TURF NEWS IN BRIEF.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 380, 11 March 1937, Page 7

TURF NEWS IN BRIEF.

Round the Racing Realm. With “Top-weight.” Chief Ranger was unlucky at Bulls, but he may make amends before this week is. out. Wild Chase, in winning the New Zealand Derby in November, was the first offspring of Paper Money to » ’in a Derby, Oaks, or St. L ger. Friesland is a definite Thompson starter, and perhaps his stablemate Lowemberg is in the ifield in case the track is heavy. Pooley Bridge appears to have been just a little unlucky in not following •the. Marmont (precedent in the Australian Cuip last Saturday. Shy is proving a little costly at present in the north, but after his defeat last Saturday he may come down again in the weights. Essex, Great Northern Derby winner, has recovered from the ie f trouble that has kept him off the scene recently, but it is not likely that he will be required to race again before next season.

•Cudule’s Australian Cup record is almost as bad as it could >be. Though a fine stayer in her New Zealand races, she ran last and distressed in the Australian Cup last year, and she beat only one horse home this year. According to a Taranaki report International 'vbuld have be -n left in the St. Leger Stakes at Trentham on Thursday but for the fact that at time of nomination he was ineligible to race in the Champion Hack Cup on the second day. Tfie Trentham trainer H. Telford has returned very ipleased with th a treatment meted out to him on hi* recent trip north, and he now plans to go north again at Easter for the Auckland meeting. Debhaim has been nominated for the Easter Handicap, onei mile, and for the mile event on the second day, and Accomplice will accompany him if he goes for the two-year-old handicaps.

Barrier Set Lower. To prevent horses trying to duck under the six-strand barrier at the mile and a quarter post in front of the stewards’ stand at Trentham, the barrier has been lowered six inches It is expected that the lav'er height, will deter attempts t© dive under-, neath the strands, as has occurred at recent meetings. The original s t of the barrier was according to standard measurements, but it has been found advisable at several courses at which it is. used to set it a shade lower than standard. Small Fields Usual. A glance Z back over 'the records shows that the Wellington Pacing Club in recent years has often had to be satisfied with three starters in the St. Leger Stakes. In the 18 years since the war th-a-e have 'been three runners on seven occasions, and once vThen Star Stranger easily beat Catcall, there were only two starters' Thei last two years there have been only three runners. The highest number of starters in the period under review was the 11 of 1933, when La Moderne established her race record of 2.56 J, which is only a quarter of a second slower than First Acre’s Australian and New Zealand record for the distance. Thera were nine runners when Lady Pam won two years earlier, but in most other years the number has been six or fewer.

Synagogue Runs a Third.

Not much has been heard of Synagogue since he went tt> India, but a recent cable received in Australia shows that hei was third in a wlf.a. event at Bomlbay last month. Thwinner was the Australian horse Cotjys, a four-year-old son of Thracian and Charybdis.

The cable was sent to the Adelaide sportsman, Mr Theo Gove by his brother, Captain R. V. Gove, stating that Cotys had won the Hughes Memorial Plate, a w.f.a. event decided over 1J miles. The Plate carries a stake of 15,000 rupees. Cotys scored nicely from Rosecrag and Synagogue, and he was ridden by J. Munro, who has had an excellent season in India. Cotys was a useful horse in Melbourne prior to his export to India. On the same day as Cotys was successful, the New Zealand-bred Devastate (Philamor —Rapina), also bought by the Gove brothers a.nd sent to India, won a mile and a quarter handicap. He was ridden ‘by the English jockey Harding, and won in attractive (style. Mr A. L. Canter, having accepted a position in Auckland, has resigned as handicapper of the Dunedin Jockey Jlub, but will frame the handicaps ;or th® Jan® meeting. B

The bunch of pasengers assembled in the “smoker” were talking about tobacco as the Limited sped on its way. “I’ve been told more than once,” remarked the grizzled veteran with a smile, “that if I’d saved up all the money I’ve spent on tobacco I’d be better off. Possibly. But when I remember tfte comfort and the blessing my pipe has been to me ail these years, I think I’ve had my money’s worth.” (“Hear, hear!” from several present.) “As for tobacco,” continued the veteran, “I’ve sampled many brands in many lands and I’ve yet to discover anything better than ‘toasted’—especialljr Cut Plug No. 10, which I always smoke.” "If you ask me,’ chipped in somebody else, “there isn’t anything better.” (Renewed applause.) Testimony to the merits of Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold, is constantly accumulating. Not only are these famous brands unequalled for flavour and bouquet, but thanks to the elimination of the nicotine in them by toasting they may be smoked even to excess and no harm done.