THE TURF.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 336, 18 January 1937, Page 2

THE TURF.

Gleanings From The Racing World NEW NUMBER CLOTHS. The new number cloths used at Ellerslie for the first time by the Auckland Racing Club were much admired. The seven-inch white numbers, in special paint., oil the navy blue serge base, which was piped with gold braid, were very effective, and a great improvement upon the old cloths. The numbers were very easily distinguished, and the club undoubtedly made a happy selection when it decided to use the new pattern. WELLINGTON CUP. The first Wellington Cup run at. Trentham was won by Ropa in 1906 Ropa was owned by a then prominent bookmaker, Mr D. Ross, and ridden by S. Reid, now a well-known trainer. The Wellington Cup to be run next week will be the thirtieth decided on the course. Only two winners of the Great Northern Derby have followed on with wins in the Wellington Cup. The exclusive list is made up by Renown, who won the Auckland classic and the Wellington Cup with 8.10. Gladsome also won the Great Northern Derby and the Wellington. Cup with 8.5, but lost the fruits of victory through a technical point. She was ridden by F. D. Jones, who, :by an oversight, was riding without a license. This year the Great Northern Derby winner Essex is engaged in the Wellington Cup. , AN UNUSUAL PROCEDURE. A magistrate in Sydney early last week fined the jockey R. Young, £1 and ordered him to pay £6/9/- costs, for excessive use of spurs at Rose hill in December, on the racehorse Ortelle’s Son. The decision has aroused much adverse comment among practical racing men (says a Sydney correspondent). On the day the horse. was examined by the club’s veterinary surgeon, whose evi dence and that of a stipendiary steward were ignored. For the Rosehill Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, two journalists gave evidence against Young, and it is understood that proceedings were instituted by newspaper criticism. The expert evidence was that the horse was thin-skinned and hardly marked, but on a hot day the sweat had carried the blood all over the flank. This is but one instance in a particularly strong attack on racing control and the stipendiary stewards by a section of the Sydney press. As the stewards have very wide and full powers on racecourses there is a possibility of some interesting developments. A DIFFICULT DOUBLE. To have ridden the winner of the Auckland Cup and the Great Northern Foal Stakes at the one meeting has been the achievement of only five horsemen. Thirty-four years ago L H. Hewitt piloted Siege Gun to vic tory in the cup and rode King Log in the Foal Stakes, both horses carrying the colours of Mr G. G Stead. In 1912 F. D. Jones rode Bobrikoff and Soltano in the respec tive races, M. McCarten was success, ful on Scion and Tukia in 1922, K. Voitre was on the double Gold Trail and Legatee two years ago, and L. J. Ellis on Cuddle and Royal Chief is the fifth to complete the difficult double.