Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 910, 1 March 1930, Page 12

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY "EARLY BIRD"

Star Stranger 11. W. Holmes is working the Quin Abbey mare Star Stranger 11. She appears to have made a good recovery from the accident that befell her while schooling at Riccarton, and during her spell in the paddock has put on a lot of condition. Star Stranger 11. was taken to Canada early in her career by W. Holmes, and though she did not race in that country she showed much promise. Recommissioned Riccarton trainer J. Pine intended to recommission Gleeman this week. The Tonbridge—Carol Singer youngster, which cost 250 guineas as a yearling, may need time before he reaches his best, and at three years old he may make his presence felt in his races. Brother to Mollison It is interesting to note that the two-year-old colt Calmond, by Seremond from Molly’s Robe, who won the first division of the Alma Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday, is a full brother to brilliant Mollison. Chide at Randwick From various Australian sources it is gathered that the Sydney track critics are of the opinion that Chide is going to do well now that he has been “built up,” whereas the man who made the son of Paladin had other views and proved them up to the hilt. One of the Sydney scribes remarks: —“Hide a pound from the wife the day they produce ex-Enzedder Chide. The liver chestnut went four in 50 at Randwick yesterday morning, and did the job like an ace high horse. When he hit Sunny Noo South, Chide looked a cross between a blackfellow’s ciog and an Indian famine victim, but nosv, though he’ll never take a prize for good looks, he is much thicker and seems the making of a really good horse.”

Has Done Well A passenger to Sydney on the P. and O. liner Comorin, which reached Melbourne on February 3. was Ben Rosen, an Australian jockey, who has ridden in every State and New Zealand, and has had wide experience abroad, particularly in India and South Africa. Rosen is making a brief visit to Bathurst (N.S.W.) before resuming riding under contract in India. The high standard of horse racing in India and Ceylon was very marked, he said, and stakes were large, as much as £3,000 having been provided- for one race. At the Havalock course, the Ceylon Turf Club had spent £120,000 on a grandstand. The totalisator was popular, the double and treble totalisator being operated at Colombo, and the double totalisator at Bombay. At Calcutta and Rangoon betting was done through Dookmakers. Australian horses had not proved satisfactory in India, and the most popular sires were from Irish and English stock. Rosen rode 82 winning horses in the 1927-28 season, and rode Sir Marco when he won the Adelaide Cup in 1921. An Australian who had taken an important part in Tndian racing, Rosen said, was Mr. J. Higgins, formerly chairman of A.J.C. stipendiary stewards, and now chief stipendiary steward at Calcutta. Rosen will leave to return to Ceylon on April 22. Numbers On Barrier Complaints have been made frequently by the starters against riders who have taken up a position at the barrier at variance to that drawn when weighing out. It is not always possible for the starter to call to book riders ever willing to take the advantages that are offering through fractious horses demanding the special attention of the official at the moment (states a Sydney writer). The six ” strand barrier has greatly facilitated the dispatch of fields without undue delay, but Mr. Reuben Gray some time ago concentrated on a method which he has patented for assisting the starter to get the horses in line as quickly as possible. At Canterbury Park last week positions from No. 1 to No. 20 were attached to the two top strands of the barrier, and each rider was thus able to line up in his correct position immediately the order was given. The numbers were shown on signwriter’s calico of about five inches by two inches, and they were spaced at intervals of about three feet, thereby providing ample room for each starter. This scheme should be specially advantageous to apprentices. In New Zealand the horses are paraded in their correct position-s prior to the race, but in Australia the horses canter straight to the post without any tedious delays, and the jockeys take their mounts into the barrier presumably in the correct positions according to the draw. The above scheme should thus be a big help to starters.

Grandstand Judges Some members of the public are very much like a lot of sheep in their opinions of jockeys. Who cannot recall it being said of some subsequently fashionable rider that they “would not back anything he rode with bad money”? It seems to be through a vain desire to be thought good judges, when half the time people who give their opinion in this way are not capable of judging, and if asked which is the right side to mount a horse, they would probably say “The outside.” The same thing seems to operate as regards the looks of a horse that is a hot favourite for any race. You will hear people who could hardly tell whether a horse is “a Shorthorn or a Hereford” admiring audibly. If by chance the favourite is on the leg, they will count it as a virtue, and say, “Look at the stride it’s got,” while on the other hand if it is on the small side they will say, “Yes, but it is a big little horse” (whether it is so or not). A case of handsome certainly is as handsome does. But if it runs badly, you will hear, “I didn’t like the look of it at all.” In the same way a horse of the best conformation, if it has never shown up, is never admired till it does so. The horse they back is always “dead” with some backers if it doesn’t win. No doubt, non-triers do exist, as proved by occasional disqualifications, but as a* rule, the most probable explanation is that the winner was too good. Subsequent runnings will generally prove this, though, of course, there are exceptions.—"Wilga.” NOORILIM STUD SALE GOOD PRICES REALISED United P. A.—By Telegraph—Copyright MELBOURNE, Friday. At the dispersal of the Noorilirn Stud, established 10 years ago by the late Air. Norman Falkiner, buyers from all parts of Australia and New Zealand attended. Several mares were purchased for the Dominion. Thirty-seven mares were sold for 16.155 guineas, making an average of 435 guineas. Top price was paid for Battery Queen, a full sister to a Melbourne Cup winner, Artilleryman. She was purchased by Air. G. Buckley for 1,400 guineas. He also bought her sister, Queen's Cross, for 1,000 guineas. The successful sire, Spearhead, now 17 years old. was bought by Alessrs. Thompson, Basche and YV. Booth for I,SOO guineas.

About Again Silver Paper made his reappearance at Riccarton on Tuesday, following on a few weeks’ spell. He was given exercise on the lead, but his trainer hopes to have him ready to race again later in the season. For Paeroa The best has not been seen of On Top, the successful three-year-old, on both days of the recent Rotorua meeting. W. H. Patterson, master of the Otahuhu Stud Company’s farm, who has the chestnut under his charge, informed the writer that On Top would race at Paeroa preparatory to going on to Ellerslie to contest hack events at the Easter meeting. Not Busy The well-known Ellerslie trainer, J. E. Thorpe, is not a very busy man on the tracks these days, having only the yearling son of Catmint and Loloma to engage his attention. An own-* brother to Lomint and Chamour, the gelding is making good progress in his training, and the docile manner in which he takes everything makes it obvious that he has been well handled. The End of Wolaroi YVolaroi, once a racecourse idol in Sydney, was destroyed a few days ago, in Queensland, alter breaking a leg. YVolaroi was a brilliant galloper, and can rightly be classed as one of the best horses produced in Australia this century. During his racing career he was owned by Mr. D. U. Seaton, and won, among other races, the Breeders’ Plate, Champagne Stakes, Epsom Handicap (9.8), Rosehill Guineas, V.R.C. Sires' Produce Stakes, C. AI. Lloyd Stakes. Victoria Derby, Linlithgow Stakes, and Rawson Stakes. Wolaroi figured in the sensational finish of the Craven Plate of 1918 at Randwick, in which Cetigne won from Wolaroi, Estland and Desert Gold. Wolaroi stood at his owner’s stud near Aludgee for some seasons, and sired many useful horses, including the recent Challenge Stakes winner Venetian Lady, and Black Dina. Comedy at Trotting Meeting

The absence. of the regular clerk of the course, A. Stephen, from Harold Park last week in Sydney brought about a very amusing racecourse comedy. Mr. Stephen was riding his pony to the course, when it slipped, and in falling the rider broke one of his legs. A deputy clerk was pressed into service, and he was subjected to some good-natured badinage. When Togo Dick careered round the course, after losing his driver in the President’s Unlioppled Handicap, the acting-clerk of the course tried to intercept til© runaway, but just as be tried to seize the reins his own pony pig-rooted, and he was thrown, to the unrestrained mirth of the onlookers. As Togo Dick was now approaching him for the second time, he waved his hands frantically at the runaway, but the horse again dashed past, and the substitute official was apparently satisfied that the trotter was his master. Pink Coat Progressin-g

Pink Coat was such a high-class three-year-old that it is a thousand pities he met with an injury that precluded him from adding greatly to his stake-earnings. Judging by the way he won the Harcourt Cup on three legs, he would have outstripped his opponents in the rich three-year-old classics, and at weight-for-age it would have taken an outstanding horse to bring about his downfall. Pink Coat has not done any work since the Wellington spring meeting, but the colt’s trainei*, E. J. Ellis, states that the three-year-old is quite sound again, and will soon be hacked about. Then, Later, he will be blistered, and turned out again during the winter. Posthumous Fame Though on the small side, the stallion Some Boy 11. (now defunct) was a great little galloper, and for his size had few superiors. He won several races in Australia before he was imported to the Dominion, and prior to being retired to the stud in New Zealand he proved his ability on our race tracks. He died in 1927, but is receiving posthumous fame through Rin Tin Tin. Charmaine and Aspiring, who have all been in the limelight in the last few weeks. Even allowing that she was a trifle lucky to win the Middle Park Plate at Riccarton on Saturday, Charmaino contested the finish with marked determination, and the way in which she ran out the six furlongs shows that she is a good filly. Tier latest form says much for Compensation, who beat the filly convincingly in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes at Wingatui, and if collateral form is any criterion Compensation should hold his own in his remaining engagements as a two-year-old. All the Better for Racing

The two-year-old Grand Spirit carne through her racing at Rotorua an improved filly, and a continuation of the progress she has made since being recommissioned in the New Year may see her secure further stake-money for her connections in the near future. She has one bad fault which requires rectifying, namely, her inability to begin, and unless she improves in this respect big fields and class juveniles may find her wanting. A sparselyframed youngster when first introduced to the training tracks, she has put on condition these last few weeks and is holding it, too. All going well, Grand Spirit will be on hand at the Ohinemuri meeting, and against betterclass youngsters on this occasion she will be accorded an adjustment which will surely ensure her racing conspicuously. Strep Hon's Owner Air. Sol Green leaves Australia for England on Alarcli 18. He is brimful of hope that his great horse, Strephon, will show to distinct advantage in England—a hope that is shared by all Australian racing folk. While Mr. Green will return to Australia in time to see the next Melbourne Cup, it will depend entirely on Strephon’s success whether his owner will be in Australia ill time to witness the A.J.C. spring meeting. If Strephon does well, then Air. Green will extend his stay in England to such a date that lie "will have only sufficient time to return to Australia for the 1930 Melbourne Cup. According to Air. Green verything is progressing favourably on his Underbank Stud. Next season he will have a few foals by \ erbius, but these will not be offered for sale, but will be raced by Air. Green. It is quite possible, however, that when the catalogues for the yearling sales of 1932 are prepared, Air. Green will have a number of lots for submission to the public.