Steady Trek to Australia TRAINER W. KIRK

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 105, 25 July 1927, Page 6

Steady Trek to Australia

TRAINER W. KIRK

Dearth of Winter Racing Responsible?

THE pilgrimage to Australia was continued last week, when the well-known Auckland sportsman, Mr. Wenzl Scholium, went across with a team of four horses, these being under the care of trainer W. Kirk. In the next few weeks there will be about 30 horses from New Zealand domiciled at least temporarily across the Tasman.

TN a large measure those responsible A for this unprecedented trek to Australia are the racing clubs, and through them *the Racing Conference, which does not provide sufficient winter meetings to cater for the horses in work at this period of the year. This applies only to the horses outside the champion class, and of the horses across the Tasman only Limerick and Commendation come under this heading, and they are going where they will be meeting worthy opponents for stakes equally worthy of the occasion. FORMIDABLE CONTINGENT In this connection it is interesting to note those equines who are now in Australia, on the way, and known to be going within the next fortnight. Here is a list as near complete as possible: Commendation Limerick Agrion Arikiwai Phillipic Battlement Cawnpore True Blood White Bird Royal Blood Merry Mint Golden Autumn Piuthair White Wings Clarinda The Thorn The Hawk Clarus Goshawk Pentagram First Acre Solanio Count Cavour Satrap Lady Moutoa Whakarite gelding (2-yr) Other horses have been across to Australia and have already returned. Conspicuous among these are J. Jamieson’s three—Le Choucas, Prince Otto and The Immigrant—and Tidal. In addition, Cherry Ripe, Drawbridge and White Fang have been racing on the other side for some time. That makes a total of 31. THE PUKEKOHE STRING

Looking in splendid condition, trainer Kirk took his quartette across on the Marama last Friday, and it is apparent that the quartette have been

well tuned up for this descent on the rich stakes to be won on the other side. Royal Blood was not making his first trip. This was his second venture, the first time without success. He is getting on now, and yet he was as lively as a two-year-old when he was slung aboard. In his last few races at Ellerslie the upstanding black had shown pace to the turn for home, only to fade out over the last bit. It is not at all likely that a shrewd mentor such as W. Kirk would take the old fellow so far if he had not shown him some thing to justify his making the journey. TRUE BLOOD UNLUCKY That fine upstanding three-year-old, True Blood, who almost beat Lysander in the Great Northern Guineas last November, when the turf was wet, has plenty of pace, but up to the present ho has raced without any of the luck being on his side. The performance referred to was perhaps the best of an ill-starred career to date, and even though he was deprived of second money through alleged interference there was little doubt in the minds of close observers of the finish up the straight that True Blood was easily second best that day. At Te Rapa two and a-half months ago he was again unfortunate, and this was repeated at Ellerslie in his outings at the Great Northern meeting. Should he strike his true form at Randwick and other courses within coo-ee of Sydney, then True Blood will assuredly be a payable proposition. Golden Autumn up to the present has not done much, but one race, that

at Whangarei a few months ago, showed Golden Autumn to be possessed of both pace and grit. This one may do well properly placed. AS GOOD AS AGRION? Of the party most interest, however, was manifested in the rising two-year-old White Wings, a full sister to the brilliant Agrion, who has a good chance

of winning the valuable £B,OOO Australian Jockey Club’s Derby in October. At the sale of the Koatanui yearlings at Trentham last January Mr. Scholium had to go to 750 guineas before he secured possession of this nice chestnut filly, and but for the fact that the youngster was of the weaker sex it might have cost him a good deal more. By Limond from Waterwings, White

Wings lacks nothing on the score of breeding, and taking a line through Agrion she should possess both pace and stamina. Fortune favours the brave, and in this connection it is to be hoped that the Auckland owner will be richly rewarded for his enterprise. LOOKS THE PART

Since she was submitted in the ring at Trentham, White Wings has furnished splendidly, and it seems as if she will come to hand early in the new season. The filly is built very compactly, and she is so generously framed that later on she will be found capable of carrying weight. On appearances one would gather that she has done a fair amount of work, and as she has yet another two months in Australia before she will be called upon to race, that period should see her well wound up for her engagements. White Wings will probably make her initial appearance in the Breeders’ Plate at Randwick in October, a race won last year by the fiying Absurd filly, Eulalie. Incidentally, lots of sportsmen would like to see Cimabue and Eulalie meet in a five-furlong race, for over this distance at least they are both flyers. HOPE OF THE STABLE It might not be too much to say that White Wings and True Blood will prove to be the sheet anchors of Mr. Scholium’s team, and if the former is as good as her elder brother the trip will more than pay for itself, for the juvenile races alone are endowed with sufficient money to make the venture a profitable one, even if one victory alone be accomplished. Their Auckland owner is surely entitled to a good turn of Fortune’s wheel, and what he has failed to do in this country may be obtainable across the Tasman. GETTING A GOOD ONE Of a different nature was the motive inspiring the Messrs. Gleeson to send

Marriage Bell to Sydney on the same boat. By Tea Tray from Gold Treasure, and therefore a half-sister to the brilliant Amythas, this filly has not raced, and her voyage was for the purpose of visiting Australians champion sire, Valais, who is at a very high fee.

The result of this union might very well be something extra good, although, of course, it is a great gamble, but the mare has lost none of her vitality through racing, and thus from the very start she has a lot in her favour. It is to be hoped that her owners will expedience better luck with this filly—she is rising four years —than with the English-bred Maria of Hereford, who went on a similar pilgrimage, only to be soon afterwards numbered among the defunct. The enterprise of these Auckland owners is well worthy of reward. WINTER RACING

But to get back to this question. At present there is very little racing in the Dominion, and it is undoubted that should some clubs desire to change so as to race at this time of the season their action would be applauded, and there is no doubt that such a step would meet with favour from owners, trainers and racegoers. Particularly is this the case in the Auckland Province. There are a large number of race meetings held in the autumn that would be equally as successful in the winter months, and the way is clear for a move in this direction. The success of the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s annual meeting at Ellerslie in August is proof of this. At any rate, a more even distribution of racing is becoming essential to the welfare of the sport. LOSS TO COUNTRY

Many Dominion trainers have found that to take a team of horses to Australia is not sufficient to get easy money. But such a trip is full of possibilities, for with a good betting stable generally one win would more than pay for the trip. With such a pronounced exodus it would be well to sum up what the loss is to the country. Apart from the horses’ feed bills, there is usually an attendant for each animal, and one can easily arrive at the fact that in this wise quite a lot of money is being taken and spent on the other side. It would not require very much inducement on the part of racing clubs to keep the horses—and the money—here. Given more racing during the winter months, it would be found that only the champions would take on the cracks in other climes.