HAWKE’S BAY HORSES AT WOODVILLE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 197, 18 May 1944, Page 7

HAWKE’S BAY HORSES AT WOODVILLE

Dominion Special Service.

. HASTINGS, May 17. Hasten, Dozie Boy, Faultless arid Royal Greek, in charge of trainer G. W. B. Greene, have 'been marking time here for three days awaiting a 6hjp for Auckland. The latest information is that they are due to leave Napier tonight. They are engaged at Saturday’s AVaikato meeting. All are in fine racing order, specially Hasten and Royal Greek. Arabic and Ramlllies did not pay up for Waikato. Both will have their preliminary for the Great Northern meeting at Woodville on Saturday. Jockey A. E. Lord left today to ride Chat arid (Stock Exchange at Te Rapa. Forty horses from here were nominated for Woodville, but only half of them accepted due to transport difficulties. Some have walked right through, while others went in a float for the limit of 30 miles aud walked the remaining 50. It is reported that several arrived footsore. top weight for the hurdles, was one that did not benefit by hiking, being shallow-footed. Poinpit is of the hardy variety, but he is hardly master of his allotted weight. x „„ ’ On Saturday morning Theatre, Mlmanagh and Combination all ran once round ou the Hastings hurdle truck in 1.37. which is fast enough to attract attention in any hack hurdle race. Of this trio Combination might do best. Trainer Coyle has the only maiden representatives from this district in Atoma and Sporting Pal. Atoma has raced twice, and his track form suggests that he may run well on Saturday. Arabic is ‘expected to do best of the cross-country quartet from Hastings. As he is fancied for the Great Northern Steeplechase, he should start favourite. Malacca has been schooling at Greenmeadows in company with Arabic, and his displays have been good. Opaltown is a splendid fencer over the 'big timber, but lack of solid constitution is not in bls favour. , ■Walk Off last week reeled off half a mile on the Hastings course proper in 481, so that ills chances in the seven furlongs hack race are held in esteem. Haughty Queen is engaged in the two minor hack events, and her good second to Catterick Bridge recentlj’ gives her a chance. The only sprinter from here to accept in the Ruahine Handicap is Slglow, but his trip mainly is to help him to tune up for hurdle races later. , Hawke's Bay horses at W oodville will be ridden as follows: —A. Midwood, Epping, Opaltown: K. Hawes. Pompit; C. Sturgess, Combination: R. G. Howell, Theatre: C. Saxton. Kilmanagh; C. L. Kerr, Ramlllies, Malacca; L. J. Clutterbuck, Atoma: A. Jenkins, Arabic: S. Paramore, Lucullus Boy: AV. D. Aitken, M alk Off, Dashup: 11. Pearce, Haughty Queen (Kumeroa Handicap); K. Carlyle, Sporting Pal, Lady Premier.

Answer Requested. The Oamaru Jockey Club is asking the Racing Conference to obtain from the Government a straight-out answer as to whether it wishes country racing to be continued. This is a question that all clubs, owners and trainers would like a definite answer on. The minimum cost for a horse to be kept in training and racing is estimated at £6 a week, and at that amount cannot do verj- much travelling. As there are over 1750 horses racing this season, the cost of training and racing them runs into over half a million a year. In addition to racehorses, there are nearly an equal number of light-harness horses in training.