Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 293, 2 March 1928, Page 6

Turf Notes

Conducted by

“EARLY BIRD”

One and Only Foal Although not greatly fancied in his engagements at Te Aroha, Foxhound showed some pace in his races, and it will be interesting to see if he will go on with it. Foxhound, who races in the same colours as High Pitch, is the first and only progeny of Foxglove, a brood mare who has met with a sequence of misadventures since producing Foxhound. In Excellent Order On the opening day at Te Aroha Idun ran quite a good race in the non-win-ner’s class, finishing third in resolute fashion. The filly was given another chance on Monday and fared none too well, finishing as far back as eighth. Idun looks as if she can do better than that, and it would occasion little surprise if she were to get on the winning list before the season ends, for N. Cunningham has her in excellent fettle. Plenty of Pace Wild Mint ran very green in her race at Te Aroha the first day, but on the second day she was giving backers of the two favourites a shock when they saw her bowling along in the van a furlong from the post. Then the Catmint —Wild Wave filly weakened into fifth place. It was a performance that suggests that the two-year-old will not be outclassed in her next few starts where the company is not of the richest. Can Do Better Subdivision has proved something of a disapopintment this season, fur his prospects of winning several races were considered in a very favourable light. He made his last appearance on the. second day of the Te Aroha meeting, in a hack sprint, and never turthei back than third he managed to get second to Lady's Boy. Subdivision has not done a lot of racing, so that he should be good for a time yet. He ranks as a l’our-year-old now, and as he can go a fast six furlongs may not be long making amends for Mondays . failure. ! Showed Improvement j On his present showings it is very probable that the aristocratically-bred I two-year-old Envoy will have to wait : t ill next season before he gets on the winning list. On the first day at Te ! Aroha he ran poorly, and on Monday he displayed a big improvement, actually being one of the leaders into the home stretch, when he faded out into sixth place. J. Buchanan has been very patient with the Absurd —Bronze colt, and it would be pleasing to be able to record a win for the youngster at an early date. Beaten By a Good One Having failed to win the two-year-old race at Te Aroha the first day with a hot favourite in Winnington, followers of the sable went for evens on Mithra on Monday. They received a great run for their money, but at the end the filly was well beaten by the improving Gold Money. Mithra was conceding the Paper Money filly twelve pounds, and this was entirely beyond her, as it would be to any but the best of youngsters now in commission. Winnington the first day was conspicuous for four furlongs, and then failed to run on. Footpad ran a similar race and although he had improved in appearance since competing at Wanganui a fortnight earlier, it looks as if time will do wonders in his case. Making It Hard It is a pity that Lucy Rose shows a disinclination to face the barrier, for the filly is undoubtedly possessed of pace. Each day at Te Aroha she kept the field waiting a bit, and in consequence she dwelt on the mark slightly when the tapes went up. Nevertheless the filly finished fourth on Saturday, and on Monday she got up into third place, showing that with a better jump-out she might have been closer up at the end. Lucy Rose is a half sister by Lucullus to Master O’Rorke, who raced fairly well in sec-ond-class handicap company up to comparatively recently. The filly is one of George Reid’s team, and she races in her trainer’s colours.

Will Do Better One that can be marked down as a bit unlucky at Te Aroha was Micrometer. In her races she seems to be unable to go with the field over the first part, for this was the case in both ten-furlong events she contested during the week-end. On each occasion she had some ground to make up over the final half mile, and so when she put in her claims in the straight she was unable to hold her own. Micrometer did not lose any friends by her showings, and on a roomier course she should soon make amends for her failures.

Latest Purchase The Sydney sportsman, Mr. J. J. Leahy, has picked up some fine bargains in his purchase of brood mares, notable among them being the dams of Genuine and Justify, the respective winners of the Carrington and Adrian Knox Stakes, and it will be interesting to see whether he obtains as satisfactory a result with his latest purchase, the New Zealand mare Polymnia, says a Sydney writer. Polmynia has already gained fame as the dam of The Cypher, who holds the Australian record for a mile and threequarters; and of Battlement, who made course record figures at Randwick for the same distance; and as she is only 13 years old there is plenty of time for her to improve her stud record. Last season she was stinted to the successful sire Limond, and if a foal results it will be difficult to gauge its value. Polymnia, who is an Englishbred mare by Littleton from Missette, arrived in Sydney last week and has been sent to Mr. Leahy’s stud property, Ardsley, Bathurst. Regeneration of Honan

The Australian trainer G. P. Nailon has broken a racing custom by transforming Honan from an apparent rogue into a model of consistency, comments a Sydney critic. For a seven-year-old stallion thus to mend his manners is quite contrary to the usual racing practice. Perhaps the imported horse has been worried by the Australian climate. One Sydney owner of wide experience in the ways of English horses has said that until they have had at least the round of the seasons in Australia they cannot be expected to produce their best form. Perhaps Honan is a case in point, as after winning his first two races in Sydney his only glimpse of form for two years was to run second in Queen Alwyne’s Villiers Stakes in 1926 when the ground was so soft. This season, however, he has won four races, been second once, third once, and since he re-entered the winning list only twice unplaced. While acclimatisation has no doubt done much for Honan, his improved form may be due to a device adopted by Nailon. He has had a coating of felt placed between the horse’s racing plates and his hoofs to minimise some of the jarring of the hard grounds. Whatever the cause may be of Honan’s improvement, Mr. Steele can scarcely regard the imported horse as a bad bargain, inasmuch as he has won £3,376 in stakes. He cost only 300 gns. in England.

Penalty of Success Ladies’ Boy has incurred a. 101 b. penalty for both races at the Opotiki meeting and will now carry 7.10 in the Memorial Handicap and S.lO in the Hack Handicap. Whip to be Won The well known Auckland owner, Mr. J. D. Jones, has donated a goldmounted whip to be presented to the rider of the winner of the Franklin Cup, to be run at Pukekohe on March 10. Government Still Winning The sum paid to the Government in the form of taxation in connection with the Te Aroha Jockey Club’s recent meeting amounted to £4,075 17s lid, made up as follows: Totalisator tax, £1,361 13s 6d; dividend tax, £2,451 9s; stakes tax, £2Ol ss; amusement tax, £6l 10s sd—total, £4,075 17s lid. Ran Consistently Avon Court ran two solid races at Te Aroha, and as she carried nine stone on each occasion and finished third and fourth respectively she did fairly well. Nevertheless at present the Lucullus filly falls a bit short of first-class two-year-old form, but next season she should be able to hold her own with the majority of three-year-olds, for she conveys the impression that she will do better next season for her popular owner-trainer, F. Gilchrist. Stopped Quickly Early speed was shown In the two-year-old rades at Te Aroha by Te Apurangi, a gelding by Achiestown from Elnona, although he failed entirely to hold his position over the last couple of furlongs. Another of the produce of Elnona was also seen out there. This was a rather good looking five-year-old, Liona, by Day Comet or Archiestown. This pair are trained respectively by C. Carmont, sen., and J. T. Cronin, the former at Te Aroha and Cronin at Mercer. On the Look-Out Having regard to the fact that George Paul introduced his two crack sprinters, Aussie and Awarere, to country racegoers before producing them at headquarters, his latest representative. Lord Abbey, was watched with interest at Te Aroha last week-end. The Lord Multified gelding did not give an impressive display, was barely sighted in fact in the two races he contested. Lord Abbey is a. four-year-old, so that trainer Paul has plenty of time to find out whether he is any good or not. Has the Breeding A youngster in J. Thorpe’s stable who has the credentials of a good one is the chestnut colt by Catmint from Loloma. He is a shapely youngster, and looks as if he will make a useful galloper. Another member of the same stable, Lomint, has proved herself a good proposition, and provided the colt referred to above can fallow in his sister’s footsteps he sliou’ do well, for his owner-trainer. He will probably be taken in hand in a few weeks’ time

Sister to Valkon Although she failed to show up the first day at Te Aroha, the two-year-old Valkyrita was prominent for most of the journey on Monday, and a furlong and a-half from home was moving freely in fourth place within striking distance of the leader. She tired over the last furlong, however, and seventh was the best she could do. Valkyrita is a full sister to Valkon, so that her evidence of possessing speed will be received with interest by admirers of her older brother. The youngster runs in the same colours as Valkon, but whereas the latter is trained at Te Aroha by A. E. Cox, the youngster is an inmate of Mateer’s stable. Still Barrier-Shy A stone overweight was carried by Pompeius at Te Aroha on Monday to enable McTavish to ride this wayward Lucullus—Miss Winsome gelding. The horse was barrier-shy, and when his rider dismounted he got away, jumping some fences. Twice this happened, and in consequence the field was despatched without him. Judging on recent similar displays Pompeius still requires a good deal of schooling at the barrier. It is in his favour that he is not bad tempered like some of the horses seen out recently. Of Good Breeding

A few seasons ago there was a brilliant little chestnut mare racing round the Manawatu district. This was Ihapotoa, and now in the same colours Dobbin, a winner at Dannevirke, this week, also goes to the races. Pie is a half-sister to Ihapotoa. Another of the family was seen out at Te Aroha the other day. This was Leitrim, a three-year-old gelding by Valkyrian. The fact that only a few tickets were taken out on his chances on Monday showed that he was not expected, but he was one of the best beginners in his race, and faded out half way through. With another race or two Leitrim will be worth a small investment, for the Matamata mentor. R. J. Mateer, has the gelding in good order.