RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23686, 20 September 1940, Page 4

RACING NOTES

RACING. September 21.—Geraldine Racing Club. September 21. —Marlon Jockey Club. September 28.—Kurow Jockey Chib. September 28.—poxtou Racing Club. September 28, 30. Obinemuri Jockey Club. October 3, s.—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 12— Otaki-Maori Racing Club. October 12, 14.—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 12, 14.—Auckland Racing Club. October 17, 19,—Masterton Racing Club. October 19. South Canterbury Jockey Club. October 19,—Rotorua and Bay or 1 louty Hunt. October 19.—Stratford Racing Club. October 24, 26, 28. —Wellington Racing Club. October 26.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 26, 28. —Gore Racing Club.

JOTTINGS Wardress. It is reported from Riccarton that there is little chance of "Wardress being able to take her place in tho Now Zealand Cup field. Two Good Winners. Though their’mimes are not included in the list of previous winners of the Geraldine Cup, both Lady Zetland ami Liberator won races on the Orari course. Just a Holiday Trip. On his arrival in Sydney recently, ’A. E. Ellis told pressmen that ho had no definite riding engagements this time, bis visit being more in the nature of a holday, though he might take a mount or two if they offered. Geraldine Cup. When tho Geraldine Cup was finst established it was run over two miles, but since Goodwood won in 1894 it has been decided over a mile and a-quarter. When Dodge won in 1935 and registered 2min Csoo he established the time record, and Chaos, who won in 1895 with 9.13, holds the weight-carrying honour. Two Non-starters. Neither The Cardinal nor Llandaff, who formed the favourite combination for the double at Avondale last Saturday, were able to start. The Cardinal injured a leg in his box on the morning of the races, and the latter got away from his attendant and galloped down the road en route to the course. Glenora Boy. Full Swing, the dam of Glenora Boy, won the Geraldine Cup in 1926. Glenora Boy was sold as a yearling to an Australian buyer and did all his racing in the Commonwealth until last season. Glenora Boy is now owned and trained by Mr M. (B. Edwards, best known as a trainer of light-harness horses. From a Paper Money Mare. New Zealand has an interest in Pandect, Mr J. Wren’s three-year-old colt, who is said to have done the best Derby trial of the season in his race last Saturday, when ho finished third in the Chelmsfdrd Stakes to Beaulivre: and High Caste. Pandect is by Pantheon, sire of stayers, and his dam, Credit, is by Paper Money from Killena. by Kilbroney from Ena, by Royal Artillery from Stressa, by Orvioto. Best For Ten Years. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ rates Beaulivre as the best horse to cross the Tasman for 10 years. Up to nine furlongs that may be correct. The ‘ Telegraph ’ states that, although his margin oyer High Caste in the Chelmsford Stakes was only half a length, really he. won at his ease, with his nearest opponents desperately hard ridden. D. Munro, his rider, disagrees with the suggestion that lie was in danger of defeat in his clashes with Reading.

Influenced Purchase of Phar Lap. Prime Warden, winner of the Geraldine Cup in 1890, was a fine racehorse, and won numerous good handicaps. He was inclined to bo vicious, and ended his racing career in Southland, where his attendant was H. 11. Telford. Prime "Warden’s dam was Miss Kate, and it was this that years later inspired Telford to instruct his brother to bid for the Nightraid—Entreaty yearling who was to race us Phar Lap.

A Common Abuse. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, Mr E. L. Riddiford mentioned in his presidential address that during the past year certain member had again become very lax. Numerous local residents who were not members of jthe club had been observed in the enclosure, some oven wearing other members’ seasonal badges. If this abuse continued, Mr Riddiford said, it would become necessary for the stewards to demand an explanation from the offending members. Returned to the Game.

A. Curran, the rider of Midland at the hurdle races at Avondale, had his first winning ride in the Dominion for 13 years. Curran served his apprenticeship with F. Davis, at Woodville, and had his last previous success on Mungatoetoe at Poverty Bay. Ho then went to Australia, where he took on boxing. Last September be returned to Now Zealand and secured

[By St. Clair.J

TROTTING. September 21.—Wellington Trotting Club. October s.—Melbven Trotitng Club. October 12.—New Brighton Trotting Club. October 26, 28.—Grcyinoulh Trotting Club. October 26, 30— Auckland Trotting Club. October 28.—Oamaru Trotting Club. November 2.—lnvercargill Trotting Club. November 2.—Wellington Trotting Club. November 12, 14, 15. - New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. November 23, 25. —Povbury Park Trotting Club. November 50, December 7, Waikato Trotting Club.

a position with A. A. Julian, trainer for tho late Mr R, Reid, with whom he remained for six months before taking out a license. Previous Winners. Some good horses are included in the list of previous winners of the Geraldine Cup. Tasman won in 1883, and Ids success was followed in the next two years by Tim Whiffler and Vanguard. Prime Warden won in 1893, Lady Lillian m 1903, and the next two races wont to Calibre, who afterwards became a sire of many good winners. Rose Noble won in 1910, and in 1915 Ardenvhor was the winner and followed that success up by winning the New Zealand Cup. Set Sail won in 1927 and 1928, and another good mare in Queen Dorothy in 1937. Both Tasman and Vanguard, like Ardenvhor, followed up their successes in the Geraldine Cup by winning the .New Zealand Cup. Vanguard was the sire of Advance, a winner of the Dunedin Cup. Given Benefit of Doubt. Gladynev started at long odds in his race at Randwick last Saturday. He was among the leaders for six furlongs, then gradually dropped back and finished seventh. The chief stipendiary steward said, after the inquiry; “We thought Shean rode a peculiar race. Aite* taking up a prominent position he seemed to ease out of the race, when he might have run on stronger. Shean claimed that he had been hampered by Beaupartir. Then he said Gilltown dashed round him, and in dropping back in the straight completely cut him off. We appreciate that a horse, even when lie is trying his utmost, can get into such trouble as he encountered today. So naturally we had no hesitation in giving tho connections the benefit of any doubt that might have existed.”

Forty Years Ago. Many of tho younger generation of racegoers are apt to be impressed by those of then elders who are convinced that nothing in racing is as good as it used to be (says the Timaru ‘ Herald ’). The old-timers insist that horses have deteriorated, although nowadays gallopers average about five seconds a mile faster than they did 50 years ago; also that stamina is being discouraged by shortening the distance of races, when the truth' is that the records reveal that the average distance is about 30 per cent, longer. It is necessary to go back only 40 years, and take the Geraldine meeting as a basis of comparison, to prove how much progress has been made. At the 1900 meeting at Orari, the average number of starters in galloping races over the two days was 4.3, fields ranging from two to six. The level of stakes offered is indicated by the fact that a good sprinter, St. Denis, won the two open “ sixes,” carrying 9.10 and 10.9, and his owner received £2B and £lB. Just previously St. Denis had won at Ashburton and collected £3O. At Washdyke, Goldspur, one of the flyers of his day, carried 10.11 and won £3O. At Waikouaiti there were two runners in the Cup (£4O) and two in the sprint (£3O).

Record Figures at Trentham. It had been the aim of the stewards to make Centennial year the outstanding year in the history of the Wellington Racing Club, and they had succeeded in that achievement, said Mr E. L. Riddiford in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the club on Monday. The totalisator investments of £847,704 had broken all records, £44,100 had been distributed in stakes, and £81,856 had been paid to the Government in totalisator, stakes, and amusement taxes. The Government would be benefiting still more from last season’s activities of the club, Mr Riddiford mentioned, as racing clubs are now called upon to pay income tax and social and national security tax, which would take the total amount paid in taxation during the year to approximately £BB,OOO. In spite of world conditions, the club trusted that it would be able to carry on during the present and future seasons. There was much controversy whether racing should be continued in war time, but the figures that had been quoted proved that the .sport provided very substantially to Treasury funds. Also, it was only fair to those whose livelihood depended on racing and to owners who have invested a considerable sum in bldodstock that racing clubs should make every effort to keep the wheels turning. There was yet another aspect—people must have relaxation, a factor recognised not only here but also by the English authorities.