TRACK AND STABLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 21 August 1939, Page 9

TRACK AND STABLE

A. JENKINS’ RECORD

OUTSTANDING HORSEMAN

CONSISTENT RIDING

BEST SEASON TO DATE

(By “Trenton.")

Although A. Jenkins was not successful on the hot favourite, Bridegroom, at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Opaki jockey has a wonderfully consistent record.

At the recent Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting, riding over hurdles and fences and on the fiat, he established a record of seven wins, one second and three thirds in 13 mounts. Two of the events produced one-divi-dend fields. An investment of £1 on his mounts in these races and £1 each way on the other nine would have entailed an outlay of £24 and the profit would have been £ll 14s. His mounts won £2390, more than onefifth of the prize-money.

It was the most successful meeting in the career of Jenkins, who last season rode 38 winners, five at the Great Northern carnival, • including the Great Northern Hurdles and Remuera Hurdles on Charade, the Green Lane Steeples on John Charles and the Hunt Club Hurdles and Hunt Club Cup on Bridegroom. At the Great Northern meeting of 1937 Jenkins had three winning rides on Full of Scotch.

Jenkins also holds a trainer’s license and has eight horses in his stable. Since his apprentice days he has consistently ridden from 20 to 25 winners each season. He won the Grand National Hurdles on Callamart in 1931 and the Steeples on Clarion Call last year. Scratching Time Vaalso was scratched for the Jellicoe Handicap at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting at 3 p.m. on Friday. Not For Sale Inquiries have been received from America by a New Zealand bloodstock agent for the purchase of the Queensland sire The Buzzard (imp.). J. McDougall, Lyndhurst stud master, was asked to put a price on the horse, but he cabled that The Buzzard was not for sale at any price. Beaulivrc’s Programme It is understood that Beaulivre will open his three-year-old programme at the Combined Hunt’s meeting at New Plymouth, after which he will pursue his career in the Wanganui, Avondale and Great Northern Guineas, the, Harcourt Cup at Trenthnm, and the: New Zealand Derby and Canterbury Cup at Riccarton. Bookmakers Delighted

Ajax was scratched last week from the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. This was done by Mr. A. W. Thompson. part-owner, after conferring with Mr. M. Baillieu (representing the interests of the late Mr. E. L. Baillieu), and F. (Musgrave, the trainer. The champion will be reserved for weight-for-age events. ' ■ ' -

Little money was lost by takers of doubles by the scratching!;.' The main sufferers were a few “'speckers,” who took Ajax-Defaulter doubles, realising that if Ajax was set for the Caulfield Cup they could “crush” their doubles profitably. Two £SOOO doubles about AjaX-Defaulter were taken by the “speckers” some weeks ago in Melbourne.

“Ajax is as good as ever, but we considered the risk of running him in handicaps under big weights too great,” said Mr. Thompson. “Anything can happen In' big fields. His right place is in w.f.a. fields. Wc have made an early decision to save the public from loss without a run. Ajax will be retired to the stud after the A.J.C. autumn meeting,” he added.

Melbourne bookmakers were delighted when this decision had been made.

“The market has been stifled owing to the possibility of Ajax running in the Caulfield Cup,” said a leading fielder. For Big Money Reading and High Caste were recently backed in .Sydney to win £35,000 for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

This was revealed by Mr. G. Luscombe, part-owner of Reading, who made wagers aggregating that sum after Warwick Farm races.

Mr. Luscombe divided the commission between four bookmakers, betting to win £IO,OOO with three and £SOOO with the fourth.

To date Reading is easily the bes*backed horse for the Caulfield Cup. Last month owners linked him in doubles with Defaulter to Win £70.000. He has also been coupled with Mosaic to win £IO,OOO.

As a result of such strong support, Reading is favourite for the Caulfield Cup.

Defaulter is favourite for the Melbourne Cup and High Caste has moved up into the second line.