GENERAL NOTES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 19

GENERAL NOTES

The North Island horsemen H. Goidfinch and N. Trillo are already at Riccarton, where they will remain till after tlie Grand National meeting. # * # Santoft ;s dam^ Pleasure, ds by Merry Moment, who sired a Grand National Hurdles winner in the moody Comical. Santoft appears at times to be a little moody too. . . * * # Ruaform was not at Trentham as he developed a cougL after Wanganui. It is not expected to be serious and he may 'still be able !to race at the Grand National meeting. ^ * ' * Bay Duke was left at Riccarton by Mr G. C. Bain on his way home from the Wellington- meeting, and he will be in charge of A. S. Ellis until after the jYational fixture. • • .. * Master Musk was to have been taken soulh by D. O'Counor for the Grand National meeting, but the gelding was lamo after tho Winter Hurdles and the trip has been cahcelled. # Nearly a quarter of the stalce-nioney distributed at tho Wellington nieetm'g last week welit to -che Waikato district. Represontatives from the district won eiglit races and doad-heated in another, and they earned £2363 out of the total of £9500 prize-inoney. K « K According to a Melbourno veport thero are hopes that the brilliant Valiant Chief will recover his best form. At Mentone a fortnight ago he had hia first serious task since he Was badly injured an his fall at Mooneo Valley (when K. Voitre was also in:

jured), and he acquitted himself favcurably. Valiant Chief, who is in the same stable ^s Donaster, has shoWn outstanding form, and should he continue to progress favourably he may cut a prominent figure at the spring carnivals. • • ■ • The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club, at its monthly meeting thds week., increaaed the stake for the New Zealand Cup from £1575, including a gold cup valued at £75, to £2000, the winner' to receive £1325 and a gold cup of the same value, the second horse £400 and , the third horse, £200. The winner, after the declaration of the weights, of any race to the Value of £250 to the winner, or of any race or • races to the collective value of .£50Q, Will be liable to be rehandicapped. Ih recent years these amounts haVe beeh £200 aild £400 l'espectively. Although the resolutiOn in operation this year r eeommendin g clubs to uso a 7.7 minimum in flat raceS has beoh rescinded, so that the former 7.0 ininiuium has been restored, this does not mean that all flat races must now be run imder a 7.0 minimum. It is open to clubs (0 fix any minimum thqy so care, subject to the Rules of Racing (which niclude that no handicap event skall have a lesa minimum than 7.0), ;and if eny club.thinks that a 7.7. minimum is best it catt set such a mxnimnm in the conditions of- its programme. Th'e same principle apjtlies to the xnotion that was defbated at last week's annual xneetin'g of tho Racing Gohference aimlng to rnako tho minimum distance of hurdlo races 1;( mile instead of li mile. !ff any club desires to deleto 11 mile hurdlo events it eau still to do without infringment of Ihe Rules of Racing. — Post. « • Advice has been received that the thi-ee-year-old Martara landed an India in excellent condition, his purchaser stating that he appeared as if he had

been only two days at- sea instead of j having come through the long voyage {. from New Zealand. So good was his J health that he was able to commence ' steady work in record time after hi- , arrival. It is not intended to hurry Martara 's preparation for racing in , India- and it' is unlikely that he wi|l j be called upon to do much before the important meetings at Caleutta in Do- ; cember. ... . • • • # ' • The Australian-bred filly Moonraker, a member of J. S. Shaw's team at Ric- ; carton, has been getting' through her work in*' good style- and should be ilx ; nice -order for' racing at the Canterbury !' Jockey Club's xneefcihg nexti month. ■ | .... • • ' * ' i The ^V.R.C. Members1 Kandica)) | winner, Grey Honoura was not a pre- a cocious galloper, but he came very solid • as he developed, and hia useful record • to date reads as follows:— Twenty-six starts, seven wins, eight places and £1187 in stakes. He is an entirq son of ilonour, from Greylass, by Greyspear. • ' " # • The lightweight horseman W. H- j I Jones, who as noW living in Auckland . ' I 'lias not yet recovered from the broken wTrist he received so'me time back, but he hopes to be able to re'sume riding early next ■ seasOn: