RACING AND TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24406, 18 September 1940, Page 11

RACING AND TROTTING

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel FIXTURES September 19 21. Geraldine R.C September 21. Marten J.C September 23. Kurow J.C (at Oamaru) September 28 -Foxton R.C Septembei 28 30. Ohinemurl J.C October 3. 5 —Hawke's Bay J.C October 12 14.—Dunedin J.C. October 12. -Otaki Maori R.C. October 12 14.—Auckland R.C. The Kurow Meeting The handicaps for the Kurow Jockey Club's meeting are due on Monday next First Race The racing at Geraldine will start at noon each day. On the Turn The Geraldine track.is a good deal on the turn, and i\ smart, beginner has a decided advantage over the slower members of a (ield Dranoci Dranoei had a 71b allowance when ne ran second to Prudent Prince at Ashburton ai-d carried 7.8 • Ferrlby. who ran thtr'l curried 7 7 Halt Amongst those engaged at Geraldine is Halt, a four-year-old gelding by Nightmarch from Peho, by Winkie. Halt was unplaced in his race at the Grand Nar tional meeting. Big Business V Sydney bookmakers are up tor big money over the spring double, Epsom ana Metropolitan. Besides the £60,000 Read-ing-Beau Vite plunge, the two Beaulivres have been backed for £50,000, Beaulivre and Reading for £30,000. Beaulivre and Beau Vite for £30,000. and Beaulivre and Buzalong for £12,000. An Allowance A ypung apprentice in C. Mackie had the mount on Roy Bun at Ashburtori, and will probably claim a'7lb allowance in the Geraldine Cup. Roy Bun carried 7.0 at Ashburtoiv, .and with 7.7 in the Geraldine Cup will have 51b more than he won under in last year's race.- .- " Richelieu Pearl Amongst those engaged at Geraldine Is Richelieu Pearl, a five-year-old mare by Black Ronald from Vuelta, by Panmure. She \vas in four different stables last season, and in 23. starts scored 2 seconds and 3 thirds. This season she has put up three unplaced performances. Dunedin Spring Meeting In connection with the Dunedin Jockey Clnb's spring meeting, which will be held on Saturday and Monday, October 12 and 14, arrangements have been made for a special train from Invercargill on the Monday and a return train the same evening to Invercargill. The morning train will more or less conform to the time table of the usual Invercargill-Dun-edin express, and the evening train will leave Dunedin at 5.35 and Wingatui about 5.50. Horses competing at the meeting can be sent home by this train. Limelight Limelight has a rather remarkable record at tiie stud, as seven foals in the Stud Book are all fillies, and none were half as good as the dam. Limelight won the Members' Handicap twice, the Metropolitan Handicap, Great Autumn Handicap, Jockey Club Handicap, and ran several other good races, including a second in the Stewards' Handicap in lmln 10 2-ssec. Beau Leon '■':■•■ The Avondale Guineas winner. Beau Leon, was got by Beau Pere from the imported mare Lady Bede, by Adam Bede— Mareca, by Cherry Ripe—The Widgeon, by Uncas, whose son Ingomar sired many good Winners in this country. Adam Bede was got by Adam (son of Flying Fox) and won the DUke of York Stakes and the Cambridgeshire. Roy Bun Last season Roy Bun was started in 24 races, and his record reads seven wins, a second, and a third. He won the Geraldine Cup, : and after seven misses won twice at West Coast meetings, and followed by winning toe Nelson Cup with 7.9 in 2min 11 2-ssec. His next win was in the Marlborough Cup, with 8.11 in 2mtn 10 2-ssec, and he won again on the second day of the meeting with 9.6 over nine furlongs in Imin 54 4-ssec. He finished the season with two Unplaced performances at Timaru. He was unplaced in his only start, at toe. Grand National meeting., . Geraldine'Acceptances The declaration of acceptances for the Geraldine meeting has not resulted in any Serious shrinkage in the fields. In fact, the. reduction made in connection with toe Ohapi Hack Handicap is welcome, because it avoids the necessity for a division. Therniidor, Wagner (broken down), The Raker, and Lord Puck, are the only absentees from the Geraldine Cup, in which Dunstan is in the same ownership as The Raker. Nightcalm is toe only one to drop out of the Squatters' Handicap, and the minor events remain at a satisfactory strength. Combat

Combat won over a mile at toe Otago Hunt Club's meeting after leading all the way. Rosenor's stock has not been noted for stamina, except perhaps in the case of Osculate, and hence it will be interesting to note how Combat shapes over a mile and a-quarter in toe Geraldine Cup He is a "star-gazer," and they rarely stay, and when in front, with his head in the air, appears to be anxious and acting toe hare to the hounds in the rest of toe field. Combat appears to have improved in stamina and quietened down as a result of harness work and schooling over hurdles, and at Geraldine will at least probably prove responsible for pace-mak-ing. :\ Caution

It is rather interesting to note that R. McTavish was cautioned for not making more use of his mount in the Plunket Handicap, run at the Avondale meeting. The question arises as to whether a rider should rigidly adhere to instructions given by the trainer or owner, or use his own discretion if the instructions threaten to jeopardise a chance of success. On the one hand, he may be open to censure from those with mounts at their disposal, and, on the other, incur the displeasure of toe stewards for riding contrary to their judgment. Unknown Lot

Some of those engaged at the Geraldine meeting are amongst the unknown lot so far as public form indicates. Cessarina is a grey three-yearrold filly by Hoylake from Nightdew, by Night Raid —Lady Victoria: Camphor is a three-year-old filly by Iliad—Cymene, the dam of Cylinder. She has three unplaced starts. Foxette is a three-year-old filly by Foxbridge—Senorita, by Whirlwind—Serlta Thurnham. by Thurnham. She has three unplaced performances. Green Gables is a three-year-old filly by Vermeer—Ann Acre, by Acre—Lady Lois, by Lucullus She was unplaced at Ashburton. Platform is a three-year-old by Night Raid —Fairform. and was five times unplaced as a two-vear-old. Portadown is a three-vear-old 'grey by Portlaw—Doretta. by Foxlaw—Dora, by Pommern Premature Publication

The danger ,of premature publication of weights for the Geraldine meeting has not done any serious damage, but still sufficient to once more draw attention to the risk it creates. At Ashburton Leopardstown was second to Sir Frederick, and now meets Courtyard, Top Rank. Jewish Lad and Land Raid on 21b and Master Dingle on lib better term? for beating them. In the Ashburton Handicap Glenora Boy was second to Winning Rival, and in the Geraldine Cup meets the unplaced The Wrecker on 2 b better terms. The Geraldine Cup held is mostly comprised of different materia! to what figured in the principal event at Ashburton, and so the situation is saved to a certain extent. Similar unsatisfactory figures occur in other race? but there is no desire to labour the point which must suggest that such an undesirable state of affairs should not be allowed. Programmes carrying a premature publication of handicaps should not he sanctioned by the authorities on the ground that it Is detrimental lo the interests of racing. Limelight's Daughters The news that Romarin, who is on a visit to Broiefort at the Grange Stud. Wanganui, has foaled a colt to the Frenchbred Lang Bian, draws attention to the presence of four daughters of the one mare at this stud. The occasion can be described as unusual, says an exchange, even if it is not unique, for it is seldom that four brood mares from the same dam are found visiting another stud than that at which they have been bred. Limelight was bred in 1918 by Mr C. G. Dalgety, and was by Solferino from Stardancer. by Martian from Stepdancer, bv Stepniak from Pibroch, bv Lochiel. Four of her daughters—Glow Light (by Silverado), Joyous (by Chief Ruler), Giselle (by Robespierre) and Romarin (by Robespierre)—are to be mated with Grange Stud sires. Giselle is in foal to Broiefort, and visits Phaleron Bay; Jovous is in foal to Broiefort and revisits the Blaridford horse, who will also cover Romarin. All four mares were bred by Messrs J. W. and L. W. Storry. of Christchurch, and all but Giselle are still owned b.v them.

, TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel FIXTURES September 21.—Wellington T.C. October 5. Methven T.C Octobei 3.—Thames T.C Octobei 12.—New Brighton i.C. October 26, 28.—Greymoutb T.C. Octobei 28—Oamaru T.C. Octobei 26. 28 or Octobei 20 30.—Auckland T.C. November 2.—Wellington T.C. November 2.—lnvercargill T.C. November 12. 14 15 —New Zealand Metropolitan T.C. November 28 30. Forbury Hark T.C. November 30 December 7.—Waikato T.C Heroic Prince According to reports the Australian pacer Heroic Prince is shaping well in his work. The Trotting Cup It will cost £22 in fees to land a horse at the post for the Trotting Cup Ferry Post Ferry Post has been penalised 12yds for the Sir Thomas Wilford Memorial Handicap at the Wellington meeting, and will start from 60yds behind. Cruiser It is reported that the Man o' War gelding Cruiser has joined F. Holmes's stable. Last season Cruiser started in 25 races without scoring a win, but gathered £430 in place monev Bred to Win It is reported that a two-year-old fllly by Jack Potts from Lady Rey, a mare by Hey de Oro from Lady Pointer, has been purchased by a patron of R. B. Berry's stable from her breeder, Mr B Grice. The filly has been in work for some time and she is regarded as being well above the average, having already displayed considerable'speed. She has plenty of quality and is well developed, while she is also very forward in condition for one of her age. Lady Rey was foaled in 1925, but none of her progeny has yet shown great ability. However, she has breeding to recommend her as a matron, her dam. Lady Pointer, being by Logan Pointer from Lady Derby, by Rothschild from Norice

Old Stagers Roi I'Or, one of the trotting idols of the racing public in Canterbury a few years ago, is at present in the North Canterbury district, and in a good home is being given sufficient exercise to keep him in healthy condition. Occasionally used as a shepherd's hack, Roi l'Or is also the children's favourite mount when odd jobs are to be done The old favourite. looks fit and well, and his legs show no sign of the hard racing he has gone through. Another public favourite in Harold Logan is still the pet of Mr E. F. C. Hinds and Miss Hinds at New Brighton, and for his age he is one of the best preserved pacers in the Dominion. Harold Logan won a big number of races and is the only horse to carry a garland of flowers, given by an admiring public. Still another champion of bygone years in Logan Chief carries out menial duties on an Otago farm in making the daily trip of three miles for the mail. The three champions mentioned have well earned the easy life they are now enjoying, and it is a tribute to their owners, who have appreciated the good services given. RICCARTON NOTES SPRING PROSPECTS (Special to Daily Times) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 17. Mr D. McFarlane was missing from the Ashburton meeting, where he had Retrogression and Night Hawk racing on Saturday. He has been laid up for more than a week, seriously ill, and though he is on the i mend he is very weak yet, so that some time will elapse before he is about again. ■ ■■,-.■ Royal Chief ran a good race in the Spring Handicap at Ashburton, as he was in the picture all the way. F. D. Jones wps well pleased with his performance, but realising that he needs more racing, it is probable he will nominate his crack for the second day of the Dunedln meeting, after which he will go to Trentham. . H. and A. Cutts expect to have four of older horses racing at the Dunedin meeting. Shikari, who is not wound up yet, should be improved by his race at Ashburton, but it has to be seen if he will stay this season. Pleading, when second to Royal Lancer at Ashburton, beat all the others easily. He has plenty of speed, but I doubt if he will ever be a really ■ good horse, though he should win races. Winning Rival, who won at Ashburton, will be the third of the team for Wlngatui. ' She should go on to more successes, but she does - not appeal as a mare of class. Wild Fox, a three-year-old half-sister to Wild Chase, will also make the trip for her first race this season. She has been galloping well lately, and she shapes like-being useful. So far there has been no decision about sending a two-year-old with the four older horses, but something- may be known in a few days. ' . , '•'-■.'. The weather was fine at Riccarton this morning after a sharp frost. The outside of: the trial grass track was at its best early, but became holding after a thaw set in. Horses engaged at the Geraldine meeting provided all the interest, but there was not much serious galloping. ' Only five trainers were out early, and' few of their horses were given serious tasks. Iceland Spar had Royal,Chief as a mate over seven furlongs in lmiri.. 33sec. but the track was faster then than later. After breakfast, Kilrobe, under a pull, beat Ferriby easily over seven furlongs In Imin 35sec.

Grey Silk did similar time alone. Blue Abbey ran five furlongs in lmln 7sec, the last four in 53sec. Halt and Rora Hiko took Imin Bsec, and Richelieu Pearl and Lady Magellan Imin 8 2-ssec. Roy Bun was going comfortably with Skyrena in Imin 8 3-ssec, while All Night was not hurried to finish alongside Captain Bruce in Imin 9sec. Recollection, Nightdress, and Courtyard did strong work over a mile, finishing the last half in 55sec. Donadea and Waka Jumped two hurdles together but shaped just fairly well. Donadea went on over four more alone, the last three being done attractively. Although not an acceptor for the first day, it is probable that Leopardstown will be seen in the hurdle race at Orari onSaturday.

R. E. McLELLAN'S TEAM

BOOKED FOR WINGATUI MEETING

(Special to Daily Times) INVERCARGILL, Sept. 17

Only the No. 2 grass track was open at Invercarglll this morning, and there was no fast work done, the majority of the horses, including Sparkle, Heidelberg, and Doubleack, being restricted to strong pace work. The weather was fine, but the going was lifting after somp rieavv showers overnight. R. E. McLellan intends to race Doubleack, Sailing Lady, Sir Denis, and Ackemma at the Dunedin Jockey Club's spring meeting. Ackemma is a four-year-old mare by Irish Lancer from Morse Signal, the dam of Doubleack and Waitoru. She had six races last season and won an open seven hack race at the Riverton meeting on the occasion of her final appearance. She has a good turn of speed, and her present appearance suggests that she will not be long returning to the winning, list. There was a little fast work done at Riverton, where trainers had the use of the course proper 35 feet out from the rails. A fairly strong nor'-wester was blowing and the going was on the dead side. ~ Peonv Rose Jumped away from the mile and a distance under a good hold and ran the last four furlongs in 55sec, the last three in 40. She was doing her work well all the way. Rodeur began smartly from the seven, and. after being picked up by Irish Ruler at the half, ran the full distance in Imin 38sec, the last six in Imin 23sec, and the four in ,57sec. Irish Ruler was doing it much the better crossing the line, and it should not be long before he breaks his maiden status. Gold Flight took 59Jsec to run four furlongs, the last three In 44sec, but she was keen to go faster. Dark Flight was under a good hold when running four furlongs in 58sec. the last three in 42. Other horses to do useful work were Gay Flight, Desert Maid. Gold Sequin. Ballyaggan, Sing Sing (SalmagundiShelter), and the Mans Pal—Set Sail The former successful jumping rider, Vincent Langford, has registered his colours and may later blossom forth as an owner. He is. breeding from Bandy Boa who has produced a Straightcourse filly and is in foal to Silver Choir. Bandy Boa was got by Balboa from a Rose Noble MrW.E. Hazlett reports that his brood mare Fairform is in foal to Sir Simper. Fairform Is 21 years old, and she is carrying herself remarkably well for her age. She Is the dam of good winners in Some Form, Charmaine, Tauramai, and Passaform.

BASIS OF STAMINA NOT A QUESTION OF SIZE At this time of the year, as we have just crossed the threshold into a new racing season and some of the principal events—such as the New Zealand Cup and the Melbourne Cup—daily become closer to the horizon of the racing world, stamina becomes the most important word we know. Success in such races is due to stamina, although on very rare occasions a false-run race may result in a comparative non-stayer beating a true stayer for speed in the run home Stamina is dependent on breeding, conformation and muscular force developed by careful training, learnt in the right school. A horse cannot be trained by waving a magician's wand over him and he requires something more than feeding, watering and exercise. It has been very truly said that anyone can train a horse until it really requires training. Knowledge of equine anatomy is essential to success as a trainer. Leading Authority's Views No one has dealt with the speed and stamina of the racehorse more exhaustively or more interestingly than the late Dr W. J Stewart McKay, and his research and the results achieved make, him not only the leading authority in Australia, but also in the whole world. He was a horse lover, and the extent of his research can be gathered by reading " The Evolution of the Endurance, Speed and Staying Power of the Racehorse," published by him in 1933. Dr McKay delved very deeply into the history of the world The original horse was about the size of the fox, and now we have him as one of the most perfect animals on earth, full of beauty of conformation and courage. . Definition of True Stayer Dr McKay defined a true stayer *as a horse who can run two miles, either in a handicap carrying weight-for-age or in a weight-for-age race, and be able to run the distance in 3mln 25sec or less." One is tempted to quote Dr McKay at length, but space will not permit, and . the result of his research can be fined down by the lay mind to the fact that speed and stamina are derived from the heart and lungs as pumps and muscular force set into energy by the brain the vital spark. - ■ Other students ot equine anatomy nave travelled over the same ground, but so far as the writer knows not so exhaustively from a racing point of view. Veterinary books, of course, have covered the anatomy of the racehorse, but not so exclusively or extensively as ur McKay has. He sets up Phar Lap as his equine idol, and claims that the best horses of recent years are faster and better stayers than those of a quarter or half a century ago. With all due respect to Dr McKay's opinions, he does not grant sufficient value to the totally aitferent conditions under which races are run to-day and the general methods adopted in the pre-Sloan days, or to the vast improvement in tracks. For instance, Caulfield has improved out of all knowledge in the last quarter of a century, and the hammering of thousands of horses on Flemington and Randwick has certainly assisted the development ot speed on them. A Really Great Horse

Phar Lap unquestionably proved nimself a really great horse. He, in common with Carbine and other really great.horses, was a racing freak. In his justifiable laudation of Phar Lap, Dr McKay, strange to say, seems to miss entirely one 01 what might be termed the greatest assets in the Night Raid gelding's conformation. He, however, is not alone In that respect, and no other authority can be recalled who referred to the same part of a horse's anatomy. In his description of Phar Lap, Dr McKay said: "His neck was not long; if anything, it was a little short." Before going further, the wntei would like to refer to the fact that Phar Lap has a brother in Nightguard, a particularly fine type of horse of the big, handsome sort, rather longer in the neck than his famous brother, but he went in the wind, as big horses are apt to, do. In referring to Phar Laps neck, after dealing exhaustively with the heart and lungs and the absolutely dominating part they play, he failed to note that Phar Lap's short neck placed less strain on his heart and lung motive poweror eouine engine than what would have been the case if he had had what is generally termed "a fine long neck or rein." In a further reference to Phar Lab it is said: "His neck is a little disappoint ng! a* it lacks character, and there was no sign of any crest." In other words, Phar Lap's neck was one of the lean and light type. . . A Notable Omission ! The omission is most notable because a long neck requires more pumplng-power for respiration and expiraton . han >■* shorted one. A long loaded neck is a Wg tax on a horse, and hence the reason why Old-time trairiers reduced thenv by. sweating. The neck of a horse tires. first, and that is why English riders sit hi balance, but in Australia and New Zealand some lie down on the _ neck of a mount. Amythas was a short-necked horse, and one of the best ever seen Pictures of Carbine suggest that his neck did not run to length. Carbine is depicted in Dr McKay's book from, a painting by Martin Stainforth, and as he was, a great artist and student of anatomy the famous son of Musket would be correct in proportion to the artist's measurements Phar Lap, by the way, was a gelding, and so was the phenomenal Gloaming, and hence their necks were much lighter than they would have been if they had been kept as stallions. Strain on Reserve Powers

Dr McKay refers to the conformation of a stayer as follows:—" It has been drilled into us for years that stayers should not be big or heavy animals, and that is correct as a rule because the heavier the animal the greater the strain on the heart and its reserve powers. Some of the greatest stayers ever known were big horses, and so it was with Phar Lap, who was 17 hands or more as a five-year-old. He grew from 16.2 J hands as a four-year-old." Dr McKay does not lay any great stress on the question of size when it comes to stamina Stayers Less Plentiful

Leaving Dr McKay and his very interesting and instructive book, a general view of the question of stamina may be taken. It is a very general opinion thai stayers are not nearly so plentiful.as they we're a-quarter of a century or more ago On the one hand, many- authorities claim that the horse or to-day is a better horse than those on the turf not so very many vears ago. It seems a bit of a paradox.to say on the one hand that horses have improved and on the other that they have deteriorated. The snapshots of finishes of the Melbourne Cup, Sydney Cup, New Zealand Cup. and Auckland Cup suggest that about half of each field went to the post without a winning chance. A logical deduction, then, seems to be that if horses have improved, then training must have deteriorated. It is unquestionably a fact that the methods of training a horse to stay have altered very materially. The present-day trainers and scribes sav that horses don't require this or that in the way of training, but result? say that something Is wrong. What is it? In recent times horses have been sent out to run a journey of a mile and a-quarter or : a mile and a-half and have been so loaded in condition that they could not carry themselves over the ground, apart from the load on their backs. We 'might have more stayers if trainers modernised old methods, but not bv going from one extreme to the other. The " old school " were apparently severe to those who did not understand their methods, but they never attempted to train a cup horse on a short preparation, and the rotation of work was not dominated by the watch or fast gallops three times a week, but more on the tactics adopted bv King Bruce's spider—a long and steady process that finallv carried him to a successful finish