RACING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 120, 23 June 1941, Page 8

RACING NOTES

£15,000 BID

OFFER NOT ACCEPTED THE WONDER HORSE AJAX Auctioneer who sold the wonder Horse, Ajax, in Melbourne, recently, turned dawn a bid of £15,000 and accepted £6500 from Mr W. J. Smith, of Sydney. Here's the inside story : A big crowd attended the horse sales. There was great excitement when the mighty Ajax was brought into the ring. EVeryone was keten and tense. What price would he bring? The auctioneer was out to get every penny he could. ' "Will anyone bid me £20,000?" There was dead siilence. No one was game to evern nod his head. "Will, will anyone bid me £15,000?" A hand went up at the back ol the crowd. Sensation! The auctioneer was excited. "I'm bid £15,000 for Ajax. Any advance on £15,000?" ; He badgered the crowd for min utes, extolling the virtues and re" cord; of the racehorse, but no o;ne would advance on £15,000. "Will the gentleman who bid £15,000 please come forward." The "gentleman" came out of the crowd, as; full of beer as a brewery. He swayed and chuckled, and waved to the mob which was convulsed, with laughter. The auctioneer waved him aside, and started all over again. Someonei bid £5000. "What about my bid?'" howled the "gentleman." "They paid £19,000 for Talking. Why can't I pay £15,000 for Ajax?"' j There was an advance of a few hundred. "Fifteen thousand," hollered the "gentleman." A policeman then arrived and escorted the big bidder away to a quiet place where lie could sleep off his violent enthusiasm for thoroughbreds.

A LENGTHY SPELL

Saccone, who performed very moderately in the Great Northern Hurdles, has since sprung a tendon, and consequently has been placed on the <?asy list for an extended period. An effort will be made to get him right for the winter of 1942. A GOOD STRAIN Foxwood, a winner at Ellerslie on the third day, is owned by Mrs H. C. Batchelor and is trained by G. Mitchell of Cambridge. This three-year-old filly is by Foxbridge— Hazelwood by Day Comet—Waterwood, by Seaton Delaval. Waterwood was bred by the late Mr J. JYTcNicol, of Wairakau, and was the dam of a good performer in Woody Glen, by Glen Albyn. THE CARDINAL! Mir J. Corbett"s The Cardinal, by .Night Raid —Palestrina, followed up his Cornwall Handicap by winning the Opotiki Handicap. His racing condition was a tribute to his trainer, J. W T . Cathro, of Matamata. At Ellerslie on June 2 the track was in excellent order, and The Cardinal 7.7 accounted for a strong field, running the mile and a quarter in 2.(5 2-5. At Tauranga he carried 6.2, the track was heavy and he Won in 2.12 4-»5. If the Night Raid representative competes at the WeJ" lington meeting next month he is likely to take some beating in the Parliamentary Handicap. After that his racing programme may be in doubt, and theire is noAV an agitation in favour of curtailing the days of racing. A MIDDI-E DISTANCE At Tauranga Merry Vaals, 9.0. j competed in the Opotiki Handicap, of one mile and a quarter, but failed to. gain a place with his top j weight, and having to concede the Cornwall Handicap winner 121bs. The fact was not surprising as th* heavy ground Avas not in favour of ft lop weight over ten furlongs. DIFFERENCE IN WEIGHT At Tauranga the Antopay geld> ing. Paymaster, Avitli 9.8 ran third in the Stewards" Hack Handicap to Nan Vaals and Bronze Emerald. Later in the day he was victorious in the open sprint, the Kia Ora Handicap, Avith 8.4, the distance lining six furlongs. The lesser distance and the lighter weight appear id to be quite to his liking.