SPORTING

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23975, 16 June 1943, Page 5

SPORTING

TURF GOSSIP To Correspondents Deeds Not Words.—The time of Billy Boy (7mln 44sec) when he won the Great Northern Steeplechase in 1936, still stands as a record for the race. The comment on Town Survey (4.41) has reference to a different race, the Great Northern Hurdles. Billy Boy contested five consecutive Grand Nationals, for one win, one second, two thirds, and one fourth. Anxious.—W. J. Broughton did not ride at Ellerslie on June 5, as he was at Wanganui, where he had six mounts, but he rode in four races at Ellerslie on June 7. Fog at Riccarton A number of horses did strong work at Riccarton yesterday, but very little could be seen because of a dense fog. For the same reason, some of the trainers cancelled arrangements they had made to school their Jumpers. Sent Home The Otago steeplechaser, Slayer, was sent to the North Island some time ago, but he failed to show any form. He was brought south by S. Barr when he returned from Auckland, and he has now been sent back to his owner, Mr L. C. Hazlett . Four Prizes The fourth horse will receive a prize in each of the three chief races at Riccarton in August. It will be £SO in the Grand National Steeplechase and £25 each in the Winter Cup and Grand National Hurdles. Cup Preparation Gladynev is due to resume work next week at Awapunl. He will be started on steady work, with a view to being ready for another try at the New Zealand Cup. Australian Family Riding Home, who had her third win for the season at the recent Dunedin meeting, is a three-year-old filly by Siegfried from Homedale, an Australian-bred mare by Rossendale, with some good staying form, the Moonee Valley Gold Cup being among her successes. Riding Home was bred at the Windsor Park stud by Mr E. E. Steele and was bought at the Trentham yearling sales for 130 guineas by Mr A. Chisholm, by whom she is being raced. Riding Home is a half-sister to Home Secretary and Diomedes, good winners in Australia, and her dam has a well-grown Defaulter foal to go to the national sales next January. Unsound The team that W. J. Bromby has in his care at Trentham includes Bold Blood, a nine-year-old brother to the Derby winner, Sporting Blood, and to the recent hurdle winner, Rich Blood. The new horse, who has enough size to commend him for Jumping, has shown natural aptitude for this branch of racing, but his soundness is in doubt. His breeder, the late Mr A. Mclntosh, had a high opinion of Bold Blood, but his career has been restricted through recurring lameness He has not raced since the winter of 1940, when he ran a dead«heat with First Round in a scurry at Otaki. Successful Family The brood mare, Horomea, left some good winners, including Mittle, Lady Tinkle, and Deolali, who won in the best company on metropolitan courses, and much interest will be taken in the mare’s first male produce, Crammond Bay, when he makes his debut. This Phaleron Bay gelding was intended for racing earlier but hard tracks kept him in his box. He may have his first race at Trentham next month. Master Lackham Master Lackham has not been to the track: since he returned to Trentham from his trip to Auckland, where he was unable to fulfil his steeplechase engagements through ricking or straining himself. According to his trainer, P. Burgess, the horse is doing all right in walking exercise, but wehther he will stand up to pressure remains to be proved. New Sire The sire averages at the yearling sales held in Sydney this year were headed by Golden Sovereign, one of the most recent English importations, these being the oldest of his progeny. Eleven yearlings by him were sold at an average of 862J guineas, five of them reaching four figures, including a half-brother to Royal Chief. Golden Sovereign won four good races in England, among them the Gimcrack Stakes and the Newmarket Stakes, while he was second in the Irish Derby. He is by Monarch (son of Tracery) from the Teddy mare, Fleche dOr 11. and he has Spearmint. St. Frusqmn, and Ladas blood on the dams side, which runs back to Alice Hawthorn,