RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 11

RACING NOTES

[By Bt. Cuib.]

RACING FIXTURES. March 3.—Marlborough R.C. March 1, 3.—Marlborough R.C. March 3.—Banks Peninsula R.C. March 3, s.—Te Kuiti K.C.

March 7.—Opotiki J.C. March 9, 10. —Napier Park R.C. March 10, 12.—Franklin R.C. March 15.—VVannate R.C.

March 15, 17.—Wellington R.C, March 17.—Opunake R.C.

March 21. Otautau R.C.

March 21, 22.—Rangitikci R.C. March 23, 24.—Oamaru J.C. Marho 24.—Bay of Plenty J.C. March 24, 26.—Westport J.C. March 28, 29.—Southland R.C. March 30, 31.—Masterton R.C. March 31.—Hororata R.C. March 31.—Whangarei R.C. April 7.—'Tuapeka County J.C. April 7, 9.—Wairarapa R.C.

LIMERICK r. TUI VALVE. AN AUSTRALIAN OPINION. As Trivalve is in the St. Leger on the opening'day of the A.J.C. Autumn Meeting, ho will not be one ol Limerick’s Autumn Stakes opponents (says “Pilot,'’ in the Sydney ‘Referee’). If they meet nt weight-1 or-age it will ho in the Cumberland Stakes; and, if both are well, the public interest will be almost ns keen as when Gloaming and Beauford were opponents for the Spring Stakes and Craven Plate. As Limerick is already in fair racing trim he should he at his best in Sydney. He is to leave New Zealand in the first week in March, and three boxes have been secured for F. 1). Jones at J. Seullv’s stables, recently vacated by J.

King. Racing men over here are looking lorivjird to Limerick and Trivnlvo in opposition, bnt the Cumberland Stakes, two miles, is the only race in which they aro likely to meet at Randwick at weight-for-age. Without wishing to detract to any extent from the merit of Pantheon’s"victory in tho Randwick Plate, T think ho caught_ Limerick a little tired as a result of his three previous runs at the meeting, and, both fresh, I think he would beat Pantheon at anv distance.

If all goes well with Pantehon I suppose lie will be a Cumberland Stakes runner; but, backers are not likely to overlook him, they will be more concerned in trying to arrive at the relative merits of Limerick and Trivalve.

fn the Melbourne Cup Trivalvo beat Silvias, whom he met 181 b worse than woight-for-age, and yet the latter was able to down Amonnis on w.f.a. terms at a mile and a-ejuarter and a mile and a-half.

Textile, who successfully carried 9.10 in a handicap at Wiliiamstown on Saturday, could only get fourth in tho Melbourne Cup with 8.5, so Trivalvc’s form was of a high order. And yet it cannot bo said it overshadows that of the New Zealander. Limerick had 51b over wcight-lor-agc when he ran second as a three-year-old in tho Sydney Cup, and I think that on a dry track he would have won. I am not losing sight of the fact that he gallops well in soft going, but he was at a disadvantage owing to his weight. It was the samo in the 'Metropolitan, in which ho carried 81b over w.f.a. Murillo, winner of that race with 8.0—171 b less than weight-for-age —subsequently ran fairly in the Melbourne Cup with 8.11. Applying the w.f.a. scale, he met Trivalve 191 b worse '•hau he did Limerick.

lb would be impossible to soy Trivalve is not a. high-class three-year-old and a genuine stayer. Yet, when ho meets Limerick, and is in receipt'of-only !)ll> .over two miles, I think lie will bo defeated.

That idea is principally based on Limerick’s great effort in tho Metropolitan with Sib in excess of w.f.a.

Set Sail has been nominated for the principal handicaps to be decided at Trcntham this month.

The Invercargill Trotting Club’s Meeting will bo concluded to-morrow. The Banks Peninsula Meeting will he held to-morrow.

The Middleman'll Meeting is to be held on the Saturday after Easter again this season.

Tho Waikouaiti Club intends spending some money prior to next season in increasing the* totalisntor accommodation.

To have won the Otahubu Cup Jewel Pointer would need to have covered the two miles in 4.20, a task beyond even such a great pacer as the son of Logan Pointer has proved himself to be. The question of weights is ono over which there has been much controversy. An English writer says that the late Mr George Thompson, one of the best amtaeurs the turf ever had, won a match at York when he was eight years old, his weight being then 2st 131 b. When George Fordham won the Cambridgeshire on Little Daniel, he only scaled 3st 131 b, and won the Chester Cn" on Epaminondas at 4st 101 b. Frank Buckle rode under 4st at first, and the celebrated Chifney also accomplished this feat as a lad. The gnoss on the training tracks at Wingatui looks well now, and with these available for work at the beginning of next season the outside of the track proper will have a chance of recovering. Goblin Market has been allowed to drop out of the North Island Challenge Stakes, but the stable is_ still represented by Eulalio and Shalimar. In the list of horses entered for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes the following two entries were missed:—W. K. Dooley’s hr g Nelson Bingen—Bon Homme mare, C. do B. Galwey’s blk g Cathedral Chimes—Wild Myrtle. The results of recent handicap events in both islands forces one to the conclusion that the South Islanders have, with very few exceptions, a distinct advantage over the North, and this is a fact to bs remembered when the Wellington Autumn Meeting comes up for decision (says a Wellington writer). lb is reported that both Maungamoe and Tunamoe in D. Kelly’s stable at lliversdale are doing and looking well just now. The former only has to improve a little in his staying ability on last season’s form to be a steeplechaser above the average. Some little time ago J. H. Jcfferd contemplated putting Rapine into work again, for the old fellow was quite gay and frisky after his spell. The long dry spell, however, caused a change ol plans, and just after Rapine had been sent home again the rain camo to soften the tracks. Jcfferd now states definitely that the Inst has becit seen of the old chap. The ‘Thoroughbred Record’ states; “This has been a peak year for the sport of racing. While figures are not complete, it is estimated that at least 15,0u0,000d(>l (approximately £3,000,000) were distributed by the various associations throughout North America in stakes and purses. That is a goodly sum as compared with other years, but Erospccts are for a much larger distriution next year.”

Last year the gold cup given by the Riverton Racing Glnb for its principal race attracted a lot of interest in the meeting and won - nominations from uaveral owners whose horses would have been racing at Riccarton but for the cup. This year’s trophy, an equally handsome one, is also attracting outside attention. Mr L. G. Hill was able to attend tho monthly meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club on Thursday, but next week he intends going to Queenstown

April 7, 9.—Feilding J.C. April 7, 9.—Auckland R.C. April 7,9, 10.—Riverton R.C, April 9, Beaumont R.C.

TROTTING FIXTURES, Match 2.— Marlborough T.C. March 2. 3.-Invercargill T.C. March 3. —Waikato T.C. March 7.—Manawatu I.C. March 8, 10.—Timaru T.C. March 14.—Wyndham T.C. March 15, 17.—New Brighton T.C. March 24.—Thames T.C. Marcli 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.

lo spend a week. He then anticipates beimi fit enough to resume his duties, and will .be on hand to assist Mr D. \. Smith in the running of the Oamaru meeting this month. Mnnnga (says an exchange) is now in solid work at Hastings. Those who saw this gelding race last season will see a totally different Mauqga this year. Not otten a horse at nine years“of ago furnishes from a. lean to robust horse, but this is what Miss Doiglas’s gelding has done, and which may'be accounted for by his being put to steepleehasing last season. At the. present time Maunga promises to develop into one of the best ’chasers the district has turned out, which, remembering the giants of the past, is saying a big tiling. During the orphans’ picnic in Wingatui last Saturday afternoon a fullgrown rabbit had the temerity to show his form on the lawn. It was the signal for about 200 boys Lo start a chase, and they were not to bo denied. They limited him out of one fence niter anolhcr, and at tho end of twenty minutes, much to the satisfaction of Caretaker Crawford, they caught their quarry, and the lucky hoy proudly brought it back to be admired by tho crowd.

Mr <T. R. M'Benzie inis purchased the maro Ron Lord, with a colt foal at foot by Solfcrino. Hon Herd was owned by Mr C. Bramiigan, and is the dam of the well-known performers King's Trumpeter and Count Cavour, also Tho Viscount, who is entered to make his initial appearance in racing at Motukarara on Saturday. Bon Bora’s present foal and The Viscount are. full brothers to Count Cavour, all being by Solfcrino. If E. Hurtle continues to : ielo with tho samo success in the second half of the season, 1927-28 will ho his record year, says the Sydney ‘ Referee.’ Up to a week ago he had totalled 190 mounts at Sydney and provincial meetings, and his placings exceeded his unplaced rides. He had won 38 races and dead-heated twice; in seconds he had scored 31 and two dead heals, and his thirds had reached 24 and one dead heat. His placings consequently total 98. And it is not many seasons ago that owners and trainers who now run after Bartle scoffed at the idea that ho could ride.

Two trotting events, each endowed with 153sovs and run .over a mile and a-half (one saddle and the other harness), have been included »m tho third day’s programme of the Riverton Racing Club. The club receive'! its third day permit from the defunct Lake County Jockey Club, which had troting events on it* programmes, and though the executive of the Riverton Racing Club has always been opposed to having trotting events, it decided not to cut down the number ol trotting events in Southland, and so included them in the third day’s card.

The . following comment by the veteran American racing man and breeding authority, Air C. E. Brossman, will be appreciated by people who do not regard their own views on thoroughbred racing too seriously: “ Whenever a man claims that he can take so ranch of this blood and so much of that, with a certain color here and a certain color there, and make a champion racehorse—he is talking through his hat. The only accurate test is the race track test, where the blood lines of the winn.r always become fashionable. They run in all sizes and colors.”

Backing winners or losers at Woodville on Saturday amounted to much the same thing, and there is not much doubt that the only profiteer on the day was the tax-gatherer (says “ Vedette,’’ in the ‘Evening Post’), it is only when one comes to a day of heavily-backed horses—in relation to the size of the pool—as at Woodvillc, that one realises the slice that taxation takes off each gross amount. A good illustration of how almost impossible it was to win was shown by the betting account of a well-known racing man. He speculated £7O of his own money, mostly in bets of £lO. He supported four firsts, two seconds, and one loser, and won the magnificent sum of £27 IQs on the day. It is difficult to understand whether the first race on the programme of the third day on the Riverton programme is a handicap or not. It is called the Orepuki Maiden Handicap, yet the conditions attached to the race state that it is a weight-for-ago event. It seems strange to have the maiden event of the meeting on the concluding day. It would have been much better for the club to have this race set down for the first day. Realising that a number of horses may bo nominated for this race, which is for horses that have not won a race at the time of starting, the conditions provide that “ any horse nominated and winning a race at the meeting will have the fee refunded.” An interesting fact bearing on tho breeding of The Hawk, who is entered among first foals, is that his dam, Sparrowhawk, was put to the stud at two years old. Sparrowhawk (then known simply ns the Land League—Hungry Bird filly) figured among the yearlings sent up to auction in England on July 5, 1916, and she was bought for tho comparatively small sum of 75gns on account of the late Mr J. F. Buchanan. In producing The Hawk in her first season, Sparrowhawk won fame straight away, and, as her son has won over £22,000 in prize money, Sparrowhawk has a good place among stud mares. The North Island Challenge Stakes, to be contested at the coming Wellington Autumn Meeting, looks ns if the two-year-olds this year will be very hard to dispose of. Tho presence of Prince Humphrey, Goblin Market, and Staghunter will make it a stiff proposition for tho elder brigade, which possibly will include JReremoana and Kiosk. Gascony was successful Inst year, nad his weight included a 141 b penally. As Prince Humphrey and Goblin Market have been showing staying qualities it should not be a hard task for them to run out a strongly-run seven furlongs. Last Saturday afternoon the inmates of the several orphanages in Dunedin had a great outing at Wingatui, thanks to about 100 motor car owners who drove them put, and to the generosity of the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club in lending the grounds. Caretaker Orawford was a busy man, but he made an excellent host, and had everything, down to a plentiful supply of boiling water, ready for the visitors. Races for tha, children were run on the lawn in front of the grandstand, and one little chap, not satisfied with the 60yds sprint, did three circuits of the course proper, running three miles and threequarters in good style. He told me that last year he ran seven times round the course, and he is evidently the making of a first-class long-distance runner.

Under the heading ' ‘ A Versatile Rider,’ the ‘ Australasian ’ of a recent date had the following:—“A number of riders have come from New Zealand at one time/and another, and settled down in Melbourne, but none with more success than 11. Cairns. It does not seem eighteen years since he arrived, but it will be in a few mouths. He came here in 1910 on the advice of D. J. Price. Cairns had been having some luck at the Auckland Meeting, and came when Price had that unlucky horse Ataahua in training for Mr E. Manifold. The previous year Ataahua had the Caulfield Australian Hurdle Race at his mercy when leading nearly a furlong, but fell. Cairns rode him in the Grand National at Flemington next year, but ran nowhere. Cairns’s chance came a litle later on Clontarf and Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon’s Merunqua. He was a great rider over hurdles, and won other important jumping races, but his services were in such request for races on the flat that he gave up tho jumping business. How he won tho Melbourne Cup oif Spearfelt, and his wins on that great horse Heroic, arc well known to all racegoers.” Tho programme issued by the Riverton Racing Club for its annual meeting to bo held on April 7,9, and 10 will distribute £5,000 in stakes, and is one of tho richest that has ever been issued in Southland. The principal handicaps are the Riverton Cup, of 500 sovs and a 100-guinca gold cup, 1:1m, on Easter Saturday; Easter Handicap, of ItOOsovs,, Of, on Easter Monday; and the Fiord Handicap, of 279sovs, Im, on the concluding day. Sprinters have the Aparima Handicap, of 245sovs, on the opening day, and the Flying Handicap, of 250sovs, on Easter Monday, and eacli day’s programme will conclude with a L’OUsovs race, .the first two days over Ira and tho concluding day over 7f. A maiden steeplechase, each over 2m, and endowed with L’OOsovs, will bo run on the first two days, and the open steeplechases are the Great Western, of 450 sovs, about 3m; tho Riverton, of 3UQ sovs; and tho Aparima, of 190sov.s, each about 2tm. Hadis have also been woll catered • ior, as there are three races for them on each of the lirst two days, and two on the last day. Nominations close on March .19, and Mr H. A. Fierce will declare ’the handicaps for the first day on the morning after tho Southland Racing Chili’s Mooting concludes.

Although there have been many famous male descendants of Eclipse ol his own color (chestnut), those horses became the sires of celebrated performers other than chestnuts. Eor instance, Cyllenc, the only horse since Waxy (1809-15) to sire four Derby winners, was a chestnut; and his classic heroes were Cicero (chestnut), Minoru (brown), Lemberg (hay), and Tagalio (grey). This is only one instance of many that could he cited where the transmission of coat color has no bearing on the merits of the offspring. Yet there aro writers who still assert that chestnut stallions begot tho best stock among those of their own coat color. Since 1922 the chestnut stallion Hurry On lias sired three chestnut Derby winners in Captain Cuttle, Coronach, and Call Boy, and this fact has given rise to the question of coat color; but the case of Cyllenc—only one of many that could he cited—clearly proves that a good horse is never a bad color. Waxy, the first horse to sire four Derby winners, was a. bay by the chestnut horse Pot-S-os, and his "four successful sons (Pope, Whalebone, Blucher, _ and Whisker) are described as bays in the Derby records. Lord Lyon, a Triple Crown hero, was a bay by the chestnut Stockwcll; and Silvio, winner of the Derby in 1887, was also a bay by the chestnut Blair Athol. So all this talk about Hurry On’s chestnuts being infinitely belter than those ot any other color is all moonshine. He has certainly produced three great chestnuts, hilt there is yet time to got bays as good. With an excellent view of the start for the Matanra Hurdle Handicap at Gore on Thursday available, it appeared (says ‘‘Sir Medved,” in the ‘Southland Tunes’) as if Ivan Tilson was unfortunate to incur the displeasure of the stewards to the time of a month’s suspension for alleged interference with Scion and Coastguard during the race to the .first obstacle. As a matter of fact the stewards on duty kept tho starter waiting near the weighing enclosure until after the toalisator had been balanced before proceeding to the starting post. Following on a lardy arrival, with the horses marshalled at the tapes under the eye of the clerk of the course, tho starter stepped from the car in’use and at once sent the horses away on their journey, the official party witnessing the'send-off from tho rear of tho field," Almost at once A tape (1. Tilson) took up tho running and led tho field throughout to the straight, whore ho was not headed until the distance post was reached, if there was any interference, it must have taken place in the first three or four strides; but if such a tiling occurred it was not evident from the Press stand, and afterwards Atapo was always well clear until the final furlong was readied. Tilson, therefore, appears to have been unlucky, particularly as another starter did not leave the barrier as if he kept his correct line. The official party, located behind the field, were not in ns favorable a position to see what really happened as onlookers directly opposite the point of despatch. There was a long run to the first row of battens, in any case, and Atapo appeared to lead the way unopposed by his three rivals. Apart from the case under review, however, it is pleasing to find that sonic notice is being taken of happenings over the first furlong of a race, bnt it would ho more satisfactory to realise that this was being done whore flat races are concerned with fields of more than four horses engaged. Alert stewards on duty from the harrier to the first furlong post of various races, particularly sprinting events in the south, might gain food for reflection, not to say investigation.