote to “Hotspur,” of the News of the World, London. asking to be enlightened on the most desirable points in a racehorse, and the reply is worth publishing here. Before attempting to answer the question, writes “Hotspur,” I would suggest that, when all is said and dor-:, and a most careful examination made, experts not infrequently find that they have been woefully deceived, and the animal of immaculate make and shape turns out to be useless for racing purposes, while some three-cornered specimen of horseflesh comes out and wins race after race. Points to Look For. still, there are points for which one should look. To begin with, just as the builder of a house looks for a good foundation, so good feet and legs are necessary in a horse. Although theie are exceptions, it may be taken on general principles that it is better to keep uB a horse, no matter how taking his tOh , may be, who stands on inseeuraole foundations. Get in front of the horse it you can, and note how he moves m walking straight towards you. See that he strides out freely, with no turning in or out of his toes, and with no round or dishing action in bringing his feet forward and placing them on the ground. Applv the same test when he is walking away from you. The feet should be well formed, symmetrical p sha P=> and placed true ou the ground at each stride when walking. W ith rega < the legs, unduly massive breams are neither necessary nor desirable, and h limb itself Should be straight (not m the sense of being back at the knee). Important Pasterns. The pasterns should be long enough to take up the shock and strain ot the gallop, but not so long as to sugge weakness, and between a leg ' may be described as being back at the knee and one which conveys the imprvssio i that the horse is standing over that is to say, has the appearance ot standing with a slightly-bent knee—-the latter is the more readily excusao . As a matter of fact, horses with this peculiarity often stand hard work better than others. . Crooked or sickle hocks are to i>e avoided, so as a rule, are hocks too tar back; but there are plenty of instances —that god horse Cyllene among them —in which this conformation has not proved detrimental. Knees and hocks should be strong and clean, shoulders should be oblique and running well into the back, and a point to which I myself attach great importance is the length and obliquity of the humerus bone, the bone, that is to say, which meets the lower end of the shoulder-blade, upon which it oscillates, thereby extending the forearm. If low and short the intension is poor, bu* if the humerus bone is fairly long an ■ se- on at a good angle, one is more or less justified in expecting freedom of action. The elbow joint should turn outwards rather than inwards. Well-Sprung Ribs. Well sprung ribs are desirable as affording plenty of room for the heart, and the stifle joint should be low, strongly developed and muscular, and, as with the elbow, inclined outwards A short back running well into the loins is to be desired. Second thighs should be wide and well muscled lip, and I always like to sec plenty of bone below the hock. It is needless to say tha‘ the quarters should be wide and powerful, and 1 myself always look out for a short back,, and, if possible, a rising curve running up over the loin. 1

a long line as straight as possible from r hip to hock, and a good deep barr.d I well ribbed up. ' One of the best made horses J can : remember, if not the best, was Orme. I JSo symmetrical and truly balanced he • wa. that 1 remember a frond of mine j saying as we stood looking at him and I he at us, “Did you ever see a horse I stand like that; if you took three of his legs away I beuev© he would star/6 up true on the fourth.” Turning over some old photographs which 1 happen to have by me, 1 lind tha both Orme, his sire Ormonde, and Persimmon —three pretty good horses—were all endowed with a peculiarly long and well-placed humerus bone. In dealing with the racehorse it has to be remembered that he must have length somewhere. Unti l the advent St. Simon it was customary to talk of your nice short-legged lengthy horse covering a lot of ground, but St. Simon brought into favour the short-backec type of horse who got his length from his legs. There is merit in both types, but, concludes “Hotspur,” my own inclination favours the short-backed, strongloined horse, even if a trifle leggy in appearance. There is another thing to remember in connection with the thoroughbred, and it is all important. The mechanism I have briefly outlined above may be perfect, but if the will to use it be lacking it is of no avail. RACING AT RANDWICK A.J.C. STEEPLECHASE ACCEPTORS FOR TO-MORROW Received June 12, 7.50 p.m. SYDNEY, June 12. Acceptors for the Australian Jockey Club Steeplechase on Saturday next arc as follows: Grosvenor, Reviser, Indicate. Home Made, Burraform, Fault, Kinross, Prince Arim, iSr Carillon, Welcome Stranger. St. General: THE GRAND NATIONAL FACTS ABOUT FAMOUS RACE. INTERESTING FIGURES. Millions of people, spread over all quarters of the world, arc interested in the Grand National, yet most of them have only the haziest ideas about the race. How r many, for instance, could answer this simple catechism? (1) Distance of the race? (2) How many jumps? (3) Which horses may and may not run? (4) The cost in entrance money to each owner who runs a horse? (5) What he gets if he wins (6) How fast do the horses run? The course is a few yards short cf four and a-half miles, and it includes the most difficult jumps in the world—the supreme test of the horse and his rider (writes Percy Judd in News Chronicle). Yet when the race was first run at Liverpool ninety-two years ago the test was even more severe; the horses had to run five miles, and one of the obstacles was a stone wall sft. in height. There are now fifteen fences and a water jump, and all except the wate* and one other obstacle are cleared twice, which gives a total of thirty jumps. The stiffest of them is the open ditch. Here there is a ditch on the take off side 6ft. wide with a fence at the back of it sft. 2in high and 3ft 9in. thick. Two natural brooks, known as Becher’s and Valentine’s, cross the course. Becher’s has a fence sft. in height and 3ft. 3in. thick, with the brook on the far side sft. 6in. wide, there being a drop of 6ft. Becher’s Brook takes its name from a Captain Becher, who came to grief there in rhe first Grand National ever run. The story goes that he lay still in the mud and water, and kept his horse quiet by the bridle until all the field hud jumped over him. No horse younger than six years mav run, and they must have previously been placed in a steeplechase of three miles or upwards or have won a steeplechase of the value of £5OO. It costs an owner £lOO in entrance money for every horse he sends to the post. The total prize money this year was £10,910. Uf thi: the owner of the second receives £BOO, the third £5OO, and the fourth £2OO, which left £9140 for the winner, including the £lOO which he contributed himself. Alost people will be surprised to jearn that the race is run at an average speed of 26 miles an hour—a remarkable speed when one remembers that in the Epsom Derby the pick of our thoroughbred stock race three miles less, without the jumps, and travel no faster than 33 miles an hour. NOTES AND COMMENTS (By 'KESTREL.") The Waikato Racing Club will hold the stage to-morrow and Monday with their winter meeting at Te Rapa. Napier Park Nominations The Napier Park Racing Club will hold their winter meeting at the Greenmeadows course on June 25 and 27. Nominations for ail events will close at 8 o’clock to-night. Classic Events. It should not be overlooked that entries for all classic events are due to elpse to-day, there being varying times for the closing of nominations. Clubs affected are the Auckland, Alanawatn, Wanganui, Feilding, Wellington, Taranaki. Avondale, Takapuna, Canterbury’ and Hawke’s Bay clubs. Few Hurdlers If one were to accept the Waikato Racing Club’s Open Hurdles field as an judication of what, to expect in similar events this winter the outlook woul i not be considered promising, live ae • eptors fur a race that has a stake of £l5O is not encouraging to any club, even' though the meeting follows so soon after the three <lav s ’ racing at Ellerslie. Columba Leased. The two-year-old Columba (Chief Ruler—Dovclet) has been leased from Mr Earl by her trainer J. T. .Jamieson. She is a very neat filly, who promises to pay her way next season. She has joined the active workers at Takanini after a short I fm- u hi.-’* he looks all the bettor.

High Finance Sold. Tho Paper Money mare High Finance lias been sold by Mr F. Earl, K.C., to tho Onehunga owner-t aincr, Air W. Kemp. High Finance has not raced for a long time on account of a leg injurv. and it is probable that she will lie usee for stud purposes. ’ Arch Ruler. 1 The three-year-old by Chief Ruler— Archercss in C. Morse’s stable has been 1 named Arch. Ruler. Hu came in very ‘ rough, but has made noticeable pro 0 press during recent weeks. 1 Sister to Amnion Ra. The rising two-year-old sister to Am--5 mon Ra (Limond —Hyades), owned by > D,r. E. H. B. Afiisom. has been named Prolyxo. The rising two-year-old black s filly by Grand Knight from Queen 1 March, owned by Alessrs F. R. Davis 1 and O. Nicholson, has been named Gay - Marigold, she is a half-sister 4 o King a March. > Another Change. . Havering has left Takanini. After f racing at Ellerslie ho was handed over r by J. L. Gray to his owner, Air J. AL B Corcoran, who, it is understood, ha? i taken him back to Taranaki. d ! Showed Speed. In her only start at Otaki, the Kuku Maiden Flat, Tavora, a daughter of . Pombal and Valaric, showed a good . deal of speed, and in the opinion of i some good judges she would have won , had she been as well handled as the . eventual winner, Fiji. It would appear • good policy to be on Tavora if she 1 starts in such an event as tho Trial 1 Pl-to at Trentham, in which two-year-olds have a good advantage in the weights. How Ridgemouut Improved. Though he showed no brilliancy on the opening day of the Otaki meeting last week, Ridgemount began very smartly on the second day and led all make it an interesting contest, but Ridgemount won with something in hand. Incidentally, he surprised with the speed he showed on such a bad track. Shortly before tho Otaki meeting Ridgemount changed hands, being ' transferred by owner-trainer R. JohnL son to the ownership of Air T. J. O’Neill, of Wanganui, who has hitherto , raced, in partnership with Mr P. A. ■ O’Neill, that useful sort Paratoo and the unlucky Zarene. Ridgemount is still trained at New Plymouth by R. Johnson. A Cup for Otaki. Airs T. B. IDwan, owner of Ephialtes, winner of the Raukawa Cup Handicap at Otaki on Wednesday of last week, will donate a silver cup as a trophy to accompany the stake in the same race next year. The win of Ephialtes was particularly pleasing to his connections, 1 for they not only bred him, but also 1 Ins sire Thomond, and dam, Rose of Athens. Thomond is by Polydamon ■ (son of Polymelus from Darnia by Diamond Jubilee) from Sweet Tipperary by King’s Guest from Golden Ball by Gold Reef. Sweet Tipperary was a Welcome Stakes winner. Rose of Athens is by Demosthenes from Rose Shield by Hotchkiss—Rose of Wellington by St. Leger, and was a very good galloper herself, particularly in soft ground, a tendency her stock has inherited. Passing of Stork. Receiving injuries that necessitated his destruction, Stork (HallowmasWhite Crane) went the way of all horse-flesh recently. Stork, who was doing stud work in the Awakino district, was a good winner for the late Mr Newton King, for whom he won the Taranaki, Egmont, Mitchelson, Stratford and Opunakc Cups, and many other good races. His stake-earnings totalled £7247 J Os. In spite of his limited opportunities, there are some fine youngsters by this sire being broken in at Awakino. Lowered the Hurdles. At a meeting held sonic months ago it was claimed that the hurdles had been lowered by some unauthorised person in the interests of a certain runner (who subsequently won the event). On the first day of tho recent meeting of the Otaki Racing Club a similar case took place, but the stipendiary steward on duty noticed tho interference with the jumps and had them raised to the advertised height. This act of lowering the jumps is a simple one, but will prove disastrous to those responsible should they be found out. Reed for Australia. R. Recd leaves in company with Airs Reed and their small son for Sydney to-day. While tho length of their stay has not been determined, Dominion racecourses may not see anything of Reed till after the spring. Phar Lap Again. Phar Lap returned to 11. Telford’s stable on June 1, and reports state that he appears to have benefited by his holiday. He has apparently thrown off the trouble that caused his retirement in March, and it is hoped that it will not be long before he is at his best again. About Mister Gamp. Since his return from Ellerslie Mister Gamp has not been a visitor to the Awapuni tracks, it being intended to give his leg attention prior to his again being asked to race. The Bronzetti gelding was none the worse for his fall, but the slight filling in the leg is still apparent. Warzone’s Owner. Mr J. H. Weckes, the owner of Warzone, who scored a win over the battens on tho second day at Otaki, will have another representative in the six-year-old Arrowsmith—Ambitious gelding Broxt to carry his colours in the near future. Broxt showed a lot of pace over a scurry distance when owned in Taranaki, and a year’s absence from racing might have made him more solid. The Fillies’ Classic History repeated itself in the English Oaks last week, when two-year-old form was upset. Four Course, one of the best two-year-olds of last season, won the Ono Thousand Guineas a few weeks ago, but in the Oaks she had Io strike her colours to Brulette, a French-bred filly who did no racing last season. Links Tor, who filled third berth, failed to gain a place last season, in three starts. Brulette’s sire, Bruleur, won the great French three-year-old race, the Grand Prix de Paris, in 1913. lie was a high-class racehorse, and has since sired a number pl’* good performers. ' May go to Sydney Several Trentham stables have horses entered for the Australian spring meetings, and it is possible that some will be taken across next month. 11. B. Lorigan has Concentrate, Gesture, St. Roger, and Oratorian in steady work with such a trip in view, and if he goes he may add Waratah to the team. A. E. Browne may also take Ephialtes j :i nd two of Mr T. B. Dwan’s yearlings, he Weathervane—Btardanccr colt ami

the Chief Ruler—Comedy Queen colt. Two other youngsters who may be sent across are the half-brother by Pombal Io \ eilniond, and the half-brother by Lord Quex to Inferno and Jeinidar. who aie owned by Mr J. A. Taylor, anil trained by J. McLoughlin.