SPORTING NOTES.

Shannon News, 27 September 1929, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

(By Silken Rein)

Nominations Close.

Nominations for all events of the Masterton Racing Club’s Spring meeting to be held on October 19th, close with the secretary on Monday next, September 30th. Form at Hawke’s Bay. The Spring meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, a one-day fixture, is scheduled to take place to-morrow. Ihe following runners are expected to be prominent in their respective engagements: — „ , T „_ lTomoana Hurdles: Fine Acre, Jen. . Trial Stakes: Pompadour, Tea Taster. Glengarry Handicap: Tourist, ArrowBuineas: Hunting Cry, Admiral "OrfllcG Spring Handicap: Kick Off, Blimp. Nursery Handicap: Simba, ChrysoFlaxmere Handicap: Slyvan Dell, Chopin, ' •, Flying Handicap: Toxeuma, Great Charter. A Few Ridens. K. Voitre: High Court, Royal Lineage. C. Broughton: Blimp, Princess Betty. W. Broughton: Sea Scout, Keen. W. Brown: Arrowhead. C. Robinson: Sunart. L. G. Morris: Roundelay. Back to Form. Piuthair is / back' to her best now. A couple of seasons ago she would have had to give weight to the majority she met at Avondale, but since being taken to Sydney she went off. Her first glimpse of her true form was given at the Wanganui meeting, where she was narrowly defeated in the Higgle Handicap. In the Avondale Cup she ran a good race till well into the straight, and oh Monday she worn well. This mare is going to be very hard to beat in other engagements ( she has m Auckland before she returns home: Turned Tables at Avondale.

It is worthy of note that when Star Stranger made a New Zealand and Australian record for a mile tnd three furlongs at Trentham, in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap in 1927, he only beat Piuthair by half a head- Star Stranger had 9.5 and Piuthair 7.8. Piuthair won the Egmont, Taranalri and Wanganui Cups, and the Great Autumn Handicap on end subsequently. Mitchelson, Cup Possibility.

Star Stranger has had a bit of racing this season, and that he is approaching his best was demonstrated by the great finish he put in in the Plumpton Handicap ,at Avondale on Monday*. He was going great guns at the firish, and if it had been a mile and a-half he would have won. A couple of seasons ago he was just beaten in the Foley Memorial Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, at Avondale, by Branson, and carried on that occasion lOst lib. . Star Stranger is going to be in demand for the Mitchelson Handicap, if started in that race. Last season he was one of those who were unfortunately left at the po3t, and took no part in the race, while on the second day Goshawk won the King Edward Handicap by a head froin Star Stranger and Catkin, who deadheated for second place. Star Stranger had 9st 121 b on his back then, and with 9st lllb in the Mitchelson Handicap this season he will have many admirers. Honour and the Derby.

'Great surprise has x been expressed over the fact that honour lia3 not been ehtered for a race in Sydney prior to the Australian Jockey Club’s Derby, and some good judges believe that lack of racing might militate against his chance of success (says a Sydney writer). But it is no impossible task to win the Derby on track work alone. Trivalve did it in 1927, and what he accomplished New Zealander’s are. convinced Honour can equal. It is a plucky plan that has been mapped out for the colt, for there are very few trainers, who are really capable of getting a horse ready.for a big race without one or two preparatory runs. Honour is in the hands of a young trainer. Percy Mason, but he has profited from the knowledge and long experience of his illustrious father, and Honour’s owner, Mr G. D. Greenwood, is evidently convinced that Mason can bring the horse along sufficiently to win the Derby, at his first run for six months. Honour was not entered for the Rosehill Guineas, but most racegoers thought he would consequently tackle the Hill Stakes. That would have meant a severe race against Mollison and Winalot, however, and the possibility of its doing the colt more harm than good might have decided the connections against it. > Honour retains liis position as favourite for the Derby, but his lack of a race is likely to have the effect of making the race a comparatively wide betting one. Odds and Ends.

Moutoa Wonder, ridden by T. Webster, was successful in the second division of the Fourteen-Two handicap at the Ascot Ponies meeting on September 16th.

' Historic won with 8.11 in the Avondale Cup but will have to carry an extra 101 b another quarter of a mile in the Mitchelson Cup at the A.R.C. Spring meeting next month. Silvermine has been scratched for the Shorts Handicap at the Auckland Spring meeting. An ex-Levin trained gelding Kilperon won a highweight handicap at Menangle Park races a fortnight ago. Callanwpre has been put in work again,