ROCKET SOLD

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 107, 30 January 1935, Page 13

ROCKET SOLD

Retirement from Turf NOTES AND COMMENTS High weights at Napier (By “The Watcher.”) Rocket broke down in the Wellington Cup, and has been sold by Mrs. H. B, Douglas to Mr. T. A. Dunean, who will use him as a station sire. Rocket is a five-year-old by Day Comet from Top Score, a sister to Winning Hit. He has some useful performances to his credit, including the Pearce Handicap at Trentham. and second to Palautua in the New Zealand Cup. He is a good type, and with suitable opportunities he should, on his breeding and conformation, carry ou the record of his sire, Day Comet, as the begetter of good jumpers. An Explanation, Tunneller ran good races on the first two days at Trentham. but his effort on Saturday, when he faded out at the end of seven furlongs after being prominent in running, was disappointing. It transpires that he was very, sore after the race, which explains his inability to produce his customary solid finish. Gone in the Wind. The disappointing form of at least one South Islander at Trentham is now being put down to a suspicion of wind trouble. Riding at Wanganui. L. J. Ellis will be riding at the 'Wanganui meeting this week. He will be on the Siegfried colt "Wotan on the second day. Wotan, who is a half-brother to Gaine Carrington and Peter Jackson, will be accompanied by Vinco, who is to go on to Egmont. Too Hard for Junipers. The Napier Park Racing Club has decided, in view of the dryness of the season, and the very hard nature of most of the tracks, to withdraw the two hurdle races from the programme of its forthcoming meeting, and to substitute two Highweight Handicaps for which hurdle horses as well as hacks will be eligible to compete. The club has also decided, as the meeting extends oyer two Saturdays, to allow owners of horses coming from a distance the use of the horse-boxes on the course. As there are only a limited number of boxes, only that amount of accommodation will be available should it be required. Sold. The live-year-old Paper Money mare, Purse, ran in tne Melrose Handicap on Saturday in the late Mr. W. 11. Ballinger’s colours, but iu the nomination of Mr. N. C. Hyde, of Gisborne, who had purchased her at auction for 37gus. the previous day. Gone to Taranaki. Dombey, who was purchased by Mr. W. C. Simson, of Waitotara last week, and ran in his colours in the Highweight at Trentham on Saturday, has joined Silver Wings in the stable of W. Griudlay at Hawera. Hurdle Recruit. Colossal, who is among the hurdlers, carded at Wanganui to-morrow, is being schooled at Hawera by R. Cotter, who will ride him in his races.

Yearlings at Trentham. Following the now customary practice several of the yearlings purchased by Australians at the sales are being left at Trentham to be broken in by 11. Telford, and H. Pritchard also has some. Telford is at present laid up with an injured knee, due to a kick from one of the youngsters.

His 500 Mark. . L. J. Ellis rode his fiftieth winner of the season on Princess Doreen on Saturday. Ellis is now well on toward his liftn century. This is his eleventh season as a jockey, and his total of winners is 474.

Goad Fields at Wanganui. The acceptances received for the opening day of the Wanganui Jockey Club’s meeting to-morrow are not large, but they are very satisfactory, and of handy size for the track. Large fields at Wanganui are really a handicap, both to the betting public and the clean running of races.

New Two-year-olds Race. The Ashburton County Racing Club, always a progressive body, has promoted a new race, to be run at the spring meeting in September next. This is the John Grigg Stakes, of £250, four furlongs, for two-year-olds, colts and geldings to carry 5.5, and fillies 8.0. Entries for this event, which will close on Monday, February 18, are for this season’s yearlings. The new race should attract a large entry, for there is no two-year-old races in the South Island’s season until the Dunedin meeting in October, by which time the North Islanders have had the advantage of several races.

Bred at Koatanui. Parquet, the winner of the two-year-old handicap at the Takapuna meeting yesterday, is by Limond from Inlaid, thus a full relative to Linoleum. Bred by Mr. G. M. Currie, she was purchased at the yearling sales by Mr. C. Dawson, and is in the stable of A. P. Brady at Te Rapa, a combination that is probably .better known through the performances of the steeplechaser, Royal Visitor.

Riccarton’s Unlucky Run. Most things in racing seem to run in cycles, and the Riccarton training centre has struck a very bad succession of accidents to jockeys this season. Of these, the two responsible for the deaths of A. 11. Eastwood and H. Maekinnon stand out because of their sad consequences. Several other well-known riders have been injured. M. Kirwan injured a shoulder and broke a collar-bone when Master Reynard came down with him in the Penscroft Handicap at Ashburton on September 15. The shoulder was again injured when Polydora threw Kirwan before the start of the Wellington Handicap at Trentham on October 20. Kirwan resumed riding on December 15 at Hororata, but at Wingatui on December 27 I’olydora, ridden by him. Some Shamble and Ranelagh fell. Kirwan injured his back and has not been able to ride in a race since. While riding Abdication on the track at Riccarton on December 19 G. 11. Humphries was thrown and broke a wrist. In the Robinson Handicap at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, Horn’s Reef, ridden by A. Russell, fell, and Russell received a fracture of the skull and other injuries.

Well Bred. Sunny Maid, who bent Emissary in the Kaitoke Handicap at Trentham on Saturday, carries the same colours as Cuddle. She was successful in the Porangahau Handicap at Waipukurau on Boxing Day, and had two successes last season. A four-year-old, she is by Cuddle’s sire Psychology from Sunny Roe by Sunny Lake (son of Sundridge) from Merry Roe by Soult from Grey Roe by St. Hippo from the Trenton mare Ellerslie. She is a half-sister to Sunny Sky and Sunny Bachelor.

Answers to Correspondents. “Trotter.” Ashhurst: (1) 11/6. (21 £2/8/0. (3) £l. (4) £l/3/6. (5) £l/10/6. “Argument,” Wellington: Sunart never broke a leg after winning a race at Trentham, nor can any record be found of such a happening. Possibly some reader may remember an incident such as this. Silver'Peak was brought down after passing the post a winner, by colliding with the clerk of the course, but she did not break a leg.