RACING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23702, 9 October 1940, Page 4

RACING NOTES

[By St. Claik.]

RACING. 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 of Plenty 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. October 28. —Waikato Hunt. October 28.—Poverty Bay Hunt. October 28.—Waverley Racing Club. October 28.—North Canterbury Racing Club. November 2.—Rangitikei Racing Club.

JOTTINGS Answer to Correspondent. “ Wingatui.”—Trench Law is by Gascony, by King John, by Roi Herode, and his dam, Arbitration, is by Tribulation from Mere Mere, by San Frau from Maude, by St. Leger from Hilda, by Musket from Ouida, by Tattendon. Trench Law is a four-year-old bay colt, and this season has had one start, finishing third to Night Eruption and Screen Star in a six furlong race at Foxton last month. As a three-year-old he started 29 times for six wins, five seconds, and two thirds. He won over seven furlongs, a mile, nine furlongs and 20yds, nine furlongs and 80yds, a mile and a-quarter, and a mile and three furlongs, all handicaps. He has 7.5 in this year’s New Zealand Cup, and jS trained by T. R. George. Did Not Bore Out. Keeping to the straight path Sabu had no difficulty in winning at Methven and in collecting a better stake than the one ho forfeited at Oaxnaru. Totalisator Turover. The totalisator turnover at the Methven Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday was £20,867 10s, an increase of £3,464 10s on last year’s investments. The Melbourne Cup. First run in 1851, this year’s Melbourne Cup will be the eightieth contest, and during that long period no horse carrying Nos. 6 or 7 saddle-cloth has ever been returned a winner. An Experienced Trainer’s Opinion. During a discussion at Wingatui yesterday morning on a recent instance of a horse boring out in a race, an experienced trainer at Wingatui stated that in all his experience he had never known it to be caused by a horse getting his tongue over the bit. Sons of Derby Winners. ' In the last 40 years only four winners of the A.J.C. Derby have been sired by previous winners of the race. The four are Mountain Knight (by Mountain King), Hall Mark and Nuffield (by Heroic), and Richmond Main (by Prince Foote). Barrier Practice. Trainers took full advantage yesterday of Mr Gieseler’s attendance at Wingatui to rive young horses barrier practice. About a dozen wore lined up during the afternoon. Dark Flight Out. It is reported that after Dark Flight bled during a gallop at Riverton on Saturday morning he was in a bad way ''’ben he returned to the stalls, and it is unlikely that any further attempts will be made to train him. - Gore Nominations. The good nominations received for the spring meeting to be held at Gore on October 26 and 28 show how strong Southland stables are this season. Most of the horses engaged are trained or owned in the southern province. Dropped Her Rider. While working at half-pace at Wingatui this morning, Flippant, who was pulling hard, got away with her apprentice rider and threw him at the top of the straight. Flippant, riderless, then covered an extra circuit before being pulled up. Beyond a slight bruising to a leg the rider was not hurt. Good Advertising. Those interested in the races at Wingatui next Saturday and Monday, especially if from the country, will appreciate the new style of advertising adopted by the club. Not only is attention strikingly drawn to the fact that races will be held, but also to the railway services in connection with the fixture.

Ex-jockey Passes. The late Martin M’Grath, whoso death was reported last week, was at one time actively engaged in the sport of racing, having been a successful rider over 40 years ago. For some years he was associated with Alex. M’Kenzie, now training at Invercargill, when Wyndham was the latter’s headquarters. Deceased in later years transferred his attention to the light harness sport and owned several winners.

Wild Coon. Wild Coon was left in the Dunedin Guineas’ and there was an idea earlier of bringing him south for that one race, but as he has won only one maiden event he would only have to run into a place in the classic to go up in the weights for later hack events. He is to race at Rangiora and Motukarara, and will be useful to have in hack company at the New Zealand Cup Meeting.

Riding Engagements for Saturday. The following are some of the riding engagements announced for Saturday: —J. W. Dooley, Islay Downs and Chalterbug; P. Spratt—Leighnor, Capricious, Gay Flight, and Silver Streak; A. E. Didham — Damascus, Sir Amyas, and Nightcatm; L. W. Hare—Milton Abbas, Green Boa, Sir Hugh, Gold Flight, Taxpayer, and Straightdelf; W. Connor, Point Blank and Solcnty; C. T. Wilson, Spearthrust and Petersham; W, F. Ellis, Desert Maid and Don’t Forgot.

Adina Eligible for Trial Handicap. The condition attached to the Trial Handicap, to be run over six furlongs on the second day of the Gore meeting, makes horses that at the time of starting have not won an advertised race of greater value than £HO to the winner eligible. Though Adina has won several races he has yet to win one worth £llO, and is eligible to start in this race.

Improvement to Invercargill Course. The latest improvement to the Southland racecourse will be appreciated bv public and trainers alike. No longer will horses going from the stalls to the birdcage have to run tho gauntlet of pedestrian traffic crossing the gravel pathway near the _ totalisator, and no longer will the public run the risk of being knocked over by highly-strung horses. In future all horses on race days will enter tho birdcage from the course proper. To enable that to be accomplished a roadway has been constructed across the middle of the pond between the main grand stand and the tea rooms. Horses will be taken over the pond by that path and on to the course at a point directly opposite the path. They certainly will have to cross the lawn to do so, but there is less traffic at that point than at any other on the course. The horses will then be walked down the course to the birdcage.

November 2. —Banks Peninsula Racing Club. November 2,- —Poverty Bay Turf Club. November 9.—Napier Park Racing Club. November 9, 11.—Avondale Jockey Club. November 9, 11, 13, 16. —Canterbury Jockey Club. TROTTING, October 12. —New Brighton Trotting Club. October 26, 28. Ureymouth Trotting Club. , , October 26, 30.—Auckland Trotting Club. October 28.—Oamaru Trotting Club. November 2.—luvercargill Trotting Club. November 12, 14, 15.—New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. November 23, 25.—Porbury Park Trotting Club.

November 30, December 7. Waikato Trotting Club.

At Wingatui This Morning. The weather was line, but a biting cold wind was blowing at Wingatui this morning. No. 1 grass and the plough tracks were available and in good order, but very few horses were worked against the watch. Hoiho Tinopai ran livo furlongs on the plough in Imin 15 4-ssec. Roseman a mile on the same track in Imin 56sec. Araboa was sent six furlongs on No. 1 track, the last five in 68 l-sscc, after running the first half of the journey very fast. Lady Nuffield sprinted over three furlongs on the same track in 38sec. A large number of horses were let oil with from half to three-quarter pace.

The A.J.C. Derby Winner. Horses owned in Victoria filled all the places in the A.J.C. Derby with Pandect, Lucrative, and Sun Valley. Pandect is owned by Mr John Wren, and is usually trained by F. Musgrave, but as that trainer was busy at Flemington with Ajax, Pandect has been temporarily in charge of ,F. M'Grath, who has Beau Vite also in his stable. Though owned and bred in Victoria, the winner claims a Dominionbred mare as his dam in Credit, who is by Paper Money from Formless, by Multiform from Dreamer. owner, Mr John Wren, has been trying for a long time to win a clasic. His most important previous success was with Murmur in the Caulfield Cup. Mr Wren was at one time a prominent bookmaker, but he achieved more fame as the reputed proprietor of the Collingwood “ tote.” Sirice then Mr Wren has become a big business man, with large pastoral holdings and extensive investments in proprietary racecourses. In recent years he has been a good buyer of New Zealand yearlings. The Late James Scobie.

James Scobie, whoso death is reported from- Melbourne, was born at Ararat in 1860. He has related that his school days were brief, and that he started work early, carrying the chain for a surveyor for half a crown a week. He did not stay long at that job, and when 11 years of age he was employed by a squatter to ride horses in work. Young Scobie then served several masters, and travelled all over Victoria and South Australia with horses until ho was induced by Robert Howie, a prominent trainer, to go to Melbourne to ride. Scobie there became a first-rank horseman over fences, and later a successful trainer. Ultimately he achieved the position in Victoria occupied in New Zealand by R. J. Mason. Probably no other trainer has had so many wealthy .patrons as Scobie, and many of these gave 'him an open commission to buy horses on their account. As a result he had a great number of high-class horses through his hands. He trained the winners of four Melbourne Cups, eight Victoria _ Derbies, four A.J.C. Derbies, four Australian Cups, and • met with corresponding success in -a host of important races. His principal patron in most recent years was Mr E. E. D. Clarke, for whom he won about £140,000 in stakes. In his younger days Scobie was a heavy bettor, but for a long time past he had confined his wagering almost solely to his Cup candidates. The total amount won by horses from Scobie’s stable was approximately £250,000. Among the best horses trained by Scobie were Emir. Malster, La Carabine, Trivalve, Bitalli, Clean Sweep, Alawa, Sylvanito, Sweet Nell, Charles Stuart, Thrice, Stand By. Paul Pry, Walowa, Blue Mountain, and Pilliewinkie.