NOTES AND COMMENTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 103, 18 May 1937, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By ''The Barbi") In answer to verbal inqu'iries: (1) The largest amount invested on one event at the recent Hawkq's Bay i'apo meeting was on thp Okawa Flying Handicap, £5501. (2) Tbe linisbmg order of the eight runners in the Akitio Hack Handicap was Trailpr, Hamai'in, Agog, Black Pox, Lacquer, Parry, Tupai and Blue Garter, the last-named being a furlong last aU the way,

Lady Wessex was given a trial over the hurdles the other morning, and for a beginner showed Jair promise, want of confidenee being her main fault. A half-sister to Maunga and Eaokaoroa, two splendid fencers, this mare may be useful over the "bobs," as she possesses far more pace on the flat thau her two rel'ativea. * # • Mercian Prince is anothpr that ds being converte.d into a jumper. He, too, for a beginner went well. A born mudlark, he has only to take ikindly to jumping to be a great proposition dur^ mg the winter. Trainer W, Gooseman has the big gelding dn fine fettle to commence operations. • * # Koyal Bengal was given a pop over three of the brush fences and, though the pace was not on, gave the impression that when his head is let go ho will have little difficulty in jumping the big obstacles, * * » Kahikatoa has joined up with G. W. B. Greene's string. Bome few months back, after a four years spell, this gelding, now riping eleven years, went into J. H. Jefferd's Ngatarawa stable to be agaip. tyied. However, he hred off his pilots just as fast as they could be persuaded to get onto his back, so Jefferd had to send him home, wbere th6s last two months he has been doing most of his work on the lead. Greene has a reputation with outlaws, so maybe he will yet make something of the Arausio — Oarlatour gelding. t f # Trainer J. Clements has deeided to have a rest from his profession and has purehased a business in Whangarei, North Auckland, He leaves for h'is new home next week. He will take Wananga to Carterton this week-end, which will terminate his connection with the game for a time. Wananga has been placed on the private sale list, but Mrs Beedy has now deeided to go on with Pukanui and Mahutaii and these two horses this day were transferred frpm C. Clements ' stable to P, Stowe.'s, wbo will in futnre train these two Hunting Songs. * » # Praetically all the two-year-oids in thjs district ai-e now wintering and only a few are visitors to the tracks. No doubt the absentees will not be ,.long out, as to tbrn young, or. even old, horsefe out at this time of the year does not look like exercising horsesense. » # # Tycoon in his last few starts, Woodville and Hastings, did not run up lo earlier form, so maybe the big fellow has trained oii\ He is to be given a short spell and will then be schooled over the hurdles for spring racing, as his long stride, badly suited by heavy going, makes him a poor winter proposition. # * * Eoyal Feast was not started at the Hawke's Bay meeting, as he was not quite fqrwaTd enough to compete with more seasoned entrants. Owner-trainer Mr H. Jqnes has the. Mercian • gelding looking more robust than ever before and, on outward appearance, herequires only a couple of rousing gallops to be back to winning form, as he is one that cames tq haud very quickly will perhaps be his last appearance in Auckland and have a shot at the Cornwall and other handicap events. These on fast work, * # * A patron of a Hastings stable has purehased the rising six-year-old gelding Joe Louis (Psychology — Lady Kilham). To date he has put only a small mai|en race in Gisborne to bis credit and if looks are cjeceiving then he may pay his Way on the turf. # * # Mr G. B. Beatsqn has visiting the Hastings tracks a y?ry robust looking two-year-old H'lly by Nigger Miustrel from Encbantment (Hunting Song — Smoke Concert), a full sister to Gallant Pox. Tbis young lady appeals as a racing proposition, robbed of some of her beauty by lop ears. * * • Shu is back in work under J. E. Olsen. He has bees blistered and fired and dt is hoppd tbat be will stand another preparation. A first-class handicap horse, it will be a pity if hp does not surviye training and racing, as borses of bis class are not tqo plentiful. * * * With the H.B.-J.C. Golden Jubilee Cup and Coronqtion meeting on last week, jt was not to be expected tbat many Hastings horses would patronise other meetings beld at the same time. However, Master Cyklon, who contested the H.B. Cup, was then taken over to Hawera and suceeeded in winning on Saturday after occupying second berth to Arctic King on Wednesday. This little horse has done well this last four or five months since being taken over by bis owner-trainer, Mr J. M. Paul, collecting the best part of £600 in stake-money. He will now g° ea to tbe uomination of M? Paul whose lease expires at the pnd of the racing season. * * # Since jqin'ing np witb S, J. Heid'3 stable Taro bas not dpne any work beyond light exereises, His prograpmie j is not delinite, but shpuld the H.B.J.C. j have the Gloucester Cup on its spring programme, then Mr P. Ormond Js good hack will be specially reserved for this event, * * «* Journot has come on well with tliq one race he had at Hastings recently, Last season he was not exactly an the lirst flight of hurdle borses, but since then gives pvospects of waking that grade. His next race will be in the Wanganui Century Hurdles, a race that will see bim stripping a very fit horse and, as he is better on top of the ground, the Wanganui traek will su"4 him admirably. • * • When Contact shied at the crowd leaning on the rails the second day at Hastings he ran out to interfere with Iddo, who sustained a very deep cut that might easily have been worsg than it is. Mr W. J. Woods' geld'ing is a daily visitor to the track to be given light work, and his owner-trainer expects a full recovery to be made in a week or two. » * * When the Eoyal Stag gelding Wyke- , uist was ti'ftiped and raced in.the othei 4

island he had the reputation of being splendid fencer over country. He wa^ started in a hack race at Hastings las'. Wednesdy and showed more speed than the average 'chgser. Thus, with bis reputed jumping ability, Mr Preston should have a haudy jumper round tbe small meetings this winter. * * " ' • By acting as runner-up each day at the H.B.J.C. meeting Biygain brought ! up her tally of secohds to ' 27. Perhaps thds is not a record, hut certainly it is I hard to beat. She is an honest bit of ! goods but unfortunately just mjsses makiug the winning grade. Howeve.r, when the opposition is at all weak she is the land to have on your aide. ' m « * « " The two Gisborne trainers D. Ducker and J. W. Price did not return home after the Hastings races, but will remain here until after the Napier aqd Hastings meetings next ruonth. * * * J, M. Cameron has an addition to his string in a three-quarter brother to tSir Nigel. When purehased as a yearl'ing he was said to be a "good looker" but now is a very plain gelding, fn fact, it is hard to see the thoronghbred in him. at all, but perhaps wben in w®nk a few months his goqd points may be more pereeptible.