THE BEST AT TRENTHAM

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 10, 7 October 1943, Page 7

THE BEST AT TRENTHAM

Good Prospects For Spring Meeting

(By

St. Simon.)

The entries for the Wellington Club’s spring meeting to be run at Trentham on the Labour Day weekend, October 23 and 25, promise a feast ot high-eias» racing. Most of the best horses from a 1 the leading training centres oi the Dominion have been nominated. A »ig neui is assured In the club’s classic, the ton Guineas, and in the seu , ll ‘?' asb for two-year-olds, the Wellesley stakes, and tlie open handicaps lack nothing in class. As usual the hack events are overcrowded and the elimination ballot may have to be resorted to. On the second day the appearance of Kindergarten in the Harcourt Stakes will be a big attraction, and there seems every prospect or euougn horses taking him on to make it a race. The present difficulty is the softness o. the tracks at Trentham. During the month they have had a thorough soaking andl a spell of line weather is now required tor them to clean up. It was reported yesterday that accommodation for stablemen and horses at Trentham was alreadj' oookeu out.

Back from a Spell. The Champ, who has been spelling on a farm in South Walrarapa since the late autumn, is back at T. B. George s establishment at Masterton. to be hacked till it is time for him to commence serious work again. He took on a lot of condition during the winter, and it is unlikely that ne will be asked to race till the summer meetings. His stablemate. Home Rule, is to remain out for another month.

Never Looked Better. Piastre has never looked in more robust condition that he does at present, and is a credit to his trainer, W. W. Higgins He had his last race in the Parliamentary Handicap, in which he finished just out or a place. lie is to resume racing at Otaki ’ tills week, and his programme is planned with the New Zealand Cup in view. Iu this event he is to be ridden by J. Gartn. Nawab Shupes Well. In a trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning, Nawab, the two-year-old full brother to High Caste, defeated Chalette, the Pioneer Handicap winner, and Navrose, by a good margin over three furlongs ib "S. An Auckland writer says there ts little doubt about the class of Nawab, but whether he will be forward enough to beat his opponents over five furlongs in the Welcome Stakes on Saturday is another question. Chalette again pulled up sore. Sir Dink Improving, . , Sir Dink, who finished a close fourth in the Avondale Guineas, revealed that lie has improved in the meantime' when he defeated Mr. Rosa over seven furlongs in a trial at Kllerslle on Tuesday. The going was heavv and they ran the distance in I.3t>. Air. Rosa, who is not yet wound JJP. was stopping a little toward the end. Sir Dink is a three-year-old colt by Dink from Cape Wind.

Judge for Feilding, Mr M. B. Bergin, Foxton, has been appointed judge to the Feilding Jockey Club, Auckland Scratchings. Withdrawals to date ,for the Auckland Racing Club's spring meeting on Sa.urday are as follows: —Foxola, at 3.37 p.m. on Tuesday, for the Mitchelson Cup; uosette, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, for the Gordon Handicap; Master Ted, at 9 a.m. on Monday, for the Welcome Stakes.

Again in Trouble. , , ~ F Christmas is having further trouble with Amorlad. The horse took a iong time to recover from a bruised foot, and a few days ago he had a shoe torn oft, resulting in a hoof being damaged As a result of this further check In his Preparation It will not be easy to get him to his best for the New Zealand Cup.

New Sire for Victoria. n„»H o The English stallion Rogerstone Castle has arrived nt Randwick at the stables of Mr J. C. Bendrodt. He is to go to Victoria to the St. Albans Stud, which is owned by Messrs. H. G. Raymond and H. B. Ranken. Rogerstone Castle Is a grev horse, foaled in 1936, by Mr. Jinks, who. to the close of the 1942 English racIng season, had sired winners of L03,016/10/-. As a two-year-old, Rogeistone Castle registered a first and two minor placings in four starts, and won at his only attempt as a three-year-old.

Son of Cuddle. , . . Beau Cheval, a two-year-old colt by Beau Pere from Cuddle, bred by Mr. R. J. Murphy, Wellington, most likely will have his first race next week in the Nursery Handicap at Masterton, on which course he is trained. He is a well-grown colt, though at present a little backward. Cuddle, was sent to Australia to be mated with Beau Pere. Name Changed. The Gyneriuin—Money Raid two-year-old who appeared in the Hastings race card as Miss Gyn has had her name changed to Bold Raid. She is a full sister to Note Raid and is raced by her breeder, Mr. R. Gregory. Rider for Huirangi Suu. The Awapuni horseman J. lagan has been engaged to ride Huirangi Sun, one of the fancied runners for the Onehunga Steeplechase at the Auckland meeting this week.

Not Quite Good Enough. C. J. Thomson is temporarily looking after Citizen while R. Drinkwater is back at- Nelson supervising the preparation or his team. Citizen ran a useful race at Hastings, finishing sixth in the hack sprint. He begins well and is a free mover but does not run bis races out well enough. Noto Baid Unlucky. Note Raid has yet to win a race for Mr. P. Louis, who bought him as ,a two-year-old last summer, but on his Hastings form he may not be long in doing so. Contesting the Imperial Plate he did not get a clear run till- the field had gone some distance, and he put in some good vwrk In the last furlong -to finish a close third.

Not a Good Pupil. Mea Mea, who raced with success on the flat round the Wellington district, and was a winner at Trentham, is being educated for jumping at Ellerslie, but is not proving an apt pupil.

Unlikely Starter. On account of the likelihood of a heavy track, Battle Royal is a doubtful starter in the McLean Stakes at Dunedin on Saturday. He is the Battle Song—Princess

Doreen colt for which Mr. M. J. Moodabe gave TOOgns. at the dispersal of Hie late Mr. E. Hay’s horses.

Cup Winner Finished. Colonus, winner of the last Melbourne Cup, ended his racing career recently when he was defeated by a head in the Doona Handicap in Victoria, He broke down a few yards frpm the post due to trouble In the sesamoid bone. An effort will be made to save him for the stud.

The Topweiglits Out. At a recent, meeting at Mentone, victoria, one race drew 54 acceptors, and it was necessary to ballot out 33 of them. The draw resulted in the 10 topweiglits being eliminated.

First Call. The Hawera apprentice rider N. Holland lias been retained for the current racing season by Mr. C. E. Robertson, Wellington, as owner and as agent for absentee owners in India.

Resuming Tills Month. Racing in South Australia, which has been banned since February, 1942, is to be resumed on the last Saturday In October. Fair Form. Cross Question, engaged with 5.4 in the Novice Handicap a! Dunedin, is a four-year-old mare by Solicitor General from Eulalie. She had eight starts last season for three seconds and a third, but never struck going to suit her. Cross Question, who is trained at Gore by T. G. Pollock, likes a firm track. Dominate Pleases.

Dominate continues to ‘ please, track watchers in Ills work at Caulfield. After galloping halt a mile with a big weight up two hurdle widths out from the rails on the steeplechase course iu 51J, a writer iu the “Sporting Globe’’ says; “Dominate has created a lot of interest since he began to move along. Apart from his galloping, the solid and improved appearance, shown by Dominate has been a subject for discussion. He is a stayer and, if he keeps on improving, will lie among the top-uotchers. Dominate, who is now a five-year-old, and by Phaleron Bay from Martial Lady, has 7.10 in the Caulfield Cup and 7.8 in tho Me'bourne Cup.

Army BanSeveral prominent Australian jockeys and boxers will be affected by an Army order which will be issued soon prohibiting soldiers from indulging in civilian occupations for profit while on leave, Tho order will strictly enforce existing Army regulations which were tolerantly interpreted after the Minister for the Army, Mr. F. Forde, announced on July 14 last year that: “As long as a soldier attends his training regularly on the days be is expected to be in camp, we will not dietato to him what he is to do on leave. It Is far better for soldiers on leave to engage in healthy sport than to be hanging around the town .with nothing to do.” It is believed the Army decided to enforce the regulations strictly when it was found that many former taxi-drivers, musicians, bookmakers' clerks, and club stewards had Sven doing casual work at their old occupations during leave. When officers remonstrated with them they claimed they had as much right to work on their days off as soldier jockeys who rode professionally on Saturdays. . The Rugby League may not have enjoyed its all-time record gates if the order had been enforced earlier. Many of the league’s leading players were at military stations from which they were able to travel each Saturday to participate in matches.

For tho Guinean, A report from Invercargill states that Invulnerable is looking very well at present and is expected to race prominently at Wlngatul, where he is engaged in the Dunedin Guineas. His two-year-old form was actually superior to Royal Flight's, and if the filly has any trouble running the mile on Saturday. Invulnerable may be tho one to beat her. for there is not much doubt that the distance will suit him. Platform’s Rider. L. Hare has been engaged to ride Platform in the Ranfurly Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday.

Tanunoa Bucked. Reports from -Melbourne state that tho Australian Cup winner, Taramoa, has been backed for the Melbourne Cup. Taramoa caused his trainer some anxiety prior to the Australian Cup, but is now reported to be quite sound. Just before the mail left Taramoa finished third in the Heatherlie Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter. He is raced by his breeder, Mr. W. <T. Hazlett, Invercargill. Working Well. . Foxhaven, who Is engaged at Wlngatul, has been working in pleasing style at Riccarton. Last season he won the Dunedin Guineas by outstaying Lord Advocate, Botany, and five others. His next best performance was a second to Stairway over 11 furlongs at Trentham in heavy going. This season Foxhaven won the Paparua Handicap and finished third to Kevin and Foxleap in the Ashburton Handicap.

Cup Favourites. When tlie last mall to hand left Melbourne Claudette, The Joker, Phocion and Skipton were joint favourites for the Melbourne Cup. Taramoa was next on the list. For the Caulfield Cup Pantheist, Primavera and Phocion were linked as favourite*, and then came Dark Felt, Great Britain, Sun Valley, Taramoa and The Joker. The Joker.

The Joker -had a rough trip from New Zealand, reports a Melbourne correspondent. The ocean was calm enough, but the horse was forced to travel under wartime conditions, with none of the comforts usually provided for a fancied Cup candidate. He travelled by freighter, and was on deck standing in the box in which be was slung aboard for just under, six days without being able to move more than a few inches backward and forward, or even sideways. “It was no joke,” said D. Jamieson. “The horse is feeling the effects of the trip. He was nice and round when we left, but has- lost condition.” In an Interview. Jamieson said The J-oker was tbe best horse in New Zealand outside Kindergarten. Jamieson hoped to be able to start The Joker in the ■ Melbourne Stakes, to be run on Saturday, but no definite plans could he made till the arrival of the owner, Mr. F. J. Fay, ot Dunedin.