HAWKE’S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1598, 9 December 1920, Page 13

HAWKE’S BAY.

Fife and Drum on Easy List—Death of Iliad’s Hero—J. Oldfield’s Useful Team at Greenmeadows —Delight Put Into Work Again—Hawke’s Bay to Have Strong Representation at Auckland R.C.’s Summer Meeting.

NAPIER, Monday

Toa Taua has been blistered and consequently will be given a let-up for a time. The two-year-old son of Mountain Knight and.. Fairy Gold, it will be remembered, met with an accident in the-horse-box conveying him from Auckland to Hastings through a collision taking place. It seems hard luck for the managers of the Douglas Estate that they should lose the services of this promising juvenile, for Toa Taua could both gallop fast and stay ofi well. Heather Sprig is doing well at Greenme*dows under the tuition of J. Oldfield, and it is intended that he will be- despatched to Auckland in about ten days’ time to race at the A.R.C. summer meeting. Fife and Drum, who was one of the stable comrades of Heather Sprig, has been turned out. When at her best the half-sister to Chortle, for she is by Heather Mixture —Amusement, showed a lot of brilliancy over short courses, and it is to be regretted that her services will not be available to her owner, who intends having her sent back to his property at Gisborne. Another of Oldfield’s pupils in Sabrenella, the three-year-old fullsister to Heather Sprig, is now one of the resting lot owing to having gone amiss.

The yearling colts by Martian — Pineta, Martian —Polynia, and Gay Lad —Dabchick, purchased by Mr. A. B. Williams, the Douglas Estate and Mr. A. F. Symes, respectively, at the thoroughbred in Christchurch last month, arrived here on Friday by steamer from the south. The trio were landed in good order, and were apparently none the worse for their sea trip. Bodyguard, the two-year-old son of Boniform and Multiguard, who has been one of S. Waddell’s students at Napier Park, and is owned by a Wellingtbn sportsman, has been retired from active service for a time, and when he next makes his appearance will be one of the unsexed lot. It is quite likely that Trainer F. Quinlivan will make an assault with Hepta and Lord Astolat upon the stake money offered by the Stratford Racing Club in connection with their New Year meeting. The three-year-old gelding by Our King out of an unknown mare, who was purchased some time back by F. Quinlivan, has been leased by that trainer to Mr. C. Bird, of Walling-

ford, and it is intended that he will make his debut at the Porangahau R.C.’s annual meeting on Boxing Day. Trainer J. Walker has severed his

connection with Mr. ' D. McLeod, owner of that nice filly Soldier’s Love

(Martian —Litchen), and as Mr. McLeod has obtained from the Hawke’s Bay District Committee a permit to train his own horses the presumption is that for the future he will attend to the education of Soldier’s Love. Mr. G. McDonald, of Meanee, experienced a stroke of bad luck of late, for his stallion Iliad’s Hero (Achilles —Kitchen Maid) had the

misfortune to break one of his legs and "he had to be given his quietus.

When engaged at the racing industry Iliad’s Hero made good on many occasions, and showed himself possessed of pace and endurance. At his stud life he was given but few opportunities to transmit his powers. A four-year-old half-sister- by Fort

William to Multaine and Lord Ainslie, and full-sister to Miss Ainslie, is in work at Napier Park under the direction of J. O. E. Jones. She is owned in Gisborne, and in the near future looks as if she will be profitable- property to control. J. Oldfield has a useful team in

work at Greenmeadows, his lot consisting of Heather Sprig, Many Colours ■ (a three-year-old son of • Heather Mixture and Gay, the lastnamed being a half-sister to Chortle by Gazeley), Road Hog (a threeyearold by Heather Mixture —Scorch), and Silver Tongue. The last-named is going on well in his work, and should have a successful period ahead of him, a remark which also applies to the other member of Oldfield’s string, Pao, who if he could be induced to give a replica of his rehearsal form in public would bring wealth to his owner. Delight has so far recovered from her recent attack of the strangles that G. Joribs has been able to put her into work again. Unluckily, another member Of his team has become affected with the same malady, and at present is in a pretty bad way. Cashmere is under offei’ to a southern sportsman, who intends next Tuesday having a look at the gelding. A younger full-brother to Admiral

Codrington that for some time past has been an inmate of H. Hickey’s » establishment at Hastings has been taken out oj work, and has been sent for a spell to his owner’s (Mr. F. J. Lysnar) property at Waioura. It would appear as if the “Bay” will be well represented at the approaching summer meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, for. First Salute, Gasbag, Dusky Eve and Walton have accepted for the Auckland

Cup, while Humbug, Statuette, Chry-

sistom and Maioha remain in the Railway Handicap. Toa Taua \(there does not seem to be any probability that he will be a starter), The Hawk, Kick Off, Many Colours, Mermin, Maunu and Grotesque have been left in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, while Gasbag has been paid up for in the Great Northern Derby. Amongst those standing their ground in the Royal Stakes are Delight, Surveyor, Chrysostom, Humbug, Toa Taua, The Hawk, Kick Off, Many Mermin and Maunu. All 'of the members of G. Jones’ team are, with the exception of Delight, ' getting through serviceable work on the test-out at Napier Park. Sasanof is included amongst the band and the versatile gelding is looking all serene.