RACING.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17614, 19 January 1929, Page 19 (Supplement)

RACING.

FROM TRACK & STABLE. (By “ Martian.'’) SEASON’S FIXTURES. January 22 Ashhwst - Pohanglna Racing Club. January 22, 24—Wairoa Racing Club. January 22, 24, 26—Wellington Racing Club. January 25, 29—TakapuDa Jockey Club. January 29, 30—Pahlatua Racing Club. January 31. February 2—Egmont Racing Club. February 2—Matamata Racing Club. ■ February 6—Tapanui.' February 7, 9—Gisborne. February 7, 9—Taranaki. February 9, li—Rotorua. February 14, 16—Dunedin. February 14, 16—Wanganui. February 14, 16—Poverty Bay. February 16, 18—Te Aroha. February 20, 21—Woodville. February 20, 21 Gore. February 21—Tologa Bay. February 23, Canterbury. February 27, 28—Dannevirke. February 28, Waiapu. February'2B, Mar. 2—Marlborough.

TROTTING DATES. January 24,' 26—Forbury. February 1, 2 —Nelson. February 9—N.Z. Metropolitan. February IS—Wellington. February 23—Kaikoura. February 23, 27—Otahuhu. February 27, 28—Invercargill. March I—Marlborough, March 2—Waikato. , March 9—Timaru. March 13— Manawatu. March 16 —New Brighton. March 23—Thames. March 25—Cheviot. March 30, April I—Hawera. March 30, April 3—N.Z. Metropolitan, April 6—Taranaki. April 11, 13—Wanganui, April 20—Te Aroha. April 20—Ashburton. May 4 —Cambridge.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Price," Frankton.—The 2300 guineas which Mr G. D. Greenwood paid for Honour is a record price for a yearling in New Zealand. > “Riders,” Hamilton.— (1) L. J. Ellis is to ride Aspiring in the Wellington Stakes. (2) It is A. E. Ellis who has been announced as the rider of Hoylake in the Wellington Cup, “Weights,” Te Aroha.— (1) Desert Glow earried 7.12 when he won the Takapuna Jockey Club Handicap last season. (2) Ti Tree won the Zealandia Handicap at the same meeting with 8.0.

THE SPORT IN SYDNEY. RIDING AND RAOING DENOUNCED. HOME WRITER’S SARCASM. ALLEGATIONS OF A RING. A brick of scathing sarcasm is hurled at Sydney racing by “Observer” in the Sydney Sun. “The four days’ racing at Randwiok,” he says, “provided four • more reasons why punters and the publlo alike should avoid the headquarters of the A.J.C. If they are filled with the wish to grow rich quickly.

“The only comedy relief to the meeting's which demonstrated beyond question ‘the glorious uncertainty of the turf,’ was the distress of the owner of Lady Constance because of the weights allotted his mare by the handicapper Each day it was made manifest to his friends that the official had for some unknown reason determined that Lady Constance possessed all the qualities of all the champions of all the ages. And the sense of discontent begotten by the big weights moved him to affirm that he must seek relief by approaching the -committee. J A Little Bit On Her.’ “Yesterday, in different company, he apparently felt that New Year’s Day might persuade her to take the bit in her teeth and so he had ‘A little on her —not very much, you know’; and the gallant grey finished ahead of the field*, and though her owner smiled happily it is possibly the handicapper who will have the last'laugh. The unpleasant demonstration when Vallum won was not at all remarkable if all Inc circumstances are envisaged. Mr Osborne was in no way to blame, but somebody was ' obviously capable of more ‘intelligent anticipation’ than he. To bis friends Mr Osborne remarked that at twenties the horse was 'a fair bet to those who had followed it in earlier races with disastrous results, but it is safe to say that not many of those to whom the advice was given hearkened. There were, however, others, who, for some strange reason, felt that the horse might prevail at long last, and the ring was far more than £IO,OOO poorer when numbers .were posted.

“Tho incident merely accentuated the most obvious fact that the racing was controlled by the operations of half a dozen big punters. There was a time when the public going to Randwick thought that it had a reasonable chance of picking winners. Today tho sophisticated section of this public is not so much minded about tho weights or the form, but of tho fact ‘what Is so-and-so backing?’

“This is where it is suggested that the committee of the A.J.C. might become more active and prevent there being any Justification for the rumours which circulate like wildfire before every race as to this, that or the other horse being the ‘sure thing.’ They might start excluding from those places, where an ordinary member is admitted, those well-known punters who, contrary to the rules of the club, make contact with jockeys and trainers while the horses are in the birdcage. Starting and Horsemanship. “Starting, too, is a matter to which some attention might be given. It appears from official announcements that Roonui dug himself in like Tate at the bowling crease, and when interviewed confessed that he was stubborn and would not leave the barrier. There were other horses who apparently were not interviewed, although they dwelt at the post. And there was most ragged and inefficient horsemanship every time a field lined up. Anybody who takes the trouble to study the leading Jockeys, whether In England or Australia, will find that In nine cases out of ten they bring their horse to the tape with a loose rein. At Randwick 80 per cent of the Jockeys were tugging away at the mouths of their mounts so that tho starter was remarkably lucky to dispatch his fields as well as ho did. And while the commltteo, or more probably the stewards, are seeing that the boys on top really do understand their avocation, they might give more consistent thought to the rlding-out rule. “Little Douglas made an egregious ass of himself by the clumsy way in which he handled Hamurana. , He was censured and acquitted of any sinister intention because of patent innocence and incapacity, but there were other riders, notably J. Munro, who could not be given a clearance because of inexperience. On Wednesday, Happy New, ridden by Cook in the second division of the Christmas Handicap, finished second. _ On Saturday, J. Munro was substituted for Cook. Public money poured in on Happy New. It started favourite, the horse got away well, but Munr-o retarded it so vigorously—there was no suggestion of pulling—that it was quickly at the rear of the field, and it came wide around the turn and finished among the also rans with Munro sitting in his saddle as if he were on a wooden horse on a merry-go-round. On Saturday, Munro rode Herilda. Again public money was heaped on the horse, which went out first favourite. The purple jacket was splendidly away, but strongly restrained, and gradually fell back to the tail of the field At four furlongs it was discerned making a half-hearted advance on the outside, but nearing the post it was last, and, as a morning paper remarked, Munro did not ride it out. Of course if a rule is only to he applied occasionally there is nothing to be said, but it is rather rough on the raw youngster that he should be blamed for faulty, horsemanship when a jockey like Munro can boldly flout the riding-out rule.”

GOSSIP FROM ALL PARTS. The Ashhurst-Pohangina Club will race on Tuesday. There will be racing at Wairoa on on Tuesday and Thursday. The Wellington Club’s Summer meeting will be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The big string of horses owned and raced by the Dunedin sportsman, Mr J. M. Samson, who will leave shortly on a trip to the Homeland, will come under the hammer at Trenlham next week. The Te Awamutu owner-trainer, F. E. Loomb, has two colts by the Eng-lish-bred Illumination, one from Erinagh and the other from Lady Biddy. They are reported to be thriving nicely. Boomerday is putting some dash into his efforts on the local tracks. The veteran son of Quin Abbey and Bell Crispin is to be raced at the coming meeting at Takapuna. A 15 months’ old filly by Illumination from Piita’s Lass (the latter a relative to that good sprinter Nancy Lee), whom Mr G. Gillctt, of Hamil- } Ley -<vwns, is a shapely juvenile.

Silver Division is the name Mr G. Johnston, of Matamata, has claimed for the three-year-old gelding, a full brother to Leitrim (Valkyrian—lhapuna) he owns. Pegawav, who had a very successful innings at the recent Ellerslie Carnival at which he won three races in as many starts, has not been, doing a great deal on the tracks since his return to Te Awamutu. Lucy Rose, although she did not get on the winning list, ran sufficiently well at the Thames meeting to expect some improvement in the near future by the Te Aroha trained Ally by Lucullus —Autumn Rose. Luminary, who failed during the races the Day Comet—Thurnline gelding contested at the Taranaki and Stratford meetings, is working freely under A. Jackson’s charge at Te Rapa. Desert Glow is reported to be in good order at Te Awamutu in view of his Takapuna engagements. The Day Comet—Lady Winsome gelding has shown winning form this season and some further results from the same direction are not unlooked for. Maunga, Mixed Heather, and Hollycomb are in work again at Hastings in readiness for jumping events later on. Mixed Heather is reported quite sound again. On. his form at the Foxton meeting the Ohaupo owned and Te Rapa trained Bright Day is likely to come in for some support in Highweight events at Trentham.

Although Prodice had to make way for a better one on the day in Red Heckle when this pair measured strides in the Great Northern Derby, the former has been Improved by the gallops she was concerned with at the Auckland Summer meeting. The Catmint— Hyades filly, if produced at Takapuna, will come in for some consideration. Glena Bay, the Romeo—Martigues gelding in M. J. Carroll’s team, who ran disappointingly in his two starts at Awapuni at Christmas time, _is working steadily at Te Rapa in view of Takapuna engagements. Glena Bay was a winner in Highweight company on the North Shore track at the Spring meeting. Twelve months back Ti Tree won the Zealandia Handicap at Takapuna with 8.0. For the race of this title on Saturday next the Tea Tray Taimai mare has been weighted at 7.7. Although her racing condition has to be taken on trust, Ti Tree will, nevertheless, come in for good support if she goes to the post in the seven furlong event at the Shore. The clashing of the Thames Trotting Club’s meeting and the racing fixture of the Bay of Plenly Jockey Club on March 23 is exercising sportsmen who have the interests of both institutions at heart. As April 13 is a free da J'< so far as provincial listing is concerned, it is felt that it would prove beneficial to both if one or other of l the clubs selected the latter date. Bright Land, who is an acceptor among the minimum weighted lioises in the Highweight Handicap at Trenlham on Tuesday, is the imporLed aged gelding by Orb —Landlady, owned by Mr W. C. Ring, sour., of Hinuera. Bright Land was a .starter in the Hurdles on the concluding day of the Auckland Summer meeting. He displayed a lot of pace on that occasion until he fell a couple of lences from home when racing next to the leader and winner, Ramblin’ Kid. The crack New South Wales two-vear-old Holdfast was a cheap purchase. He cost only 160 guineas when a yearling at the Randwick sales last April. He has won £347S m stakes, so is a great bargain, and might have a profitable future as a sprinter. In his races Holdlast is ridden by M. McCarten. Te Atiaw'a and Miss Mercia are doing useful work at New Plymouth. They will sport silk at Egmont and Taranaki, and possibly also at Wanganui and Opunake. Their owner, Mrs W. D. Graham, leaves for England in March, and during her absence her horses .will be spelled. Reports are appearing in several parts to the effect that Martarma is the only horse left to carry on the Martian line. This is incorrect, sajs ‘•The Watcher.” Warplane is a notable Martian horse whose stock have been doing very weli lately, one of his sons, Red Heckle, winning the Great Northern Derby. Raceful is [ another Martian horse whose services are available in the north.

Whilst doing an “up-country meeting” the following was heard:—A stipendiary steward who is also a follower of Isaak Walton, went fishing and caught something so and so long, and fully so and so in weight. A well-known trainer who was one of the listeners to the fish-catching story said: “Well, it must have been sound asleep." Footfall is standing up to his work particularly well at Riccarton, and trainer G. Murray Aynsley is not only pleased with him, but is hopeful of getting the big fellow to the post for the Dunedin Gup. Having contested the big event at Wingatui Footfall will be kept going with a view to tackling the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton, and the Trentham Gold Cup. i First Sight has been sent to his owner’s property at Hororata for a four or five months’ spell. He has been suffering from lameness off and on since the New Zealand Cup meeting, without the seat of the trouble being located, and it has been thought advisable to give him a chance to overcome the ailment in the paddock. During the last National meeting, Red Fuschia developed a cold which unfortunately developed into strangles, causing his connections anxiety that the good hurdler w r ould go in the wind. Red Fuschia is working at Awapuni without showing any ill-ef-fects. Fool’s Paradise, by Absurd —Mascot, showed a glimpse of his old form running second to Miss Australis in the New Year’s Gift, at the Tattersall s Club meeting at Randwick on New Year’s Day. Fool’s Paradise carried 9st 61b and was beaten by a length in I min 26sec. He started at a double figure price. The rising two-year-old by AcreGreat Effort, by Provocation —Effort, by Advance —Endeavour, who was presented to the local owner-trainer, M. J. Carroll, while on a visit to Trentham a few months back, lias been brought in to the stable at Sunni side Lodge. This colt is a shapely youngster and his breeding indicates that he should prove out of the ordinary. Silver Paper is going well, and will strip better at Trentham than he did at Awapuni, having done more wmrk. After Childsplay had galloped on Saturday morning Mr \V. Stone stepped Silver Paper out on the same track evidently with the intention oi getting a line from the filly. He, like the filly had done, carried a welter weight. His time was exactlj the same as hers, but good judges considered that he finished better than the filly had done. In reality these performances of Childsplay’s and Silver Papet’s were in no way better than one would expect any sprinter to do that is recognised as useful, says a Christchurch writer.

Red Heckle is being treated to a lapse 'of easy work, and will not be raced again until the autumn meetings commence. if all S oes x- e ! 7p ~ him he will contest both the New Zealand and Great Northern at. Lc o e. Stakes to be decided at the Wellington and Auckland autumn meetings respectively.

Quarterdeck has not raced since the New Zealand Cup carnival, hut the daughter of Panmure is very well at present, and the way she is working on the tracks points to her being difficult to beat in her Wellington engagements. On the opening day of the Trentham fixture she is engaged in the Trentham High Weight Handicap and with 10.6, she should play her’ part prominently. Quarterdeck has proved her usefulness under welter weights on previous occasions, and most likely she will have a large army of followers next week.

There is a possibility of the two Derby winners this season, Red Heckle and Nightmarch, meeting in the Hazlett Memorial at Wingatui next month. Both will have a penalty of sevenpounds, which wall bring their weight up to 8.12. As the race is run. over one mile many will favour the chances of Red Heckle. On his Great Northern Derby win Red Heckle appears to be the better stayer as well.

Little River, by Martian from Blue Lake, won the Brush Steeplechase at the Mentone (Melbourne) meeting on January t. There were four of the starters better fancied than the exNew Zealander in the betting. The Maoriland hurdler won by 15 lengths.

It Is an extremely difficult matter to gei a horse that has gone seriously wrong to come back. Almost invariably they train on just long enough to show signs of coming right, then one morning they pull up lame. Haze is the latest to do this trick. Having done well during the last two months he was looking much better than at the New Zealand Cup meeting, at which he performed creditably, when he pulled up lame at Riccarton on Saturday morning. It is on the cards that Agrion will do the same, says a Christchurch writer of turf doings. With all his knowledge R. J. Mason will find it hard to keep such a heavytopped colt on his feet.

In New South Wales this is W. Kelso’s racing year. He is a long way ahead of his Sydney fellows as a stake-winner, with the Melbourne Cup prize capping all. During the Christmas and New Year holltjajs horses from his stable registered 2$ wins, 3 seconds, and one third, representing £2668 10s in stakes. G. Price, with three wins, a second and a third, won slightly more in stakes, £2799.