Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 744, 17 August 1929, Page 14

Turf Notes

COiNDUCILO BY

'EARLY BIRD'

Marton Handicaps Weights for the first day of the "Mar- ' ton Jockey* Club spring meeting are . due to make their appearance on ! Thursday next. Reminders Entries for the Avondale J.C. spring meeting, also acceptances for the Avondale Stakes and Avondale Guineas, close at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 30. Nominations for the New Zealand Cup are due on Friday, August 23. Nominations of the Auckland R.C. spring meeting, also first forfeit for the Welcome Stakes and'Great Northern Guineas, close at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 13. Doing Well Few horses are showing more rapid j improvement in their training at Avondale than Alonsoa. She just recently returned from a spell, and very poor in condition at the time, her appearance now is enlightening. In addition to working quite freely, the daughter of Catmint is building up all over. Practice for Gray Speculation is rife as to how H. Gray j will fare on his return to the saddle after his extended absence from actual , race-riding. Some critics support the belief that the crack horseman of a few years ago may have lost some of his skill, while others take just the opposite view. Time will no doubt determine this factor, but Gray will have an opportunity for “practice” before his services are again at the disposal of owners and trainers. He is to ride the two-year-old Huntique in the juvenile parade at the Pakuranga meeting.

Will He Improve? Ellerslie trainer It. E. Brown has some useful performers attached to his stable, but it does not appear as if the latest addition, the hunter Kawiti. will be worthy of consideration for good races. One or two gallops would lend weight to the opinion that he is deficient in pace, while a schooling lesson on Thursday morning could not be viewed as pleasing, the horse baulking repeatedly. However, it must be borne in mind that he has not been up long, and perhaps when he is accustomed to his new work, Kawiti will shape in. a different manner.

Promising Jumper A five-year-old gelding, Bob Amans. is the latest recruit to commence a course of schooling at Avondale. He is in H. Weston’s stable, that mentor gn 7 - ing the novice his initial lesson yesterday morning. T. Chaplin was in the saddle, and one obstacle was negotiated twice satisfactorily. The son of St. Amans and Flying Silver, though slow gave a, clean display. He is a fine cut of a jumper, big and powerful, with a good resolute action. Bob Amans will race in the colours of Mr. C. Newman, a sportsman better known as the owner of a one-time good jumper in Mahgoloire. Ruffles’s Next Outing

Earlier in his career Kuffles was the medium ol’ unstinted praise from the cognoscenti, and the speed he developed on the tracks was good enough to win anything. However, his respiratory organs became affected, and a somewhat premature operation—the contention advanced —has not been a thorough success. Ruffles ran one or two fine races over sprint distances last season, and it is on the cards that he will do better this term. He has done plenty of sound work at Avondale. but little in the nature of fast sprints. TV. C. Woods will race him at the Pakuranga meeting on Saturday 7 next, and even if he is not enrolled a winner it will bring the Quin Abbey gelding to racing form for the subsequent Avondale fixture. Mounts for Pakuranga A. McCormac is generally at Avondale of a morning engaged in exercising several horses. He will carry out riding engagements on Partial Eclipse, Justify and Arihana at the Pakuranga meeting at Ellerslie next Saturday. Another rider who patronises the Avondale tracks is E. Manson. who will pilot Maori Boy in the Jellicoe Handicap. Trickle Leased Having more than an interest in oilier two-year-olds has persuaded the j well-known sportsman. Mr. J. C. Gleeson. to lease the two-year-old filly Trickle (Lapidary—Waiomi) to W. Ivirk, trainer of Oil King, a youngster owned by Messrs. J. C. and P. S. Gleeson. A bit on the small side is a weak link in Trickle's conformation, but she has speed and that is a noteworthv point. Te Monanui at Avondale Until recently a trainer at Wliangarei, H. Weston is now established at Avondale with the two-year-old Huntique, and a jumper, Bob Amans. There is also Te Monanui, who will stand the season at Avondale. Mares already booked to him include Gazelia (dam of Huntique). Lady Patience, Exalted. Kildeer, and the well-performed Nocturne. Te Monanui is reported to be in excellent health, and his connections aver that the old fellow would still be equal to beating many good ones of the present day if he underwent a preparation. Getting Educated In a room in a block of offices in Jermyn Street, Piccadilly, are a number of men who for a week have been backing horses for big amounts all day, but have not won or lost a penny, says “Sporting Life” of June 13. The horses are fictitious, and the men are key men who are being trained by the Racecourse Betting Control Board 1o work the totalisator at the racecourses in the southern section of England. When the “tote” opens to the public simultaneously at Newcastle and Carlisle (this important event duly eventuated last month), these men will take charge of various departments in the totalisators on the courses in the South. A northern staff is being trained at Leeds. The public will be able to see at intervals as the betting m-oceeds the number of units on each horse, but not the odds. At first there will be no mechanical aids in the totalisator, but at Hurst Park on August 23 tickets will be issued by a ticket machine somewhat similar to those used at the Un" **ound railways booking offices. At Newmarket there will be four totalisator buildings, one of which will ser T e both the Silver Ring and Tattersalls. The staff will comprise over 180 men. Before they work the “tote” at an actual race the southern staff will put in some training on the I-iurst Park course. Mr. S. N. Williams, totalisator manager of the southern section, who *s supervising the training in London, has had experience of the “tote” in Bombay. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT J. P.. Kiri Kiri. —Balboa won the Auckland Cup in the 1915-16 season. He would be 19 years of age on August ! 1 last.

Classy Field With Reremoana, Prince Humphrey, Eaglet, Commendation, Laughing Prince, Vertigern, Star Area, and others, engaged in the Eclipse Stakes at Wanganui next month, there is sufficient material to furnish a stirring contest over the seven and aquarter journey. For Australia Mark Mint, who has been sold for 300 guineas and is to go to Australia to his new owner shortly, won three out of the last five races he contested. He is an improving sort, and, as he has been tried over the schooling hurdles, he should do Well on the other side. Wanganui Improvements The task of getting the extensions to the Wanganui Jockey Club’s members’ stand completed before the spring meeting, which is just Lour weeks distant, is proceeding apace in the fine weather that has been enjoyed. The balcony provided will permit of a and uninterrupted view of the whole course and should be much used. In addition a commodious lounge will permit of members entertaining their j friends and visitors. Keeping Them Moving

fc>ome years ago a Western district owner-trainer specialised in winning picnic races in New South Wales, and had a large string in hand. When the horses were turned out lor the stipulated grass-feeding period they' were paddoeked in three different parts of the district, his team being quartered near his home. The secret of his horses’ success was disclosed when a rival owner discovered that two cattle dogs had been trained to course the horses round the paddock, thus discounting the effects of grass-feeding, and keeping them in good galloping trim.

Broadcasting Says an exchange.—“A joint committee of the racing and trotting conferences has decided to continue the ban placed upon broadcast aescriptiuns of events under the control of boiii bodies. Strong; representations were made by tile Broadcasting Company for the lifting of the ban, but these representations were fruitless. Now the official organ of the Broadcasting Company, ‘The Radio Record,’ gives a resume of what has been done since the imposition of restrictions, and declares, editorially, ‘To our mind the question now arises whether a continuance of this service is desirable or worth while. It was at best a poor substitute for the thrill and glamour of an actual race broadcast. It becomes questionable whether the system is worth continuing, and whether the company, having regard to the best interest of all sections of listeners, would not be well advised to conserve the money spent in this direction, and devote it to more appreciated services in other directions.’ ” That is a good one—“conserve the money spent in this direction.” It would probably' be found that the company' has not spent a fortune in catering for the licence-holders with sporting proclivities. Turf Luck The smashing victory of Ukrania in the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) at Chantilly recently reveals a real romance of the turf. The filly, who is by the famous French Derby 7 winner, Ksar, out of the French Oaks winner, Uganda—both having won the French St. Leger—was bred by the late M. Edouard Kann, but when that breeder died his stud was taken over by 7 the Aga Khan, and it was under the Aga Khan’s name that she was put up for sale at the Deauville yearling sales in 1927, and bought for the record price of 970.000 francs (£7.760) by the late Comte de Riva,ud. When the Comte de Rivaud died early this year his stable and colours were taken over by his brother, Comte Olivier de Rivaud, and thus within three months of running his first racehorse, Comte Olivier de Rivaud has won a French “classic.” It is the second time the colours have won a French classic, as the Comte de Rivaud’s Le Correge won the French Derby last year. Ukrania ran very 7 badly as a two year old,, and the French Oaks was her first outing this year. She was very late in developing, and her trainer. Lucien Robert, of Maisons-Laffitte, had to exercise every care and precaution with her. Unfortunate Accident It was at a small race meeting at which the rules of the game were not too scrupulously regarded that the following happened. Gradually by mysterious processes the field became thinned to two. As they were riding along together one of the jockeys said, “You go on ahead, I ain’t due to win this race.” “Sorry,” replied the other. “I’m havin’ a hunfortunate accident at this ’ere point,” saying which he fell off and allowed the other to finish alone.

From America A new method of testing doubtful drink in America was outlined in the new farce, “Speed Limit.” recently at a London theatre. You put your finger in the liquor. If the nail stays on, it is safe to drink it.

An argument arose in a certain club concerning the merits of temperance. One member who, strangely enough, espoused this unpopular cause, proceeded to develop his contention at length, and wound up a fine peroration by saying. “Where would the Americans be today if it were not for prohibition?” There was a slight pause, and then a nasal voice spoke up. ‘ln America, I guess.” Persuasion

Stanley Wootton saddled up an ungenerous four-y'ear-old in Miscou at Brighton at the end of June. The horse refused to go to the post, and Frank Wootton went out to apply some persuasion. He is reported to have first of all tried mere words, but afterwards tapped the horse on the head with his umbrella. This was efficacious. and Miscou. who was. despite this evidence of sullenness, a short-priced favourite, won his race. After the race an R.S.P.O.A. inspector interviewed Stanley Wootton. Miscou’s trainer, and examined Miscou’s head to see if any T marks had been made by' the umbrella. As none were to be found, the incident was allowed to pass. The next race was won by an animal rejoicing in the name of What’ll You Have? by Arch Gift from Wattle Bough.