RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 223, 20 September 1928, Page 14

RACING NEWS.

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES

(By WHALEBONE.)

FIXTURES.

September 22 —Asbburton County R.U September 22—Napier Park K.C. September 22, 24—Avoudnl* J.C. September 27, 28—Ceraldlne K.C. September 2!)—Pakurunua Huut Club. September 2D —Hawke's Bay J.C. October 6. B—Auckland Kacinj; Clob. October 11, 13 —t)ur«:oin Jockey Club. October 6—Kurow Jockey Club. October 13—Carterton Itacing Club. October 20, 24—Walkato K.C.

The record price two-year-old, Honour, owned by Mr. G. D. Greenwood, can gallop all right, for on Saturday at Riccarton lie covered half-a-mile in 60 l-."»s.

The colt by Ellangown from Vibration, purchased in England by Mr. J. B, McKenzie, arrived at Riccarton on Saturday. The youngster, who is a yearling by English time t has joined T. H. Gillett's stable.

Oscar, who ran a couple of good races in hack events at the Auckland winter meeting, is being put over the battens at Matamata, with a view to running in hurdle events at the Waikato Hunt meeting. Oscar gives promise of doing well in this department.

The English-bred Hoylake performed well last season, winning up to eight and a-half furlongs. He is working well at Riccarton. He is engaged at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday, and it should not be long before he is at his best.

Goblin Market was a very useful two-year-old, and the half-brother to Mandane looks as though he will have something to say in three-year-old races this season by the way he is working at Riccarton. La&t week he was sent over a mile, covering the first four furlongs in 65 1-5*., and the last half in 52 3-ss.

The Avondale Stakes filly Clever, by Psychology from Miss Cute, by Charles O'Malley from Canny, will compare very favourably as far as quality is concerned with the rest of those engaged in that event, for she is a goocl looking two-year-old and has plenty of size for one of her sex.

The Hawke's Bay two-year-old Hunting Day is to make his first appearance in a race at the Avondale meeting on Saturday, when he will contest the Avondale Stakes. He is a well-grown juvenile and a particularly nice mover, with a very resolute style of galloping, and it would not surprise to sec him develop into a good performer during the present racing season.

Royal Mint has arrived at Avondale and looks in good racing fettle, although he is carrying more condition than he has previously done in the past. He ran a good race in the Marton Handicap early in the present month, and that performance entitles him to consideration in the Avondale Cup contest next Saturday. The Catmint gelding usually runs his best races when the ground is soft, and further rain between now and the end of the week would benefit his chance considerably.

The Avondale Guineas candidate Episode was out doing steady e—jreise on the suburban course yesterday morning, and looks none the worse for her race at Wanganui. This filly has not grown a great deal since she was last seen here in the autumn, aciil she is big •nough, and .has the :>ace, which is the main factor. Despite her defeat at the Wanganui meeting this filly is sure to be accorded heavy support in the Avondale Guineas on Monday next.

Star Stranger has been allotted 9.6, the maximum impost, in the New Zealand Cup, as against 9.4 last year, when he ran second to Rapier (7.12), with Footfall (8.9) third, while Count Cavour (9.0) was unplaced. Now he has to give Count Cavour 61b, and is meeting Rapier on 141b better terms. Rapier won the Auckland Cup with B.JO, beating Count Cavour (9.5> and Battlement (7.1), while Star Stranger (9.6) and Footfall (8.12) were among the unplaced division. Since then, however, Star Stranger won, among other race*, the Wellington Cup and the Trentham Gold Cup, carrying 9.8 and 9.4 respectively, and in the latter event cut out an Australasian record for two miles. He is certainly a much better-performed horse last season in New Zealand than he was the season before, and with 9.6 he has a great show. Count Cavour is nicely placed at 9.0, for he won with lib less in 1926, while Rapier would only need to be at his besi to again prove very difficult to beat, for he has only 41b more than he won the last Auckland Cup with. Ben con Light did not start in the last New Zealand Cup, but ran second to In Monanui in the Metropolitan Handicap, one mile and a-half, on the next day carrying 8.8. He has proved himself a good horse up to a mile and a-lialf, but has been more or less unsonnd during the last couple of seasons. He has all he is entitled to. footfall has been galloping well at Kiccarton recently, and with 8.6 is not overburdened. He was third in the New Zealand Cup last year with 31b more. Set Sail (7.13) has shown good form up to twelve furlongs, and would only need to stay on to be troublesome Pink Note is a likely sort. He finished second in the Wellington Cup last January to Star Stranger, and was just beaten by Set Sail in the Wellington Kacing Club Handicap, one mile "and three furlongs, on the next day. He subsequently won the Dunedin Cup with 8.5. Battle Colours (7.6) is given a chance in the south, but his best performances have geen up to a mile and aquarter. Tresham (7.5) is one that has to tie considered. He has shown good form tip to a mile and a-half, and is one that is likely to stay on. Black Mint has also won up to a mile and a-half and is not badly treated with 7.5. Crown Area has been looked upon as a sprinter more than a stayer, but Battlement (7.3) is one that appeals after the manner in which he raced at the Auckland summer meeting, being third in the Auckland Cup and running well in subsequent engagements at the meeting. Lady Desmond) (7.2) failed with the minimum last season, and of those lower down Nukumai, I)csert Glow (who was second to Count Cavour in and Rotor may be most fancied. Those tlint mav appeal mo3t aru S>i ' r stli,n g*- | "i Rapier,

First Sight has been galloping well at Riccarton, and last Saturday covered six furlongs in 1.17 3-5 comfortably. He is engaged at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday, and will have a lot of friends.

It looks as though there will be a small field engaged in the Hawke's Bay Guineas. At present there are ten left in, but three of them are unnamed. Toxcuma, Lucky Light, and Moorgas seem the most probable of the remainder.

The two-year-old sister to Gesto will race a? Virginia. Gesto was recently taken to Sydney with Raasay, and advice received in Hastings states that he did not do too well after his arrival there, but has now recovered his health, and will start at the Hawkesbury meeting next Saturday.

C. Carmont, sen., intended to start Furrie at Avondale, but the mare contracted a cold and had to be let up. The daughter of Feramorz is all right again now, and will probably race at the Waikato Hunt meeting. Furrie showed some pace prior to being eased.

Pedestal, by Thespian from Eulogy, the half-brother to Commendation. Eulalie, Epitaph and Humbug, has been brought North by W. Rayner and will probably have his first etart at the Auckland meeting. He is a fine, big colt and on that account he is not to be unduly hurried. If appearances count for anything this youngster should uphold the family reputation.

The Avondale Cup candidate Mask has arrived from Wanganui, and looks in great order to contest the big event next Saturday. He was a good performer over a distance last season, and his effort in the Eclipse Stakes at the recent Wanganui meeting, when he finished third to Laughing Prince and Kiosk, indicates that he is almost back to his best again. He has a good horse's weight, 9.6, to carry in ihi mile and ahalf race at the end of the week, still with the going on the firm side the Limond gelding is sure to run a creditable race.

For one of the maiden class, Maori Boy shaped really well in a six-furlong gallop on the inside grass track at Avondale yesterday morning. He went from a standing start and therefore his effort compared favourably with those that had some pace on when they jumped off at the six-furlong disc. Maori Boy, who is engaged in the second division of the Maiden Plate at the Avondale meeting, is o fivc-vear-old horse by Lucullus from Capable, and a third to British King and Solan io in the Trial Stakes at the Whangarei meeting held last March is his only placed performance to date.

Quality and quantity are particularly well represented in the nominations for the Dunediu spring meeting. Some of the best horses in training have been engaged, -and the list includes many of those with important engagements (says "Sentinel"). This lot includes Rapier, Count Cavour, Footfall, Set Sail, Celerity H., Pink Note, Countersign, in the principal handicaps, and a very pleasing strength of quality has been attracted by the spring events. It would make a record meeting if the cream of both the events could be attracted to the starting uost. What seems to be a record entry or a two-year-old race at Wingatui has been engaged in the Dominion Handicap, and the fact seems 'to assure an unusually good field in the McLean Stakes. The nominations also indicate a good field for the Dunedin Guineas, and with such excellent prospects indicated by the nominations a record spring meeting seems to be assured. Carinthia, Phaster, Wreath of Myrtle Town Bank, Vaward, Money Mine, Red Jazz, Wine Tray, Solmuri, and Solmar are amongst Mr. J. M. Samson's nominations for the Dunedin spring meeting. He has also several horses engaged in the McLean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas, for which a forfeit has to be declared on October 5. This seems to be a record nomination by one owner for a Dunedin meeting. It is interesting to note that several of the top-weights in the New Zealand Cup have been engaged at the Dunedin spring meeting.

ft is stated that Bennanee is not likely to see the post for the New Zealand Cup, for one of his legs is causing trouble. This is bad luck, for he was fourth last year, and is in with the minimum in the forthcoming event.

Gold Rain, who showed promise as a hurdler last season, is in work again at Matamata under C. Carmont. Gold Rain has not been in long but comes to hand quickly, so that providing he keeps sound he is likely to show to advantage later on.

Childsplay continues to please by the way she is working at Riccarton. She put up a good performance over seven furlongs on Saturday, running the distance in 1.29 2-5. Childsplay showed great speed as a two-year-old, but has not raced since last January.

Since racing at the Te Kuiti meeting in June, Serang has lined down somewhat and has evidently done plenty of work. He is due to have his next outing in the Members' Handicap at the Avondale meeting next Saturday, and if he fails to run prominently it will not be for lack of condition.

There is a solidly-built mare, Red Day, by Day Comet—Ruby, in C. Carmont's stable at Matamata, which is expected to do well later in the season. Red Day won a race at the Tirau non-totalisator meeting last season, and has only had one other start. Red Day's trainer has an idea she will stay.

Unoco (Some Boy H.—Matapara), is shaping well at Matamata, and will be a starter in maiden events at Te Rapa. Unoco is owned by his trainer, C. Carmont, in partnership with R. Brown, a Te Aroha spoitsman. Unoco has shown some good work over short distances on the Matamata track. He has not yet had a start in public, so may need a race or two. The committee of the Auckland Racing Club, Avondale Jockey Club, and Takapuna Jockey Club do not sell 10/ tickets on the lawn, though they allow the inside public to go outside to make such an investment. At Trentham there is a 10/ machine on the lawn, and it does big business. Therefore it is interesting to note the remarks of Mr. 0. S. Watkins at the annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club on Monday concerning the 10/ totalisator. He commented on the improved financial position of the club, and referred to the facilities that were to be provided for the outside public in the way o a new stand. After all, he said, it was the ten-shilling investor who provided the "sinews of war."

Condition will be a big factor in the race for the Avondale Cup. that event being the first mile end a-half contest in the new season, and Nukumai is one of the most seasoned horses in the ra'-e. He has done more racing during the last few months than any of the other com petitors engaged, probably with the exception. of Beau Cavalier and Bisox. Nukumai performed well on the flat at Wellington, running second in the VVhyte Memorial and |the Parliamentary Handicap, and followed this up by scoring in the Jumpers' Flat Race, one mile and a-half, at Riccarton, and the Grand National Hurdles. He was unplaced in the Marton Handicap, but at Wanganui on Saturday last he was finishing on very fast in third position in the Higgie Handicap, and if it had been a little further he would have seriously troubled Royal Game and Te Koroke, who finished in front of him.