RACING NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 263, 30 June 1932, Page 2

RACING NOTES

RECENT FORM PROTEST LODGED AGAINST MR. J. J. CORRY'S HORSES. PROSPECTS AT TRENTHAM. The only fixture set down for this week is that of the Oamaru Jockey Cluh on Saturday, and this will be followed by the Hunt meeting at Hastings, on July 9. The following Wed- ; nesday, Thursdav and Saturday, July 13-, 14 and 16, the Wellington Racing Club's winter fixture is to be held. It is a sign of the times that the Wellington entries are very thin, when placed alongside of the nominations received in past years. While it is probable that the great majority of those engaged will aceept, never- i theless the reduced entry figures means also a reduced revenue for the : club from this source. The Auckland j winter meeting on the other hand had ' , a contrary result, and the revenue ; . from nominations and acceptances must have almost constituted a record for that fixture. Probably it is hecause of the fact that it has been absolutely necessary for the Wellington Racing Club to drastically reduce its stakes that has brought about the apparent fallingoff in entries. Certainly the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National meeting had drawn fine nominations, far exceeding the Wellington numbers. In the Trentham events, 15 are in the big Steeplechase, 22 in the Winter Hurdles, and 20 in the Parliamentary Handicap, whil'e in the Grand National Steeplechase there are 29 in the Steeplechase, 60 in the Winter Cup and 29 in the Hurdles. The Auckland representation at the two southern meetings is in about the same proportion, being 15 in the three big Wellington events and 20 in the Grand National star items. It is obvious that the more extended Riccarton trip appeals more to northern owners than the shorter Trentham journey, with the bigger money on offer at the National meeting. It indicates that the owners will always go where the best money is to be won, although the fact that there is always the prospect of good going at Riccarton as against the Trentham mud no doubt has its influence. Intcresting Protest. An interesting entrant for the big hurdle races at Trentham is that of Full Mark, who finished third in the Great Northern Hurdles. That was his last race, for he received a nasty cut high up on the leg and was unable to compete again at the meeting at Ellerslie. In that race Full Mark gave a great display and if he had not met with the mishap over the final , half mile he might have maintained his lead. Incidentally, the lodging of a protest by the owners of Full Mark against the Corry horses (first and second) in the Great Northern Hurdles has set racing circles agog. It is stated that the stakes have been paid over to Mr. Corry, these amounting to £900, less tax.| The position is an interesting one and shows that onee litigation starts in horse racing it is like a snowball, although of course in the Croupier case a breach of racing law is alleged to have occurred, which forms the basis of the protest by the owners of Full Mark. While the Auckland Racing Club is mostly concerned, the fault, if any, seems to lie with the Racing Conference officials. Immediately following the decision in the Croupier case there were rumours that Mr. Corry's horses would not be permitted to start at the Auckland meeting, but it was rumour only. The next move will probably come from the committee of the Auckland Racing Club, to whom the protest had been sent. In the meantime, Croupier, the cause of all the bother, , is working in great style at Ellerslie l and is expected to compete at the Wellington meeting next month. It is an interesting sidelight that had Croupier been a duffer little wonld have been heard of him in or out of

PROSPECTS AT TRENTHAM. After his two fine wins at the Great Northern meeting it was fully 'expected that Town Beauty would be sent to the Wellington meeting, but his name is not among those 'entered for the Wellington Steeplechase. However, the chestnut has been nominated for the Grand National Steeplechase so no doubt he will be at Riccarton six weeks hence. The Grand National Steeplechase is run over stiff fences over a journey of three and a half miles and this will fully test out Town Beauty's stamina. Despite the fact that Nassock has won over the Ellerslie country, he has not been accorded a nomination for the Grand National Steeplechase, which is the sort of race that would suit him, going on his eross-country performces to date, for he is endowed with plenty of stamina. He is not in the Wellington Steeplechase either, but he is apparently going to he kept to hurdling, for he has been entered for the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton. In all probability W. McLean's Cambridge stable will be strongly represented at Riccarton by a strong team of jumpers, for he has Lucess and Luminary in addition to Nassock. On the other hand, it is surprising to 'find that he has decided to miss the Wellington fixture. Lucess is a'fine jumper but a bit devoid of staying power, and Luminary is in the same boat — an admirable hurdler but up to the present a non-stayer. The latter was one of the rank failures at the Great Northern meeting, for he never got a mile and a half in the Great Northern Hurdles before he was well beaten, this form being miles below his best. North Island Entrants. Apparently Prince Lu has not got over the injury that prevented him from competing at the Great Northern meeting, for his name is not included in the nominations for either Wellington or Riccarton. However, the honour of the stable should he fully upheld by Lucess, Nassock and Luminary. While on the interesting . subject of northern representation at the Grand National gathering the second week in August, it is amazing to see the preponderance of North Island stables over the South Island in the jumping events. Of the 29 in the Grand National Steeplechase, 18 are from the North and 11 from the South, while in the Grand National Hurdles

the northerners dominate even more remarkably, the figures being 20 and 9 respectively. In the big Steeplechase half the entries from the North Island stables hail from the Auckland province. It looks as if the same programme has been arranged for High Pitch at Trentham next month as was carried out twelve months ago, when he eontested the Whyte Handicap the first day, the Parliamentary Handicap the middle day and the important Winter Hurdles on the concluding day. He ran one good race on the flat and was beaten into third place in the Winter Hurdles, when it seemed that he migh't -have done much better had he been given a try-out over the sticks on the first day. High Pitch is in good fettle at present and may improve on his Winter Hurdles form of last year. It is more than likely that High Pitch will this time take on the Hurdles the first day if not too heavily burdened.