Truf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 206, 19 November 1927, Page 6

Truf Notes

By

“EARLY BIRD."

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT

“Wager.”—On the last day of the Canterbury* spring 'meeting Solferite was withdrawn from both the Cressy and the Members’ Handicap. Rapier’s Programme Rapier is to be nominated for the South Canterbury Meeting, and then given a final preparation for the Auckland Cup. A Derby Candidate Martarma is due to contest the Great Northern Derby on January 2., The racing he had last week will work an

improvement in the Martian colt, and he may be given another race at the South Canterbury meeting prior to his trip North. Commendation for Ellerslie? H. Cairns intends leaving Melbourne for New Zealand next month. He has not definitely decided upon the date of his departure, but he will arrive in time for the big meetings at Christmas. He has been engaged to ride Commendation and the horses trained by J. M. Cameron —The Hawk and Merry Mint —in their engagements. Cairns will return to Melbourne in January. This looks as if Commendation will be racing at Ellerslie next month. Change of Stables

At the conclusion of Saturday’s racing at Riccarton, Booster was handed over by J. W. Jennings to the Wingatui trainer, D. P. Wilson, jun., who will in future train the well-performed Solferino gelding. Jennings has had Booster under his charge since he commenced racing, and has won several important races with him. Booster is at present in better order than at any stage during his career, and more successes are in view for him in the near future. Why He Stopped The Australian-bred Quantum looked to have the Seymour Handicap in safe keeping nearing the distance on Saturday at Riccarton when he stopped suddenly and put in two or three bucks that threatened to dislodge his rider (C. Goulsbro), writes “Sir Modred.” This display caused him to lose his place and a great winning chance, but it subsequently transpired that there was good tcause for his apparently unaccountable behaviour, as his saddle slipped back and he resented this unusual experience. • Feilding Classic The next weight-for-age race to be decided will be the Twenty-second Feilding Stakes, to be contested at the spring gathering of the Felding Jockey Club. Grand Knight, who scored last season in the race, is one of those engaged, while Mr. W. MacA. Duncan, who won the event three years in sequence with Tamatete, has a fullbrother to the triple winner, in Freehold, engaged. When Conditions Suit The Paper Money mare, Countersign, was never sighted in the race for the Stewards’ Handicap, but in the Fendalton Handicap on Saturday last she finished in great style to gain third place to Yoma. In the latter race Countersign was all over the track, and with a clear run she would have been difficult to dispose of. Soon after the start she was well up with the leaders, but five furlongs from home dropped back to a rear position when making her run in the straight she was checked on two occasions, and did remarkably well to run third. Countersign is a vastly improved mare since she competed at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting, and the first time she lias the condition to suit her over a distance she will be extremely hard to beat.

Horse Train for Ellerslie With a view to catering for the owners and trainers of horses that are engaged at the Auckland Racing Club’s Christmas meeting, and have to travel from the Taranaki, Wanganui, Wellington and Hawke’s Bay districts, the Railway Department is arranging for a special train at express speed to run to Auckland about December 15. Car accommodation for trainers and attendants will be available, ana it is expected that by that time the proposed new rates for both attendants and racehorses will be in force, thus ensuring a considerable saving in freight. It is only by the liberal pat-, ronage of these special trains that the Department is able to make them pay, thus affording further opportunities of reducing the rates, which, so trainers have complained, have been too high. It is anticipated that at least 40 horses will make the trip and these will be from many different centres. The Taranaki and Wanganui horses will join the special at Marton, and the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa horses are to join up at Palmerston North. It is pleasing to see the commendable manner in which the Railway Department is catering for the race traffic, and no one will beXmore pleased than the long-suffering owners,. who have had to shoulder a heavy burden for many years in supporting the game.

Yoma's Recovery The Wellington Handicap winner Yoma, was expected to take a deal of beating in the New Zealand Cup, but after being tailed off early, the best he

could do was finish eighth. In ‘he Fendalton Handicap on Saturday last the aged son of Campfire was handy to the leaders entering the straight, and taking charge a furlong from home lasted long enough to defeat the fast-finishing Bennanee by a head for first honours. From the stands it seemed as if Tito, on Yoma, made his run too soon, but as it turned out he showed good judgment, though he cut things very fine. Yoma lias suffered in the past from severe attacks of muscular rheumatism, but now that lie is at the top of his form he should go fis jYisoi&g, -——

Koauau Left in the South W. McDonald, who at one time acted as private trainer to the late Sir George McLean, and latterly as a public trainer at Riccarton, has had the All Red gelding Koauau placed in his charge by Mr. J. B. Gaisford. McDonald may set up as a trainer at Trentham. Takapuna Double The smallest fields at Takapuna next Saturday will be in the two big open events, the Alison Cup and Cheltenham Handicap—l 3 in the former and ten in the sprint. In the Cup a fancied trio just now are Royal Mint, Eden Flail and Valkon, and in the sprint Paganelli. Nancy Lee and Aussie. • Of those in the Borough Flandicap, those in the boom at present are Day Guard, In the Shade and Branson.

On the Scene Again Ardnalea, the seven-year-old gelding by Spalpeen from Waimangu, who has not raced for the past two years, recently made his reappearance at Ellerslie. Fie is under the care of A. Morrow, who intends to prepare him for the Christmas carnival. Ardnalea has only been raced during one season, when he ran unplaced in his five starts, twice on the fiat and three times over the sticks. A Free Lance A. Reed, who has done tlie chief riding for Mr. Sol Green for some months, will not ride any of that owner’s horses in the future. Reed does not intend to attach himself to any particular stable. When he first settled in Melbourne he held a retainer from Mr. A. T. Creswick. Fie is riding in good form at present, and was successful on Ragaza at Williamstown this month.

Consistency Not Rewarded The most consistent performer at the Gup meeting was the Catmint gelding Bennanee. He was saddled up for the New Zealand Cup, but dfter leading into the straight he finished a close fourth. In the Metropolitan Handicap, won by Te Monanui, he again finished well up in fourth place, while on the concluding day of the meeting he came with a great rush over the last half furlong in the Fendalton Handicap, only to suffer defeat by a short head at the hands of Yoma. Bennanee should soon be rewarded for his consistency, and he should prove a profitable horse to follow in the near future. Mandane’s Form The Panmure mare, Mandane, galloped in excellent syle with her stablemate Laughing Prince prior to the

C.J.C. meeting, and on that form her prospects of winning a race at the fixture appeared bright, says the Christchurch “Sun.” She ran much below her best form at her first start, but on Saturday last she ran a really good race into fourth place in the Fendalton Handicap, a race which she won as a three-year-old. Mandane should be greatly improved by the time the Auckland fixture rolls round, and she may pick up a race during the northern meeting if taken there in preference to Manawatu. Footfall Is Fit Footfall will be a very lit horse for his Christmas engagements, comments “Sentinel.” At two miles in the Canterbury Cup he was making Ellis, on Limerick, kick his mount hard for two or three chains, and this on top of his running in the Cup and Metropolitan Handicap indicates how good his prospects are for a first-class handicap. Metropolitan form at Paccar ton has often served as a useful guide to form at Auckland. What Should have Been Done In the much-discussed Rowley case the rider was charged with deliberately pulling his horse. The rider then should have been charged on a question of fact and the owner and trainer under a different rule, which left it open to proof that any one apart from the rider was responsible for an unsatisfactory display of riding, writes “Sentinel.” If an owner could be held directly responsible for the action of a jockey it would leave the former open to bo shot at without redress under the Rules of Racing.

Opposition Racing It is no wonder English horse-racing executives are worrying themselves as to the best way to cope with the increasing interest in greyhound racing. Tlie leading English sporting papers now give the latter sport marked prominence in their columns, and the London “Sporting ife” • has added a valuable trophy to the £. 500 prize the Greyhound Racing Association is giving for the English Hurdle Championship. Racecourse attendances are decreasing, and, though it was in a spirit of sarcasm that it was first said the race clubs would have to compete against “the dogs” at night the suggestion is now being given serious consideration. At the same time it is doubtful whether night horse racing could catch on in England.'One thing against it is that so many races up to a mile are run on straight courses, and another is that in long races the horses would also be too far away most of the time for the actual racing to give much enjoyment. At “the dogs” the competitors are well in sight throughout.

Brother to Flying Valicare The Australian-bred gelding Lausanne was one of the most unlucky competitors at the recent spring carnival. In the Stewards’ Handicap he finished with a phenomenal burst of speed into fourth place, while in the Avon Handicap, won by Sudden Storm on the third day of the meeting, he again finished at a great rate into second place. On Saturday last the Members’ Handicap looked a good thing for the Valais gelding, but once again luck in the running deprived the brother to Valicare from opening his winning account in New Zealand. A furlong from home he came through on the rails, showing a fine burst of speed, and just when he appeared as if he would come through and win, Paperchase dropped back beaten, colliding with Lausanne, which caused the latter nearly to come down, though some Northerners are of opinion that Lausanne is a failure, his running at Riccarton indicates that he \yili win a good handicap before long.

New Handicapper Mr. Joseph Biggins, of Mosgiel, has been appointed handicapper to the Dunedin Jockey Club. Phenomenal Acceptances The Takapuna Club has received splendid acceptances for the opening day’s racing next Saturday. For tlie eight events no less than 164 horses have been paid up for, an average of nearly 21 pdr race. The Maiden has attracted 37, and cut into divisions, there will be 19 and 18 respectively, minus later scratchings. There are 31 in the Takapuna Plate, and tlie safety number at the seven-furlong barrier is 22. That leaves nine too many, and at least five of these are reported to be doubtful runners. There is therefore the chance that withdrawals will render a division unnecessary. At any rate it is to be hoped so. Imagine a division in a classic race, even if it is of the hack variety! Out for a Rest The two-year-old, Silver Paper, is unlikely to be seen in public again until January, when he will probably be produced for valuable classic engagements at the Wellington Racing Club’s summer fixture. His racing experiences at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting did not adversely affect the Paper Money gelding and with ordinary luck lie should be a very prominent contestant in rich autumn events confined to youngsters of similar age.

Another Importation The three-year-old gelding High Chord (by Ilighfield—-Lute String), who was purchased by Mr. E. Duncan for 159gns, has been shipped to New Zealand by the Manuka. High Chord is an elder half-brother to Sir Mond, who is in work at Ellerslie, and will have his first race at Takapuna next Saturday. Freehold’s Condition Though Freehold, the two-year-old brother to Tamatete, has had to be eased up, his trouble is not serious. Flis legs filled after a slight mishap in the paddock, the trouble shifting from the shoulder to the knee. Nothing else

could be done but relieve him of his Trentham and Riccarton engagements, but he will be seen out at Ellerslie at Christmas, all being well.

Next Week’s Programme The Levin meeting is being held today. Next Wednesday the Ashhurst fixture comes up for decision and this will be followed on the Saturday and Monday by Takapuna, and on the succeeding Wednesday and Thursday by Feilding.

Agrion and Trivalve The point that was being debated when the last mail left Sydney, and news of Agrion’s success in the New Zealand Derby had been received, was whether Agrion would have beaten Trivalve in the A.J.C. Derby if they had met. R. J. Mason’s judgment is seldom at fault, and there is no doubt he rates Agrion highly. To enumerate the { races won by horses prepared by Mason would necessitate a very long list indeed. Going no further afield than Riccarton, he has to his credit five New Zealand Cups, five Stewards’ Flandicaps, eleven Welcome Stakes, seventeen Derbys, nine Oaks Stakes, nine Canterbury Cups, sixteen Champagne Stakes, eighteen Challenge Stakes, seventeen Middlepark Plates, and innumerable other successes in less important events. The success of Eulalie in the Stewards’ Handicap recalls a remark he made when interviewed on his arrival in Sydney for the Spring Meeting. “What is there to bring Eulalie across for?” he said when questioned as to the filly’s absence. “A win at Randwick would only penalise her for our meeting.”