RACING IN VICTORIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 177, 29 July 1932, Page 4

RACING IN VICTORIA

GRAND NATIONAL MEETING APPLEDORE IMPRESSIVE Messrs. J. Richardson and D. P. Wilson, who went to Melbourne to see Captain’s Gift race at the Victoria. Racing Club’s Grand National Meeting, returned to Wellington by the Maunganui on Tuesday. They left for Dunedin that evening. Captain’s Gift had a very rough trip over and was not himself when asked to race, although he was considered to have a chance on the last day. According to the two sportsmen, racing over hurdles in Victoria is a different proposition from that in New Zealand. The obstacles are only 3ft. Sin. high, with a good well-padded top panel. The local horses race over them at top speed all the way. The New Zealand horses, accustomed to bigger hurdles, jumped very high, and so lost, ground. According to Mr Richardson, it required a good handicap horse to win over hurdles there.

“Appledorc’s win was very impressive,’’ said Mr. Richardson, <‘but Make Up and Landmark ran like ‘duffers.’ They were a furlong behind when the pace wag on. Copey was up with them for a while, but when it came to the business stages they left him to it. Neither of Mr. Corry’s horses was fit to race. They had had enough when they left here and were far from their best.” G. Jones was well settled down, said Mr. Richardson, and Mr. Kemball’s team was doing well. The defeat of Araunah last Saturday would be costly, said Mr. Richardson, as his connections were confident. Mr. H. McLeod intended to stay some time in Victoria, but would be. making a short business visit, to New Zealand next week or within a few weeks’ time. Ashley Reed, he said, was riding particularly well, and was equal to Victoria’s leading horseman, W. Duncan. Mr. Wilson returned with a good Opinion of the totalisator in Victoria, which he said, would do racing a lot of good and would be the death knoll of the small bookmaker. lie considered the three-dividend system a, goo 1 one except, for small fields. Three dividends in small fields, in his opinion, were not satisfactory.