Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 383, 18 June 1928, Page 10

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

Wellington’s Fixture This is to be held at Trentham on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, July 11, 12 and 14. Entries close tonight. Big Batch of Yearlings Forty-six yearlings are at the Eldorslie stud. They will no doubt be split up into sections for the New Zealand and Australian markets. They are a fine, healthy looking lot, showing almost without exception plenty of size and quality. Sprinter Schools Well Chick wheat and Nine of Spades were schooled over the pony hurdles on Wednesday. Nine of Spades gave an exceptionally fine display, and promises to make a good hurdler. Chickwheat jumped very carefully and apparently he has not forgotten an earlier experience, when he fell. Only a Rumour A paragraph has appeared in North Island papers, emanating from a Dunedin correspondent, that C. Emerson did not intend to apply for a jockey’s licence for the new season. This statement was erroneous, as Emerson’s name was included in the list of licences granted at the recent meeting of the Canterbury District Committee. Hitting the Nail A sidelight on riders well expressed by a Victorian writer: “It is a remarkable fact that 40 years ago you could find a dozen capable jockeys who were able to go to the scale at 6 stone or under, while to-day, with the minimum a stone higher, there are few good riders under 7 stone. I suppose the explanation is that they do not catch them so young now—the school inspectors see to that—and boys in a training stable are much better fed than they used to be in the old days, and have less hard work to do. Reremoana’s Return Recently Trainer O. Cox paid a visit to Mr. G. F. Moore’s estate at Kai Iwi, Wanganui, taking back Reremoana with him. Reremoana is inclined to get a bit gross when altogether on the idle list, and his trainer prefers to have him pottering about before putting him to serious work a little later on. While at Kai Iwi, Valerie’s foal by Absurd was inspected and impressed very favourably. Missed the Bus The Hawke’s Bay trainer, W. J. Donovan, would no doubt find himself unlucky on his arrival in Sydney last week in regard to his nominations for the major events of the A.J.C. It looks practically certain that they would have arrived late, and there appears no way out according to the rules. Under the circumstances the value of his horses for sale purposes have depreciated, for buyers would prefer them to have good engagements. It is probable that they will race at the minor meetings in the spring and then come back to New Zealand. Greengrocer, with the benefit of the warm weather in New South Wales, should be a likely New Zealand Cup candidate. Useful Hack A little over 12 months ago, Mr. C. F. Vallance’s Boniform gelding, Kalos, began to draw attention to himself by running consistently good races, but he managed to win only three, his last success being in the Akitio Handicap, six. furlongs, at the Hawke’s Bay autumn meeting. Kis next appearance was at Riccarton, where he was beaten in the Flying Hack Handicap at the Christchurch Hunt meeting. This season he has not won a race, though he has been placed second on six occasions, and third ance, out of 11 starts, so that he has been most unlucky. He has not raced since last December, but he is among those nominated for the forthcoming winter meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. Kalos should be a better horse next time he gets into good racing condition. The Whirlwind! The following was considered good enough to cable to the Sydney “Sun,” so it may be good enough to repeat here: “His name is Whirlwind. He is a racehorse and a whirlwind. He ate a saddle at a recent meeting in the North. To-day he bucked his jockey off at the post. ITe galloped all over the place, kicked a policeman’s horse, bailed up the ambulance; was recaptured and remounted; started in the race, led all the way and won by a neck. The incidents occurred at Hurst Park. After he threw Dines, his jockey, Whirlwind reared up erect two or three times. When he galloped back to the paddock ho made for the policeman’s hack. The policeman jumped off. When this mount got clear, the rowdy racehorse made for the ambulance horse. He did no damage, however.” Schooling at Riccarton Wharncliffe (E. Shaw) had Sir Wai (A. J. Peart) as a mate in a round over the steeplechase fences at Riccarton last Thursday. Wharncliffe, who had to be held back to his companion, jumped throughout in the most attractive fashion, while the exhibition given by Sir Wai was easily his best for this season. Radiac (R. McCann) jumped the three steeplechase fences down the straight in his usual accomplished style. McCann was having his first experience on a jumper, and the youngster acquitted himself with great credit. Oriflamb (E. Shaw) jumped the steeplechase fence at the top of the straight and then was eased up. It was his first trial over a big obstacle, and he jumped it like a veteran. It was a preliminary to a more extended effort later on. Lack of Stayers Are stayers on the decrease? This was one of five questions put to Mr. John E. Madden, probably the most successful breeder of America or anywhere else in the world. Therefore, to quote from the “Thoroughbred Record,’’ “anything Mr. Madden has to say on this subject must needs merit the careful consideration of all breeders and those interested in the future welfare of the thoroughbred horse, and carry the weight that only such past successful experience can give.” Mr. Madden’s answer to the query of the “Record” writer was: “Yes, because the ability to stay is largely a matter of training. With so many races under a mile the majority of horses are not trained to go a distance and their staying powers not tested as they would bo in preparation for long races. This leads to the belief that stayers are almost extinct; but, as evidence to the contrary, there always appear to be enougli thoroughbreds to compete for the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase. Sometimes a field of 20 or more, racing over a gruelling course, of over four miles, is an evidence that there are a number of horses that can stay if trained for the purpose.”

To Ride Takanini String It is reported from the South that J. Barry will be first horseman for J. T. Jamieson’s stable next season. A visit to Sydney in the spring with the team is likely. A Tragedy! A warm favourite in Saturday’s Napier Steeplechase, Puwhero, was going like a certainty clear of Son o’ Mine, with Mixed Heather and Garzon, the only other competitors, a long way back. Puwhero fell at the post and rails about five furlongs from home, and Son o’ Mine followed immediately, leaving Mixed Heather to canter home ahead of the very tired Garzon. Ellerslie Quiet A period of quietness has reigned at Ellerslie since the close of the Great Northern meeting, but wit If 1 the Te Kuiti fixture so close at hand and such a large number of local horses claiming engagements at the gathering, proceedings will commence to liven up from now on. About Sleepy Sol Still looking rather robust as the result of his enforced spell, Sleepy Sol is gradually fining down, so that he should be in excellent condition when required to race again. Sleepy Sol is at his best when the sting is out of the ground, and probably before long a win will go down to his credit, for his connections have placed him to advantage on past occasions. To Race at Trentham Kameliameha’s form at Ellerslie recently has so satisfied owner-trainer D. P. Moraghan that he has been encouraged to nominate the ’chaser for events at Trentham next month. Master Doon will also be entered, and providing nothing intervenes necessitating a change in the programme, the pair will journey South for Trentham’s winter fixture next month. Not to Go to Trentham It was formerly announced in The Sun that the stable companions, Bulolo and Monetize, would journey to Trentham for the winter fixture there, but their owner, Mr. D. Potter, is now of the opinion that it might interfere with the spring campaign of the two youngsters. They are to be kept going. however, and only tasks of the lightest nature will be their lot, so that when the spring comes round they should be in excellent trim for their early engagements. Hoariri’s Trouble Hoariri is as fit as could be wished, but as to remaining sound his trainer, H. Rama, is rather doubtful. Hoariri’s near foreleg is giving his ownertrainer an anxious period and it will depend largely upon the progress made in the next week or so whether the son of Antagonist will accept engagements on the occasion of the Te Kuiti Racing Club’s annual meeting. When it comes to racing on a yielding track Hoariri is to be seen at his best, so if the conditions prevailing for the Tq Kuiti meeting are at all suited to him, it may prove wise not to count him out. To Leave on Friday Mr. C. Emanuel’s good sprinter, Royal Tea, is due to leave on Friday by the Marama for Sydney, where he will go into the stable presided over by the Randwick trainer, G. Price, who will prepare Royal Tea for his engagements. Royal Tea has previously raced with success in Sydney, and on account of his partiality for the hard turf he should not return without success on this occasion. Mr. Emanuel also owns Royal Lover, who arrived by boat from Taranaki recently, and there is a possibility that he will also mak© the trip across the Tasman. A definite decision regarding his fuituire will not be known for a few days. A Word for Comical Comical is being condemned on all sides as a steeplechaser and various people have remarked that he is tou old to improve, but there are reasonable grounds to anticipate that the critics referred to will be found wanting. In the first place (comments “Sir Modred”) it is only a few weeks since Comical completed a steeplechase course in public for the first time, and, secondly, he is only 11 years of age, and this is not old as steeplechasers go. Therefore the Merry Moment — Mint Queen gelding may be said to have only commenced his cross-country career with several useful years in front of him, while his age is no bar to improvement if the lessons of the past in England, Ireland, Australia and Maoriland go for anything. The writer knows of a number of sportsmen experienced in the cross-country business who would like to own Comical at the present juncture, despite the croaking of the hasty critics who have yet to learn that steeplechasers are not made in a day, and the North Islander under review ranked as a performer who could jump hurdles well prior to becoming a ’chaser. Fantastic Laws The racing contributor to the Hawke’s Bay “Tribune” remarks: “Probably everywhere in the British Empire excepting in New Zealand the sporting public have been told the odds at which Felstead set out to win the English Derby last Wednesday. Apparently our fantastic and generally ineffective law against publishing starting prices has frightened the cable agencies from letting us know even whereabout the winner stood in the quotations. We can therefore only guess at his being an outsider from the omission of his name from among those suggested the day previously as being ‘liked.’ A literal interpretation of our absurd prohibitory legislation would probably make an offence out of a quotation of the price at which a winner of a century ago started. So it must be understood that the odds now quoted in connection with the earlier successes of outsiders are not starting prices, but merely prices that might have been secured on the day. Thus Jeddah and Aboyeur carried off the event when backable at 100 to 1, Hermit at 66 to I, and several others at 50 to 1. Then, within recent years, the price procurable about Grand Parade (1919) was 33 to 1, Captain Cuttle (1922) 10 to 1. and Papyrus (1923) 100 to 15. Much earlier in Derby history, Spaniel was a winner about whom 50 to 7 could have been got. The owner, Lord Egremont, thought so little of his prospects that he parted with him before the race for £l5O. But his jockey was quite as much at sea as the public, as he j backed someone else’s mount. In connection with this Derby, it is said that a couple of cavalry officers quartered in Edinburgh secured advance news of the winner by pigeon post. As a result. they won a big sum from the local bookmakers, who, like everybody else, had to wait for the news until the stage coach brought it several hours afterwards.”-