RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23373, 16 September 1939, Page 9

RACING NOTES

RACING,

September 18.—Avondale Jockey Club, September 21, 23. Geraldine Racing Club. September 23.—Alarton Jockey Club. September 30. Otaki-Maori Racing Club. September 30, October 2. Ohinomuri Jockey Club. October 5, 7.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 7.—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 7.—Bay of Plenty Racing Club. October 9. —Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Club. October 12, 14.—Masterton Racing Club. October 14.—South Canterbury Jockey Club. October 14. 16.—Auckland Racing Club. October 19, 21.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. HIGH CASTE AND READING High Caste scored very comfortably in the Hobartville Stakes at the Warwick Farm meeting from Dashing Cavalier ati(l Bonny Loch. “ He certainly looks the Derby winner,” said Mr George Tancred who represented his brother, Mr H. E. Tancred, High Caste’s owner, at Sat urday’s races, states the 1 Daily Telegraph ’ of August 28. “ The Hobartville is only seven furlongs and the Derby a mile and a-half, but we have little doubt about him staying the extra distance. “ In fact, he has already been backed substantially for the Melbourne Cup, over two miles.” High Caste’s wide marble (No. 12) tempted, some books to take a risk with him, but he was backed down to a shade better than even money. H» took £20,000 out of the ring. Racing round his field, High Caste emphasised his superiority, winning by a length and a-half. The disappointment of the Hobartville Stakes was the poor performance of the second favourite, Reading, who finished third laat. The float taking him to Warwick Farm had a breakdown, and he arrived only 20 minutes before the starting time of the race. “As a result, Reading had to bo shod hurriedly, and then bustled about to be in time for the race.” said his part-owner, Mr Gordon Luscombe. “ We think that this, on top of the long journey on an unusually not day, must have affected him.” Reading was first out of the_ barrier, and settled down second behind Tho Kaiser for three furlongs, but then dropped right out of tho race. “ He wouln’t have finished so far back if it hadn’t been for a bump,” said his rider (D. Munro). “ The Kaiser swung out on Billposter. who fell back on Reading. “ I was afraid he might have been hurt, so I didn’t knock him about in tho run homo.” ENGLAND'S LEADING JOCKEY The champion British jockey, Gordon Richards, who has already ridden 100 winners this season, eclipsed a 50-year-old record six years ago. Fred Archer’s 246 winners in a season was a record that many thought would stand for all time. But Gordon Richards, in a magnificent season’s riding, rode more winners in a season than any jockey in the history of British turf. Richards is 33 years old. He was born at Oakengates, Salop, and early in his lifq began riding pit ponies. Apprenticed to Martin Hartigan, the wellknown trainer, he had his first mount in a race 19 years ago. By 1924 he had ridden 61 winners, and in the following year was the leading jockey, with 118 winners. In 1933 he rode 259 winners—l 3 more than Archer had ridden. Last year Richards again rode many more winners than any other jockey. ARTHUR NIGHTINGALE'S BAD LUCK Almost as bad as the small fees received by most professional riders in the old days was the uncertainty we had to endure. Riding plans for wellfancied runners in such races as the 'Derby and Oaks were often left over haphazardly and at the last minute (writes Arthur Nightingall, in the Natal ‘ Daily News ’). It was this happy-go-lucky way of going about things that cost me the honour and glory of winning a Derby and an Oaks. What a record that would have been, with my three Grand National victories! In the case of the Derby, I was the victim of mistaken identity, and the man who made the mistake was Lord Rosebery, the Prime Minister. When Lord Rosebery stayed at his Epsom mansion, The. Durdans, he was in the habit of hacking to the Downs in the morning to watch the horses at their gallops. One day I was on the Downs, and j Lord Rosebery galloped over to me and said; I

“ Good morning, Nightingall. I’m sorry you cannot ride my colt Ladas in the Derby, I’ve had to engage Jack Watts.”

I was puzzled. “ This is the first I have heard of it,” I said. “ I should have been delighted to ride Ladas, but I have not been asked.”

Then the truth dawned on both of us. Lord Rosebery had offered the mount to my brother Boh, thinking he was I. Bob bad replied that he could not get down to the weight. It had not occurred to Bob to mention the matter to me.

I was the more annoyed because four years earlier I had lost the chance of riding Lord Randolph Churchill’s filly L’Abbesse de Jouarre, to victory in the Oaks. An hour before that “ classic ” race Bob Sherwood, the famous Newmarket trainer, asked me to take the horse. I agreed and put on tho colours. But when T was weighed I was found to be one pound over the weight the horse was expected to carry. In spite of my protest that a pound would make no difference to a (illy like that. Sherwood turned me clown and engaged Jim Woodburn to ride.

L’Abbesse de Jouarre won by eight lencrths, so it was obvious that the extra pound would have made no difference to the result. What made it even more disappointing to me was that if I had been offered the mount a little earlier I could have taken that pound off by a fast walk over the Downs.

By losing the chnn?e < F riding a Derby winner for a Prime Minister send an Oaks for a Chan 'ciior of the Exchequer 1 must have created a record in jockeys’ bad luck.

[By St. Claib.]

October 19, 21, 23.—Wellington Racing Club. October 21, 23.—Gore Racing Club. TROTTING. September 20. 23. Wellington T.O. September 30.—Methven T.C. October 7. —New Brighton T.C. .October 21, 23. Greymouth T.C. October 21, 23, or 26.—Auckland T.C. October 23 --Oamaru T.C. October 25, 28.—Wellington T.C. October 25, 28. November 7,9, 10.— N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 23, 25. Forbury Park T.C. December 2.—Wairio T.C. December 2.—New Brighton T.C. December 2.—Waikato T.C. December 9.—Roxburgh T.C. A WELLINGTON OPINION Commenting on the decision of the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club to curtail its spring to be held next month to one day, “ Rangatira,” in the Wellington ‘ Evening Post,’ says : “In contrast to the Wanganui attitude is that of the Dunedin Jockey Club, one of the metropolitan clubs, that other clubs in the Dominion look to for a lead. Within a few days after the declaration of war, and despite the policy so firmly expressed 25 years ago and already restated by the Government during the past week, the committee of the Dunedin Club resolved to clip a day off its spring fixture next month. In giving its reason the committee declared that “it was very reluctant to make the change from two days to one day, as it desires to conform to the request of the Government to carry on as usual, but. in view of the present situation and of the regulations now existing, it was of the opinion that it was in the interests of all concerned to confine the meeting to a single day.” " On its face this is a very lame excuse and the display of a very poor spirit from a leading club whose net profit last season, after providing for £3,279 depreciation, was recently announced as £1,092, whereas the largest profit shown for any year during the previous decade, going back to well before the depression, was just over £2OO. There might be some other reason for depriving those dependent on the sport of racing of this one day’s earnings, but the only reason so far given is that already quoted. “ Almost contemporaneous with the Dunedin decision was that of the Masterton Racing Club, which announced its determination to go on with its two days next month. The Masterton Club is not a wealthy body—indeed, a few years ago it was almost forced to shut down—but it has shown that it knows where the path of duty lies.” JOTTINGS Dunedin Spring Meeting. Nominations for the Dunedin Jockey Club’s one-day spring meeting close next Thursday at 5 p.m. Geraldine Meeting. Acceptances for the first day of the Geraldine meeting, to be held next Thursday and Saturday, close on Monday at 8 p.m. Dunedin Classics. Owners and trainers are reminded that the final payments in connection with, the M'Lean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas are due on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Gore Spring Meeting. The Gore Racing Club is giving £2,715 in stakes for its spring meeting to bo held on October 21 and 23. The principal races, Waikaka Handicap, eight and a-half furlongs, on the first day, and Spring Handicap, mile and a-quarter, on the second day, carry £250 and £3OO respectively. New Zealand Cup Handicaps. Handicaps for the New Zealand Cup to be run on November 4, will be declared next Friday morning, after the first day’s racing at Geraldine, and the first acceptance is due on the following b riday. There will be a further payment on October 20, and the final acceptance on October 30. Will Help the Vincent Meeting. If the Timaru Trotting Club is successful in its application to change the date of its meeting from January 13 to December 9 it will benefit the Vincent meeting, as the former date would clash with the second day of this popular Central Otago meeting. The only meeting set down to be held in the South Island on December 9 is the Hororata Racing Club’s annual fixture.

investments on Light Harness Racing. The total investments at trotting meetings in the Dominion during the 1938-39 season amounted to £2,177,639, and on trotting events at race meetings to £171,898, making a gross total of £2,349,537. The Auckland Trotting Club’s investments were £463,091 10s, New Zealand Metropolitan Club £443.246, Wellington £156,753, Canterbury Park Club £151,042 10s, Forbury Park Club £144,752, New Brighton Club £132,475 10s, _ and Ashburton Club £110,177. It will be interesting to note how this season’s figures compare. After Fred Archer’s Record.

On July 24 Gordon Richards rode three winners at Worcester and raised his total for the season to 101. With nearly four months to go he looked likely to top the second century again, but the war has made the outlook uncertain. During his career Richards has topped the winning jockeys’ list 12 times, the last eight yeans in succession, and has ridden 2,532 winners from over 13,000 mounts. Fred Archer, who rode from 1870 till 1885, topped the list for 13 consecutive seasons, and won 2,748 races, which leaves Richards with only 218 more winners to ride before he equals -that record. George Fordham, who headed the list 14 times, rode 2,578 winners, which is still 46 ahead of Richards. On five occasions Richards has ridden more than 200 winners in a season, and he broke Archer’s 1885 record of 146 winners by piloting 259 in 1933.

English Horses for Dominion. Air C. E. Rouertson, oi the bloodstock department of Wrignt, tstepuenson, ana Co. Dtd., who lias been visiting studs and racecourses in Jiuigland, Ireland, aim on tlie Continent, is now on lus way home, and is at present in Bombay. On the arrival of the ship on which ho was travelling she was commandeered by the Admiralty, and passengers bound for Australia and New itealand will have to await otner transport. Mr Robertson purchased several thoroughbreds for New Zealand while away. Chatsworth, and Mr T. Coltman’s colt by Papyrus are already here. Other purchases were:— Five-year-old mare, Gala Night, by Prince Galahad—Mystic Star, for Mr lan Donald, Featherston; yearling colt, Happy Fellow, by Soldennis—Joan Thunder, for Mr W. H. Gaisford, Oringi; stallion, Revelation, by Manna —White Bud, for Mr F. W. Savage, Waimana, Bay of Plenty; mare, Caerlaverock, by Ellangowan—Mast, with colt at foot by April the Fifth, for Mr J. C. Fletcher, Auckland.

Ajax’s Relatives. Medmenliam, the dam of Ajax, has foaled a filly to The Buzzard. The filly is Medmenham’s fourth living foal, and the second filly. Medmenham’s first foal, a filly by Backwood, for whom no name has been registered, came in 1931, four years after her importation to Australia by the late E. L. and Mr C. Baillieu. She missed m 1932, and in 1933 came a colt by Brazen, which raced as Humorist. Ajax was foaled in 1934. and Medmenliam missed again in 1935. The next year she had a filly by Marconigram, registered as Beam, and recently purchased from the sale of the late Mr E. L. Baiileau’s horses in Melbourne by Mr A W. Thompson for only 300 gs, a very reasonable sum considering her youth and relationship to Ajax. The mare had no foal in 1937 or 1938. This season she will more than likely be mated with the Widden sire Brueghel, only son in New South Wales of Pharos, whose son, Pharis 11., is considered by some authorities to be the greatest colt in Europe this year, and who was expected to give the great colt Blue Peter a severe tussle for the St. Leger.

Wingatui Candidates for New Zealand Cup.

Of the three Wingatui-trained candidates for the New Zealand Cup, Valantua, Made Money, and High Glee, the first-named holds the best chances because he is sound. Made Money, now 10 years old, has always suffered more or less from uusoundness, and though standing up all right to the light tasks set him, is liable to go wrong again at any time when the pressure is applied. High Glee, undoubtedly one of the best handicap horses trained at Wingatui during the past decade, is now rising nine years old. Last season he was troubled with a splint, and only started four times securing third money in two races. He has been on the easy list practically the whole of this year, and even if he stands up to a preparation it is doubtful whether he is sufficiently forward enough to run in a two-mile race in six weeks’ time. Valantua, now a six-year-old gelding, did a lot of racing last season, starting 25 times for two wins, four seconds, and five thirds. No horse at Wingatui is asked for more strenuous work in training, but he stands up to it well. Last year Valantua carried 7.2| in the New Zealand Cup, but the strong pace set by Sly Fox over the. first mile and a-half was against Valantua’s chance, and he failed to see out the journey He has become more solid in the meantime, but again a two-mile journey is likely to be too far to suit him. Australian Bred. Malik Kafur, winner of the Trial Handicap at Wanganui last week, is a three-year-old gelding by the Foxlaw sire Foxearth, and was purchased as a yearling at the Sydney sales. Malik Kafur only started once as a two-year-old, and by the manner lie ran at Wanganui good things are expected of him. At Rosehill this Afternoon. The principal races at the Rosehill meeting this afternoon are the Rosehill Guineas, one mile, and Hill Stakes, a weight-for-age race also run over a mile. In the former High Caste will have a chance of showing that his form at Warwick Farm was not right, and his toughest opponent appears to be Reading. Royal Chief is engaged in the Hill Stakes, for which there will probably be only four starters, and Gold Rod should prove his most formidable opposition. Will Not Meet. Those who looked forward to a meeting between _ Ajax and Defaulter in Melbourne this spring are likely to be disappointed. The latest advice from Sydney regarding Defaulter is to the effect that he is likely to return to the Dominion without doing any further racing. It is also reported from Melbourne that Ajax is suffering from a bruised heel. Should that injury not clean up quickly, a lot of interest in the Victorian spring meeting will be lost. New Zealand Cup Candidate Dead, Gay Son, whose death occurred at Awapuni this week, was a four-year-old by Beau Pere from La Moderns, also the dam of Gayest Son. As a two-year-old Gay Son won the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham and was one of the most promising two-year-olds of that year. Last season he won the Clifford Plato at Ellerslie when he beat Stretto and Round Up. He also won the Liverpool Handicap on the same course. He was third to Russian Ballet aud Amigo in the Wanganui Guineas, and filled a similar position in the Great Northern Guineas and King’s Plate. In his two seasons’ racing Gay Son won £2,325 in stakes and was owned by Mr A. F. Symcs, who will now be left without a representative to carry bis colours in the New Zealand Cup.

New Zealand Trotting Cup. The committee of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club reserves the right to make the final selection of tho field for the next New Zealand Trotting Cup. Difficulties may be experienced by the committee in making its final selection owing to the fact that several trainers are likely to have more than one representative engaged. M. G. M'Tigue has Morelio, King’s Play, and Fine Art; R. B. Berry, Lucky Jack and Parisienne; J. Fraser, jnn.. Grand Mogul and Indianapolis, and R. J. Humphries, Blair Athol and Cantata. These nine horses would make an attractive race by themselves, but owing to, horses from one stable having to lie bracketed on the totalLsator under the rules of trotting,, there would be no place betting and only one dividend if the race were confined to these four brackets. It is this betting aspect that may cause trouble in the final selection of the field.