RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19799, 24 February 1928, Page 9

RACING NOTES

[By Bt. Cum.]

RACING FIXTURES. February 25.—Woodviilo 4 .C. February 25, 27,—Te Aroba J.C. February 29, March I.—Uannevirke E.C, March 1, 3.—Marlborough R.C, March s,—Banks Peninsula R.C. March 3, s,—Te Kuiti R.C. March 7.—Opotiki J.C. March 9, 10.—Napier Park R.C. March 10, 12.—Franklin R.C. March 15.—Waimato R.C. March 15, 17.—Wellington R.C. March 17.—Opunake R.C. Marcli 21.—Otautau R.C. Marcli 21, 22.—Rangitikci R.C. Marcli 23, 24.—Oamaru J.C. Marhc 24,—Bay of Plenty J.C. March 24, 26.—Westport J.C. March 28. 29.—Southland R.C. March 30, 31.—Masterlon R.C. March 31. —Hororata R.C. March 31.—Whangarei R.C.

TROTTING FIXTURES. February 25.—Greymouth T.C. February 2h.—Kai'-oura T.C. March 2.—Marlborough T.C, March 2, 3.—lnvercargill T.C. March s.—Waikato T.C. March 7.—Manawatu T.C. March 8, 10,—Timaru T.C. March 14.—Wyndham T.C. March 15, 17.—New Brighton T.C. March 24.—Thames T.C. March 24.—Wellington T.C. March 29, 31.—Wanganui T.C. April 7, 9.—Hawera T.C. April 7, 11.-N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. April 14.—Taranaki T.C. April 21.—Te Aroha T.C. April 21.—Ashburton T.C.

It is a'long time since the Wingatui trainers had such a lean time at a Gore meeting as they did this week. C. Gieseler, with Eliminator, secured the only win for Wingatui. Mares have fared fairly well in the Wanganui, Cup. Since 1907 they have scored on nine occasions, the winners being Truce ; Milan, Merrivonia, Bronze, Tiresome, Smapis, Lovematch, Piuthair, and Mandanc.

Tripaway may bo raced at the Wellington Meeting next month, and if she does well, go on to Ellerslie to take her place in the Groat Northern Oaks. It is reported that Mr R. C. Fiskcn sold the three-year-old pacer Ennwali to Mr Wilfred Johnstone, of Tc Awamutn, the price being over £I,OOO. For some, years Mr Johnstone was a resident of Southland, residing at Otautnii and Invercargill. During last week Celerity 11. was a regular worker on the Southland track (says “Sir Modred”), hut she was not extended, her tasks being confined to cantering and trotting. She displays a slight limp, as the result of her rough passage in the Invercargill Cup race, hut it is hoped that the trouble will yield to treatment. F. Tilley stated at the Wanganui Meeting that he was well pleased by the way Laughing Prince was going on. The three-year-old may race at Trentbam, and seems a likely sort for the Thompson Handicap. Mundane may also form one of the team for the meeting, in addition to a couple of two-year-olds. Tilley has some ot this age yet to race, and two of the new ones may be seen out at the Wellington fixture. The New Zealand racing public and lliccarton followers especially will regret to learn that the trip to Australia arranged for the Groat Northern Derby winner, Marianna, has been cancelled, and he is to be turned out for a three months’ spell. His trainer, F. Christmas, has always nursed an anxiety about the colt’s soundness, and galloping on hard tracks has served to bring the trouble to light. At a meeting of the committee of the Auckland Trotting Club correspondence in connection with the proposed installation of an electric totalisator at Alexandra Park was read. The question of the amount of royalty asked by the Associated Racing Clubs in New Zealand, who bold the patent rights of the machine for this dominion, was considered by the committee to be exorbitant and out of all reason. Until some reasonable figure is arrived at by the racing clubs’ syndicate, who hold the patent rights, the club will carry on under tbo present system. A pleasing little function took place in the stewards’ room on the Gore course on Wednesday afternoon, when Mr Alex. Macaulay, who acted as honorary judge to the Gore Club for some years, was presented with a cheque from the club to mark their appreciation of his valued services. In making the- presentation Mr Hamilton said it was an honor fo any club lo have Mr Macaulay’s services as judge. Mr Macaulay made a suitable reply. Rapier has been awarded a solid impost in the Banks Peninsula Cup, but no more than ho is entitled to in the face of his performances in the test handicap company, and, taking into consideration the class opposed to him in the Motukarnra event. It has not yet been decided whether or not he will go to the post, but even despite his weight his presence in the field would invest the race with a largo amount of interest. The announcement that Martarma has developed a log trouble, which will necessitate his being thrown out of training, serves to invest the New Zealand St. Lcgor with a much more open appearance than if the Great Northern Derby winner was in a position to fulfil his engagement in the classic event sot down for decision at Trentham next month. As Agrion is not engaged, the race will bo left quite at the mercy of the moderate division, and with few of those engaged having any position as stayers, it is very difficult to indicate the extent of tbo acceptance list when such comes to be posted next Monday.

Count Cavour will not bo persevered with any more this season. The injury to his leg, the result of a fall nt Auckland, mended so slowly that it was realised he could not he got ready for the Tronthani Cold Cup next mouth. It was therefore decided to turn him out, and ho will ho spoiled for several months, after which he will ho started on a preparation for spring engagements, The mishap to the Solferinn gelding was unfortunate, as Ids second in the Auckland Cup, under 9.5, showed that he was back to Ids best form.

F. D. Jones has made arrangements to leave Riccarton on Thursday of next week, with Limerick and Zaragosa, connecting at Wellington the following day with the steamer for Sydney. In the meantime, Limerick is gelling through useful work, with an occasional sprint, and he should bo at the top of his form for his autumn campaign in Australia. His owner, Mr H. A. Knight, will miss Ids early races, but ho will leave at the end of March, arriving in Sydney in timo to witness the Easter Meeting of the Australian Jockey Club, at which Limerick will meet the cracks of the Commonwealth in the rich weight-for-age races.

J. M'Lcnnan, who drove Terence Dillon to victory in the Otahnhu Cup, was naturally pleased with the result. “ T had a groat run all the way and could not have wished for better My horse was going nicely handy to the leaders and had a dash in him alien I asked him to go to the front.” M'Lennan, alter tho race, was presented with a gold-mounted whip hy tho club. Terence Dillon won in decisive fashion. The Onmaru-trained pacer is a brilliant horse over any distance, and has shown a good deal of improvement during this season. Ho is well mannered and a quick beginner. This gives him a decided advantage in sprint events. Endowed with plenty of speed, he can take up a position during a twomilo contest without much effort. He is only a five-year-old, so it can confidently be expected that he will show improvement. His success on Saturday, whyn he covered tho distance in 4min 2oscc, places him in tho very select class.

OAMARU DATES

Since the protest by the Otautau Eaeing Club against the Oamani Club racing at Wingatui on Mark'll 23 and 24 was dismissed by the Eaeing Conference, there lias been a good deal of talk about which dub has the prior claim to those dates. Each dub alleges that the other has been changing and chopping about, and each claims that they have, been racing for longer periods on these dates than the other lias. The Otautau Racing Club received its totalisator permit in the 1919-1920 racing season, and since then the two dubs have raced on the following dates each season : Season. Oamani. Otautau. 1919- Feb. 19 ami 20 Jan. 23 1920- Feb. 17 and 18 Jan. 21 1921- Way 19 and 20 Dec. 10 1922- Wav 25 and 26 Jan. 17 1923- Mar. 22 and 24 Apl. 2 1924- Alar. 21 and 23 Mar. 25 1925- War. 23 and 24 Mar. 3 1926- Mar. 23 and 24 May 25 The Otautau Club was to have raced on March 30 last season, but on account of the course being under water that date had to be abandoned, and the dub held its meeting at Invercargill on May 25. During the past four seasons the dates of the Otautau meeting have been governed to some extent by Easter, as the Southland Eaeing Club’s Autumn Meeting is always held on the Wednesday and Thursday in the week preceding Easter week, and the Otautau Club has held its meetings on the Wednesday in the week earlier.

JOTTINGS

Nominations for the Wellington Autumn Meeting close on Monday. The Invercargill Trotting Club’s Meeting will be held next Friday and SaturdayThe course at Gore this week was too hard for Brightling. Harvesting operations in the district seriously interfered with the attendance each day at the Gore races. A. E. Ellis was present on the openday of the Goro Meeting, but did not get a mount. ' G. W. New is at the bead of the winning list of trainers, with twentytwo wins to his credit. C. Gieselor is second with one less. L. J. Ellis’s six wins at the Gore meeting this week make his total for the season 26J wins. T. Green, with-46J wins, is at the head of the winning list of jockeys, with A. E. Ellis, 45J, next. These two horsemen are nearly twenty wins ahead of their rivals. E. Scoullar has given Countersign and Rotor a let-up after recent strenuous racing on hard tracks, and neither will race until the Waimato Meeting. At three years old Advance contested fifteen races, and bis record at that age was as follows:—Ten wins, once second, twice third, and twice unplaced. Advance was six rears old when ho won the Wellington Chip under 10.-1. Kiosk, having failed to gain a place in the Flying Handicap, run on the opening day of the Wanganui Jockey Club’s Meeting, matters did not look at all hopeful for him beating Reromoann at even weights in the Jackson Stakes on Saturday. The son of Tea Tray, however, beat bis doughty rival in the classic- race, and he accomplished bis task in a manner that entitled him to the full honors attaching to his victory. The defeats of Wingatui in the principal handicaps each day at Gore were vc’-.y costly to stay-at-home punters. Limerick’s winnings now total £24,183. He has a long way to go to catch Gloaming’s toal, but’looks like having a good time at the autumn meetings in Australia this year.