ITEMS OF TOPICAL INTEREST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1938, Page 11

ITEMS OF TOPICAL INTEREST

IDDO MAKES AMENDS. (By “The Cynic.”) Favoured by a change of horsemen, Iddo made amends for his unlucky defeat at Awapuni last week by winning the Riverslea Hurdles at Hastings on Thursday. After being fifth for the first six furlongs he moved up at the half-mile to join the pacemaker Bing Boy at the second to last fence. Outjumping Bing Boy by a couple of lengths, he took the lead to go on and win all out by a clear margin from the favourite. Bing Boy. Begorrah made up a deal of ground over the last five furlongs to run a creditable third. He should improve with the outing. The others had little chance and Count Willonyx had had enough when he fel lat the last fence.

King Silver, who recorded two creditable thirds at the recent Tauranga meeting, is a fine stamp of gelding by King Nassau from Flying Silver, and has all the appearances of a potential steeplechaser. He has already been jumped and has won prizes in the show ring. It is understood that overtures were made at the Tauranga meeting by Mr M. B. Abbot, the owner of Llangollen to secure the King Nassau gelding.

May Song failed at Tauranga to fulfil the promise of returning form she displayed on the second day at Paeroa. On the first day she was kept in behind Bass to the straight entrance, but when asked for a final effort failed to respond as well as anticipated. On the Monday she was taken to the front from the outset only to prove unequal to giving improving hacks like Bonnie Song, Haile Boy and Ohmaha over a stone.

Master Anomaly is the -latest recruit to the ranks of cross-country horses. He has been schooled over the sod wall and brush double at Wingatui, and shapes well. He flies his hurdles and does the same at fences.

The appeal of R. R. Savage against the suspension for two months imposed upon him by the udicial committee of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club after the running of the Second Handicap Hurdles at Paeroa oh March 19 was dismissed last week by the Auckland District Committee. The suspension was' imposed upon Savage as a result of interference by Celtic Lad with Mia Acrea, Anagram and Erination during the running of the Second .Handicap Hurdles.

Among the likely juveniles noted at the Bay of Plenty meeting was the Vaals —Lirheen filly, Valmeen, who but for running wide at the straight entrance would have been difficult to dispose of. Jumping out smartly she carried on the running to the straight entrance where, unfortunately for her connections, she went wide and ruined whatever winning prospects she possessed. She was not produced the second day and her reappearance will be awaited with interest.

Catalogue’s success in the King George Handicap at Awapuni brought his record to nine wins and nineteen minor places in 67 starts for £3019 in stakes. His. next mission will be the Easter Handicap (one mile), at Ellerslie. His time at Awapuni, 2.3 2-5, is only three-fifths of a second outside Bronze Eagle’s New Zealand record, established at Riccarton. The last mile of the race, was run in 1.37 4-5, but Catalogue did better than that, as Lucullus Lad was some lengths clear at the mile. The final half mile was done in 49 l-ssec.

Nearest rivals to Defaulter, winner of the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at present for two-year-old supremacy are Amigo, who has four wins and as many places to his credit, and Te Hero, with foul - wins and one second in five ventures. Surmount has won three times and has been second six times. Other winners of three juvenile races are Noitaro, Ivar, Lady Furst, Hot Box and Protector. The Te Rapa-trained Windsor Lass is entered for the Northland Hurdles on the first day of the Whangarei meeting, being assessed on the minimum.

While galloping at Greenmeadows on Thursday morning, the Gainscourt mare, Bly Gain, broke a leg and was destroyed. Bly Gain had raced for five seasons and proved a consistently good but unlucky performer, for in 84 starts starts she won 11 times and gained 29 seconds and 12 thirds. Therefore, she was placed in an unusually busy career in over 60 per cent, of her races.

Bly Gain was bred in 1930 and was raced successively in the interests of Messrs T. A. Rich, W. O. Whitfield and W. J. Wilson, the last-named securing possession of her half-way through her fivc-yar-old career. Bly Gain's dam was the Gazeley mare, Miss Gazeley, who was a complete failure on the Turf and produced only \wo foals, Bly Gain being the last.

The Weathervane mare Countervane. who was engaged at Waimate on Saturday, appeared three times during the early part of the season without gaining a place. During the previous season she appeared once and put up an unplaced performance. As a four-year-old Countervane won a Trial Handicap at the Dunedin winter meeting of 1936, and the Domain Handicap, run on the last day of the fixture.

The Invercargill-owned two-year-olds, Hooting Light, by Colonel Cygnus from Lucky Light, and Nokomai, by Colonel Cygnus from Speed Light, were recently given a run at the Pakenham fixture, a meeting held near Melbourne. In a strong field the youngsters were quoted at long odds, and failed to get into the money.

In the early history of the English Grand National Steeplechase stallions were frequent winners, but nowadays the fields are mostly composed of geldings. This year’s winner, Battleship, is a stallion. In France nearly all the horses raced are stallions.

The Iliad colt Lord Byron who was unplaced in the Trial Plate at Waimate on Saturday did a season at the stud. Last year he started five times without getting a place. Lord Byron met with an injury when a yearling and this has prevented him from showing what he might achieve on the turf.

While she was trained at Riccarton by G. Murray-Aynsey the Tea Tray mare, Spoon, showed herself a galloper of top class, but following an unsuccessful trip to Australia, . she became unsound and was sent to the stud, now being represented by the two-year-old Night Raid filly, Verey Lights.

Verey Lights, who finished fourth in the Juvenile Handicap at Stratford on Saturday, was sent to the Trentham sales last year by the executors of the late Mr R. McKay, of Sydney, who had bought Spoon at a dispersal sale carryng the Night Raid foal. The youngster was acquired by Mr E. J. Kirkwood, • Stratford, for 160 guineas, and she is now being trained by J. Butler.

With Paper Slipper, always a fast track worker, Wild Chase covered seven furlongs in Imin 29sec, the first three furlongs taking 38 l-ssec. at Riccarton on Saturday. It was a smart effort and if the track is not too hard at Easter, Wid Chase, which is doubly engaged in the two big handicaps, can be expected to atone for past failures this season.

Silver Sight who finished third in the Waimate Cup, had not been seen out since he raced over hurdles at the New Zealand Cup meeting, where he won on the first day. His last win on the at was in the Timaru Cup, which he won with 7.8| in 2inin 6sec, when Rebel Lad 8.1 was fourth.

An interesting story is told by an English paper concerning Easter Prize, sire of the 1921 Liverpool Grand National winner Shaun Spadah. Easter Prize was a cheap yearling, but won on the at and over hurdles. Later, he lost all form, and his owner looked round for the easiest way to get rid of him. A Mr Delany came along and said he would pay Easter Prize’s fare to Dublin if it was not more than a sovereign, and he was given the horse. The rail fare was 14s 6d and Delany received 5s 6d change from the £1 he handed over.

Later Easter Prize again changed ownership, and on 'being sent to the stud the veterinary officer of the Irish Department of Agriculture would not admit him to the register of approved stallions. Mr Cleary, his owner, then sold the horse for £3. Easter Prize had been used to pull a tinker’s cart when Cleary again tried to get on his track, only to ascertain that the horse was dead. It was after Shaun Spadah had shown form that Cleary looked for Easter Prize.

A sire of a National winner was thus sold twice, once for 14s 6d, and the other time for £3, and ended his days the property of a gipsy. In addition to winning the Grand National, Shaun Spadah ran second in another with 12.7, when he was 12 years old.

Sovereign Lady, one of the early favourites for the Great Autumn, again pleased by the way in which she ran a mile and a quarter with Swordstick in 2min 7sec at Riccarton on Saturday. They went fast over the early stages, running the first six furlongs in Imin 15 2-sscc. There was nothing between them at the finish, but they had both had enough.