RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22454, 26 September 1936, Page 27

RACING NOTES

[By St. Cmir.]

RACING. October 3.—Kurow J.C. October 3.—Otaki Maori Racing Club. October 3, s.—Titumarunui Racing Club (at Paeroa). October 8, 10. —Dunedin Jockey Club. October 10.—Danricvirke Rating Club (at Waipukiirau). October 10, 12— Auckland Racing Club. October 16, 17.—Masterton Racing Club. October 17.—South Canterbury Jockey Club. October 17, 19.—Dargaville Racing Club (at Avondale). October 22, 24, 26 —Wellington Racing Club. October 24, 26.—Gore Racing Club. October 26. —Waverley Racing Club’. October 26.—Waipawa County Racing Olub (at Hastings). October 26. —North Canterbury Joebey Club.

JOTTINGS The appearance of the 'handicaps on Monday' for the first day of the local spring meeting will stimulate interest in the fixture. A large 1 number of the horses engaged have raced at Ashburton and Geraldine, and the handicapper frill thus havA plenty of recent form to guide him iu making his adjustments. It is reported that the purchase price paid for Silver Coat was 600 gs. It is reported that Lawn Derby will not visit New Zealand this year. After the stud season he will be got ready for the Adelaide Centenary Meeting. Arrofrnilla, a winner at Orari on Thursday, is trained by J. Bryce on his private track at Hornby, it 13 shine years since the Vetefan trotting trainer was associated, with the success of a galloper. Horses engaged in both the Kurow Cup and Mosgiel Handicap are Queen Dorothy, Daring Deed, Rona Bay, and Toreador. It is reported that, Mr J- Faulks has transferred Paper Money to Mr VV. Kennedy, of Bayswater, near Otautau. This sire should do Well in Southland. Knockfin is reported to be doing good work at Biccarton, and will be raced at Trentham next month. Vintage has not been asked for any serious efforts yet, but is reported to be thriving on the light tasks allotted him, Tauramai, who is booked to make his reappearance at Wingatui next month, is reported to have done well under A. M'Ka.v’s care at Riverton. He claims an engagement in the New Zealand Cup. The programme for the Waikouaiti Club’s annual fixture has not been drafted yet, but it is reported that the amount given in stakes last New Year’s Day is likely to be increased by at least £l5O. Bay Duke and Wild Career are both trained at Riverton, where trainers have the advantage of working their horses on excellent beaches when the tracks are not fit for fast work. Havering was very lame after contesting the hurdle race on Thursday, but his owner has hopes of being able to start him at the Trentham Meeting next month. There was support from the right quarter for Metal Bird at Geraldine on Thursday, but he was one of those who got chopped back at the start, and was never prominent. Gold Cross won a double at the Geraldine Meeting last year, but on Thursday he was the bigest conditioned horse on the course, and it will be some time before he is ready to show his best form. Galleon, one of Southland’s most promising hacks last season, was very unlucky in several of his races. He is now reported to be in excellent condition, and will make his first appearance in a race this season at Gore next month. Both owners and the public showed their appreciation of the two days’ * meeting at Geraldine, and the attendance on Thursday was nearly half as big again as was seen at Ashburton the previous Saturday, while the fields were also much larger. Prostration is reported to be doing well in his work, and frill contest the Masterton Cup before racing at Trentham next month. He is one of the seventyear-olds engaged in the New Zealand Cup. Matoru looked to be a good thing beaten_ in the concluding event at Geraldine on Thursday, and was under strong restraint when Ada ran past him racing across the top. He looks a certainty to get into the thick end of the moyey very soon. Autumn Wind was not paid up for on either day at Geraldine, and appeared to be_ harshly treated by the handicapper, who allotted him 9.0 in the Wainui Hack Handicap, run today. Autumn Wind is now six years old, and has yet to win a race. Polydora was not an acceptor either day at Geraldine, but is engaged as Kurow and in the hurdle races at Wingatui. According to reports from lliccarton this mare has been doing very light work since the National Meeting. West Coasters present at Geraldine were very confident that Monipere would run well in the cup, and benefited by the good price he returned. Had Davolo been more efficiently handled in the last two furlongs he would have beaten the Coaster, who had a very narrow margin to spare at the post. Wexford Bridge stripped a stone better looking horse at Geraldine than he was at Ashburton the previous week, and raced up to his improved looks. He is by Shambles, and once this sire’s orogeny strike form they generally do well. Wexford Bridge is engaged in the hurdle races on both days at the local spring meeting. A lot of use was made of Enic in the seven-furlong hade race on Thursday, and he had nothing in _ reserve when Wild Career came at hirn over the last furlong. He is engaged in the open six furlongs at the Dunedin Spring Meeting, and the racing he had this week should sharpen him up. Wino’s performance jn the Geraldine Cup was a very disappointing one, and over the last furlong he stopped very badly. He appeared to be pulling ham over the first mile, and when L. •!. Ellis let him run to the front at the

October 26. —Waikato Hunt Club. October 29, 31.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 31. —Banks Peninsula Racing Club. October 31.—Rangitikei Racing Club. November 5, 7.—Whangarei Racing (?lub. November 7.—Hawke’* Bay Racing Club. November 7,9, 11, 14.— Canterbury Jockey Club. TROTTING. October 3.—Metbven T.C, October 10. —New Brighton T.C. October 17.—Waikato T.C. October 24, 28. -Auckland T.C. October 24, 26.—Greymouth T.C. October 26.—Manawatu T.C. October 26. —Oamaru T.C. October 31. —Wellington T.C. November 10, 12, 13.— N.Z. Metropolitan T C. November 26, 26.—Forbury Park T.C.

end of seven furlongs it looked as if the result was all over, but once the home turn was approached he was done with. Racing is said to be in a more flourishing condition in. -Ireland than tor several years, and it is anticipated that most clubs will be able to show a profit on this year’s operations. Mr-S. D. Riddle sent nine.fillies and seven colts by Man o’ War into the ring at last month’s yearling sales at Saratoga. The sixteen made a total or £l7,l2o—an average of a little over £I,OOO each. The highest-priced colt realised £3,600 and filly £1.300, At the turn into the straight on the Orari course and in nearly all of the flat races the leaders swung wide as they made the turn. Horses waiting just in behind the leaders invariably got a good run on the rails, and the successes of Arrownilla, Wild Career, and Queen Dorothy were largely due to to their riders realising this advantage. After her good performance at Ashburton over the same distance, Rona Bay’s form in the Geraldine Cup was very disappointing. At Ashburton she carried 8.12 and won in 2min Bsec. In the Geraldine Cup, run in the same time, she carried 101 b less and finished last, tailing the field all the way. Rona Bay is engaged in the Kurow and New Zealand Cups. The New Zealand correspondent to an Australian journal states that there is widespread dissatisfaction in the Dominion regarding the 7.7 minimum. So far this dissatisfaction has not been noted in the south, and it is interesting to note that the committee of the Auckland Racing Club has adopted this minimum for the Auckland Cup, the richest endowed flat race in the Dominion. Epris’s performance in finishing second to Queen Dorothy, to whom he was conceding 281 b, was a good one at Orari. Ho lost several lengths at the start, but the winner’s time was equal to only about Imin 42sec for a mile. Epris was macje to cover some extra ground on the home turn, whereas Queen, Dorothy got the run on the rails—the difference between win and defeat. One of the features of the Fasig-Tip-ton Company’s annual yearling sales at Saratoga last month \vas_ the demand for fillies. As compared with a year ago, colts’ prices advanced 10.5 per cent, for the first five nights of the sales, while those of fillies went up 69.3 per cent. Evidently many American breeders are beginning to recognise that it is advisable to strengthen their studs in mares, as well as stallions. Ireland’s principal yearling sales were held on August 4,5, 6, and 7, when Messrs R. J. Golf and Co. catalogued 653 youngsters for their annual sale at Ballsbridge. They represented 167 different sires. In addition, 253 mares foals, and horses in training were cata-i logued. The warning Mr Norman M‘Lean gave the riders engaged at Geraldine on Thursday morning was a very timely one, and had a good effect. At the Ashburton Meeting the previous Saturday there was a lot of very rough and careless riding that was not questioned, but on Thursday the riding was much cleaner. Prevention is always better than cure, and, with so many inexperienced riders as we have at the present time, a warning was due. Mr M'Lean’s action was appreciated by both owners and the public. ' America’s fastest mare is Myrtlewood. At Washington Park (Chicago) last month she carried 8.6 in the Lakeside Handicap, and, in recording a very easy victory, did the mile in 1.35 3-5. She ran the first six furlongs in 1.9 4-5, and was then eased right up. Her time equalled the previous best for a mare in America, and in the opinion of many of the experts she could have done #1.35. Myrtlewood has run in 17 races for 10 wins, four seconds, and two thirds, only once missing a place. Her earnings total £5,962. Racing at Sioux Falls (South Dakota) would be to the liking of many Australian jockeys. The South Dakota Racing Commission’s report of fines includes one of two and a-half dollars (approximately 10s) on a jockey for not trying to win. Impertinence to the starter was a much more serious offence. One jockey was set down for the balance of the meeting for talking back to the starter after a race, and at another Dakota course abusive talk to the starter cost a jockey 10dol. The two-year-old colt Sigurd was shipped to Sydney by the Wanganella from Wellington on Thursday. His engagement in the Australian Jockey Club Breeders’ Plate has been continued, and he is to run in this event. He will join G. Price’s stable on arrival, and present intentions are for him to return home after that one race. Sigurd disappointed his party by his failures at Avondale, and his trainer, T. George", did not fancy sending him to Sydney, where the right-handed running, as at Avondale, will again he against him, but his owner, Mr W. Higgins, was keen, and he also left by the Wanganella to see him race. Sigurd will return to take part in the classics at Riccarton. Steve Donoghue got a reception at Brighton on August 5 that must have reminded him of the days he was winning Derbies. Saxicola, ridden by Gordon Richards, was reckoned such a certainty for the Alfriston Plate that, in a field of three, he was sent out at 4 to 1 on. In a desperate finish, however, Donoghue got Revolte home a head in front of the favourite. Donoghuo, who is in his fifty-second year, * was cheered again and again as be came back to weigh in, and it was apparent

he was touched by his reception. He was cheered by his fellow-jockeys as he entered the weighing room, and, though beaten, Richards added his congratulations. Very little time is lost on American courses in getting the camera pictures of the finish of a race to the judges. The best time up to last month was two minutes three seconds, and the average time was two and a-half minutes. An American exchange says this enables the ju<\„e to post the result before the last jockey has weighed in, and in five minutes enough prints can be made to permit posting them for inspection at various points on the grounds. Several decisions given by judges heave been reversed as a result of the use of the camera, but there are still many strongly opposed to it on the score that it undoubtedly favours the horse nearest it. Some experiments have gone towards upholding this contention. Despite the efforts to suppress “ doping,” it still appears to be rampant in America. Bearing on this, ‘ The Blood Horse ’ say~ :—“ The New York State Racing Commission, on the alert for improvements, now plans to go in for extensive research in an effort to better its saliva test. A number of horses will be used, for this purpose. They will be stimulated and retarded by every known process, to enable the scientists to discover their reactions and study them to the betterment, it is hoped, of the saliva test. Half a dozen States, including Maryland, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, and New York now are using the New York Commission’s laboratory for their saliva tests.” Whether it is so would be hard to prove, but the belief is general that some Sydney trainers rely greatly on “ dope ” to get the best out of their horses (adds “ Pilot ” in the ‘ Referee’). It is not unusual to hear the remark when some horse leaves the weighing yard for the starting post: “Look at him; he’s fired up to-day.”