Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 761, 6 September 1929, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

“EARLY BIRD”

National Stud I Tho yearlings sent up for sale this j y t -ar from the National sstud numbered J l and tho sum realised amounted to | 37,5 JO guineas, ■which is nearly double last year’s figures. Bred the Right Way The two-vear-old King Musket, by Shambles from Hornbeam, dam of Sir Roy and Hon Quixote, in R. \Y. King’s ! stable, has furnished into a solid youngster, comments a Christchurch ! writer. lie will probably take plenty of time, as he is still growing, and is • not to be called upon to race until late In Work Again After Gay Jim won a double at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting, bis prospects looked so favourable at the Xational meeting that he would have touched a short price in his engagement on the opening day had he been able to start. But unfortunately he ricked a muscle on the eve of the carnival. and had to be withdrawn from all his engagements. The Gay Lad gelding is again in work at Kiccarton, and lias made a good recovery. A fullsister to Gay Jim. who is at present under the care of the Southern trainer. J. \V\ Pankhurst, is expected to arrive at Kiccarton this week, and will enter | tho establishment controlled by Mrs. I J. Campbell.

i Avondale Weights Handicaps for the first day of the Avondale Jockey Club's spring meeting will be declared on Monday, acceptances closing at 5 p.m. on the Friday following. Hit By Barrier At the start of the Trial Plate at Marton on ’Wednesday, the assistantstarter. Mr. J. Vincent, in stepping away after leading the inside horse up to the tapes, did so just as the starter pulled the handle. The flying lever caught Mr. Vincent on the forehead, inflicting a nasty wound. The injury received immediate attention, Hr. Ilarpur putting in four stitches. It was a painful wound, but this did not deter Mr. Vincent from carrying out his duties as usual. 1-le was ag'ain on deck j-esterday and did his work well. The Prince Prince Humphrey should soon be ready for serious business. At Marton lie had his first race since he was injured in the valuable V.K.C. Derby ten months earlier. He was conceding the field a start over the first three furlongs. but he moved up crossing the top and was bandy at the home turn, finishing well up in the bunch behind the first three. Reremoana, too, went a fine race, and in the straight was going great guns, his condition nut being good enough to enable him to go cn with it. They Were Shocked The two most surprised persons at Marton on Wednesday, after the Tutaenui Hack, were the Morris brothers. They were riding Roi de Val and Goodwill, and after a spirited battle between the two the former got the best of it. Right on the post Desert Lad flashed up. literally pinching the stake, although he was going so fast that it is extremely doubtful if Roi de Val 1 could have gone any faster bad bis rider seen the danger earlier. The looks on the faces of those two jockeys was something worth seeing. Trig Shows Pace The three-year-old gelding Trig had his first race of the season at Marton, contesting the hack seven the first day. He had to cover a bit of ground through not getting a good marble, and then ran wide coming into the straight, and taking Arrowhead with him. Trig showed a fair amount of pace and should do good service this term for owner-trainer George Reid. The King Nassau gelding was not produced yesterday. Schooling at Ellerslie A few novice hurdlers were seen in notion at Ellerslie yesterday, and their efforts provided an interesting- sideline to what was otherwise a dull morning. Automne completed a lesson over a couple of pony hurdles, his jumping leaving little to be desired. Thursby, with Adjuster to assist him, cleared similar fences, but the latter’s experience told, and he wound up in finished style. For a horse who has had comparatively no jumping at all, Thursby gave a pleasing display, and he has only to go on the right way to prove a valuable addition to these ranks. Bizarro was another to receive a lesson over obstacles, and his effort was deemed quite satisfactory. Coming to Hand Two horses which are showing rapid progress in their preparation for spring racing are Lager Rose and Theodolite, both under the guidance of A. Kemp. They were given a useful task over six furlongs on No. 3 grass at Ellerslie yesterday, accomplishing the journey in 1.28, time that cannot bo taken at its face value owing to the bad condition of the track. Lager Rose fell a bit short of town hall class last season. but she runs out a middle distance in good fashion, and there should be plenty of country cups worthy of her attention within the next few months. Theodolite possesses all the speed of the Surveyor stock, and she will only need to show a bit more courage at the end of her races to win in due | course. i Youngsters Sprint I Juveniles again had the use of the | course proper at Ellerslie yesterday j morning, but only three were indulged in a sprinting task. They were de- ; spatched from the new mile barrier, and raced down the back stretch for I three furlongs, Thais showing the way I throughout, to Manawhenua and Speak I Out: but the last was eased up after ! covering two furlongs. Track condi- ; Lions were decidedly against timemaking expeditions. but still the youngsters indicated speed by wind- ' ing up in 3S 1-5, the final two being ! carved out in 25 2-5. Thais, a filly by Romeo from Isingarch, is attached to J. Buchanan’s stable, and from what | has been seen of her she is one who should perform creditably under silk, j Manawhenua, a half-brother (by Acre) to Tloariri and Taneriri, has all the speed of his relatives, and though he may not be up to any weight, he should come good with a bit of age. H istoric Historic figures among the nominations for the Avondale Cup and Plumpton Handicap, to be decided this month. Tho chestnut won so well at Kiccarton that his condition will be an asset for an early race for a good stake like the'Avondale Cup. With the doubt about his standing, up to a preparation when the tracks are hard, it looks good play to bring him up for thb race. No doubt much depends on tho weight allotted whether be makes tho trip. In Sydney Tomorrow Usually Tattersall’s meeting at Randwick follows the Warwick Farm fixture, with tiie Chelmsford Stakes, nine furlongs, the weiglit-for-age attraction. This year there is a change, for the Canterbury Park meeting intervenes, tomorrow, with its sixfurlong weiglit-for-age event, the Canterbury Stakes. Limerick was an entrant, and it would have been interesting to see how lie shaped against the sprinters, but he has been taken out. The entry is a mixed one, and includes Bright Glow, Gay Ballerina, Fuji San, Ileonui, Killarney. Comanche, Cimabue, Amounis, Aussie and Paganelli. Ceremony is not engaged, but. figures in the six-furlong handicap, for which there was a huge nomination, so that a divided race looks a certainty. Other New Zealanders in this are Arikinui, Tea Queen. First Acre, Oral and Tasty. Apart from the Canterbury Stakes, next Saturday’s card is just an ordinary Park programme, but in some points it has much to commend it. For instance, the hurdle race is to be decided over a distance of two miles three furlongs and 85 yards; the maiden event over a mile and 75 yards: the principal handicap over 11 furlongs: and there is a welter event of a mile and 75 yards. The weight-for-age event and the six-furlong flying welter are the only two short-distance races. Kilperon and Home Made are in the hurdle race: Belcaire and Pedestal in the maiden event: Concentrate and Papatu in the handicap; and Briar Root. First Acre, and Teri in the welter.

Wanganui Acceptances Acceptances for all first day events at Wanganui are due to close tonight. In Good Form For part of the run up the straight in the Marton Handicap last Wednesday, the favourite, Barometer, had to practically carry Black Mint along, for this big gelding was hanging on to the Northerner when under pressure. Hespite this, Barometer, who is not a big horse by any means, hung on and fought it out stubbornly, and he was going away at the finish. Barometer is in fine order, and where the company falls a bit short of the best he will hold his own, as he did both days at Marton. Pulled Out Gold Cure beat himself in the Marton Handicap. Even with a strong rider like Bert Morris up he was pulling double, and at one part of the race he had opened up a gap of nearly eight lengths. Of course he could not go on with it, but nevertheless he went a good race, and may yet see out a middle distance. There is no doubt whatever as to his pace. Broken Gear Nucleus went a nice race for the first half-mile of the Marton Handicap, but then her gear broke and she was practically pulled up. She was going so well behind Gold Cure that sho looked as if she might have been a dangerous opponent. However, she went only a fair race yesterday. Toes In There was a good bit of money for Kawhakina in tho Marton Handicap on Wednesday, but he never at any part looked a winner. He stuck his toes in and refused to gallop a yard. Royal Game, who was bracketed with Black Mint, was also in a most ungenerous mood, and his fourth placing was nothing to write home about. Paid to Follow The Auckland light-weight, W. IT. 1 Jones, was riding in fine form at Marton, particularly on the opening day. He had his first mount on Kotahi Lka in the opening event, and when that maiden, starting at a good doubler figure price, finished second, he showed an early profit. His next ride was Calithe, at odds approaching a score to one, and he was only beaten a length into second place after conceding the field a good start. Then Jones piloted Barometer home, his only other ride being on the unplaced ITaviland. On Wednesday Jones’s four rides returned dividends totalling nearly £l4, so that be was a good jockey to be with. Yesterday he scored again on Barometer, paying a surprisingly good price. Class Horses The best class field that has ever contested a sprint at Marton was that saddled up for the Railway Handicap on Wednesday. With sprinters such as Reremoana, Prince Humphrey and Eaglet, and other handicap performers such as Star Area and Star Stranger, there was something for the public to watch. It was a good race, too, with nine out of the 11 runners finishing within three lengths of the winner. Smart Filly Laglet was at a great price for the Railway Handicap at Marton. and again displaying that gameness and doggedness that marked her outings as a two-year-old last season, she pulled her supporters through in line style. Sho began well, and when the field had settled down she was up with the leader. Eaglet Hit the front just before reaching the straight, and from this out she did her work in fine style, stalling off several determined challenges and scoring by a good half length. It was an impressive effort, for allowance has to be made for the fact that the filly should improve a lot as a result of that outing. Fancies the Course It was surprising to find Blimp pressing Eaglet at the finish of the sprint at Marton the first day, but it has to be recognised that on the Marton course at least Blimp must be given credit for being a good horse. The Gasbag gelding had been something of a disappointment through the winter months, but he seems to be coming back and may be a winner shortly. Tie was made favourite for the big handicap yesterday, and failed badly. Finished Well Moutoa Treasury was not too fori tunate in the running of the sprint at Marton the first day, and she did not get a very good run in the middle stages. She came from well back at the turn and took third money nicely. She did well to get so close, and this season she should do well over sprint and middle distances. She was not produced yesterday. Walked In The Bonogne party were very confident of their chances in the Marton Railway Handicap, and perhaps they were a bit unlucky in not being able to savo something. Rounding the home bend the chestnut appeared to be hemmed in on the rails and could not get clear till well up the running. Then he finished a close fourth. Yesterday, with a smaller field and little opposition, he toyed with his opponRan Wide But for running rather wide in the Bailway Handicap at Marton the first day, Maui might have got in the money. He was about six horses out when they straightened up and he finally finished fifth. Oration showed his usual pace to the home turn and then gave in. Panther went a fair race and should improve as a result of that outing. The Exception In the Railway Handicap at Marton on "Wednesday several well-known performers were at fancy prices. For instance, Reremoana carried £7O, Prince Humphrey .£65, Star Area £29, Star Stranger £l9, and Panther £37. Strange to say—bearing in mind these figures—all ran quite good races except Star Stranger, who tailed off badly and was never in the hunt. Ho looked nice and bright, and should not take long before those 19 tickets are seen soaring to 1,900. But why the apparent necessity of training a horse in public, at the expense of the punters? Last season it was the same, j Star Stranger and Rapier being notable I cases. R. J. Mason and F. D. Jones could and did get their charges ready to win first time up—Limerick did it only last Saturday, and over a mile, too —and it is not unreasonable to urge those concerned, for the good of the sport, to at least try to follow in the footsteps of those trainers quoted. Now Coming Good % The owner of Desert Lad last season contended that he had a real good horse in this Acre gelding. But the horse did not always perform up to expectations, and thus the owner was persuaded to lease him. Judging on his phenomenal performance in the seven furlong hack on the first day at Marton. the new owner of Desert Lad has a topnotcher. at least in the hack class, for he should win races in much superior company over middle distances and later in the season he may be found giving trouble to good handicap j horses.