TURF NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 423, 3 August 1928, Page 6

TURF NOTES

By

EARLY BIRD.

Racing At Riccarton There will be racing at Riccarton tomorrow (Christchurch Hunt), and again on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, August 14, 16 and 18. That almost brings us on to the spring meetings, which is generally accepted as commencing with the Marton fixture on September 5. Winsome Boy in Work After a period of hill work, Winsome Boy is now being allotted sufficient tasks at headquarters to fit him out for another campaign in the spring. Although rough in the coat, Winsome Boy appears to have benefited considerably in consequence of the treatment he has undergone, and a few sprints should see him again at his best. Kyngzone Lame

Since trainer Ban Moraghan took over the control of Kyngzone a few months back, the Royal Soult gelding has been required to do very little exercise on the tracks at Ellerslie, his tasks being confined to work on the roads. He is now in attendance at Ellerslie, however, and after doing sound work on the sand yesterday morning, displayed distinct signs of lameness. This does not augur well for his future prospects, but it is to be hoped that Moraghan can apply a remedy, for Kyngzone showed himself to be useful during the past season, notwithstanding that he did not win a race. Jockeys’ Licences

In the list of jockeys’ licences appearing in the “New Zealand Referee” this week, the number of licences granted is much shorter than that at the end of the last racing term, which concluded on July 31, the respective figures being 82 and 48. apprentices not being included. No less than five of last season’s Auckland jockeys are now domiciled in Australia, while one or two have taken up training. This leaves 27 still unaccounted for in the Auckland list, these being K. L. Anderson, J. G. Armstrong, W. S. Bagby, E. C. Brown, D. J. Burgess, T. Chaplin, A. G. Corner, C. P. Cotter, E. J. Ferguson, J. L. Gray, C. W. Hastings, W. J. Hawkins, G. A. Holland, L. J. F. Jarvis, G. Jenkins, E.l J. R. Ludlow, A. P. Maguire, J. N. C. Mills, R. Moore, R. H. Murphy, R. B. Orange, J. 'Preston, C. A. Radford, B. M. Ridings, A. R. Rutherford, R. Savage, R. E. Thomson, T. C. Williams, S. E. Wilson, J. Wreghitt and C. H. Young. Some of the above did not apply for a licence, apparently having decided to give up riding for the time being. To Run To-morrow

First Sight, who is engaged in the Winter Cup at 9.4, is giving good exhibitions of his powers on the Riccarton tracks. He is a coming four-year-old gelding by Gay Lad —Snapshot, and has a good record for the present season, as out of ten efforts he has been only unplaced once, his register being three wins, five seconds, and once third. First Sight is to contest the Brabazon Handicap to-morrow. Back Again Patrolet has made his reappearance on the New Plymouth track in charge of R. Barlow. The Patronus gelding has always shown plenty of pace on the tracks, but never seemed to do it right on race days. He is also a proficient jumper. Hurdling Recruits

The Swell was jumped over two hurdles on Saturday at New Plymouth, but his display was not very impressive. He skipped over the first and jumped very high at the second. However, he made no attempt to shirk the fences and will probably improve. Horomea, from the same stable, is also being educated. Making Progress

According to a Southern report, the Solferino gelding, Tommy Bodd, who was subjected to veterinary treatment in the back some weeks ago and given his liberty, is stated to be making some progress toward recovery. He may not stand up to another tion, but he is very lively at the present time, and if he continues to make good he may bo given a little hack exercise in the near future. Derby Colt

Strogoff, who beat Pamona (late Chit) at Williamstown recently, is being discussed as a Berby colt. He is said to be an improving youngster, and will be tried out early next month as a three-year-old in the Adelaide Guineas. His breeding is of interest to New Zealanders for he is by Lanius from the St. Ambrose—Neva mare Onega. Neva was by Stepniak from Whirlpool, and St. Ambrose sired two New Zealand Cup winners in Sinapis and Tangihou. Lanius through Persimmon and Wildflower suggests stayers, so on breeding there is no reason to think that Strogoff should not get the Berby course. Beat the Gun

Sir George Clifford has had a misfortune at his Stonyhurst Stud. Moorfowl, by Autumnus from Kirriemuir, has foaled a filly to The Ace, but unfortunately the youngster made her appearance on July 25, so that she will rank as a yearling to-morrow. She thus loses a lot of her racing value, as she is of no use for classic events. This is the first incident of the kind ever recorded at the Stonyhurst Stud.

Windbag’s Brothers Windbag’s full brother by Magpie from Charleville, knocked down at 4,000 guineas at the last yearling sales, will race as Magnifico. Bicolour, another younger brother of Windbag, has retired from racing. Another of I. H. Andrews’s rising two-year-olds, a colt by Caravel from Challenge, will be known as Accepted. Quite a number of other yearlings in Andrews’s charge have not yet been named; but the Warwick Farm trainer reports that his youngsters are doing remarkably well.

Good Ones from Southland Ranking as the son of a Southland family, it is pleasing to find T. Green securing the New Zealand jockeys’ premiership for the second year in succession, but his elevation is satisfactory from another point of view, in that he has left no stone unturned to achieve victory in a straightforward and honourable fashion (writes “Sir Modred”). A great deal of the credit

attached to Green’s success of the past two seasons is attributable to the exhorseman of other days, and now successful trainer and starter, R. Hatch, under whom he served his apprenticeship, and it is needless to say that the Palmerston North mentor will be very proud of the position gained by his pupil. Southland can claim another horseman in the first three this season.

as third on the list comes A. E. Ellis, a native of the home province, and a jockey who gained his insight into the great game as an indentured servant of F. B. Jones, who has a happy knack of turning out champion horses and horsemen —he is now afloat on the waters of the Tasman Sea with his equine pupil Limerick.

Dargaville Comes to Avondale At a meeting of the Auckland District Committee yesterday the following programmes were approved: Waikato Hunt, October 22, 1928; Bargaville Racing Club, November 1 and 3, at Avondale; Avondale Jockey Club, for season 1928-29. Allegations Not Sustained

A report from the Alexandra Racing Club regarding an inquiry held into certain allegations made by one jockey against another that the latter had attempted to “ready” the hurdle race at Pi.rongia last Boxing Bay, was received by the Auckland District Committee yesterday. The report was received, and the committee considered that the jockey who complained had failed to sustain his allegations. First of the Season

Considering that during the season Othon had started in 28 events without recording a win, it wanted some pluck on the part of backers to keep on going with the gelding in his essays. However, those who did persevere in that direction got their reward on Saturday, when the Te Aute-owned gelding won the Waikanae Handicap at Gisborne, for he returned a two-figure dividend (approaching a third of a century), which would recoup those handsomely who had followed him from the speculating point of view during the season, a good profit over their investments resulting. The son of Nassau and Lalla Rookh must have been in galloping humour on Saturday, as some time after registering his success in the Waikanae Handicap he came out in the Farewell Handicap, finishing second to Huikai. Had he been good enough to have turned the second into a win, another two-figure price would have been collected by his supporters. It is somewhat of a coincidence that prior to Saturday the last race secured by Othon was the same event as he succeeded in last week. On that occasion his prospects were well anticipated, as he started second favourite. Criticism of Handicaps

A perusal of the weights awarded those candidates entered for each of the four big spring handicaps reveals that in the majority of cases the imposts given by the handicappers drop in accordance with the distance (comments a Sydney “Sun” writer). For instance, horses have invariably to carry less weight in the Melbourne Cup than in the Epsom Handicap. A striking instance furnished is that of Fourth Hand, who drops from 9.10 in the Epsom to 8.13 in the two-mile Cup. In another case we also find a difference of 111 b. This is Tea Bell, who has 8.4 in the Epsom, and 7.7 in the Melbourne Cup. But, contrary to custom, Arikiwai, one of F. B. Jones’s team, was given more weight in the Melbourne Cup than in the short race. While this Paladin gelding has 7.13 in the Epsom, he has 51b more in the Melbourne Cup. This is probably due to the fact that Arikiwai is a halfbrother to Pilliewinkie, and the V.R.C. handicapper expects him to show to greater advantage over a bit of distance. Paitoni has been given 7.12 in the Epsom, and drops to 6.11 in the Melbourne Cup. This is the most extreme case in connection with the spring handicaps. Debutante Stakes, 4 X Furlongs

The field that will contest the Debutante Stakes next month, promises to be one of the largest to fa&ce the barrier, for not only has the winter been so mild that trainers all oV«ier New Zealand have been able to the work into the juveniles to an unexpected extent, but also the Wangans.ii Club has decided- to have the distanoe attached to the event reduc ;d to fotur and aquarter furlongs, this being njtide possible through the decision of the Racing Conference to permit the reduction of distances for two-year-old races to a minimum of four furlongs untKt some four months of the season have passed. The field will now line up and a run of about 60 yards to a tlrheefurlong bend, with a furlong run-in. A Criticism

The following is from the “Evening; Post”: “The ink is hardly dry yet on i the report of the Licensing Committee of the Racing Conference, which stated definitely that district committees be directed to grant permission to clubs to hold race meetings on other than their own courses only under very exceptional circumstances. Also, it was directed that such clubs must race on the course nearest to its own course. Now from Auckland comes the following: ‘There is every prospect of the Bargaville Racing Club holding its next annual meeting on the Avondale racecourse, the dates suggested being November 1 and 3. A letter was received from the Avondale Jockey Club offering free use of the course for the meeting/ It appears rather difficult to reconcile this with the statement from the governing body.” Saw Some Good Horses

The Christchurch sportsman. Mr. J. R. McKenzie, writing from England on June 10 to Mr. B. F. Glanville. says: “I had an invitation to inspect the Duke of Westminster’s stud farm, and this was most interesting. Twelve Pointer, a stallion, is a beautiful brown horse that one could stand and admire by the hour. He was given only a few mares last* year for his first season. The duke has only one colt by him, as he had book&d his mares up before he had decided to put him to the stud. This colt is to be sold at the Newmarket sales next month, as the duke does not race anything himself. Unfortunately, I am leaving before the sale, but I intend to go a thousand for him. It is a good price lor a first foal, but he is a beauty, and if ever a yearling should gallop this one should, but you can never tell with yearlings. Then there is another —a chestnut colt by Spion Kop-Eager Eyes—that is anything but handsome, but the longer I looked at him the more lie seemed to grow on me, and before I left he struck me as one that might do anything, and I intend going seven hundred for this fellow. But since the Berby was won by his sire’s son, he may bring much more than I am prepared now to go. There are two fillies, Hurry On —Edna and Hurry On —Comtessine. The latter has a reserve of four thousand—no good to yours truly at these prices. There is another nice colt, Ellangowan—Vileration. that I intend going eight hundred for, so perhaps I might get one of the four. Two of these are by horses in their first stud season. But yearlings by well-fancied horses bring big prices here. This was a wonderful stud farm. One could see that money did not count. Evers’- yearling colt had a paddock to himself, with double fences round it, and never more than three mares with foals in one paddock. Wonderful grazing—it was springtime—and great shelter. The head gardener’s house was like a young palace; the same with the manager’s. The colt I liked so much is by Twelve Pointer— Stornell. Perhaps you may see by the papers what these are sold for.” Mr. McKenzie is spending five weeks in America, but he says in his letter that he will be glad to be back. He is due in. Christchurch on August 21,