Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 809, 1 November 1929, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

"EARLY BIRD"

Waikato Handicaps Weights for the first day of the Waikato spring meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday and Monday, November 16 and IS. are due tomorrow, and acceptances close on Friday next, November S, at 5 p.m. Te Kuiti’s Annual Tho annual meeting of the Te Kuiti Racing Club is only three weeks off, on Saturday and Monday, November 23 and 25. and follows closely on the Waikato fixture. Entries for all events at Te Kuiti close at 5 p.m. today with Messrs. Blomfield and Co., Auckland, or at 0 p.m. with the secretary at Te Kuiti. Whangarei Meeting Acceptances for the first day of the ■Whangarei fixture close at 5 p.m. today with the secretary, at Whangarei, or with Messrs. Blomfield and Co., Auckland. Stabling accommodation for visiting trainers has been booked as follows:—T. J. Carmont, live boxes; S. Hodge, four; E. Pope, four: W. Woods, W. Gall, J. Buchanan and Roulston Bros., three each; W. Cathro, E. Brown, F. Telfer, M. Ryan, W. Brady, two each. The track is in excellent order. Chief Ruler Mention of Chief Ruler's successes reminds me that already inquiries are being made for him from Australia. Mr. John Donald, the Westmere studmaster. owner of Chief Ruler, stated at Trentham on Saturday that lie has had overtures made to him (records tho “Evening Post”) and if the right price is forthcoming he will not hesitate to sell, even though the imported stallion looks to be a gilt-edged investment at the present moment. Breeding of Gesture Gesture, a winner in her last three starts, is a two-year-old by Chief Ruler out of Nottava (a half-sister to Rapier), by Solferino —Stepka, by St. Reger—Stepfeldt. This is one of New Zealand’s most famous and successful families, and Gesture, besides being a very useful racehorse, should be a valuable brood mare. She was bred by Mr. John Donald, of the Westmere stud, and was secured by her owner, Mr. A. F. Symes, of Plastings, for 100 guineas at the last yearling sales.

Phar Lap’s Many Jockeys Although he has been a champion but a short while, Phar- Dap lias already had many changes of jockey. Brown was the rider when he finished second to Mollison in the Chelmsford ►Stakes, beating Winalot. Then Munro was engaged in the Rosehill Guineas, in which he looked such a good thing that he started a warm public favourite. But Pike had already been secured for the A.J.C. Derby a month before, and he had the mount when Phar Lap won Hardwick’s classic event. He could not ride the weight when Phar Lap contested the Craven Plate, weight-for-age. Nor was Munro available, for he had to ride Amounis. The result was that Duncan was given the ride, and he piloted tho three-year-old to victory. Phar Lap hasn’t started since, and his next engagement will be the Victoria Derby. Pike was engaged for both Derbies, and he will pilot the chestnut on Saturday. Then Bob Lewis, a new rider, takes his seat for the Cup.

Arab as Racehorse “H.U.M.C.” recently wrote to London “Sporting Life” contending that Arab horses were equal to holding their own against the thoroughbreds. In reply, “Short Grass” writes to the same paper:—“Thousands of Arabs are racing today in India, Ceylon, and Egypt, and every owner, steward, handicapper, trainer, jockey, and groom knows that their best Arab could not race against the worst thoroughbred in their country. “H.U.M.C.” quotes instances in India between 1800 and 1884 of Arabs beating thoroughbreds. Then either the Arab has lost all his speed, or else owing to want of system in classifying, these victors were really thoroughbreds erroneously classed as Arabs. The supposed Arabs which started the improvement in Australian horses a century ago were really thoroughbreds, in the opinion of Horace Hayes. The Egyptian racing authorities —even today, when the procedure is so well systematised—revoke their decision classifying a horse as an Arab if he runs too well. How easily, then, could a thoroughbred have been slipped into India 70 years ago as an Arab, and how great was the inducement. A student of Arabs stated in the “Sporting Life’ that an Arab had beaten West Australian—which all would infer was the Derby winner. That statement remained uncommented on for a fortnight, until a chanco correspondent wrote that it was incredible. That the truth leaked out that the winner was no Arab, and the loser, instead of a Derby winner, an unknown horse, who. if the race was in Australia, as ‘H.U.M.C.’ says, may have been halfbred.” Those Good Old Days Among a group of men who were discussing the Leger. an English writer met one who confessed that he had a sneaking regard for that disappearing figure, the “welsher.” “It happened years ago at a country meeting,” he said. “Another five fellows and myself went to collect our winnings and discovered that the bookie had fled. We knew Hiere were only two ways to the station; so we borrowed nags, separated. and set off in pursuit. We found him. all right. Now, if the chap had stayed on the course we’d only have received a quid each—but —er—as it was, • we all inherited a fiver.”

! Takapuna Spring Meeting | The popular spring meeting of the I Takapuna Jockey Club is to be held on | Saturday and Monday, November Co ! and December 2. General entries and ! final payment for the Takapuna Plate I close on Friday next, November S, at 5 P-m. A Let Up The Melbourne Cup favourite, Phar } Lap, was again let off with a light task at Caulfield on Thursday of last i week, commented a Melbourne writer. I It is reported that he is suffering from I a mild cold, and that is the reason for j his not going at top speed on the j tracks. But probably his trainer, know - ing that he has all his Sydney racing behind him to render him fit, and not a very hard task in the Derby, in which a strong exercise gallop would make him right for the Melbourne Cup, is in no hurry to show off top speed down here. Track habitues at Caulfield are complaining about his lack of the speed that they usually associate with an alleged champion, and there is a good deal of talk about him. But inside information is to the effect that Phar Lap is all right, and evidently his trainer is quite satisfied with his condition. Be Prepared! By the latest English files, it is learned from the London “Sporting Life” that 200 special trains were requisitioned for Doncaster on the St. Leger Day, when the attendance was approximately 600,000. The paper .referred to says:—“Doncaster tradesmen have provided amply for the needs of the crowd. The list ranged from 1,000,000 bottles of beer to 150 tons of .butterscotch.” Wonderful! Progeny of Oratress Mr. S. J. Gibbons informed a Southern writer that his brood mare Oratress, dam of the New Zealand Cup • winner Oratrix, has thrown a colt l'oal . by Diasquenod. The mare Martianette i (Martian —Equitas) has a colt foal . by Hunting Song, while Windbag ' (Absurd —Oratress) has thrown a colt foal to the same sire. His two year- ; lings, a colt by Hunting Song out of L Oratress, and a Nigger Minstrel — L Oratress colt, are to go hit to the sales ; at Wellington. Both are of a fine , stamp. Anent Fernden When Fernden was produced at Masterton a fortnight back, there was i a good deal of talk about him by peuplo who had seen him work on the . Wanganui track. He was one of the L unlucky ones at the start in a big L field, and was. not afterward promii nent. Then his connections set him for a race at Waverley on Monday, • the Jackson Memorial Stakes, of live* furlongs, and the result never appeared in doubt, the Australian-bred four-year-old winning comfortably by two lengths. Now that Fernden is in v/in- . ning vein he may continue to meet with success, for he is unquestionably a galloper above the ordinary. As a i yearling Fernden was purchased by the Matamata sportsman, Mr. J. Pohlen, for 130 guineas, and trained at Ellers!ie by S. Stenning, credited that • trainer with two winning brackets. RoraTs Victory The success of Paladin with Chide and Meprisant at the Dunedin meet- , ing earlier in the month, and Rabbi recently, makes the result of this year’s Gimcrack Stakes of special interest. The historic race at York was won by the two-year-old colt Roral, ■ who carried Sir Abe Bailey’s colours . to their third success in the race. . Roral, in the reverse way, is b.red on the same lines as Paladin. Roral was > got by Abbott’s Trace from a Polymelus sire, whereas ’ Paladin was got by a Polymelus horse from Abbots i Anne, the grand-dam of Paladin, and the dam of Abbots Trace. Roral is a [ chestnut colt by Abbots Trace from ; Dew of June, by Polymelus from Juana, by Velasquez (son of Donovan) from Ellaline, by Ben d’Or. Last of Martian’s Progeny Among the two-year-olds in work at i Riccarton at present is the last of Mari turn's progeny, the brown gelding L :. loa ’ f r l '°m Contempt, by Bonny Glen, rrom Lady Disdain. He is owned by his breeder, the Riccarton ownertrainer, G. Murray Aynsley, who also has two sisters to Contempt in his : They are Reproachful and Diss dainful, whose mating with Paladin . produced Chide and Meprisant, two , good performers who are likely to win > good races over a distance. The pro- ; seny of Contempt is very much like 5 5 1S ® lre . ln every way, and lie should develop into a stayer later on. He is . not being- hurried and though lie may be raced in the autumn he is being prepared with a view to his prospects as an older horse. England’s Champion Jockey ; Gordon Richards reminds me in { maj W ways of George Foi-dham, and i ri f,- , • was ’- ; e ls exceptionally strong • , 1S « " eight’ Gordon being able to iide 7.6 Without wasting, while Fordham, in the last year he rode, when a middle-aged man, could easily do 7 10 and, if necessary, less. Richards at ■ ?ii eps T°A V m August rode five winners (says Horse and Hound”), these being his only mounts. The last jockey I l e ° all accomplishing this feat on the ! tlle now trainer, John Watts, . at Windsor, on April 4, 1903, although PBrt eC * e i, nt ! y r as June 29 at Sandown , 1 arlv that fine horseman, Fred Fox : steered ® ve winners out of six mounts! Other riders who have ridden five winneis during an afternoon’s racing can be cited in Seth Chandley, Billy Higgs, Sammy and Tommy Loates, George McCail, Otto Madden, Tod Sloan and Charlie Trigg. All these performances were beaten when Fred Archer, the ! greatest all-round and most brainy jockey I have ever seen ride, won the first six races at Lewes on August 5. ISB2, and did not have a mount in the last race that day, secured by Mowerina, afterwards dam of Donovan, Raeburn and Semolina. George Fordham rode Mowerina, and Fred often told me he was the only jockey he ever feared, as he never knew what the “demon” had up his sleeve. During the last year he rode, Fordh'am won six races out of eight, including the last five at Newmarket on April 24, 1883. He was also second for another race, and unplaced, so rode in every event on the card, although his health was far from good at the time. Up to the end of August the four leading jockeys stood:—Gordon Richards, 79; F. Fox and IT. Wragg, each 66; and M. Beary, 57. Richards has been at the top for three years in succession. ; Not In the Know

On the day of the recent English St. Leger two literary gents were talking on the top of a bus proceeding from Fleet Street to the Vest End. One of them, employing sporting metaphor, Avas saying: “Don't talk to me of Herman Melville. Why, man, Conrad can give him a start and a beating any day. Think of ‘Typhoon,’ ‘Lord Jim,’ and ‘Almayer’s Folly.’” At this juncture a navvy seated in front of them turned and grinned. “Gents,” he said, “somebody's been kiddin’ you all right. There ain't no such ? osses runnin.' ”