Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 568, 22 January 1929, Page 10

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY “£

EARLY BIRD”

Imperial Guard for Australia

Reports from Trentham credit Mr. Eric Riddiford with having sold his pair of two-year-olds. Imperial Guard and Insurgent, and they have been shipped to Australia. Mascot, with a filly foal to Limond. and in foal to Grand Knight, is to be sold by auction at Trentham this week. High-priced Yearlings

Up to November 17, the yearlings sold for 1,000 guineas or over in England last season totalled 179. against 135 for the whole of 1927. Of those sold last year, the prices of 49 ranged from 13,000 guineas down to 3,000 guineas. , More Dewarisms

Recently some of Lord Dewar's quips the last Gimcrack dinner were quoted. Here are some more:—Lucky is the man that does not believe in luck. If you wait for a stroke of good fortune, you may wait until you get a stroke of paralysis. If you hang horseshoes all around the top of your door, it will not bring you luck unless you get around yourf, . *ne lucky horseshoe is the one that is on the horse’s foot when it wins. Luck is being ready for the opportunity when it comes.

No wife can endure a gambling husDand unless he is a steady winner. Racing is made up of unlucky happenings. Breed from the best, or buv the best, and even then you may be disappointed. Do we not see evidence uf that in the high prices at the sales? Cast thy bread upon the bloodstock sales* and you will be prettv lucky if you ever see it again. All Over the World

In racing, there are many owners who begrudge anyone a win on their horses. They may have received 20 to one to their money, but it hurts them to hear an acquaintance say ho had a few pounds on at one-fourth those odds. We read quite a lot about those “open-hearted’' sportsmen who run around telling their friends to “get on/* but in Sydney my experience is that when they do it is generally after the betting market has given the straight tip as to what they think of their representative’s chance (writes “Pilot”). There are exceptions, but very few. It is no different elsewhere, not even in England, where the percentage of owners racing for sport is greater than in Australia. Writing on this subject in the London “Sunday Express.” George Gilbey recently expressed himself as follows. “Some of my best friends who are most open-handed, generous men away from the turf, lose half the pleasure in owning a winner if they discover that their friends have backed it. They argue, quite truly, that they pay for the keep of the horse, and therefore they are entitled to be the only ones to back it. I pay the rent of my house, but when my friends

call I do not point out to them that, as I have paid the rent, they should not come in. Nor, when we give a dinner party, do we expect to cat all the food ourselves/*

Ellerslie Work To-day’s gallops at will be found under Late Turf on another page. Auckland's Entry The following is a list of Auckland horses nominated for events at the Taranaki Jockey Club’s meeting on February 7 and 9: Abbot’s Delight. Zircon, Eaglet, Paganelli, Macroom, High Finance, Parfait Amour, Bold Archer, Taneriri, Joke Form, and Pegaway. Only One Entry Although many American owners regard their horses as superior to those of England, they are content to race them in their own country. The trip from New York to England is accomplished in less than a week by boats that carry horses, so the trip is not a hardship. There is only one entry from America for the 1930 English Derby, and that is a colt by the English sire Golden Myth. However, there are some very valuable three-year-old races run in America, and that is one reason why that country's owners do not patronise English classics to a greater extent. Limerick and Aussie A year ago the presence of Limerick spoilt the contest for the Hazlett Gold Cup at the Dunedin autumn meeting, and it looked as if Mr. Knight’s champion would have a similar effect on the race next month. However, with Aussie included among the nominations, the position has been changed and the event may prove one of the star attractions of the meeting. Of course it is no certainty that Aussie will be asked to measure strides with Limerick as yet, but no doubt a decision as to the Fortafix gelding’s programme will shortly be made. That Aussie is nominated for the classic would lead one to expect him to make the trip. Cammick's Injuries In consequence of Alonsoa falling with him in the Kawakawa Cup at the Bay of Islands meeting on Saturday last. J. Cammick will be unable to carry out engagements at the Takapuna meeting on Saturday. It was understood that Cammick was suffering from concussion, but an examination found that he was also tho recipient of two fractured ribs. Naturally this means that Ellerslie trainer J. Williamson will be required to engage another rider for Vallar, The Lover and Palmares, three horses which Cammick would have ridden in their engagements. Vallar, favourite for the sprint at the Shore, is weighted at 7 9 and in the event of R. McTavish making the weight he will pilot the son of Valkyrian. However. it is doubtful if McTavish can reduce to that extent.