ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 17 January 1931, Page 8

ON THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES January 17 —Bay of Islands Iv.C January 20, 22—Wairoa R.C, January 20, 22, 24—Wellington R.C. January 22—Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. January 24—Wairio J.C. January 24—Waipapakauri R..C. January 28, 29—Pahiatua R.C. January 29, 31 —Takapuna J.C. TROTTING FIXTURES January 17—Wellington T.C. Gold Cup. January 29. 31—Fortuny Park T.G. February 7—N.Z Metropolitan T.C. February 21—Kaikoura T.C. February 21, 25—Otaliuliu T.C. February 26, 28—New Brighton T.C. March 4, s—lnvercargill T.C.

The chief event at the Wellington Racing Club’s Summer Meeting, commencing on Tuesday next, is the Wellington Cup, run over a mile and a half. The Riccarton pair, Gay Crest and Nightmarch, are popular fancies, while the three-year-old Cylinder is a much-discussed candidate. First Acre and In the Shade may also .run prominently. The big sprint, the Telegraph Handicap. is a hard race to win. On form Bayacre and Hunting Cry are favourites. Their form at Ellerslie was outstanding. Tenterden and Hunting Day are two speedy ones among the lightweights. The Wellington Stakes will see the crack three-year-old Karapoti meet the best of the two-year-olds. Not many will go past Ammon Ra, Karapoti, and La Poupee. The lightweight handicap run over a mile should suit Aberfeldy and Rosshire. The Apprentices’ Plate is usually a hard one to pick before the riders are known. Tobaccoland, Rothen and Arisus should take prominent parts in the race. There is no two-year-old outstanding in tl.e Fitzherbert Handicap. Solvent, Hampden and Royal Artist may do best. On Ellerslie form Love Song looks good for the Anniversary Handicap. Habit and Full Feather are also in form. The thirty acceptors in the Ruapehu Handicap make a hard proposition for hackers. With favourable, positions at the barrier True Shaft, Playground and Chief Joy should run well.

Ihe next public appearance of Lady Quex may he in the Taranaki Stakes, to be contested at New Plymouth in February, During the holidays she started only twice, and in those two efforts won the, Palmerston North Stakes at Awaiwmi and the Newmarket Handicap at Ellerslie, Lady Quex is in wonderful order after her recent racing, and is undoubtedv right tho top of her form, says an exchange. If she is not overburdened, her owner intends to start her at Hawera in tho open sprint. She will then contest the Taranaki and Jackson Stakes, n. Gray will again have the mount in each of her engagements. Just as many horses started in the Telegraph Handicap last year as there are nominations for this year’s race. Meadow Lark won last year with 8.8 and has the same weight to carry next week. H. Nurse is devoting a good deal of attention to the two-year-old filly Knocklong, by Hunting Song from Knocklynn. She showed a lot of speed in the spring and she is again bowling along attractively now, after a spell. It is probable that she will have her first race nt the Dunedin meeting next month. T. Lloyd has recommissioned the two-year-old The Quorn, by Hunting Song from Flagship. He did some work during the winter, along with Boyal Baby, but then was given a spell, as he was growing fast. He is a big, heavy topped horse, who may prove difficult to train, hut if he goes on all right lie may be very good. He is a half-broth-er to Nancy Lee, a good North Island performer. During the recently-concluded West Coast circuit three racing and three trotting clubs held meetings, and the following is a comparison, in totalisator investments with those of tho corresponding fixtures 12 months ago;—

The decrease for the carnival was thus £11,530. The crack New Zealand two-year-old, Ammon Ra, claims engagements in the Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Champagne Stakes, to be run at Randwick in the autumn. Both these races are richly endowed, the former with £SOOO added money, and the latter with £3OOO. The Westland Racing Club’s recent meeting showed over £253 profit for the two days. The' Government collected £axes to the amount of £1337. After winning under crushing burdens on the West Coast of the South Island, Black Duke does not look badly treated with a stone above the minimum in the Anniversary Handicap at the Wellington meeting, despite the difference in class. Black Duke runs a good mile, and a high scale of weight suits him better than a low scale. One of the easiest winners at Timaru was King Oscar, who won pulling up at the finish of the Waimate Handicap. He was got by Rodgewood, a son of Harold Dillon and Sal Tasker, by Rothschild. Sal Tasker took a 2.20 mark as a two-year-old, and went 2.12 atAddington in a private spin before the track was improved and enlarged to its present circuit.

Red Shadow’s defeat in the Pareora Handicap (says “Orion”) came as a great surprise. The Great Northern Derby winner looked well, but in the early stages he did not seem able to go at all, while he was boring in on the rails. After going about halt the distance Bryce sent the favourite along, but he did not seem to be pacing at all freely, although lie raced into second place three furlongs from home. At this point Nor’-wester was about eight lengths away, and Red Shadow failed by a length to catch him at the finish. If Red Shadow could have gone faster in the earlier stages, Bryce committed an error of judgment, as the three-year-old

NOTES AND COMMENTS

ON GALLOPS AND TROTTING

was set a hard task over the last half mile. AN ALTERATION APPROVED NELSON JOCKEY CLUB’S MEETING BLENHEIM OWNER FINED (By Telegraph—Special to "The Mail”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. At a meeting of the district committee of the Greymouth Jockey Club Mr J. J. Corry (Blenheim) was fined £5 for not notifying the secretary of the Reefton Jockey Club that lie held an interest in two horses, Our Rose and Landmark competing in one race and not bracketed on the totalisator. The secretary of the Nelson Jockey Club wrote stating that the Nelson Trotting Club had applied for permission to hold one of its permits on Friday, Ist May. The Nelson Jockey Club had agreed to ask permission to alter its dates from Friday and Saturday, Ist and 2nd May to Thursday and Saturday, 30th April and 2nd May. The letter further stated that as the Marlborough Racing and Trotting Clubs’ meetings followed on the corresponding days of the next week it would make a six days’ circuit for owners. Permission was requested for the alteration which was recommended and approved.

1929. 1930 £ £ Westport Trots 17,447 19,482* Westland RC. 12,410* 13,110 1930. 1931 £ £ Reefton Trots 6,445t,Greymouth J.C. 23,555 17,80.2!Westland Trots 7,753^4,363i Reefton J.C. 20,061 14,182 Totals £86,916 * 1928. £75,386