Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 668, 21 May 1929, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

“EARLY BIRD"

Auckland Acceptances Acceptances for all first-day events, and the Great Northern Steeplechase as well, at the A.-K.C. winter meeting on June 1, 3 and 5, close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 p.m. on Friday next. U nbeatable ?

Thre'e out of the four hurdle races at Wanganui last week were won by horses trained at Awapuni, the Manawatu training centre. They were Red Fuchsia, Mister Gamp and Red Bank. The last named also -acted as runnerup to Gala Bay the first day. Truly Awapuni is enjoying a royal run- in hurdle races. And they have Red Fuchsia, Mister Gamp and Elicit in the Great Northern Hurdles on Saturday week. Lucky Rider '

A very narrow escape from serious injury was that experienced by the rider of Cybele in the Kaitoke Hack Hurdles at Wanganui on Thursday. When the Waikato mare broke through the tapes before the start she reared up, as Foster was urging her back. He was unseated and hung with his head down and one foot caught in the stirrup, but fortunately he retained his hold of the reins and kept Cybele’s head tight. Just as Cybele commenced to plunge the starter’s assistant grabbed her head and managed to quieten her and extricate her rider from bis dangerous position. It was a close shave. Knows How Recruited to hurdling just a few weeks ago, Sleepy Sol has impressed the critics by his schooling essays. A safe and sure jumper, one with speed, too, he has all the qualities that go to make an essentially good fencer. One would like to see him carrying more condition than he does, but lie has always carried a lean appearance, this being most apparent when he has been at the top of his form. The connections of Sleepy Sol have not experienced Dame Fortune’s smile for some time, so it will not be out of place' if they secure some success with their candidate in this branch of the game. Mud tracks, however, may not be in his favour, although he does prefer the sting out of the ground. Has Admirers Consequent on registering fast time when he won a hurdle race at t.ffe last | Avondale meeting, and having just previously recorded an excellent performance when he scored over the battens at Ellerslie at Easter, has been sufficient to ensure Clockwork numerous supporters for his engagement in the Great Northern Hurdles. If Clockwork is to win it will probably bo from the front, for he is the type that likes matters all their own way. The owner-trainer of the gelding, R. W. Lewis, is to be commended on the condition Clockwork is in, and if he is to lead in a Northern Hurdles winner he is sure to be the recipient of many congratulations. Comical at His Best There is no need to emphasise the previous deeds of Comical as a hurdler, which culminated in a victory in the Grand National two years ago. Dur-

and failed at steeplechasing-. His ? un in the Century Hurdles was his first start over hurdles since the National, and it was an entirely new Comical that we saw. Never in all his career has he*given such a splendid exhibition of jumping as was witnessed on Thursday, nor has any hurdler of note of recent years been so clea n and fast in his fences. Not only is Comical now “made” as a jumper, but he is in firstclass condition, and will be a power to be reckoned with in the Great Northern Hurdles and subsequent important events. May be Good C. Christie is handling a couple of Night Raid fillies that look promising. They are rising two years old, hnd one is a black from Miss Muriel and the other a bay from St. Winnow. The St. Winnow filly is a more robust and stronger-topped youngster than the other. St. Winnow was a rather useful sort in her day, and ran Warlove to a neck in the Oaks, in addition to showing fairly good handicap form. Shewas got by Masterpiece from St. Helen, by Signor—Helen Portland, and so belongs to the same family as Reremoana. The Miss Muriel filly is built on

lighter lines, but is a racing-looking sort. Miss Muriel was got by Lucullus from Lady Bob. by Soult—First Love, by Nordenfeldt —Fish Girl, by Yattendon—Fanny Fisher, by Fisherman. and so inherits plenty of stamina. Parliament and Racing Dates The Minister of Internal Affairs made an important pronouncement last Thursday, when, in reply to a complaint regarding a dispute over racing dates in the Auckland Province, lie replied: “The question of fixing dates does not come within my province. 1 suggest representations be submitted to the Conference for consideration.” Commenting upon this, the “Evening Post” says: “It is to be hoped the Minister stands by this in its entirety. During the last Parliament some clubs with a grievance who declined to submit to the rulings of the governing body successfully applied political pressure to gain their own ends. This was in spirit if not in act a breach of the Rules of Racing. Political interference with racing could have only one result, and although the responsible officials at headquarters realised it. they found they were unable to cope with a malcontent club backed by a j section of the Legislature. Mr. de la Perrelle is to be congratulated on his decision to leave racing people to arrange their own domestic affairs.” Racing in England Mrs J. D. Hertz, owner of tlu American four-vear-old horse Rcigh Count, arrived in England on April 2, and, according to London “Sporting Life.” she decided to run him in the Lingheld Handicap recently. Two days before ! Mrs. Hertz’s arrival, Reigh Count had | bis, fii'st really good gallop, since he | went to Newmarket. “He did not imj press,” says a "Sporting Life” writer, i “but appeared to be pulling very hard.” 1 C. Lang, the American jockey. rode i another of Mrs. Hertz’s horses —FailBall —recently at Kempton Park, but I was not placed. Referring to his j methods, the paper says: “Reigh Count’s jockey rides with more than i ordinarily short leathers, is a vigorous i horseman, though his style is sorne- | what ungainly.”

Has Two Rides Jockey T. Gr6en was at Ellerslie this morning and will remain here until the end of the Northern meeting. On the Scene

The first contingent of the visiting horses for the Auckland winter meeting put in an appearance at Ellerslie this morning. Those on the train included T. Clarke with Comical, F. Shaw with Umtali and Rapuna, D. Wilson with Overhaul and Black Duke, A. Heale with Kilburn, and T. Griffiths with Maunga. In a Weak Field

When Odin was relegated to hurdling he gave out promise of being a good one, but that promise has not been realised. Yet his minor placings in hurdle events augur well for his prospects in the Hunt Club Hurdles, and he will not need to be particularly good to show them the way home. G. Holland is to have the ride. The Only Two

Of the Southern, horsemen who confine their riding to the fiat it is probable that T. Green and R. J. Mackie* will be the only ones to be riding at Ellerslie on Saturday week. The former has been engaged to ride Gold Money and Seatown, while Mackie will probably be on Royal Doulton in the Cornwall Handicap. No Opportunities

J. Buchanan has a numerically strong team in work at the present time, but most of them will not be racing until the early spring. Under a Cloud Working along quietly under M. Ryan’s direction at Ellerslie is Lido, the three-year-old filly by Lucullus from Tact. But for going amiss in midsummer when at , the top of her form it is probable that she would have proved a very payable proposition, for there is no gainsaying the fact that she is speedy. Like all the Lucullus tribe Lido is particularly smart in heavy going. Just at present the filly is causing her trainer more than a little anxiety, for.she is showing signs of unsoundness, making it apparent that if the position is not alleviated she will have to be thrown out of work. At Last The movement to obtain an amendment of the Gaming Act to permit the telegraphing of bets to the racecourse and the publication of dividends is being vigorously prosecuted. Representatives of the racing, trotting and hunting interests, as' well as of the Sports Protection League, will wait on the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, this morning at Wellington to urge that the Act be amended in the direction indicated.

Premature The apprentice, A. Parr, was a little premature with a request that a protest should be entered against Lady Asbestos in the Two-year-old Handicap at Menangle Park . (N.S.W.) recently. Parr had the mount on Charm eta, a filly, that ran a fairly good race at Canterbury ParK. JShe was in strong demand and was a firm second favourite to Lady Asbestos. In fact, they were the only horses inside double figures, and they had a great set-to all the way down the straight four and ahalf furlongs. Lady Asbestos did not actually interfere with Charmeta, but she did not give her much room, a.nd very little separated them when they passed the post. “Protest, protest, 5 ' said Parr .as he returned to the enclosure without having noticed what horses had finished in the places. He thought that Lady Asbestos had won, and that his mount had run second. Lady Asbestos did not win and Charmeta was not in a place. The race went to Celtic, who finished strongly in the centre of the course by a head from Lady Asbestos, while Gratian also made a determined effort over the last furlong, » and was a head away third, with Charmeta a close fourth.

Real Speed As the boat race is not yet forgotten, let us remind ourselves of the story of the undergraduate who, somewhat flushed with wine after the great even, hired a taxi in Piccadilly Circus and climbed aboard, records a London writer. Tt happened that the opposite door had been left unlatched, and so the fare promptly fell out. He picked himself up, and, addressing the driver, gravely said, “Pretty quick work, ole fellow. How mush is on the clock?”