DIVOTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 15

DIVOTS

(Dug by 4 'Tho Dclvor.") Bomething of a record for an EJlers- , lie winter meetiug was established during the first two days by J. F. Fergus, the rider of Irish Comefc, on whom he scored his most important victory to date. In nine races he seeured three firsts, three seconds and one third. In addition to Irish Comet, he rode All Irish to victory on both days. aThe wearjn' of the green." >* #- Conditions for racing at Wingatui on Wednesday, says a Christchurch exehange, wero the worst knowu for many years. The track was practically water Jogged, and in many places sheets of water rose as the horses ploughed through it. and it could he reasouably estimated that the horses . sunk several inches into the sodden soil with every stride. When, on the second day at Wanganui, Hunting Queen tipped out in fche June Hurdie ltace, her rider, A. Jenkins, who had won a jumping

double the first day, suffered a fracture of a shoulder-blade. His bad luck was F. MeHugh's good fortune the mishap giving the latter the mount on Clarion Call, who otherwise was to have been again ridden by Jenkins. ^ Irish Comet is reported to have paid somewhei'e about a, quarter-century when he won the Great Northern Steeplechase on Wednesday. That, however, is oiily a sixth of the dividend returned by the one-eyed Bespisod, when he scored his sensational and still somewhat mysterious victory away back iu 5 93. However, at that time the niachino paid out on tbe first horsH only. • * » L, J. Ellis got a cordial receptiou when he returned to the birdcage at Wingatui{On Wednesday with Araboa. his first winner for some months, and later when he eptered the jockeys' dressing-room he was g|iven three cheers by his fellow horsemen. Similar honours were aocorded him when he steered Salicnt Knight to victory in the concluding event.

» * m Older than any previous winner of the Great Northern Steeplechase, Irish Comet is 13 years of age. The winners last year and in 1926, Edlly Boy and Dick respectively, were both 11 years old. Like many other winners of the event, Irish Comet is a recruit from th*4 hunting field. He was bred by the Waikato breeder, Mr W. I. Taylor, from whom he is held on lease by Mr R. J. Sexton,- of Ohaupo, who is also a part-owner of Lochiel Lad (a six-year-old half-brother of Irish Comet), who finished second in the Hunt Club Oup. « » * Giving a polished display of jumping Ethiop won the June Hurdles at Wanganui comfortably from the favourite, John OhaiTes. Beau Gallante dashed away with a big lead over the early stages from John Charles, Ethiop and Journet, this being the order passingt the stand. Ethiop went after Beau Gallante along the back, with John Charles also making up ground. Ethiop had charge three furlongs from home and went on to win easily by four lengths from John Charles, who finished solidly to beat Beau Gallante. 0 « • The finish of the Carbine Plate was one of the most exciting ever witnessed in a gentleman riders' race at Ellerslie. The three place-getters were all well ridden and they had a battle royal over the last furlong, the judge declaring) a dead-heat between Taillight and Small, Boy by lialf a head from Jeweiled Girdle. The form of the three horses was good and they beat the others fairly decisively, although Tip Toes was a creditable fourtli. The second fancy Collision, fahed to do as well as expected, although he was battling on at the end.

w m Asserting his superiority over his opponents in tho Wanganui Steeplechase, Clarion Call, winner of the Century Hui'dles on the opening day at Wanganui, completed an unusual double and demonstrated liis versatility as a jumper. It is only in the last few years that these two events have been decided on ditferent days, as for many years it was the main jumping "double'' on. the opening day of the meeting,. Clarion Call, writes "Kestrel," revelled in the task of eatching the pacemaker Brjgadore over the coiicluding five furlongs, rau past the leader and then carried him along at such a pace that Brigadore "sold out" at the penultimato fence. This left Clarion Call so far in front that it was only a question of his standiag up for his backers ,to collect what proved to be a good dividend. * 4? The Great Northern Steeplechase wiuner's pedigree shows jumping strains on both sides. Day Comet, his sire, made himself famous as a begetter of successful jumpers, while his dame, Rape of the Lock, was by the Australian-bred Gorsoon horse Spalpeen, a great hurdler himself and the sire of many winners over both batoens and country. It is soniething of a coincidence that this y^ar's winners of the two Great Northern events are descendants of mares bred by the late Major F. N. George and sired by his great horse Nelson, who, however, was 1 not a great horse at the stud. • « • The Great Northern Hurdles winner, Sandy Dix, has not had a dietinguisfied career and his success on Saturday was outstanding in his record. He did not commence racing until he was a six-year-old in the 1932-33 season, when he started 10 tirnes for a third placing. He has contested 41 raees for six wins, four Beoonds, and three thirds and his stake-earnings now amount to £1765. Sandy Dix is a 10-year-old chestnut gelding by Standstar from Miss Dix, by Phoebus Apollo from Abydos by Nelson, and is a halfbrother to Bedford, Glissando, Sibford, Marble Slab and John Dix. His sire, Sandstorm was Australian-bred, being by Sands of tlie Orient from Mary Heaton. Saudstar proved himself a useful three-year-old, winning the A.R.C. Christmas Handicap. Ho started i'avourito for the 1925 Great Northern Derby, wou by Couut Cavour, but fimshed fiftb iu a field of Id. He was retired to Ihe stud at the entl of his three-year-old career-