Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 556, 8 January 1929, Page 10

Turf Notes

Racing At Thames ! The annual meeting of the Thames | Jockey Club is to be held at Thames !on Saturday and Monday. Excellent acceptances have been received for the first day, and the sport should be highly entertaining. A special steamer service has been arranged, the Rangitoto leaving Auckland at 0.45 a.m. and returning at 6.30 p.m. each day. Takapuna Meeting The summer meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club is to be held on" Saturday and Tuesday, January 26 and 29 (Anniversary Day). Entries tire due to close with the secretary, Mr. F. D McVay, at 5 pun. on Friday next. Few For Trentham There is a very poor Auckland entry for the forthcoming Wellington summer meeting. The fact of the matter is that Northern Horses get all the racing they require in their own province, and certainly there has been a feast of it up this way since the spring. Will Not Meet It is unfortunate that neither Corinax nor Laughing Prince, first and second in the Auckland Cup, will be on hand at Trentham a fortnight hence, for another meeting between the pair, even at a mile and a-half, would be most entertaining. However, it is not to be. land probably the owners of these two 1 fine handicappers have other plans in Interesting Contest Another Aucklander not for Treniham is Supremacy, who was not nomi inated for the Wellington Stakes, which Paganelli won for Auckland last year. Honour and Ceremony are in, however, and the former with his penalty will have to carry 7.5, against Ceremony’s 6.12, and at a difference of 101 b over five furlongs the Absurd gelding may make it very interesting for Honour Tidal’s Chance Despite Tidal’s failures at Ellerslie it is on the cards that he will be taken to Trentham. He figures in the Highweight the first day, and on the second in the Duoro Cup, the rich hack handicap. The former event should suit him well, for he will go the distance, the big course will be all in his favour, and he will have a strong pilot. The Duoro Cup is a race “that generally takes a lot of winning, for there is a maximum of interference with all the riders and horses trying hard. A Takanini Pair The form of Le Choucas and Nippy at Ellerslie was not very promising, but they have been entered for the Well ington meeting. Both have a liking for the big Trentham track, and they mayshow to better advantage there than at Ellerslie. A Clash It is a pity- that the filial day of the Wellington fixture clashes with the opening of the Takapuna summer meeting. It is possible for one to do the first and second days at Trentham and the yearling sales, and other sales two days later, and then get back to Auckland for the first day at Takapuna. The local club will probably have a really good meeting, for it is more likely than Trentham rather than Takapuna will be affected by the clash. Te Awamutu String To Awamutu owner-trainer G. Paul will not have Aussie to represent him at Trentham, but in all probability he will take Awarere, Papatu and the maiden performer Just Nell. The former may prove to be a worthy substitute for Aussie, for he, too, is a fine sprinter, and if he gets the ground hard to his liking he may be a nuisance to the other sprinters. Papatu is a difficult horse to follow, for he has had any amount of chances, and has yet to show form above the ordinary. May Be Suited Just Nell is a very promising sort, although she has not got on the winning list to date. She has not been racing long, and so she must be given time to make good. Of pace she is endowed with plenty-, but she is an awkward galloper, who should be well suited at Trentham. It would not be surprising if Just Nell gets in the money if she is taken to Trentham. Paganelli And Trentham In addition to Awarere, we have PagI anelli in the sprints at Trentham, and of cov-se ho will go well if he starts. However, his recent form makes it obvious that he is going to be made to carry sorpe weight, and no doubt a decision as to the trip will not be arrived at until the handicaps are announced. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Coyle assesses the Waikato sprinter, who won last week with 9.11 over at fair sprinting field, and succeeded in conceding no less than 371 b to the promising Vallar. Promising Youngster A good word has already been said for the two-vear-old Glenartney, the half-brother by Hunting Song to Agitato and Vivo, trained at Fordell by F. Tilley. This youngster is engaged in the juvenile events at Trentham, and as he should have benefited by the experience gained in his one race at Ellerslie he can be expected to give a fine account of himself. When raced faded out at the end, as well he might, off the course at the turn, and that incident recalled to mind a similar characteristic of his relative, Agitato. The latter was a strong puller, and in one of his races at Awapuni not so very long ago he came to the home turn and bolted off the course, careering up the straight right up against the lawn rails, and then shooting across to the inner again as the field swept out of the straight, for it was a mile and a-half race. Agitato was still in front after this, although he faded out at the end, as well he might. Probably Glenartney will be a bit more conscientious where his backers are ' concerned than was his relative.* The Bite A Scotsman and an Englishman were fishing. To introduce a little spice into the contest it was arranged that the first man to land a fish should stand the other a drink. After a few minutes the. Scot pointed out triumphantlv that his companion had something on his line. The Englishman drew it in. It was a miserable little three-inch specimen. The Scot quaffed down his drink, and then said with a sigh of satisfaction, “Weell, I think I’ll bait to a hook *noo.”

Running Into Form Sir Mond will be one ot' the few to represent Ellerslie at Thames over the week-end, and he should prove a worthy representative, too. A robust type of gelding, he has taken some time to come to hand, but a third in one of the hack events at the recent carnival was sufficiently good to encourage the view that he is approaching winning form at last. Maybe he will need a little more l-ac-ing, but, nevertheless, he is one to remember. Attracted By the Rain? After an absence extending over three months, that brilliant sprinter, Hoariri, lias made a reappearance at Ellerslie under the charge of his owner-trainer, H. Rama. The spell has proved beneficial in more ways than one, for, in addition to having the son of Antagonist looking really well, there are no signs of lameness, a factor which has repeatedly told against Ifbariri in the past. The more mud the better he likes it. Smart Filly's Programme Usually W. Kemp attends Ellerslie with both Gold Money and King Emerald, but the latter is not being brought to the track at present, a few days’ spell being thought advisable. Gold Money is very fit just now, notwithstanding that her racing programme at the past meeting consisted of races over a mile, a mile and a-half. and six furlongs, respectively. No doubt the Wynyard Plate at Takapuna at the ! end of the month will be her next out--1 ing, and produced in the best of order, | there is no doubt as to what will be favourite. For the Sales The Sydney trainer G. Price is due in Wellington via Auckland this month, his object being to attend the yearling sales at Trentham. There is likely to be a better Australian representation at the ringside this year than previously. About Falls An inquiry was held at .Hastings on Tuesday by the stewards into the fall of Aston and Millais in the Final Handicap on that day. The Judicial Committee found that the occurrence was a pure accident, and was satisfied there had been no interference on the part of any 'of the other horses or riders in the race. Hastings was not the only place jvhere horses* fell, but little was said. Now, when a horse falls at Takapuna there is an outcry, but it has to bo remembered that there are many worse racecourses in the Dominion, and that Takapuna, is by no means as bad as some would have us believe. Sydney Hurdle Races Prominent trainers of jumpers in Sydney are resenting allegations by P. Connolly that hurdle races and steeplechases in Sydney were often framed on the eve of a meeting. One (Frank McGrath) says that Connolly shfeiiTu be brought back to Sydney from Perth and made to . substantiate his allegations. McGrath asserts that he has for years raced hurdlers and had never found cause for complaint respecting the honesty of riders. Other trainers characterise Connolly’s remarks as “wild statements made without justification” and “foolish talk.” Success Of Australians While New Zealand-bred horses do so well in Australia, it is interesting to note the success of Australian-bred horses in New Zealand during the holidays. The Auckland Cup was won by Corinax from Laughing Prince, both bred in Australia, though in the case of Laughing Prince New Zealand can claim a little of the credit in that his dam, Martian Princess, was bred here. Even Corinax is descended from the Ellerslie mare Ingoda. Aussie is another Australian product who worthily represented his country of origin. Vertigern', Joy King, Llanore, The Warden, and Miss Mercia were other Austral-ian-bred horses to win during the week. A Successful Meeting The Marton Jockey Club was one of the few clubs to show increased figures during the holidays, both tote and “gates” being well ahead of last year, says a Southern writer. The tote was “down” a thousand on the first day, chiefly owing to heavy showers preventing the public from leaving the stands before a couple of events. On the second day weather conditions were ideal, and another large attendance and spirited betting saw the tote deficit wiped out and a substantial increase shown on the day and meeting. The Marton tracks were in splendid order, and together with the lawns and enclosures, bore *a remarkably green appearance for the time of the year. The jockey’s board, purchased from the Auckland Racing Club, was in use and was a valuable adjunct. Quiet At Headquarters Several Ellerslie trainers are giving their charges a short respite following on the racing at the recent meeting, and consequently a period of quietness pervades headquarters. However, with the Takapuna meeting less than three weeks off, mentors will shortly get busy again giving the final touches to candidates who are due for an outing across the harbour., A Waiting Game A racecourse owner had given a friend a straight tip which had come badly unstuck. There were recriminations afterwards. The owner said: “Oh, well, you can say what you like, but 1 believe in the brute. Something will happen one day to put him on his mettle.” “Yes,” said the other, scorn - fully, “and that’ll be when the farrier shoes him.” REMINDERS Nominations for the Matamata R.C. annual meeting on February 2 close at 5 p.m. on Friday. January 31, with the j secretary at Matamata, or with Messrs. Blomfield and Company, Auckland. Nominations for the Rotorua R.C. annual fixture on February S and 11 close on Friday, January 25, with the secretary at Rotorua, and also with the secretary of the Avondale Jockey Club. Entries for the Wanganui J.C. summer meeting on February 14 and 16 are due at S p.m. on Monday, January 28 Nominations for the Egmont R.C. summer fixture on January 3f and February 2 close on Monday, January 14. at 8.30 p.m. Taranaki J.C. summer meeting (February 7 and 9) nominations are due at 9 p.m. on Friday, January 18. Forfeits for the Taranaki Stakes are due at the same time.