Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 365, 28 May 1928, Page 10

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

To-day’s Arrivals By the New Plymouth boat that arrived at Onehunga this morning VV. Mantle arrived with Manly, who figures in the Cornwall Handicap; M. Conway brought San Fera, who is engaged in the Green Lane Steeplechase; and also on board was Captain Gaze ley, a candidate for honours in the principal flat events on the second and third days. A Full Book George Holland is a versatile horseman, therefore it is not surprising that he should find his services in demand on Saturday next. He has a ride in each of the seven races, his mounts being Red Comet in the big hurdles. Golden Glass, Master Doon, Bevenside, Sea Comet, Whaka King and Template. Day Comet Not Sold At Morrinsville last week the Eng-lish-bred sire, I>ay Comet, was put up for auction and a bid of 200 guineas was offered for him. but the reserve was much higher and consequently Day Comet still remains in the same ownership. General Batour was also in the ring, but no bid was forthcoming for him. Wiltshire’s Jumping The Waikato-trained horse Wiltshire is undergoing a strong preparation in view of his Great Northern Steeplechase engagement, and present indications point to R. Syme having him in great buckle when the above event comes up for decision. The manner in which Wiltshire won the ’chasers’ races at the autumn meeting hero showed that he is capable of negotiating the course, but the Day Comet horse will require to improve as far as jumping ability is concerned, for he is not a perfect lepper by any means. Penalties for Dunedin The following are rehandicaps for the Dunedin meeting: Trial Hurdles: Helsler, 9.11. Brighton Handicap: Rotor, 9.11, Malmsley, £.3. Winter Handicap: Rotor, 8.7. Otago Hurdles: Heisler, 9.2. Change of Colours Greengrocer and Tea. Miss will in future race in W. J. Donovan’s colours, as that trainer exchanged his English sire Cockpit for the first-named pair. Hunter Shows Promise According to Hawke’s Bay reports,, the hunter Turehu (Elysian—Mobility) is in good order at the present time and likely to be prominent in hunters’ events this winter. Bast season Turehu won three point-to-point steeplechases. His dam was a winner of the Auckland Easter Handicap. Wanted the Dope “I have seized a letter written by a stable hand to a well-known breeder and racing man in Germany asking for the supply of a dope known as heroin, the best quality of .which, I am sorry to say. is manufactured in Germany.” The above is an extract from an article by F. Becker, in the “Bloodstock Breeders’ Review,” and the letter goes j on to say: “The stuff you buy here in ! the United States is very much adulterated and very poor in quality. To I get the full advantage of it, you must j time it to the very minute—everything ! depends on it.” It is asserted that j trainers have become so skilled in the application of this dope that they can j tell to the minute when it will exert i the required action. It acts like an | administration of caffeine to persons suffering from a weakness of the heart. Not Very Illuminating “A Philosophic Punter” has just writ- | ten a little book on his experiences He is an Australian professor who took | up racing as a relaxation and also amusement in his middle age. At th=» conclusion of a brief and interesting story he summarises in the following advice to his fellow citizens: (1) Don't go to races at all. It is a game for mugs and millionaires. (2) If you must go, don't bet. (3) If you can’t help betting, don’t bet on every race, but only one. (4) If you can't help betting on every race, then begin small, stop when you show a profit, and go home. It is tempting Providence to expect more. Included in the book is an account of a very vivid dream, as the result, of which he backed Murray King i to win JJ 2.000 in the Sy*»%%y Cup tw*» l years ago. Murray King, who started j at extreme odds, duly won. The dream appears to have been the only successful system he was able to devise through all the years he tried to back j

Will Have Six Rides ‘ The Ellerslie horseman, S. Henderson, who enjoyed such a prolific run of success at Ellerslie at the last winter meeting, is to ride the following on Saturday next: Sir Archie, Bomint, Kamehameha, Quincoma, Beau Cavalier and Glendowie. Taranaki Horseman ! The Taranaki light-weight, T. Tito, j is to ride the ex-Auckland performer Nucleus in the Cornwall Handicap. Nucleus won both high-weight races at Trentham a couple of months ago, and has also done well over the sticks. R. E. Thomson is to ride Prince Bu in the Penrose Hurdles. Going Over the Sticks Bevenside, a member of W. Patterson's stable at Matamata, has raced on-very few occasions this season, and he is a useful sort. He has qualified for hunters’ races, so he should do good service in the future, for there is no doubting, that the Thurnham gelding has pace. Bevenside was produced at the autumn meeting of the Waikato Racing Club at the end of last month, and on that occasion secured a third. Probably Bevenside will contest Hunt Club Hurdles at Ellerslie on Saturday, and he can be expected to give a good account of himself, although he j may require a race over the battens. . On the White Rather a good story is related in connection with the brief stay in Sydney of the All Blacks while on their way to South Africa. Among the enter- | tainments provided for them was a visit 'to the pony races at Rand wick. A member of the team, whose father is well known in the sporting world of New Zealand, could not resist the temptation of having a little bit on the various r*\ces. This particular race was fairly late in the afternoon, and the All Black sauntered into the bookmakers’ ring and inquired the price about “that white nag.” The bookmaker replied: “A hundred to one him.” “I’ll take that,” said the New Zealander, withdrawing a pound note from his pocket. The joke, of course, was on the All Black, when the bookmaker laughingly returned the pound, with the remark, “That white neddy belongs to the clerk of the course, digger.” The Oldest Race That the historic Town Plate, instituted in 1666 by Charles 11. for Newmarket tradesmen and their sons, is not the oldest horse race still annually contested in the world, will no doubt surprise most readers. But such is the ease. In the “National Geographic Magazine for April are illustrated phases of the preparation for the Palio, a horse race annually held at Siena, Italy. Begend ascribes to Senius, son of Remus and nephew of Romulus, the founding of Siena. The city is closely built, and one of the few open spaces within the city walls is the Piazzo del Campo. On the Campo is held the Palio, which has been an annual event in Siena for hundreds i.\ I years. The day before the great race ; takes place the ward captains gather j together in the Palazzo and draw lots i tor the horses that have been selected I for the contest. Then each rider takes j his designated steed to the Campo for a practice gallop. At one time each of j Siena’s 1? wards had an entry in the | annual race, but the hazards attendant upon so large a number of horses with | reckless riders have caused the city officials to limit the contestants in recent years to 10. Arrayed in all the trappings of medieval pageantly a parade is held of citizens representing each contrada, or ward, before the cathedral to obtain the archbishop’s blessing upon banners and horse. Apparently it is immaterial if the horse fin- I ishes the race riderless, as it is recorded that strange tricks have sometimes been resorted to by the various wards in their efforts to win .he Palio One ward secured a wiry little steed that had several times won the race, but as he grew older his pace diminished when weighted with a rider. Strategy was therefore resorted to. He w*s equipped with a bridle made of paste | board, painted to resemble leather, and j the rider was given instructions to thrown as soon after the start as possible. When opposing jockeys tried to catch at the bridle it would break, and thus the venerable steed gallopec. on to riderless victory. Rafferty’s rules seem to have some vogue in the decision of the Palio, and the appointment. of stipendiary stewards would be considered ultra vires.