TURF NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 6

TURF NOTES

By

The Grand Nationals Weights for the minor events tlie first day of the Grand National meeting are due on Monday, and acceptances, including those for the big treble, close next Thursday night. Wiltshire and Pouri The two Waikato hopes in the Grand National Steeplechase, Pouri and Wiltshire, are expected to put in an appearance at Riccarton on Tuesday or Wednesday. Overlooked it Isolated protests continue to be heard about country clubs holding their race meetings in Auckland, but it should not be forgotten that the extra taxation derived by the Treasury from the increased returns thereby goes to relieve the National Debt! Unhonoured Prophet A Calcutta astrologer of some note, who is stated to have given out that the big sweep on the English Derby would be won by a ticket the digits of which totalled seven, is in disrepute just at present. He caused a rush for tickets that worked out at seven, and according to an exchange this caused some to change hands at nearly £IOO —a useful profit on 15s. The astrologer missed by four, the number of the ticket that drew Felstead being 8K1730. For Randwick In charge of their trainer, Luke Wilson, Mr. J. S. McLeod’s two young horses Raasay (Lord Quex —Tressida) and Gesto (Lord Quex —Queen Lizzie), both of whom have attained three-year-old status, were entrained on Wednesday at Hastings for Wellington, whence they were shipped yesterday by the Ulimaroa for Sydney to play their part in Australian spring engagements. Raasay, it is hoped, will continue to show form that will justify starting him against the Commonwealth’s best in the Derby contests at Randwick and Plemington. Reed’s Better Average Though T. Green finished the season two up on R. Reed, his nearest rival in the jockeys’ premiership list, Reed had the finer record in classic races, and also stood head and shoulders above his rival in point of averages. Green rode 75 winners during the season just closed, and had 68 seconds and 69 thirds to his credit; but to attain the eminence he occupied at the end of the season he had to ride 466 mounts. Reed, on the other hand, did not get going until well on into the season, and his 73 wins, 6S seconds, and 43 thirds were scored out of an aggregate of only 331 rides. Furthermore, Reid had by far the greater number of successes in classic events. The percentage of wins to total number of mounts works out approximately at Reed 24 per cent., and cent. Training Two-year-olds

While the question of curtailing the distance of early two-year-old races is under consideration, it may be of interest to recall the fact that the greatest authority on training, the late Mr. William Day, held that youngsters should never be tried over less than six furlongs. The great mistake which present-day trainers make is sprinting youngsters over three furlongs for races over five furlongs. Day’s practice was to work them at a solid pace over the distance of a race, and be satisfied with one trial gallop. Now we read of horses being subjected to several trials before a meeting. The mighty Ormonde never had a trial gallop in his life. He was and got ready to race, and his trainer knew that he had a good horse without looking at the watch, except to see the time of day. Paper Moneys Galore

It is rather rare to had a trainer with a fairly big team of youngsters all got by the same sire (writes “Sentinel”). J. Fielder has several in his stable who were all got by Paper Money. One is a big gelding from 80-Peep, by Bezonian from Shepherdess, and so belongs to the same family as Windbag, one of the best winners in recent years seen in Australia. Bezonian brings in the speedy Paraffin-Iliuminata strain, and as Paper Money can sire speed, this fellow should go fast when really ready to race. A sturdy filly from Michaela is also by Paper Money. The dam could go very fast, and has produced a winner in Don Jose. There are not many Rokeby mares in the stud book. Michaela was the best of them on the turf? and may prove the best at the stud. There are geldings from Bebehead, Fair Fight, and Glen Helen. Bebehead was got by Birkenhead from Bebe, by Bezonian, and is a half-sister to a once-good horse in Cupidon. Birkenhead mares have been good producers, and the fact should not be surprising when it is remembered that he was got by Orme, the sire of Flying Fox, who in turn got Gloaming’s sire, The Welkin. The Orme line of Stockwell, through Flying Fox, is going strong in France. Fair Fight was got by Martian, and so is bred on somewhat similar lines to Paper Chase, and goes back to the same taproot as Set Sail. Glen Helen was got by Treadmill, so that her gelding is inbred to St. Simon on a Trenton taproot. Trenton was probably the best sire of brood mares left by Musket, and the above brief glance through the Stud Book suggests that Feilder has some useful material to handle. Turf, Taxation, and Politics

The president of the Southland Racing Club had some characteristic remarks to make at the recent annual meeting of the club. Although the club had made a profit of only £9l, said Mr. Hazlett, the Government profit for the year amounted to £5,680. It was useless for him to harp on this point year after year, but he had to sa.y something on the matter. There was no question that the taxation was iniquitous. For the whole of the Dominion the Government had last year received £410,675 in taxation. The clubs did all the work, and carried on the huge business of racing. Yet in Southland the club made only £9l, while the Government collected £5,680. The Southland Club, although it had to pay a big sum to the Government, was in a much better position than many other clubs, who, despite running at a loss, had to pay the full amount of taxation. The public were being persecuted by the Government. The only thing to do was to hammer away at the Government. Another way to help was to urge that dividends should be published. The newspapers should be annoyed by members till they joined with racing clubs in urging that dividends be published. As Sir George Clifford had recently said, the result of the English Derby was flashed all over the world, and everywhere except New Zealand the starting price was published. That was persecution. W'hy the Press did not take a bigger hand in the matter he did not know.

EARLY BIRD

Not For Sydney Mr. IT. Clelland informed a Taranaki writer that Bright Glow would not be making a trip to Sydney, and that the chestnut mare would probably make her reappearance under silk at Wanganui. Tuki—All’s Well.

Reports from Timaru state that all has been well with Tuki since the Wellington meeting, and he is to take his place in the field for the Grand National Steeplechase, in which he will be ridden by A. E. Ellis. He is expected to arrive at Riccarton early next week. Brother to Royal Feast

Through the agency of Mackinnon and Cox Pty., Ltd., the stallion Mercian King, by King Off a from Bunfeast, has been sold privately to Mr. J. J. Gatenby, of Hawke’s Bay. Mercian King, who is a brother to Royal Feast, the champion two-year-old of the 1926-27 season, was a high-class racehorse, and among the races he won were the V.R.C. Leonard Stakes and Yan Yean Stakes. Mercian King arrived at Wellington by the Marama, and was railed through to his new home. Breaks Down After Race

It is reported that Huikai was in a very bad way after winning the Farewell Handicap at Gisborne last Saturday. The Tribulation gelding broke down in the straight, and although he finished past the post first, pulled up very lame, and was got back to the birdcage with difficulty. It is therefore unlikely that the Hawke’s Bay gelding will be seen out again until he has had a long spell. The Trek to Australia

So many horses have gone or are going to the Commonwealth to race this spring that it would appear almost as if races will be easy to win at home. Certainly some of the best of New Zealand’s thoroughbreds will be helping to provide entertainment for Australian racegoers. This year has provided something unusual in a very mild winter, and it is doubtful if the horses which have gone to Australia would have been any more forward in condition if they had wintered over there. Latest reports from Sydney have been of intense cold, and from private news received it is doubtful if the weather, on the average, has been as good as that of New Zealand. Accordingly, this year’s team should lack nothing in the matter of condition, and it lacks less in size. Those late-goers who do not propose leaving New Zealand for a few weeks yet should not be at any disadvantage. Another One Out

John Massey Watson, junr., of Thrylungra Station, Western Queensland, was recently disqualified for life, for alleged improper practices. The disqualification arose over what is known as the Red Fortune case. The horse, with Robert Ward, owner-trainer, and E. J. M. Pegler, of Quilpie, were previously disqualified. It was alleged that the horse was Chairman, a well-known New Zealand performer, and was bought over there for £SOO. Evidence was given that on arrival at Sydney the horse went into a Sydney trainer’s stable; was later sent to Bourke, and thence worked over to West Queensland. It was also alleged that photographs of Red Fortune, at Charleville, were identified as being those of Chairman in New Zealand by the former owner of that horse. Watson gave verbal notice of appeal. The other parties concerned, Ward and Pegler, have officially lodged appeals, which will be heard at the office of the Racing Association, Toowoomba, on August 31. Balmarino and the Cup According to a Sydney writer, a good thee-year-old is always to be respected in the Melbourne Cup, and if the betting charts of the leading Sydney and Melbourne operators are any criterion, Balmarino is going to be a star colt of that age next season. (This is the juvenile that George Price spoke so highly of when in Auckland last Monday.) At any rate, the support for him has placed him in the exalted position of equal favouritism with Winalot and Statesman, but to retain his place at the top of the quotes he will need to act up to the highest expectation of his owner and trainer in the Derbies. Sydney racegoers are well acquainted with Balmerino, who carried 8.2 and dead-heated for first with Yodelist (7.3) in the seven furlongs A.J.C. Fernhill Handicap in the autumn, but as Stanza, Black Douglas, Bob’s March, Oatendale, Panola and Star Warden, the latter of whom ran third, were handicapped from 41b. to 151 b. above him in that race, it can readily be understood that Balmerino will need to improve a good deal to bring himself into line for classic and cup honours. Balmerino is trained by D. J. Price for Mr. John Edmond, who gave 600 guineas for him as a yearling, and he has the breeding to get a distance. He is by AIJ Black, who has sired several decent stayers, and his dam is Anna, a daughter of Sea Prince and Anna Carlovna. Sea Prince and Anna Carlovna were both raced by E. A. Connolly, and between them they were supposed to have the 1913 cups at their mercy. However, several Melbourne fielders, who stood to pay out large amounts in the event of Anna Carlovna’s success, clubbed together and offered Mr. F. Merton attractive odds to make the trip from Sydney with Aurifer, who had run third to Cagou in the Metropolitan just previously, and how Aurifer beat Anna Carlovna into second place is one of the most famous of Caulfield Cup stories. Sea Prince finished sixth, and afterwards started second favourite to the Derby winner Beragoon in the Melbourne Cup, only to be beaten into fourth place.