IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 4030, 9 June 1931, Page 49

IN A NUTSHELL.

Aspiring showed dash last week, but it proved of brief duration. Nominations for the Grand National meeting fall due on June 28. _ Nominations for classic events close on Friday of this week. High Court cut one of his legs when he fell on the first day at Wingatui. Acceptances for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting are due on Monday next, the 15th inst. Ball Dress appeared to be anchored at Wingatui last week by weight and heavy going. Ballance appeared to be unluckj- that he did not get amongst the money on the final day at Wingatui.

Greenaway shaped well in her races last week, but not sufficiently so to score a win.

Royal Saxon was one of the most disappointing horses saddled at Wingatui last week. ”

Squatter appeared to train off during the Wingatui meeting, and was not pro" duced on the last day. Deportment - was brought down to VV ingatui last week, but owing to slmuldev lameness he did not start at the meeting.

The totalisator investments at the Dunedin winter meeting amounted to £41,788 or £19.139 less than last year’s figures. Starshooter could not act in the going at Wingatui last week, and did not appear after running in the Birthday Handicap.

Nominations for the M'Lean Stakes. Champagne Stakes, and Dunedin Guineas close on Friday of this week.

Old Tuki jumped well last week, but could not pace it with his opponents. The same remark-applies to Fabriano. Palermo scored comfortably when he won the Tradesmen’s Handicap, but bad to be kept busy to stall off Master Anomaly in the Wairongoa Handicap.

Waving Corn tailed off in the Tradesmen’s Handicap, but she ran two good solid races when produced on the final day of the meeting. Balboa was well represented at Wingatui last week by Mount Boa. Red Boa. The Smuggler, Snowfall. West Dome, Mem bo Ballance, Spanish Maid, and Tunamoe.

The totalisator investments at the four meetings held at Wingatui this season amount to £124,510 or £83.709 10s ic a s than during the previous season. Town Major only made one appearance at Wingatui last week, and tailed the field in the Birthday Handicap -from start to finish.

Ranelagh and Waving Corn were the two principal offenders at the barrier last week, and they got well away on each occasion they went to the post. Punchestown was got by Thurnham from Divinia, by Sylvia Park—Mongonui, by Carbine—Moonga, by Goldsborougli. Divinia is also the dam of Charlatan.

Under the Rules of Racing it is no«v permissible to use colours made with flannel. They would have been appreciated by the riders at "Wingatui last week.

Topere did not seem able to raise a gallop when sent out for the Farewell Handicap. Apparently he had not recovered from the effects of his fall on the first day. The Smuggler and Spanish Maid arc closely related. They were both got by Balboa. The Smuggler is out of Miss Fleetham, who was got by Fleetham from Miss Signal, the dam of Spanish Maid.

Winsome Hind, who won a double at Wingatui last week, was got by The Ace from Wild Hind, by Autumnus from Kirriemuir, the dam of Royal Stag and Moorfowl.

Salmo Salar is not the first Birthday Handicap winner saddled by J. Ruttledge. He trained Canteen when the grey won in 1902. and he also at one time trained Gapon, who won in 1913.

Aladdin is a well-bred gelding, as he was got by Hunting Song from Etoile d’Or, by Polydamon—Perle d’Or, by Multiform from Aura, the dam of Auraria and Aurum. >•

In Sydney and Newcastle, for the three months ending April 30, there were 651 convictions for breaches of the Gaming and Betting Act, the fines totalling £5lBB, and forfeitures £144.

Radiac ran two good races at Wingatui, but did not act with his usual dash when racing on the final day. He, however, was unlucky to come down through being tripped up by a fallen horse. Ranelagh had every chance in his races at Wingatui, and got beaten on his merits as far as they went last week. He is up in the weights, and there is nothing like weight to stop them. Salmo Salar was bred by Mr E. C. Govan, who also has a half-sister by Solferino and a rising two-year-old filly by Woodend. The Woodend filly is said to be an attractive looking sort.

Salmo Salar’s win in the King George Handicap did not come in the nature of a surprise, but it was surprising to find such a well-handicapped horse starting fourth favourite.

Rascal became a popular fancy for his races at Wingatui after running second to Palermo in the Tradesmen’s Handicap. On that occasion he had only 7.3 to carry, but he had to take 8.7 and 8.13 in subsequent races.

Tea Urn, the winner of the St. Clair Handicap, cost 650gns as a yearling, but injured a pastern and was afterwards sold at loOgns to J• Ross, who now trains him. He is a brother to a good filly in Ti-tree.

Gay Fashion severed'a tendon when she ran on the first day at Wingatui, and in consequence may not be able to race again. She is a well-bred mare, and holds value as a stud proposition that provides some compensation for her owner.

•I, P? lne * s a plain-looking customer with a hog ” mane, but he is a Stud Jjook. horse and can muster up a good turn of speed. On the first day- at Wingatui too much use was made of him, but when more patiently handled he scored a win.

The American breeder, Col. E. R. Bradley of the Idle Hour Stud has a nomenclature fad. The names of all the horses he owns commence with “ B.” This season he has 33 two-year-olds, and “ one of Bradley's” will be the natural inference in nearly every case where the initial letter is “ B.”

Salmo Salar, the winner of the Birthday Handicap and King George Handicap, was got by Solferino from Te Anau Maid, by Bczoman—Sister Francis, by Seaton Delaval—Agatha, by Nelson—Sister A—ncs, by Rosicrucian. Te Anau Maid also produced Te Anau Lad. who was a »-ood horse, but failed to stand training.”

A long delay at the post in weather such as existed at Wingatui last week tells greatly against the best behaved horses -in a field. They get cold through being kept standing flatfoot whilst others are playing up and declining to face the barrier. The result is that the wellbehaved horse does not get going so well as tne fractious ones continually limberin'’ up for battle.

le members of the press gallery at V\ mgatui were invited on Saturday to give evidence in connection with the mishap to Topere on the first day of the meeting, but none of the scribes"accepted the invitation. It is not generally known that the stewards have power to call evidence from any person-whom they deem likely to possess knowledge bearing on any ease under their jurisdiction.

The two-year-ol<l filly Fedora, by Chief Ruler from Minsk, thus a half-sister to Carinthia, has been sold by Mr Colin W. Anderson to an Australian buyer, and she will be taken to her new home in the near future. Fedora was a winner during the season, and showed herself to be verysmart over short courses, and was staying better in her later outings in the autumn. She should not be hard to place at Sydney meetings.

The crack American miler Sun Be u failed in the Agua Caliente £20,000 Handicap, for which he was a hot favourite, but less than a month later he won the Philadelphia Handicap, carrying £lBOO first money, at Havre de Grace (Maryland). Sun Beau, who was hot favourite despite his 9.3 went to the front half a mile from home and won easily in 1.44 4-5 for eight and a-half furlongs. His success took him into third place in America’s list of greatest stake-winners.

If present arangements are adhered to Chide will return to Sydney within the next few days to start training for the spring (says the Sydney Referee). His holiday has agreed with him, and as this time his preparation will not be hurried, failure win mean that he is not quite as good as New Zealanders supposed after his Christchurch wins. Because of his pluck in giving such a high price for the chestnut, deserves to pick up some valuable races with him.

When Carbine was purchased for England someone with a gift of vision (says “ Fernhill ”) remarked that Australia would feel his loss more as the years went on. It was sound prophesy. What an asset Carbine would have been to the stud had he remained here? Fortunately an effort was made to repair the damage by re-importing the blood. In this way we have benefited to a great extent, but it will always be regretted that our breeders did not invest more freely in the same line w-hen they had the opportunity New Zealand trainers frequenting Sydney courses in past years will regret to hear of the death, aged 72, of Mr John B. Molloy, the well known farrier. The late Mr Molloy was a link with many of the old-time champions. His death, says a Sydney writer, recalls two great battles at Randwick, between Carbine and Marvel, when Carbine, ridden by Bob Rammage, was beaten by Marvel, ridden by Matt Harris, in the mile weight-for-age race, tut later in the day proved victorious in the two-mile race.

The Calcutta Derby sweep, which closed on .May 23, is expected to amount to £600,000, compared with more than £750,000 last year, the decrease being due to the increased popularity of the Irish and the British sweeps, and the confusion and delay caused last year by the refusal of the Turf Club to publish officially the numbers drawn. Extraordinary precautions were taken to ensure the secrecy of the draw, which took place last Saturday. The Turf Club was to be surrounded by police and detectives, and onlv members of the club admitted. All were placed on their honour not to divu’ge the result. There were 40 runners for the Beckhampton Plate, 5 furlongs, at Newburv, 3 land, on April 10, and backers showed good judgment that the two most fancied horses ran first and second, though in the reverse order to which they were fancied. Speculation was favorite at 5 to 2, with Wellington next at 7 to 2, and the latter won by ten lengths from Speculation, who beat Flechier by three lengths. The race was over a straight 5 furlongs, which was one reason why backers were content to take a short price in such a large field.

Since the Auckland Steeplechase was first contested in 1885, there have been 46 races, and on 12 occasions the favourite has succeeded. Silvio (1887) was the first so to win, and Liberator (1895), Muscatel (1898), Dummy (1899), Moifaa (1901), Kiatere . (1905), Sol (1906), Capitol (1909), Hautere (1912). El Gallo (1915;-, Lochella (1920), and Sir Rosebery (1925) have subsequently folowed his lead Thirteen times the favourite has faliau. and once a favourite baulked. Ten others have been second, and three third. Last year the favourite (Roman Abbey) fell, and was killed;

F. Tilley has only a small team at Fordell at present compared with the number he has frequently had under his charge, but by the time the new season’s activities are commenced he will have several additions. For Mr Russell Grace he has High Falutin’ and View Halloo, while for Mr W. M‘A. Duncan he is training Furlong and Farmer. The last-named is a rising two-year-old gelding by Pombal out of the English mare Jewel of Asia. He was bred by Mr G. M. Currie at Koatanui, and was purchased at 175 guineas at the last Trentham sales. Mount Boa does not figure in the Stud Book, but nevertheless he is a well-bred gelding, entitled to be included in its records. He was got by Balboa from Ell-.Sorella, by Cannie Chiel—Grand Duchess, by Gipsy by Viscount (son of Sir Garnet) from loi, by .Diomedes from Toi Toi. The line traces back to the late Mr H. Redwood’s stud with a Flora MTvor taproot. Toi Toi was a most prolific mare, as she produced each year (except 1875). from 1870 to 1879. She missed in 1880. and then produced six foals in three years. The South African correspondent of the Horse and Hound, London, in referring to the fact that the Johnannesburg T.C. had to reduce the value of its principal handicaps at the Easter meeting, said that the Government was still scoring heavily from racing. At the annual meeting of ' members of the Johannesburg T.C. the chairman remarked that though the profit on the year was only £536 the club had to hand over £14.432 to the Government as taxation. Further, this sum did not include the five per cent, betting tax collected by the books for the benefit of the Government authorities. At a meeting of the Kentucky State Racing Commission last month the following rule was passed:—“lf any horse or horses should be disqualified for being underweight, the money bet on the horse or horses so disqualified shall be deducted from the pool and refunded to the purchaser or purchasers of tickets on the horse or horses so disqualified.” In Kentucky, racecourse betting is restricted to the tote, and the idea that backers should not lose their stake through the carelessness of a trainer in saddling up, or a jockey’s bad luck in losing some, lead in running, is sound.

Night Raid, sire of Phar Lap and Nightmarch, is still at the head of the winning sires’ list in Australia for the current season, the details compiled by the Australian Turf Register showing that up to the end of April' four of his progeny had won 20 races worth £27,229. Phar Lap, is, 'of course, the principal contributor. Imported Magpie is also having another successful season. He is second with 45 winners of 711 '"races worth £21,917. Spearhead follows with 19 winners of 32 J races for £16.689. The success of the progeny of imported Liniond in important races also is revealed by his forward position. He has had five winners of 13 races, yet he is credited with £16,542, and is ahead of Rossendale, whose 31 winners won 54A races for the aggregate of £16.467. Treclare and Seremond are the other sires whose progeny have won more than a fivefigure amount this season. The Trentham trainer, E. J. Murtagh, who has been located at Wellington headquarters for about two years, is shifting to Marton. His original patron, Mr J. J. M’Grath, did not go beyond a preliminary canter on the turf with First Money and Arikinui. and later with Mr C. Boyle supervising his own training under H. Bennett at Levin. Mr Murtagh has lost Rational 11. Rasouli. and Saltspray. He won the Douro Cup with Rational 11. and Rasouli won last August at the Grand National meeting, but the Australian trip last spring was unprofitable, and the horses had to be spelled. With Habit also spelling, Murtagh has had only Arikinui in work recently. By shifting to Marton Murtagh will be nearer the home quarters of his main patron. Air If. M'Manaway. who. in addition to Habit, has one or two youngsters to go into work shortly. Murtagh also lias the promise of one or two others horses.

Charmaine was fancied for both the Birthday Handicap and King George Handicap, but she does not stay too well. She made a bold bid in the Birthday Handicap, but there was no pace on in the early stages, and this enabled her to get close up at the finish. She ran a good race over a mile in the Provincial Handicap, but faded right out of it in the King George Handicap at the.business end of- the trip. On this occasion she read badly handicapped in being asked to give Salmo Salar 91b. after he had beaten her at a difference of 21b in the Birthday Handicap.

One of the very few English classic winners to reach Australia was Night Hawk (by Galhnule), who scored in the St. Leger at Doncaster. Night Hawk has been kept in mind in the last few months V rnh, l 1 n” ) ’m by TT th « victories of tnc Tea Tray filly Te Huon. whose dam, Huette, was got by him. There i s a lot of good old colonial blood in Te Huon. for she goes back to famous Cocoanut (by Nutbourne), dam of Navigator, Trident. Copra, and Kernel. Huette’s dam, Baremy, was by Dalmcny (son of Foxhall) from Barmaid, by Sweet William son of Yattendon) from Petal by Goldsbrough from Kernel. Copra, whose name is mentioned here, because the dam of. Carmoola, Coil, Cocos, and Cobbity, all high-class three-year-olds. At the dispersal of Colonel Phil. T. tto? 6 Himyar Stud, at Lexington, C.S.A., this month the stallions to be offered included High Time. It was anticipated he would bring £20,000. At on e time so little was thought of High lune that when he was offered to a V i rgiman breeder at a low price the latter replied he wouldn’t give the horse a stall if his owner paid the rent. High Time won only one race, and in 1920 he

was retired, when he was four years old. In his first year at the stud his services were free, and even on those terms his list did not fill. Owners of mares reckoned he was too inbred to Domino, whose name appears three times close up in his Later Colonel Chinn acquired a half-interest in High Time, who then got his stud chances. Up to the end of last year his stock had won 605 races and a little over £219,600.

. The great importance of having training tracks and race tracks in as nearly perfect order as possible, with a good level surface, devoid of any semblance of a hole, does not appear to be fullv realised The whole weight of a ’horse, ana that of the rider, at one moment in

his stride rests on one leg and 'is thrown on the ligaments and tendons. Should that leg ! find a small hole or strike the edge of one it may mean a complete breakdown. A perfectly sound horse may go out to gallop or race and come back useless as a racing proposition, because a foot may have landed in an unlucky spot. An inch deep hole is sufficient to ruin a horse, and hence it is a mistake to roll a track that has been raced or galloped on without previously filling the hoof holes. The roller flattens the ground, but does not fill up the holes, which are thus left to become a source of danger to a horse. Judged on their racing form and achievements (in open company, as well as against each other) the best English mares (says the Sydney Referee) were Sceptre,

La Fleche, Pretty Polly, Achievement, Blink Bonny, Formosa, Apology, Seabreeze, Memoir, Wheel of Fortune, Crucifix, Hannah, Jannette, Brigantine, ajid in more recent years, Fifinella, Tagalie. Straitlace, Tiffin (unbeaten), Chelandry, Keysoe, Tranquil, Book Law, and Bongrace (a good stayer). La Fletche, 74 r H a ntine. an (l. Apology won the Ascot I Gold Cup, 24 miles. La Fleche was beaten I in the Derby by Sir Hugo, but she heat him in the Leger. She was the last mare to win the' Ascot Cup. in 1894. r ormosa and Sceptre were the only mares to win the Two Thousand Guineas, the One Thousand Guineas, the Oaks, and the Leger. The One Thousand Guineas, Oaks, and St. Leger were won by Formosa, Hannah, Apology, La Fleche,

Sceptre, and Pretty Polly. Though she C i , Wln any the classics, one of the best stayers among the mares of England was Beeswing (illustrious as the dam of Newminster). She won. the Chester Cup (2i miles) and the Doncaster Cup. (2J miles) on four occasions. ioio was n ’ ne years old when she won in 1842.

Probably the greatest favourite to be defeated in the Kentucky Derby was Himyar, a great racehorse, and said to be the fastest horse in the Western country. According to a story told, by the late Colonel W. O. Scully (writes C. E. Brossman, in the Lexington Thoroughbred Record), Himayar’s coloured trainer thought the horse * could outrun sound. This is the story: The trainer brought

Himyar on the track very early in the morning, before it was light and the poles were indistinct, to work him a quarter of a mile as fast as he could go. I o make sure there would be no mistake, the trainer sent one of his boys up to the head of the stretch with a bale stick, and instructed him “ to hit a big whack on de fence when de hoss comes to de pos',” while the trainer went to the judges’ stand to stop his watch when the horse passed the line. The boy on Himyar galloped around to the head of the stretch and worked to the wire as fast as the horse could run, but the trainer did not hear the blow that struck the fence or see the horse until he was about to cross the line, so did not start his watch, and when asked how fast Himyar worked

that quarter the trainer replied: “He done worked a quarter in nuthin’.” Reports from the north state that the wonderful galloper Bobrikoff is still in the land of the living and wearing well in his twenty-eighth year. Bobrikoff could muster a wonderful turn of speed, and a win in the Auckland Cup with 8.8 showed that he was not devoid, of stamina. Amongst his wins were included the Jockey Club Handicap, two wins in the. Stead Gold Cup, and he also raced with considerable distinction in Australia. In recording the fact that Bobrikoff is still alive, a North Island w • ■ ■ astray in his facts. Bobrikoff was bred by the late. Mr H. Friedlander at and sold at the disposal of the Kelburn Lodge stud at 80gns, and knocked down

to the bid of F. Davis. In the report of the sale, Mr E. J. Watt figures as the buyer, but he was subsequently passed on to Mr T. H. Lowry. The late Mr J. F. Buchanan purchased Gossip, the dam of Bobrikoff, at the same sale for 340gns, and the foal at foot became known as Bulletin. Bobrikoff’s merit no doubt tempted Mr Lowry to buy Gossip, and at his stud she bred War Scare (dam of Estlaml and Finmark), War Talk, Tete-a-tete, On Parole (dam of Right and Left, Phoenix Park, Great Charter), and Kipling. Gossip was a prolific producer, but had only one Bobrikoff. The original entries for the Belmont Stakes (to be run at Belmont Part, New York, this month) totalled 464, and 51 still remained in up to April 11. Touch-

ing on this, the Lexington Thoroughbred Record said: “With 10 starters the stake K . ros ? va, ue of 76,070d0l (£15,214), of which 7500d0l goes to the ?c«>nd Ilors , e> 3000d °l to the third, and IOOOdoI to the fourth. The original nominators of the first, second, and third horses receive 2000dol, lOOOdol. and 500dol respectively, the association adding 25,000d0l to the stake, besides a handsome piece of plate. Mrs August Belmont will present the ■ August Belmont Memorial Cup. which is held by the winner until the next running. The race is over a distance of- a mile and a-half, with colts carrying 1261 b and fillies 1211 b, with no allowances or penalties; so that the winner can be considered the outstanding three-year-old to date of race and one that will be

hard to beat during the remainder of the racing season. The race was first run at Jerome Park in 1867, and is one of the real classics of the American turf.” There is a heap of romance bound up in the' pages of the English Stud Book. In relating some highly interesting in--eidents connected therewith an authority remarks: “ Osborne’s Agnes, founder of J the Agnes family,’ so called, sold with her foal, cost Mr Osborne only 20gns. Heigranddaughter, Polly Agnes, as a yearling was so small and weedy that Sir Tatton Sykes gave her to his stud groom, Mr Snarry. She produced Lily Agnes, who, offered as a yearling, could not get a bid. Yet she won 21 races, including the Doncaster Cup. Admiral Rous asked'her to concede weight to Atlantic, and in the stud she produced Ormonde and Ornament, the dam of Sceptre. Thus Lily Agnes was the dam of the best colt and her daughter produced the best filly which has appeared in England during the last 50 years.” Ormonde is included among the select number that retaiued an unbeaten record, winning 16 races. The Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger were among his triumphs, and his winnings in stakes amounted to £28.465. Sceptre won the Two Thousand Guineas, One Thousand Guineas, Oaks, and St. Leger, and her stake winnings, £38,283, stand as a record for a mare. The Hon. Johnson N. Camden, 'chairman of the Board of the American Racing Association, sold his stud and race-

horses in training recently. He told a representative of the Lexington Thoroughbred Record that be had made money in his association with racing. “ That has been my experience,” said Mr Camden. “ The most severe drawback was the loss of more than twenty of the most promising two-year-olds I ever owned. That was back in 1922, when Cal Milam was training for me. The horses were at Lexington, and Milam assured me that they were much the best lot I had ever had, and that there were mauy stake animals in the collection. . One morning while I was over to see them gallop, the late John E. Madden, whose judgment of a young horse was almost uncanny, came to the stable and wanted to buy some of them. He first offered 20,000d0l (£4000) for a choice, and when I refused that on the advice of Milam, he offered 20,000d0l for a choice of seven, agreeing to take four colts and three fillies. Again, on the’ advice of Milam, for whose judgment I had great respect, I declined. Madden then asked if I would let him make a single pick for-40,000d0l (£8000). That, too, .was turned down, though it was a great temptation and represented a phenomenal figure for a two-year-old that hadjuever started. Two days later the entire, group was destroyed by fire, and there wasn’t a penny insurance on one of them,”

“Old Kate,” whose death at the age of 88 was by cable last week,

was one of the last of those quaint characters that have kept the atmosphere of the past from vanishing wholly from the racecourses of Britain. In the midst of the modern rush and bustle there remained in her something of the serenity of Victorian days, and with her decease goes one of the final links with those picturesque and colourful scenes that were once such essential parcels of Newmarket, Epsom, and Doncaster. Next, to Lord Lonsdale aud the veteran horseman Steve Donoghue there was no better-known figure on the English turf than “ Old Kate.” This seller of racecarus, with her cry of “ Racing up to date,” was indeed well and affectionately known to all patrons of the" turf. Eor over 60 years she travelled through England, making her living on the courses. It has been said that she never missed a meeting, whatever the weather might have been, though how she covered the country no one ever seemed to know, for she was never seen on train _ or motor vehicle. During her long association with the turf “Old Kate” must have seen many generations of plungers come and go. She sold her race cards to practically all the celebrities that have been connected with racing history during the past 60 years, and among her patrons were the late King Edward and the present King and Queen. It is said that her royal customers, with the kindness for which they are so well known, always gave her a very liberal

present for the cards they obtained from her. .