Gossip From Training Centres

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 803, 25 October 1929, Page 16

Gossip From Training Centres

j NOTES AND COMMENTS 1 Nice Youngster Ellerslie trainer IT. Jury is working j on© of Peach Brandy’s two-year-old j progeny, and the juvenile has formed i the subject of much eulogy. A more I docile youngster could not be found, ! and his smooth action too commands attention. The colt's dam, Star Attraction, is practically an unknown quantity, but K. Heaton, who trained the mare, was warm in his praise of her and held the opinion that she would have won many a race had she not met with an injury. Trainer Jury is not bustling this youngster. Defeated Its Object ? Running horses in their working shoes, especially if the shoes are of considerable thickness, is obviously a decided handicap against plated opposition. A rule of racing states that permission must be received from the stewards if a horse is to be run in shoes heavier than racing plates. At a recent meeting, however, not 10U ! miles from Wellington, one competitor at least evaded official surveillance and ran in shoes heavy enough for a Clydesdale, comments "Vedette.” Naturally the horse finished down the course. As news of this appears to have been well broadcast, the animal is not likely to escape some considerable attention from now on, for it is showing considerable speed on the track for the class of race for which it is eligible. Like A Child All good horses are intelligent. Like athletes, they know exactly when they aro going to race, and what not to do. Phar Lap is apparently attached to his master and trainer, H. It. Telford. A few mornings before the Australian Jockey Club's meeting- commenced, says a Sydney writer, the champion chestnut had finished his work, and, after leaving the training track, was waiting patiently for Telford to ride across from the centre of the course on his pony. The chestnut was a trifle "on his toes,” and, suddenly slewing round, dislodged his rider. Phar Lap immediately began to career across the course to the Kensington side, but a whistle from Telford brought him to a standstill. Phar Lap knew that noise, and the intelligence which is characteristic in the good horse, told him that he would only knock himself about. He immediately turned round and walked back to his master like a child to its mother. No Early Speedsters Despite the fact that Solferino was ono of the fastest two-year-olds of his day in England and a representative of the vital St. Simon line, he has achieved very little success in siring early speed. He was known as the "Plying Solferino,” but his fame as a sire of two-year-olds rests on Count Cavour, Satisfy and Great Star, and, in a minor degree, on Mantua, who won a small race during her first season on the turf and was beaten by a nose in the McLean Stakes. While Solferino was noted for early speed, his stock generally require plenty of time, and have been noticed developing from weedy youngsters into big, robust horses. Satisfy, who has brought Solferino into the limelight again, comes from the speedy Hammock taproot, to which we owe Welcome Stakes winners in the shape of Siesta, Sommeil. Conqueror, and others of note, such as Daydream, Dundas, and Sunny Loch. Hence, it is not surprising -that she can go fast and may play a still more important part in her first season that she did at Wingatui, writes "Sentinel.” New Plymouth Work The outside of the course proper at New Plymouth was open for fast work on Tuesday • morning (says the “News”), and a number of trainers took advantage of the concession. The plough is in splendid condition at present and a fair amount of work was done there. The Swell and Te Atiawa I sprinted down from the five furlongs post in lmin 7£sec on the course proper. Quillliro covered a mile on the course proper in lmin 54sec. He is looking very well at present. Singer ran the last half mile of a round on the course proper in 56 l-ssec. Omeo (R. Eagar) did two rounds on the hurdle track at a good pace and jumped the six fences in good style. He looks better every day and is building up nicely. Three Waverley Cup candidates in Manly (Miles), Flying Shot (Goulsbro) and Mint Leaf (George), staged an interesting trial on the course proper. Jumping off at the mile post together, the first furlong was run very slowly, but Flying Shot took up the running going into the back stretch and was well clear of Manly and Mint Leaf. Manly moved up two furlongs from home, but Flying Shot hung on well and was a head in front of the Archiestown gelding at the finish, with four lengths to Mint Loaf. The journey took lmin 53sec, and unless the, trio make a big improvement this week, they do not look like offering much opposition in the cup on Monday. Royal Finance got slightly the better of the start in a seven furlong essay on the course proper, with Oration and Hipo, but the Poloa gelding soon wont to the front and was slightly in the lead turning for home. It was a. great race down the straight and heads separated the trio at the finish. There was not much pace on in the early stages as the time, lmin 39sec. indicates, but they were going well over l the last quarter of a mile, Royal Finance finishing particularly well. Lady Quex worked on the plough alone. She appears to be very bright and should not need much work to bring her to her best. Ernie George is working a fine two-year-old by Chaminade from a Stepniak mare. This youngster is remarkably tail and carries impressive conformation with his height. C. Goulsbro has been engaged to ride Mondip. Joy Spear. Guard of Honour and Airway at Waverley. R. Eagar will have the mount on Whenuamii in the hurdles at Waverley, and W. U. Jones is spoken of as the probable rider of Manly and Gold Dawn.