GOSSIP FROM ALL PARTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17493, 29 August 1928, Page 2

GOSSIP FROM ALL PARTS.

' The Otago and the Taranaki Hunt race programmes will be carried out on Saturday. Standard has been bought by a Victorian owner and the Absurd gelding is now on his way to Melbourne. Nincompoop, who is spelling, will not be required to race again until next autumn. The Waipa Club, despite, a small drop in totalisator returns at its- annual meeting, bad a net surplus of 2377. 16s 7d on its workings of last season. The local trainer, R. Syme, is just now giving his attention to Whakama. The representative of Day Comet and Glideaway was in work for a time during last season but she went amiss slightly and had to be spelled. Whakama has not hah a race as yet and it will be some little time before she will be ready to commence her duty in this connection. The gelding by Marble Arch from Semoleitc, who has joined up with A. P. Brady’s team and is now in work under that trainer’s supervision at Te Rapa is a racy looking sort. Kerry Dance will face the serious duty of the new term of racing a greatly improved horse from the aspect o-f development. The patient policy that has been adopted with the chestnut son of Nassau and Glissando gives promise of bearing fruit as time goes on. This member of M. J. GarroH’s local team has been among the active brigade of recent weeks, and lias been making very agreeable progress with his preparation for the programme that lies ahead. Simper’s progeny are all winners and substantial ones, too. The latest to bring additional credit to this great brood mare’s record is Lucky Light, the three year old Ally by Paper Money. She had only one race last season, running unplaced in the Trial Plate at the Wellington Winter meeting, behind Toxeuma, Roscrea, and Consent, Lucky Light apparently disposed of the weak opposition at Hastings on Saturday, with great ease, and it is worthy of note that she claims such immediate engagements as the Wanganui Guineas, Eclipse Slakes, and Avondale Gumeas. Knightlike commenced his two year old career last season very promisingly in the early spring by winning the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui. That was his only success in eight starts, and while he failed to deveiop as expected, some of his form was not bad. Seeing that he has made a good start as a three year old by winning at his first attempt at Hastings on Saturday, lie may 'turn out useful this season. So far the few Paladins that have raced have not developed good two year old form, but at three years Satrap, for one, turned out quite a useful sort. When the New Zealand gelding The Mask; by Quin Abbey from Culross, first made his appearance in America, he created a big impression, and later proved himself a speedy galloper. But after winning at his first start in the new season in Vancouver, he .was galloped on at a subsequent outing, and was cut about so badly that he had to be destroyed. Tbs’ Mask was owned by Mr P. Beban, and he was taken to America " by W. Holmes, with Star Stranger IP and Waihemo. The lastnamed pair later returned to the Dominion, and 3t present- are being trained by N. C. Price,

The aged jumper, Raymond, is sharpening up with the-duty he has been getting as a follower at the hunts in the Waikato this season. It is not unlikely that he will be seen out in some of the cross-country events in the new period of racing. The Quin Abbey gelding had three starts in steeplechase events last season, reaching third place to Pendavies and Glenotus in the Thames Steeplechase, which was his' best and concluding effort of the past. term.

Luminary, who entered the successful list by" annexing a race at Avondale in the autumn, following which he came under the favourable notice of some good judges, is making progress at Te Rapa with his preparation for future racing. The chestnut representative of Day Comet and Thurnline will probably make his opening appearance of the latest season at Avondale next month.

The latest addition to A. Tinker’s team at Te Rapa is a two year old colt by Day Comet from Lady Frisco. The voungstcr, therefore, ranks as a 101 l brother to White Comet and, like the ■latter, was bred by Mr G. Seifert, of Hamilton. Inbred as ho is to St. Simon there is much to enthuse over in the blood lines referred to and the youngster’s racing career will he followed with interest.

Gutts Bros, have recommissioned Sudden Storm at Riccarton, and the Ally looks in good fettle. Unfortunately she suffers from knee trouble, like her sister Childsplay, and this is always likely to manifest itself when hard"tracks are encountered.

As usual, there is a poor entry of three year olds for the New Zealand Cup, only four horses of that age being engaged. The Te Awamutu Prodice was a good winner last season. Of the other three, Sarnia has a maiden race to her credit, Clarendon has done a lot of racing without earning any money, and Colonel Crawford has not started in a race yet. Colonel Crawford is a chestnut gelding by Adjudge from Beneficence.

According to a Sydney exchange, the former Riccarton gelding Lighthearted was the medium of a sensational plunge when he won at the Victoria Park meeting, Sydney, recently. Early in the betting another New Zealander, The Earth, was backed down to a pronounced favourite, and with such a favourable market on offer about Lighthearted a strong commission was launched in favour of that gelding, “Probably not for years,” comments the Guardian, “has such a sensational market marked the betting on a maiden event at the pony tracks. Lighthearted proved ltimsclf a remarkable galloper, and was never once off the bit. He was hard held in third place until a furlong from home, and when his rider temporarily gave him his head he put so much between,himself and the field that his rider was forced to take command again to prevent him scoring too easy a win.” It is safe to say that in future the bookmakers will not offer any fancy prices about the New Zealander. Lighthearted was formerly owned and trained by 11. Nurse, at Riccarton.

Satrap was responsible for the lowering of the Australasian record for two miles in the last Trentham Gold Gup, and put up a gallant performance, to beat all but Star Stranger, even though, he did steal a march on his opponents in the early stages of the weight-for-age race. While not detracting any merit from Satrap’s efforts as a three year old, he could not be termed a high-class horse, and Mr J. S. Barrett may have shown wise judgment when he disposed of the gelding at a high figure some time ago. Satrap has yet to make his appearance on the Sydney race tracks, but he will bo a starter at the Warwick Farm meeting on Saturday, and his form at that fixture will toe awaited with interest, especially as he claims engagements in the important spring handicaps. When the last mail Lo hand left Sydney, Satrap was a first acceptor for the Carnpbelltown and Spring Handicaps, and he was. also a nominee for the Warwick Stakes, which Is run over a mile at weight-for-ago. If he takes on the weight-for-age event in preference to the handicaps, ho will appose the doughty Limerick, so his showing against the Limond gelding should indicate whether or not lie is up to welght-for-age standard.

The Waikato Hunt will conclude Its season with a point to point gathering which will be held at Mr A. McLennan’s property on The Avenue, Eureka, on Saturday afternoon next. The point to point is being looked forward to with great interest by members of the Hunt and followers of the sport in general. . Light, ’ heavy, open and consolation events will be decided during the afternoon. As the fields promise to he of good class the cross-country competition should be decidedly interesting, Too much praise cannot lie bestowed upon the efforts of the Waikato Hunt from season to season. In the training of cross-country and jumping performers in general it has proved a valuable recruiting ground over many years. The records are replete with winning performers who have had their cross country education finnly established in their qualifying runs behind the hounds in the Waikato. Wiltshire, the .winner, and Pouri, the runner-up in the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton early this month, come under, this category and the new season is likely to find the fruithful record further extended from this and other directions.

Transformer has not been required to undergo any fast work at Te Rapa so far this season, but the aged descendant of Thurnham and Mangamaire is looking very well. His trainer W. Woods, will be increasing the work for this member of his team from this out. Transformer was started on nineteen occasions last season, two seconds and a third being his onlv placing- during the term. He has" proved a good handicap performer and has only to strike his galloping powers to add to his record this season.