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Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 154, 20 September 1927, Page 8

Avondale Attractions The spring meeting of the Avondale Jockey ClubJ is to be held at Ellerslie on Saturday and Monday, and promises to be a great success. Excellent fields are engaged, and there are to be nine races.

On the Mend H. Gordon, who was admitted to the hospital on Thursday after his fall from Arataura, is suffering from head injuries. His condition on Saturday was reported to be slightly improved.

Left at the Post One of the tags attached to the report of the racing at Dannevirke this week was “left at the post,” denoting that th€i dismissals of the field were not of the equitable description. It is bad luck to get beaten all in, but when owners and trainers see their horses handicapped by not getting an even break—well, to put it mildly, it makes the misfortune doubly acute. Foalings at Koatanui Although foalings are not general at the Koatanui stud, there have been one or two interesting additions already. That great brood mare Pennon has foaled a colt to Thespian. Polymnia, the dam of The Cypher, who is at Koatanui, foaled a colt to Martian, but unfortunately the youngster died. It is remarkable that this mare has produced nothing but colts. Mr. Currie also had the misfortune to lose the filly foal from Cherry Mart by Limond.

Youngsters in England A note is to hand from England from Mr. J. B. Reid, who waxes enthusiastsic about Black Watch, whom he describes as a really high class colt (writes “Sentinel” in the “Otago Daily Times”). Mr. Reid is naturally elated at breeding a top-notcher at the first time of asking in England. Punka lost her first foal sired by Archery in New Zealand, but she seems to have produced something out of the common in Black Watch. At Goodwood, Mr. Reid states that Black Watch came right out. by himself after covering five furlongs, and won in a canter by six lengths. All Mr. Reid’s yearlings are leased to Mr. L. Newman, and trained by Mr. P> P. Gilpin, who turned out Spearmint, Pretty Polly, and Comrade. Black Watch is engaged in the Derby, St. Leger, and Grand Prix de Paris, as well as other important events. Mr. Reid, when his letter left Home, was on the point of sending Mr. Gilpin a filly by Black Gauntlet from Kilrea, by Kilbroney, and a filly by Somme Kiss —Kilcullen, by Kilbroney.

Apprentice’s Fortune What boy who can ride would not like to be a jockey —that is, a successful one, when he reads of the money which is to be made? How many now -will envy 18-years-old Keith Daniels, who a few days ago had bought for him with his season’s earnings a substantial property costing a considerable way into four figures? It is not easy to recall an Australian apprentice in his third year who, like Daniels, rode the winners of three such important races at Tattersall’s Cup, the Challenge Stakes, and the Doncaster. Daniels’s regulation share of the stakes of these three events represented nearly £3OO, and he received handsome presents besides from the wininng owners. As Daniels has ridden many other winners during the season, his earnings have been much more than those of many business managers. An apprentice’s earnings have to be banked by his employer, who periodically has to give an account of his trusteeship to the racing authorities. Thus the lad is wisely protected. Daniels is apprenticed to his father at Newcastle, who has realised that landed property is more remunerative than bank interest. Stay-at-home Betting

There can be no manner of doubt regarding the extent to which S.P. betting is carried on in Sydney, says a writer in the Sydney “Sun.” The better has all the worst of it, because he has to take the risk of unfavourable barrier positions, and when short-priced horses win he generally has to accept shorter odds than he could have obtained on the course. Nevertheless, there is a large army of men, and women too, who regularly defy all the difficulties and make their bets without leaving the city. An interesting illustration of the thoroughness with which some of the stay-at-homes make their plans came under notice this week, when a correspondeht wanted to know how much he had won on last Saturday’s bets. Evidently being cautious, and not caring to have all his eggs in one basket, he laid out £6 15s on no fewer than 15 horses. The bets varied from 2s 6d to 7s 6d each way, nine of them at Canterbury Park, and six at the Ascot ponies. In five cases the backer lost both ways, in three his horse finished second, but at too short a price to recoup the two bets on it, and on seven horses he won both ways. The backer cleared altogether £4 17s 6d, which he probably reckoned a fair return for his afternoon’s excitement.