TURF NEWS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 2, 18 January 1937, Page 9

TURF NEWS

Gironde .vvas not galloped due to suii'enng from a slight siiin soreness, wliicli, howevei'j was not in evidence vvlien striking along freely, on tlie easy tracjr. He lias paid up lor the Novice at Ashhurst but is no certain starter. • * • Lavina was another that waB not out against the watch. She did steady work coming dewn the straight twice at a hard galiop. The handicapper at Asiihurst was not at all hftid 011 this mure when awarding her only 7.12 in secondrate fiyilig. vVhen tlie weights made tJieir1 appearance it was thougiit that at this weight the Hastings mare would fiiighten most of the field from accepting. Howevex*, the majority have stuod, their ground. • • • G. W. B. Greene's team, also J. H. Jefterd'Sj left yesterday morning for Trentham and .the balance of tke H, B. contingent this morning. h'ollowing is the isay team tha wili be competing at Trentham this weok:— Soho, Peter Deektord, Candico, Smoke Screen, (Jharade (second and thn:d days only), xNeiumbo, Maine, OnJy One, Airini, Tiger Gain, Huntette, Laequer, Sanstoy, Jazz iioy, Count Biegfried, Passion Flower, rakanui and Mata Hari. • • • Last mid-week J. M, Cameiron .went to Woodville with his Trentham trio, Only One, Maine and Nelumbo. Only One is engaged in Hie two-year-old haudicap events and his trftck form suggests that he will take an interesting part in the decision of at least one of uis engageinents betore returning home, out it may not be on the openmg day. as a race is what he needs. • * • Main© certainly created .a surprise in bhe Whyte Handicap on this courso last July, but should she land the Wellington (Jup then it will be even more of a surprise. Never has this Arausio mare done anything in public warranting nomination for such an event. • # « Nelumbo still holds hor ground in the Wellington Stakes, but this "classic" is hardly likely to see her start. A short hack race on the second or thdrd day appears more to her weight. ■ TMs hlly is tbree years of age, not two as her Stakes weight appearing in the Wellington papers would suggest. • s • • Candico is another three-year-old Hlly from here that is in the Stakes, but she fs a likely starter. This Nigger Minstrel-Tea Tattle filly is very fast up to five and is a possibility. Certainly at Marton she was beaten into second place by Old Surrey, but on that occasion she had 9.13 on a heavv track. • * • Sardius was also alllowed to mahe the hnal payment for the Stakes, but he will not be present. He is suffering from slight kidney complaint and so not a visitor to the tracks the last few days. • • • Unfortunately for the Ngatarawa stable both Ben Braggis and Kindheart have gone amiss. The former is at present running out on his owner's farm at Fernhill. It will be recalled that early last season, when giving distinct promise, Kindheart broke a'small bone in his fore leg 'and had to be thrown out of work. In fact it was considered his racing days were over, but trainer Jefferd managed to patch him up again to the mild surprise of not a few. Now he has gone wrong in the "good,J leg, no doubt through lsaving" the weak member. • • • Lacquer, who left this morning for Trentham, is not one for a wise man to f ollow , She won well under adverse conditions in a strong field, but at Wairarapa in coinpany that was not se strong she failed. There may possibly be some who have profited over this mare's running, but it has not been tho customary machine speculator. • • • Fssex, th© Hastings-owned thr©e-year old candidate for the Wellington Cup, has not been accomplishing track work of any outstanding merit at Trentham. However, his veteran trainer, " Jacy Lowe, is said to be satisfied and he will be again ridden by the Hastings, horseman, C. G. Goulsboro. • * • When 'visiting "Okawa" recently this writer was acquainted with a fact that was a, little amusing. Hiscussing last yoar's batch of "Okawa" yeariings, mention was mad© of Normandy, the Gascony colt who recently won a race for Mr. E. J. Watt in Sydney. It appears that previous to the sale Mrs. T\ H. Lowry, who is a good.judge oi horseficsh, had taken a liking to this particular c0lt, so she and a, friend decided to purcliase him but did not ad;vertise their intention. Came this lqfc into the ring and keep competition between two bidders soon become apparent and it was only when the Isixhundred mark was reached that one retired. The bidders, it turued out, were Mrs, Lowry and George Price, the latter representmg Mrs. Lowfy's brother, Mr. E. J. Watt • • • The following Hawke's Bay horses have made acceptance for; Ashhurst : — Uount Willonyx, Alonarchy, Lavina, First ohapter, Royal Minstrei, Mohua, Master Cyklon, Blue Garter, Mahaanui, Gironde, Lucullus Lad, Hamarin, La«i°nic, Silver itiver, Acron, Tycoon, Helios, Mata Hari and Gasman, but of these ones unJikely to make the trip are First Chapter, Gironde, Gasman, and Mata Hari. • • • Count \V illonyx lias never reached what cuuld be called open class but he has beateu far better helds than he has been put up against at Ashhurst. * m m Mohua has hardly galloped since racing at tlie Hastings New Yeat me«ting and -she too is not quite certain to make the trip. She raced disappomtingly at Hastings, where she went down to her stable companion, Count Sieg- I iried. In the spring tlns hlly gave J every mdication oi developing into a good winner, but she has yet to win 0 race this season. Is she just another mstanco of a disappointmg Huntmg Song fillv r* • « • Lucullus has freshened up since tho New Year and looks a mucb better horse than he did in his one start at Hastings. At Waipukurau he enjoyed a very easy win in the Hack Cup, but , his three subsequpnt starts saw him

racing poorly. Started- twice at Manawata he was out of the money and then again the second day at Hastings. • • • Laconic, who is trained on his ow,ner's place at Te Aute, ran poorly at Hastings on a track to his liking. He may win at Ashhurst, but it will be against the weight of genera] opinion. • * • Neitlier has Tycoon anything to recommend him as a likely winner at this meeting. He is a fine big raking gelding, but with none too much fighting power. Maybe as a hack hurdler he will recover some of the money he has cust. • • • ' ! ; An entraut lor the Telegraph that has been practicalh fancied this last week in two oi tb* cities, is Royal Dance. He started four times at the recent Auckland meeting, his best being thii'd to Adalene and Oratory in the A.R.C. Railvvay handicap when carrying 8.0J, or only" a Jlb more than he i wil] at Trentham. * # • No rider thinks more of his mount in I the Wellington Cup than L. J. Ellis, i who will be eeen up on the top-weight.