Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 764, 10 September 1929, Page 11

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

"EARLY BIRD”

His First Race The Christchurch - owned colt, Honour, claims an engagement in the | Rose-hill Guineas, for three-year-olds ! (one mile and a-furlong), on SeptemI ber 21. ; Named The Tea Tray—Victory Bond twoj year-old has been named Tray Bond, i She has been nominated for the Trial Plate at Ashburton. This juvenile is referred to as one of the most promising youngsters in the South. Silvermine We'.l A Taranaki galloper reported well is Silvermine, by Catmint —Silver ; Lank, who was only twice out of a place in nine starts last season. Silverj mine shares the position of top , weight with Benzoin in the Flying {Stakes Handicap, the chief sprint on i the Avondale card. Compensated ; More than £6OO will--be paid to the ! next of kin as compensation for the loss of the jockey H. Cairns, who was ; killed in a fall with Quick Deal in a ! hurdle race at Moonee Valley, MelI bourne, recently. The late liorseI man’s mother resides in Wellington. Riccarton Horses to Come Amor and Leader are definitely booked for a trip to the Avondale and Auckland meetings and will leave Riccarton in charge of T. IT. Gillett this week. Both are reported to be galloping well at the Southern centre, and Leader’s prospects in the Auckland three-year-olds classics will be more favoured by now that Pink Coat is an unlikely contestant. Successor at Elderslie Mr. O. Low lias been appointed to succeed Mr. T. Handley as manager of the Elderslie Stud. Mr. Low, who had considerable experience in England. came to New Zealand with Mr. Handley, and was associated with him. as his head groom, both at Waikanae and Elderslie. Mr. Low knows his business thoroughly, and should be well capable of carrying on the good work, so ably conducted by Mr. Handley for some years past. Heroic's First in N.Z. One of the most interesting yearlings at the Elderslie Stud is a filly by Heroic from the English mare Esther, who is again in foal to the same sire. The filly, who shows much quality and is difficult to fault, is the first of Heroic’s progeny to make an appearance in New Zealand. Esther is the dam of 1.0. U.. by Paper Money, a. good winner last season in Australia. and apparently Mr. J. G. Duncan has a big opinion of the mare, as he booked her. twice to Heroic at a fee of 200 guineas in each case.

Avondale Meeting Acceptances for all first-day events (except the Avondale Stakes) of the Avondale Jockey Club’s spring meeting on Saturday and Monday, September 21 and 23. close with the secretary, Mr. A. J. Farquhar, at 5 p.m. next Friday. Vallar Out Vallar was scratched for the Avondale Flying Handicap at 3 p.m., yesterday. To Miss Randwick The New Zealand horse Seatown has been scratched for all A.J.C. spring engagements, says a Sydney cableWanganui Fixture The spring meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club opens on. Thursday and will be concluded on Saturday. The Wanganui Guineas comes up for decision on the first day and the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes the second day. Auckland Spring Fixture First forfeit for the A.R.C. Welcome Stakes and Great Northern Guineas, also nominations for all other events at the A.R.C. spring fixture on Saturday and Monday, October 5 and 7, close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 p.m. on Friday next. Doncaster St. Leger The last of the great English three-year-old classics of the current season, the St. Leger, is to be run at the famous Doncaster course tomorrow. The result will not be known until Thursday forenoon. This season there will be no winner of the triple crown, for the successful horses to date liav& been Mr. Jinks (2,000 Guineas) and Trigo (Derby)y Last year’s St. Leger stake was £12,495, Lord Derby’s Fairway being the winner. Royal Tractor Out The Riccarton-trained Royal Tractor has been operated on for throat trouble and turned out for a few* months. His stable mate, Boy, has also been on the retired list owing to being fired. It is intended to put this gelding to hurdling on his return to- work. Pink Coat Doubtful There is a possibility that Pink Coat’s trip to Ellefslie for next month’s meeting will not eventuate. He struck a pastern recently, and his trainer has not taken the risk of giving him any solid work since lie returned to Washdyke from Riccarton. Ho will not be raced at Ashburton, and there will hardly be time to get him ready for Auckland, thus the trip will necessarily be abandoned. Night Lad May Be Sold Night Lad did exceptionally well after his trip to Riccar.ton last month, and owner-trainer P. T. Hogan has .since given him some smart sprinting •work at Washdyke. The gelding is at present under offer to Mr. H. ActonAdams, now in Australia, and a deal seems imminent, as his name appears in the entry list for the West Australia Derby. The sum involved runs into a substantial figure. Hogan refused an offer by G. Price of 1,500 guineas for Night Lad at Trentham in March last, and would not consider the present figure in advance of that, only that the gelding is not included in any classic events, his nomination not being made owing to his unpromising condition and appearance in his yearling stages. Night Lad is to make his reappearance at the Ashburton meeting this month. Sportsman’s Return Evidently Mr. J. M. Samson contemplates resuming racing on his return to New Zealand, as, acting under his cabled instructions, Royal Limond and Jock o’ ITazeldean have been recommissioned by F. and .A. Trilford at Washdyke. In addition to this pair, these trainers will shortly have some two-year-olds belonging to Mr. Samson under their charge. R. C. Keeper also has some of the same owner’s horses in work at Orari, including the three-year-old Solmuri and the Hunting Song—Sapguinaria filly purchased at the Trentham sales. With some young stock depasturising at the Elderslie Stud, and a few horses in the Wingatui district, as well as Tuki and Red Jazz, on their way back from Australia, the indications are that Mr. Samson will almost have as large a string on bis return to the Dominion as before his dispersal sale in January last. Echo from the Past It is not so many years ago that I was taking a turn over the pretty little Foxton racecourse, and was shown the remains of a bookmaker's board—a relic of the days when pencillers were licensed to bet on New Zealand courses, and the conversation turned to the question of the last day on which the Bar Vons did business in public, writes “Moturoa.” My Foxton friends state that Foxton was the very last meeting, as far as this coast is concerned, and in this contention 1 agree. Who of those who were present at Foxton that January will forget the scene when the pay-out on the last race was completed? Wine flowed and the bookies and the* punters joined in cheers. Boards, on which were pencilled the odds, were thrown to the four winds—some broken up, the pieces being carried away as souvenirs. The board of a prominent New Plymouth bookmaker was filing into the branches of a pine tree, where it remained for many years, and was an object of interest to sportsmen of the next generation. Hats were skied and blazers waved frantically, while several layers treated the lads to a shower ol silver, and the crowd laughed heartily to see the ensuing scramble in the sand. One fat bookie danced a Highland Fling, and others did hakas, being supplemented by Maoris of the district. And. as the shades of night were drawing in, some twenty-odd Bar Vons joined hands and soulfully sang “Auld Lang Syne.” It was a remarkable ending, and proved that sportsmen, even in the hour of defeat, can take things in the manner in which the “easy come, easy go,” fraternity are noted for! With the present amendments to the Gaming Bill a plaything of Parliamentary control, and a further and more sweeping movement mooted one wonders if the bookmakers will ever come again. Certainly thev filled an important niche in the sporting arena and our courses have lapsed into a semi-funeral atmosphere since they were “outed.”