NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1929, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BTT "VEDETTE.")

BACING FIXTURES.

I'ec. 7.—AOshburtou C'ty. It.C. Uea G, 7.— Taumarunui U.C. Dtc. 11, 12J—Woodvllla Uist. J.C. lieu. .!■}.—Walpa R.C. Dec. IS, 19.—Egmont R.C. Irte. 20.—Walpukurau J.C. Dec 26.—Westland R.C. Dec. 2G, 27.—Taranakl J.C. Dec. 26, 28.—Dunedln J.C. Dec.: 26,27, 2S.—Manawatu R.C. Dec 20,-30, Jan. 1, 2.—Auckland It.C. Dec. 2!J. Jon. -I.—Greymoutb J.C.

•1930. rau. I.—Walkoualtl R.C. Jan "I.—Wyodham It.C. Jan. -1. 2.—Wairarapa K.C. Jan. 1, 2.^-Hawkes Bay J.C. Jan. 1, 2.—Stratford R.C. Jan. 1, 2.—Marton J.C. Jan. 2, 3.—Southland R.C. Jan. 7. B.—Keefton J.C. Jan. 9, 11.—Thames J.C. Jan. 11- 13.—Vincent J.C. Jan 15, IC—Fdxton K.C. Jan 17. IS.—Oamaru J.C. Jan IS.—Bay of. Islands K.C. Jan 18. 20, 22.—Wellington R.C. Jan. 22.—Ashhurst-Pohanglna K.C. Reminders. : . . .. Nominations for the Man'awatu Racing Club's Summer Meeting close on Friday at 9 "pin. \ First forfeits for the Pahnerston JJorth Stakes are dne at the game time. Entries for the Wairarapa Racing Club's Meeting are due on Friday. General entries for the Auckland Kaeiug Club's Cup Meeting close on Friday at 5 p.m. Consistency and Racing Supervision. Under the present scheme of divided control of racing between stipendiary, and honorary stewards, there are many anomalies, and the unsatisfactory state of affairs now prevailing needs little emphasis. The present stipendiary officials, with their limited powers, it is common knowledge, have received so many rebuffs that their obvious and very natural policy is to take the line of least resistance. There have been one. or two incidents of late in laces- in which small fields have been engaged, which have demonstrated forcibly that racing is. full of surprises. There is also the question of penalties for breaches of the rules. There has been a good deal of interference in races of late, and several accidents, fortunately not attended'by any serious result. If as the result of the perfunctory inquiries instituted on the courses an obscure jockey or apprentice has the racing crime of crossing or interference sheeted home to him,- invariably it means a term of suspension. On the other hand, if one of the "older and more experienced horsemen is the culprit, he is severely censured. Orte has had to stand up to this! extreme sentence four times during the last three months, and very decided and marked eises of interference they were; Has not the time, arrived when stipendiary stewards should be in full charge?

The Raider at Feilding. Xo horse saddled up better at Feilding 011 Monday after racing on. the first day than The Balder. He-was very bright and fnil o£' life, and no doubt his appearance attracted many backers, who previously were wavering. He may not do so well on the-bigger courses, but by the way he raced at.-Feilding he may perform more solidly this year'than he has done hitherto in metropolitan company. He was certainly yell tested, for -Kaihoro showed her speed in. the Feilding Stakes, and-for two or three furlongs few horses in iSTew Zealand at present could go with." her from the barrier, yet The Raider on Monday was never far behind her. Her second to C'imabuo and defeat of Paganelli in the Stakes may not be all it appeared to be, but there is no doubt that she can gallop fast. That The' Raider could concede her 51b,. a start, and beat her emphasised the merit,of his -win. Despite the fact that The Raider will have to carry, solid -weights at the holiday meetings, he should earn some stake money, especially on courses like those at Awapuni and Marton, with a short.run-in. ' Southern Jockeys at Feilding. Three Southern jockeys in L. J. Ellis, It. Coveny, and C. Eastwood attended the Feuding. Meeting, and they earned their share of the riding money. L. J. Ellis won on Rabbi; Make Up, Arrow Lad, and rodo. Kaihoro into second place each day, yhile.C. Eastwood brought home Melissa in the concluding event. R. Coveny had a good record. " He scored on Lady Pam and Accra, finished second on Miss Ransom, and third on Talisker. Coveny is a Jiandy weight, and is a rider that is just coining into his own. He has moi-e ability than many better-known horsemen, and at • his weight, he -would command plenty of patronage if he elected to stay in this island. .... Two-year-olds at Feilding.

Of all the two-year-olds that raced at'^ Fcildiugon Monday, Cylinder should take the highest rank, although Lady Pam is a smart filly who should have a good record. She drew No. 12 at the barrier, Jet was out in front before 100 yards liad' been covered. She was going easily until tackled by Cylinder in a last-minute rush, and just stalled him off. . Cylinder lias taken better racing shape since the Auckland Spring Meetings, and he will be ".good later. Arisus, who finished third trt this pair, may not be more than moderate. Mr. G. M. Currie must have viewed the result of the race with a good deal of satisfaction, for Cylinder anil Lady Pam are both by his sire Limond, and he bred Arisus, who is by Thespian from Pennon. Of the unplaced brigade, Xaiiikatoa is a fine, bold galloper by Arausio,. who should win races. He had been working better than Simba at Hastings, and confirmed track form by giving Him a start and beating him. Green Linnet has not improved since racing at Treiitham in October. Henry of Navarre (Arausio —Matty) showed some pace, and G. New's representative Jason (Hunting Song—Blue Jay) is a likely looking youngster who wiij see a better day. Double Red, a good sort of an Australian-bred gelding by Red Dennis, looks the type to do better with ago. Drastic is still rather mean, and the other fillies. Awaken (Chief Ruler— Wake-Up) and Arajean (Arausio —Jean Laddo), should do better. Both of the last two were unlucky .in Monday's race. Taken nil through, the quality of the Feikling fieW may; prove -rather above- the average., ■ : ■-■; ■. • . - An, Improving Stayer. Shrewd is a likely winner of distance handicaps this year, and it is not too much io say that he has even an outside chance in the Auckland Cup. He is a natural stayer, and invariably has been going very strongly■.;.■)£ the finish of middle distance Vaccs. • -.He-ran a great race in the Feikling Cup, arid,owing to a slow beginning was compelled to race right round his field on the-turn to.the straight. But for this he would have made Rabbi's task more difficult. It is not absolutely certain whether lie will go to Auckland or whether he will be kept for meetings in this part.of the island at the end of the month, but the Auckland Meeting is the more likely. The flattering handicap in the Auckland Cup Jias not favoured him, but for all that lie should give a' good account of himself. Statuary. The connections of the Lcighton—Statuette three-year-old Statuary threw in for a good win when he scored at Feilding last Saturday. They based their calculations on his second to Fleeting Shower in Australia rather than on his Otaki form. Fleeting Shower; who has been very consistent this season in Sydney,' recording a win, a second, three thirds, and a fourth in her only six starts, recently changed hands, and will in future compete on the A.R.C. tracks. Her success was in the Three-year-old Handicap, second division, at Menangle Park, when she beat the second horse, Statuary, by six lengths. Subsequently Fleeting Shower, finished third to Zetheus and Portion in City Tattersall's Handicap, one mile, last month;,and fourth to Eaton Blue, Dalston and'ilaguifier in the Three-year-old Handicap at liandtfick. Jefferd's Team. H. Reid's association again with J. H. 'Jefferd's team at Feilding saw that trainer's horses show a glimpse of form. Star Stranger certainly failed to beat more than half .the field in the Feildiug Cup, but that

,dM not cause his admirers to lose heart. ITo will hu a fit horse by Hexing JJay. and at ]ii-oseut looks in something like racing condition, and in much better order than was the case at Trentham. Hunting Day was tlio only winner for the stable, and he won with the greatest ease. The son of' Hunting Song and Gay has grown into a fine three-year-old, but he is very nervous, duo to a severe race last year, and a fall on the roads. Ho broke out into a'lather of sweat before his race at t'eildiug. In order to get him settled down he was left tied up in his stall on the course at l?eilding all clay. This policy has been efficacious with other highlystrung horses in the past. Cylinder" has already been commented on, and Knightlike raced well, but unluckily. He should do better on a big course. The horses are to race at Ellerslie, and probably all the team will race at Hawera prior to going ■to Auckland. False Scent's tubing proved a failure, and the good-look-ing three-year-old is to have the artificial respirator removed. Egmont Nominations. The change of dates of the Egmont Racing Club from February to the week before Christmas was something of an experiment and the officials of the club were rather anxious about the result. The nominations, therefore, were awaited with some anxiety, but they are more than reassuring. They represent an all-round increase on last year, and, moreover, class is just as good, or better.'. Quite a number of trainers arc going to race at the ncjting prior to going' on to Auckland, while the local brigade have now a natural sequence of Hawera, New Plymouth, at Christinas, and, Stratford at New Year, or Awapuni at Christmas. and Marton at New Year. Jiusfr whether ■, the ' racing public will turn out in good numbers to a mid-week fixture so close to, the festive season remains to be seen. From simply a' racing-point of view the fixture and the change should be a great success. to Replace Chide. In addition to tile horses he has in work in preparation for engagements near at hand, G-. Murray i Aynsley has a trio of two-year-olds, of his own breeding, who are being got ready to carry his colours later on. Kakara is a brown filly by Paladin from Orange Blossom, by Nassau from Nantes, by Stepniak from Huguenot. This filly is from the same family as Nightniaicli, her dam, Orange Blossom, being a half sister to the Martian mare Marsa, who produced the Melbourne Cup winner. The second youngster is Rini, a brother to Chide, by Paladin from. Reproachful, by Bonny Glen from Lady Disdain. The last of the trio is Hoa, by Martian from Contempt, a sister to dude's dam. So far these three have not been hurried, but it | is probable that Kakara and Riri will be tried out in the autumn. In the case of Hoa the patient policy will be extended still further. He is the last of Martian's progeny, and lie is very like liis famous sire in appearance. His owner has had a lot of experience with Martian's stock, and he lias realised that they are worth awaiting policy. For this reason Hoa will not be raced until he is three years old, and it is hoped that later in his career he will develop into a good stayer. A Randwick Soliloquy. Thrift week and the good advice to put by something regularly materialised to me in a couple who sat in the Leger stand at Itnndwick, states a "Bulletin" writer. The woman was well versed in the lore of the Turf. She was candid, too. "We never miss a meeting," she said, during an interval, while her husband was away "putting something' on." "We put by what we can every week, and we have a good day with it here. Sometimes we Win—we won five pounds last week, but our luck's right out to-day. We've lost everything." Her husband was earning the basic wage; but they had no liome of their own, no furniture; they lived in a furnished room, their lives empty except for the excitement and the hope eternal they found on the racecourse. "If they raise the basic wage," she concluded thoughtfully, "we'll be able to put by a bit more." Odds and Ends. Shrewd will be ridden by H. Wiggins in the Auckland Cup. Talisker has raced very solidly in • his last three outings, and he is now back to something approaching his form of last year.

Ruanui will be in demand for middle distance welter events if produced in races of that type during the holidays. Arrow Lad's win in the St. Andrew's Handicap at Feilding was impressive. He certainly appears a better proposition now as a middle-distance horse than as a I sprinter.

Masher was unlucky in his races at Feilding. He should do better on bigger courses with a long straight. There is nothing amiss with Great Charter, but Mr. T. H. Lowry was disinclined to run him in the Feilding Cup. He will race next at Ellerslie.

Mr. J. Donald is well pleased now with his purchase of the three-year-old filly Clever. She returned a good price when she won at Feilding, and the Westmere studmaster invested sufficient on her to : return' her purchase money and something ito spare. It looks as if she will win more races yet, and she is to be a Great Northern Oaks candidate. Mr. Donald stated that she would go to the stud next season, but if she develops good form on the course, stud duty may be postponed.