Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 379, 13 June 1928, Page 10

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

Pink Note on the Active List Pink Note, who has been spelling for some time, as a result of injuries he received in the Dunedin Cup. which he won in February, is due to rejoin J. Ruttledge’s team shortly. Mantua’s Offspring \ Mantua, recognised as one of the gamest mares ever raced in New Zealand. has a yearling foal by Last Dart running with her at the Mantua stud, East Taieri, Dunedin. She is not to be bred from in the coming season. After Big Money Arikiwai and Roscrea have been entered in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and Hynanna in the Caulfield Cup. Hynanna and Miss Ransom are also in the Cantala Stakes, while Arikiwai claims engagements in the Cups at Moonee Valley and Williamstown. Enjoying A Spell The Riccarton- trained geldings Battle Colours and Polydectes, are on the retired list at present, and they are not likely to race again until next season. D. Campbell has done well with Battle Colours this season and he should show still further improvement in the spring. Charlatan For Next Winter Charlatan appears to have become quite sound since the Riccarton trainer, T. H. Gillett, turned him out for a spell, but there will be no change in his programme. He will be rested for several months yet, and then will be hacked for a few months, after which he will be put into work for next winter’s cross-country events. One More To Handle

The Tomatin —Lucelle colt, knocked down to D. Lewis at 375 guineas at the yearling sales in Sydney recently, wa.s purchased on behalf of the Papakura trainer, J. T. Jamieson, who has done well with some of the Australian - bred horses he has trained this season, more particularly with In the Shade and Ti Tree. Lucelle, dam of the Tomatin colt mentioned, is a sister to Western Lass and Appellant. A Point On Breeding The Spearmint blood still continues to reign supreme in England, and the result of the English Derby added a further success, as Spion Kop, sire of the winner, Felstead, is by Carbine’s son. Last Dart and Greyspear are two horses in New Zealand by Spearmint, and the former, who will stand the season at Mantua stud, East Taieri, Dunedin, can lay claim to most fashionable breeding on both sides.

Owner Exonerated In uppholding the appeal of owner S. M. Ball in the Menangle Jumpers’ Flat case against the 12 months’ disqualification of liis horse, Sain Varco, the A.J.C. committee last week removed what, even at first blush, appeared to be an undue penalty in the case. Ball was acquitted by the Menangle stewards of any complicity in connection witli the alleged pulling up of his horse Sain Varco. He personally received no punishment. But Sain Varco was disqualified for a year for the owner’s “gross negligence in the management of his horse.” In a word, he was let off, but he was fined the value of the horse. This comprised one of the anomalies of the case. Ball had taken a jockey to the course to ride Sain Varco for him, but had found the lad was not eligible. Before he engaged another he was approached with an offer by a second party to secure a rider for him, and this party offered to lay him the odds to a certain amount if the horse won. Ball told his friends in the stand just as the race was about to start that he would profit to the extent of a considerable sum if his horse succeeded. But Sain Varco, when leading, ran off at the turn, and was beaten. His jockey, H. Dorrington, was disqualified for two years, and the horse for 12 months, but Ball was let off. Last week the A.J.C. committee, at the hearing of appeals, allowed Dorrington’s disqualification to stand, but removed the 12 months from the horse, and thus Ball, besides himself being exempt from complicity, gets his horse clear of the mess.

Worth Winning The Wellington Steeplechase and the Winter Hurdles each carry a stake of £I,OOO. Entries for the meeting are due on Monday night. Crossed Over Sunny Loch, a fine performer up to a mile, has been sent to join the Great Majority, the friendly bullet being requisitioned by owner-trainer J. MoCombe. Sunny Loch won the Winter Cup five years ago. Marton Stakes Go Up The programme for the Marton Jockey Club’s spring meeting is expected to be finalised this month, and in accordance with its progressive policy, the club is to increase the stake money. The Rangitikei Hunt Cup, to be run at the spring fixture, carries with it a £2O silver cup donated by Mr. J. Hislop, of Auckland. When the reA imlrlonrl -vtH Ti F «=» !• mPPtintT WftS ill

cent Auckland winter meeting was in progress, there were present several officials of the Marton Jockey Club, and while here they inspected the number board at Ellerslie. In passing, it should be mentioned that one of the very best racecourses in the Dominion is that to be found at Marton.

Not In The Limelight Steve Donoghue rode 60 winners in England last season, but the odds are much against his success being as great this year. At the commencement, of the season, Donoghue was on a few winners, but it was cabled to Australian papers that up to May 16 th his sequence of losing mounts had reached 100. In Donoghue's heyday, a losing sequence of one-fourth that number would have wrecked many English punters, but though they cheer Steve when he wins, they do not now follow him. It would naturally be thought that as a result of his many years of marked success, Donoghue is a rich man. Four or five years ago it was the reverse, and it is questionable whether he has since made marked progress towards wealth. A Long Trek

C. Christie intends- taking a team to Western Australia for Mr. Acton Adams, who left last week for that State, where he intends spending some time. Christie is to follow on by the next boat. Just what the team will include is not certain yet, but the two-year-old Lilt, by Lucullus, will be one. Has Done Excellent Service The lucky purchase of Tuki by Mr. Samson at auction in the spring of 1926 for 300 guineas has formed the subject of references on many occasions, for, as is well known, the Quin Abbey gelding gave his owner a handsome return on the day following that on which he changed hands. In gaining second place in the Great Northern Steeplechase, an additional £4OO went on to Tuki’s record since he raced under Mr. Samson’s colours, which now runs, out to £ 2,000. Tuition Necessary

The remit to be forwarded by the Taranaki Jockey Club to the Racing Conference next month, regarding the desirability of establishing a riding school for apprentices, is likelk to evoke an interesting discussion. The Australian Jockey Club, while not adopting a school, recently framed a new rule making it compulsory for a lad to ride in a field before a permit would be granted for him to ride in races, and during the last month batches of boys were examined with colours and skull caps on, in fields of five and six, over a distance of five furlongs. The club’s three stipendiary stewards were present on each occasion, and they were able to judge the lads’ capabilties. In discussing the innovation, an Australian writer considered that fields of five and six were too big, as a general examination was then only practicable, and it has been suggested that the field should be reduced to three apprentices, who should be accompanied by an efficient rider. Each steward could then pick out a lad and follow him throughout the gallop. Some such system should prevail in New Zealand, as Loo many inexperienced boys are allowed to take part in races, and many of the accidents in big fields can be attributed to their careless tactics. The lads are not solely to blame, as they are at present allowed to tackle race riding without enjoying the necessary tuition, beyond piloting a horse in track work. Napoleon—His Waterloo?

Called the Napoleon of the turf in Australia, Eric Connelly, according to recent cable news, has incurred the displeasure of the racing authorities at Flemington (Vic.), as they have disqualified him for a year on account of the running of one of his representatives, Broken Doll. Commenting upon this, “The Squir*e” writes: —Connelly is a big noise in turf circles across the pond, as he operates on very extensive lines in the matter of speculation. He is considered one of the best judges of a horse in the running of a horse in Australia, and oft times and many has smote the pencillers hip and thigh during the contest of an event. It is somewhat difficult in Australia, at many courses, to get a view of the competitors in a race, more especially when a backer has to be in close touch with the bookmakers to back his fancies, as they are well hemmed in with patrons. However, Connolly used to get the better view by carrying a box around with him and using it to make his observations from, but the governing powers on the, big courses put a stop to that. He, however, was not checkmated by that, as he got a hefty attendant to be at his heels, and when he wanted to make observations for the purpose of backing them, while they were running, he used to get a hoist on the shoulders of his employee, and thus get a sight of how matters were proceeding. It has been said that no matter how big the fields were he was always able to give name and position to any geegee racing, and his knowledge of colours of owners was unparalleled. Anyhow, they have apparently got the Napoleon of the turf, but as he is appealing from the penance, he mayhap will be able to have sufficient proof to convince the authorities* that they have made a mistake.