NOTES AND COMMENTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 59, 2 December 1937, Page 15

NOTES AND COMMENTS

"The Barb.'")

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The three-year-old filly Florenee Mills (Nigger Minstrel — Liaison, by Lord Quex — -Lovematch), owned by Messrs H. H. Pharazyn and M. Greenwood, must be something above the average hack Clasg as her wjn in the hack sprmt last Saturday was only her second start, the previoug one also resulting in a win. Sh© is trained by the ex-Hawke's Bay mentor Luke Wilson at Awapuni, # #- • Lacquer on Saturday had her lirst race over hurdles, She was near the lead for about a mile then retired to finish well back. This Lackham mare jumped poorly, but with more schooling and racing experience should at least be usoful. In her schooling her jumping lias been infinitoly better than ske sliowed at Feilding. * m * Wildflower, from the stand, appeared a good thing beaten in the Flying last Saturday and a win for this Chief Ruler filly is in tlie offing. She was last nearly all tlie way, but, getting an opening on Hm rails, was within a length and a-Half at the finish. * * • Dark Shadow has again struek form to collect botli big handicap events at the just concliidecl Takapuna meeting. Wlieu in shape he is a brilliant galloper and when down in the weights must

always be labelled dangerous. East season he raced as by Acre or Leighton, but now figures as by Leighton or Acre. No matter which is correct there is a "dark shadow" anent his pedigree. • # • Blue Tiger fell on the first day of the Takapuna meeting and on Monday was tailing the field for over a mile but improved his position towards the finisk, though still out of the money. He appears a born stayer and is just the sort to possess a great chance in either, or possibly both, the Great Northerns next Jun», • • • Te Hero (Heroic — Prodice) has been held in very high esteera but his defeat on Saturday last has taken some of the glamour ofic his reputation. On Monday he just struggled home from the windaffected youngster Arvakur. The Heroio colt will need to improve considerably to have a chance against Peerless, Araigo, and Gay Son in the G.N. Eoal Stakes the end of this month. . * . •«*' Last week another twp-year-old entered the list of likely "classic7' winners in Bright Wings, by the Valais horse Vaals from the Limond mare Waterwiugs, How is that for breeding? This filly was having her first race when she won on the opening day at. Te Rapa and then came out the next day and repeated the dose. She is owned by Mr W. Schollum and trained by W. Kirk, who for many yeais was a licensed jockey and trainer in Hastings and was, I think, born at Pakipaki. Bright Wings may turn out a wortny opponent • for the best in the Eoal Stakes. « • • Peter Beckford, who was held on lease by Mr G. D. Beatson until the coinmencement of this racing season, appears to be generally just about good enough to get beaten. At the Waikato meeting in two starts ko was once in the money, while at Takapuna both days he oceupied a minor place. At one time this Hunting Song gelding looked like making the grade among the Dominion's sprinters, but in this he has failed. • • • Ear Land,, up north, appears to be a coming sort. On Monday he made his first appearance in open company after "cleaning up " the hacks and did very well tQ gain second money, a nosn behind Palustre, who is another just out of hack class, . - • » • Besides Peter Beckford there were two other animals formerly trained at Hastings competing at the Takapuna fixture, Peter 's Pence and Asset. The former was also once a member of Mr G. D. Beafson 'a strjng. This Mercian King gelding on Monday, though prominent for most of the way in the Vauxhall Handicap, was no closer than sixilf at the finish, but the race should do him good. • • • Asset is still owned in this disfricE When raced here on the left-handed courses she had a tendency to hang out, so it was thought she might do better at Ellerslie the right-handed way round. Neither Peter 's Pence nor Asset was given much of a chance by backers, both being well down the betting. • » ♦ The following Hastings horses will race at Otaki this week-end: Top Hat, Le Touquet, Haile Sellassie, Colleen Gain, Black Frost, Slippery, Gfeira, Nelumbo and Hunting Spy. • * m

Haile Sellassie has been showing a decided improvement in his work on the tracks as well as in his races and should not be long in the maiden class. There may be some significance in the fact that he has not been nominated for the maiden at Woodville but for hack events. • • • Top Hat will not have a very tough lot to contend with in the hurdles and his form is as good as any of the others engaged, so shat the big fellow should go very close to paying expenses on the trip. • • • The last time Le Touquet (second to Reasonabl8 at Napier) stafted a big improvement was noticed in his form, sj? he should prove a dangerous lightweight in the hack aeven next Saturday. Hastings and Greenmeadows horses are enjoying a favourable turn just now and he looks likely to add something to the credit si,de pf his balance-sheet. * « # Colleen Gain is recovering form a little. Her half-brothcr, who is as yet unnamed, may be taken through for this meeting and a win for him in the maiden wouid occaaion no (surprise. * w « Black Frost is certainly on the improve but Jiardly meets the eye as being xight back to his best. With a race into him at Otaki he should from then on be worth keeping a weather eye on. 9-0 0 Gallant ,old Slipp.ery will also mahe, Ihe trip. He is down in the weights bompared with his best days nnd will again be one that no great risk can be taken with. A few have been discounting his win at Levin but little notice is being taken of their misgivings. • « *

Geira has been awarded 9,4 in the fivq-furlong flntter, but over euch a short distance a little extra weight makes not a great deal of difiEerence, She will be ridden by B. H. Morris, who brought her home first at Levin, Morris also rode the Arausjo— Huirau filly when sheb dead-heated with Lindrum at Masterton, so now on Saturday he will have the opportunity of performing the "hat-trick" on her, • • p Nelumbo appears back to £er "best form and may cause most trouble to the top-weigkt, for, when she is herself> she is a brilliant hack, though six furlongs would be more to her likinrr * # « Hunting Spy, although bred to go fast, being by Hunting Sofig from a Tea Tray mare, is only so-so and when she does eome home the opposition is generally of a weak class. * ^ * Fidelis, who was third on Saturday in the two-year-old race at Ellerslie, is

by Lord Quex from Catalini, thus a full-brother to the brilliant miler Catalogue and haif-brother to' Hunting Cat." Fidelis has every appearance of developing into at least a useful performer. • • • F. D. Jonea has already booked accommodation at Ellerslie for Cerne Abbas, Royal Chief and Protector for the A.R.C. summer meeting. The lastnamed, who was reported to have gone qff colour prior to the Wellington spting meeting, is ijow said to be himseil' again. The other two members of "Jonah's" team are also said to be "in the pink." * # • Another Riccarton team that has had arrangements made for ihe Auckland summer meeting includes Wild Chase, Paper Slipper and Treneh Fight, a trio of brilliant gallopers" that should take an active part in the more important handicap events. Another team from the Chokebore Lodge will do the Awapuni-Tauherenikau meetings over Christmas and the New Year. i * • • The Hastings bred Windward (Lord Quex — Polonaise) has been purchased by a West Coast (S.I.) owner and over the (summer meetings should do well on the coast circuit, more especially as very seldom are the tracks hard down there. * * * From Trentham comes word that Peerless is better than ever. The G.N. Foal Stakes is going to be some race.