RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23688, 23 September 1940, Page 9

RACING NOTES

RACING. I September 28.—Kurow Jockey Chib. September 28.—Foxton Racing Club. : September 28, 30. Oliinemun Jockey Club. „ , , , O-tober 3. s.—Hawke’s Day Jockey Club. October 12.—Otaki-Maori Racing Club. October 12, 11.—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 12, 11.—Auckland Racing Club. October 17, 19.—Masterton Racing Club. October 19. South Canterbury Jockey Club. . October 19.—Rotorua and Bay of I lenty Hunt. , i October 19.—Stratford Racing Club. I October 21. 26, 28.—Wellington Racing Club. m , October 26.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 26. 28.—Gore Racing Club. October 28.—Waikato Hunt. I JOTTINGS I ; Dunedin Spring Meeting. ] Nominations for the spring meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and for--1 feits for the M'Lean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas close to-morrow, at 5 p.m. I The Kurow Meeting. j Tho Railway Department announces ■ that a special train will run to and 1 from tho course from Dunedin next 1 Saturday. Acceptances for this fixture | will close to-morrow at 8 p.m. Connections Participated. Both Halt, on the first day. and Blazealong on Saturday, returned outsize dividends at the Geraldine meeting, to which it is reported their connections helped themselves liberally. Totalisator Turnovers. Three meetings were held in the Dominion on Saturday, and each showed substantial increases, the aggregate beino- £74,717, or £18,631 more than was .handled at the same meetings last year. Inconsistent. Night Dress won the Geraldine Cup in such a convincing manner that he was expected to run another good race on Satudray, but he maintained the reputation he has always had of running one good race and then several bad ones. Sure Starters. C. Emerson, trainer of Don’t Forget, stated at Orari on Saturday that the Myosotis gelding would he a sure starter in the Guineas at Wingatui next month. It was reported from lliccarton that while Doria is also a certain starter there is some doubt regarding Atreus making the trip south. Not Arrived Yet. The Irish Derby winner, Battlesong, who has been purchased by Mr George Kain for his Gladstone Park stud, has not arrived there yet. Some high-class mares have already been booked to this well-bred classic winner. SuccessfuLat Hutt Park. Two drivers in F. Holmes and J. Bryce, jun., failed to win a race at Orari on Thursday, but at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday each scored a win. The Holmes family was much in evidence, as in addition to F. Holmes’s success his two sons, F. G. and A., each handled a winner. Longer Journey Would Suit Him. Leopardstown won, the hurdle race on Saturday by a well-sustained run

[l3y St. Ci.Ain.J

October 28.—Poverty Pay Hunt. October 28. Wavcricy Racing Club. October 28.—North Canterbury Racing Club. j TROTTING j October s.—Metlu-cn Trot Una Club I October 12.-New ITiglilon 'lroltitu Club. I Oetobei 2S, 28 —Gre.vii.oul h IVnlimgl Club. | October 26, 20.-Aiieklam) Troll me Club, i October 28—Oaiinmi 'trolling Club | November 2. Invercargbl Troltinj Club. November 2. Welliiurton Trotting Club November 12. 14, 16 - New Zealand Metropolitan 'l'rotting Club November 23, 25.—Forbnry Park Trotting Club. _ November 00. December 7. Waikato ( Trotting Club. / over the last two furlongs. Ho was not well placed over the first mile, and his backers were not at ali confident about his chance with half a mile to go'i Leopardstown finished on as if lie would bo better suited over a longer journey. Worth Keeping in Mind. The three-year-old gelding, Ronald Logan, by Logan Fraser from Eileen Wood, was expected to show up prominently in the Dominion Trot on Saturday, but starting off the 12yds mark, lie got into a mix-up among the limit horses and never showed up in the running. This young pacer is worth keeping in mind this season.

Poor Efforts. In the Geraldine Cup, the favourite. Glonora Boy, appeared to bo unlucky in the running, and with 11b additional impost for finishing third, ho was again made favourite on Saturday, but he put up a very disappointing effort for a New Zealand' Cup candidate. _ Both performances were much below his good second to Winning Rival the previous week at Ashburton. Well Bred. Circular Note, runner-up to Wild Coon in the Wainui Hack Handicap on Saturday, is a six-year-old gelding by Paper Money from Sister Radius, and is now trained by F. Triford' at Washdyke. Circular Note was bred by Mr L. C. Hazlett at Salisbury, and it should not be long before he gets on to the winning list. Probably Past His Best. Toro-Koura was started each day in the open sprints at Orari, and though he finished third on the first day, there was little merit in the performance. On Saturday any chance he may have had was spoiled by failing to jump out, but it looks as if this one-time brilliant sprinter, who has been operated on for wind trouble, is now past his best. May Dq, Better Later. There are few, if any, faster jumpers over hurdles for about a mile than Jewish Lad, and he was responsible for the fast pace set at Orari each day. This was the principal factor, in the poor showing made by the inexperienced horses, Arita, Crack o’ Dawn, and Donadea. They are each likely to benefit from the experience and may do better later on. Cannot Stay. Combat led for over a mile in the Geraldine Cup. but when Petersham headed him off Combat cried enough. In the President’s Handicap on Saturr day, after leading through the straight, Combat was steadied, being held back into second or third place until the turn for home. But the change of tactics did not improve Combat’s stamina, for he failed to respond when called on, and he finished last. A Brilliant Sprinter. Each day at Orari Hearth appeared to bo on her toes in the birdcage and as she went out to,do her preliminary, but once that was over she settled down and gave no trouble at the barrier in cither of her races. Hearth is a very brilliant sprinter, and though accorded a nomination in the New Zealand Cup, is a much more probable starter in the Stewards’ Handicap. Improving. Night Hawk stripped better on Saturday than on the opening day of the Geraldine meeting, and the race evidently did him good, as Passaform only just got up in the last stride to take third money off him. Night Hawk is engaged in both the Kurow Cup and Munro Handicap next Saturday, and should run well. He is also engaged in the New Zealand Cup. Now Trained at Riccarton. Wild Coon was given a lucky opening on the turn into the straight when the leaders, Circular Note and Pink Gauntlet, ran out wide in the Wainui Handicap, but he won so easily that it looked as if he would have won just the same if he had been forced to go on the outside. Formerly one of R. E. M‘Lellan’s team at Invercargill, Wild Coon was left with H. Nurse at Riccarton after the Canterbury Hunt meeting.

Riding at Orari. At meetings where fully half the riding is done by apprentice riders, one cannot expect the standard of horsemanship to be high, and there appeared to bo one or two incidents at Orari each day last week that might have been inquired into. When horses suddenly lose their positions and drop back last there is generally some interference worthy of an inquiry, but no reports of any were banded to the Press room. A Useful Sort, Ail Night won the Geraldine Hack Handicap on .Saturday very easily: the only surprising feature of his win was the good dividend he paid hackers on the straight-out machine. All Night is trained hv W. M ' Donald, who in IHS’7 rode Snapshot when he won the Geraldine Cnp. M ‘Dona’il received manv congratulations on the success of All Nh'ht. who promises to hold his own in much hotter company than lie met at Orari. Not Ready Yet. N'ightcalm. who is now 1 rained by his owner at Orari, was a starter jn the open sis furlong race o,u Saturday, but looked too big to be ready to show bis real form, lie lias not had a race since lie. finished second to Petersham at Oamaru last April, and showed that he has not lost his pace by going with the leaders for about half a mile. He stopped very quickly then,'and finished fully 50yds behind the remainder of the field. Racecourse Certainty Beaten. When Manawai was stopped by Oasis and Clive Brook falling shortly after the start in the Winchester Trot on Saturday he lost about 200yds, and many were surprised to see his driver chase the field. But it was not such a vain chase after all, as pacing very fast and evenly Manawai cut down all but

Silver Grattan, who had led throughout, and he got to within four lengths of her at the winning post. Punters should look out for Manawai the next time ho starts. His Second Win. Blazealong, who returned a sensational dividend when he won the concluding event at Orari on Saturday, had only one previous win to his credit, the Trial Handicap at Lawrence in 1939. But his best performance was at the last spring meeting at Wingatui, when Great Swoop just got up in the last stride to beat him in the Kaikorai Handicap, and Sparkle (who. was conceding Blazealong 71b) was a length away third. Blazealong, who is a full brother to Blazon, was bred by Mr J. P. Herlihy at Waipiata, and, judging from the form he showed at Orari, will he seen to the best advantage. He is now trained at Oamaru by N. J. Dwyer, and is engaged in the Hydro Hack Handicap at the Kurow meeting with 8.2. Returning to Form. No horse racing at Orari looked l 'in better condition than Passaform, but he moved very tenderly each day when doing his preliminaries. In the Geraldine Cup he was well supported on both machines, but was one of the last .three to finish. In Saturday’s race he started the outsider of the field, and though second last at the turn for home put in a strong finishing run that obtained third money, and had there been another furlong to cover he would have probably beaten both Swordstick and Petersham. Passaform’s performance ,though not a winning one, was easily the best of the New Zealand Cup candidates seen at Orari,