RACING AND TROTTING

Evening Star, Issue 24286, 29 August 1942, Page 6

RACING AND TROTTING

[By St. Claik.J

News and Views. Alnswcr to Correspondent. —“ X.Y.Z.” : Golden Glow carried 10.0 when he finished fourth to Surcoat, Golden Memory, and Recollection in the Enfield Steeplechase, and 9.15 when he occupied the sauv position behind Valons, Valentua, and Surcoat in the Hunt Cup Steeplechase at Eiccarton. He is a 10-year-old gelding by Cape Horn from Eurella. Nominations are due on Tuesday for the New Zealand Derby Stakes (1944) and New Zealand Trotting Stakes (1945). Gyrate, the three-year-old by Spiral from Relative, in V. Lee’s stable, has gone amiss, and been turned out fer a lengthy spell. Money Bird has returned to D. J. McDonald’s active team again, and has filled out into a big horse since racing as a two-year-old. He worked attractively this morning at three-quarter pace. The New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting will be held on November 7 and 14 this year, when £9,850 will be given in stakes. In all but five races, for which the stakes are each £3OO, fourth prizes will be given. Jack Potts has now headed th* list of winning sires five years in succession, and it is estimated that during the nine yeais his progeny have been racing they have won £153,526 10s in stakes. When Valens won over two and a-ha‘lf miles on the second day of the Grand National meeting he carried 10.11, and scored fairly easily. With 11.8 he will be in strong demand for the Otago Hunt Cup Steeplechase next Saturday. A. Leach, who rode Prince Flaneur when he won the Otago Steeplechase last June, will have the mount on him again in the Hunt Cup Steeplechase next Saturday. Prince Flaneur and Leach won this race last year. Foxhaven has continued to work well since racing at Riceartcii early this month, and promises to start favourite for the John Grigg Stakes. The meeting between Foxhaven and Botany in the Dunedin Guineas the following month will be interesting. Though exceptionally large fields have been paid up for in the two hack races at the Otago Hunt Meeting, they will not have to be run in divisions. In the five furlongs race 22 remain in, and the draw for positions at the barrier will affect the chances of those who are unlucky. Compeer has come through the racing he had at Washdyke and Eiccarton well, and promises to strip a very fit horse next Saturday His owner, Mr D. J. McDonald, is at present on leave from camp duties, and was present to supervise the working of his team this morning. Song Boy (R. Heasley) and Roseman (W. O’Connor) were sent two rounds (a dozen fences) over the steeplechase course at Wingatui this morning, Roseman leading all the way and giving a good exhibition of jumping. Song Boy appears to be showing signs of his recent racing, and was a very tired horse over the last three or four fences.

Hardy Oak beat Lady Carol twice at Forbury Park last- week, their respective times over two miles being 4mm 23 3-sseo and 4min 25 5-ssec, and over a mile and' three furlongs 2mm 57 l-ssec and 2min 58sec. Their assessments now stand at 2min 12sec for Hardy Oak and 2min 13see for Lady Carol over a mile, 2min 46sec and 2min 47sec for a mile and a-quarter, and 4min 33sec and 4min 30sec for two miles.

It was a high-class field that Compeer beat in the Regent Handicap (7f) on the last day of the National Meeting, and though raised from 51b above the minimum to 181 b above in the mile race at Wingatui next Saturday, the class he is set to meet is not nearly so good. Compeer has won over a mile, so the distance should not trouble him.

At the August (1892) meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club a three miles race for stallions was one of the features of the programme. It was won by Blue Gown in smin 59sec, and, being one of the outsiders of the field, he returned a dividend of £62 12s. Kentucky Wilkes was second and Kentucky third The other starters were Wilkin, Berlin Abdallah, Duncan Abdallah, Vanderbilt, General Tracey, Emerson, and Lincoln Yet.

The shortage of jockeys at present is one of the worries of trainers and owners. Only seven jockeys in the Otago district hold licenses They are: A. Anderson, L. J. Clutterbuck, W, Connor, J: L; Cotton, A. E. Didham, J. W. Dooley, and K. J.Mackie. Six apprentices—L. Burnard, D. A. Hamill, R Heasley, B. J. Mears, A. C. Robinson, and J: Sellars —are also licensed to ride in races. The Southland trainers are more fortunate,, as they have eight licensed jockeys and a dozen apprentices available. The V.AJT.C. ■ has decided that aged horses cannot compete in the Doona Trial, a race set down for next month. It is a race for maidens or near maidens, and aged horses will be barred. This is a sensible means of reducing fields. Aged horses that cannot get out of maiden class are superfluous, bn the flat at least. The V.A.T.C. is following a recent rule adopted in England that horses aged more than five years cannot compete in • handicaps. It is not likely to follow that rule very strictly, as conditions are not parallel in England, where the percentage of handicaps is small compared with the colonies. Most of the English races of importance are at w.f.a. or at set weights. With the hunt meeting only a week ahead there was not as ranch galloping at Wingatui this morning as expected. The tracks were in excellent order, and most of the fast work was done on the . No. 1 jjrass track just inside the rails. Lord Midas, heavily bandaged on both forelegs, was always going slightly better than Kohara over half a mile in 53 l-ssec. Light Cavalry registered the same time for half a mile on the sand track. Compeer and Taxpayer were sent seven furlongs on No. -1 track in Ihiin 31sec, the last half-mile in 53sec. Prince Flaneur took 59sec for half a mile, but was going easily all the way. Safe Light and Steward took Imin 52 l-sseo to run a mile, after travelling over the first half in 53 l-Ssec. Steward appeared to be going the better at the finish. Nightcalm, with his usual brilliancy, went fast over the first four of seven furlongs, completing the task in limn 34sec. Gay Lancer and Attorney ran six furlongs on the sand track in Imiu 21sec, a good gallop, with Attorney showing to slight advantage. Coy, who looks better for her recent racing, ran half a mile, the last three furlongs in 43sec.