TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1938, Page 4

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

ENGLAND’S THREE-YEAR-OLD CLASSIC.

(By

“The Cynic.”)

The Two Thousand Guineas, decided at Newmarket yesterday, ushered in the struggle for the season’s classic dominance in England. The two Thousand Guineas is the first of the classics. Its history, however, does not go back as far as that of the Derby, as it was not inaugurated until 1809, 29 years subsequent to the Derby. The favourites for the Two Thousand Guineas are usually the leading two-year-olds of the previous season. Very often this classic is the first race the crack juveniles contest as three-year-olds and from the result emerge the horses who become favourites for the Derby in June. Pasch, winner of this year’s Guineas, was apparently an outsider, as no mention of its chances was contained in'recent overseas exchanges. The second horse, Scottish Union, is regarded as the best yet of the stock of the Pharos horse Cameronian, winner of the 1931 Derby. His dam, trustful, is also by Bachelor’s Double, and she has previously left a good sprinter in Coroado. The line goes back, however, to a stout staying foundation. As a yearling he cost Mr James V. Rank 3000 gns. He ran only three times last season, being second at Salisbury in May, when backward, and then winning the Rous Memorial Stakes, 6 furlongs, at Goodwood, and the Middle Park Stakes, 6 furlongs, at Newmarket, catching Mirza 11. on the post. Marza 11., who ran third, is owned by the Aga Khan, and is by the Blandford horse Blenheim, winner of the 1930 Derby and later sold to America at a record price. He is out of the brilliant The Tetrarch mare Mumtaz, reputed fastest filly ever seen on the English turf. He is thus a very close relative to the Derby Mahmoud, who was by Blenheim, out of Mah Mahal, a daughter of Mumtaz Mahal. Early last season Mirza 11. took all before him, winning his first five, races, all over five furlongs, but he was then beaten in the Champagne Stakes, 6 furlongs, by Portmarnock, and in the Middle Park Stakes, 6 furlongs, by Scottish Union. It was considered that the Guineas distance would suit him, but it was doubted whether he would stay well enough to win either of the longer classics. Shirred Ribbon ran two solid races at Riccarton without gaining any money to finish fourth and fifth. She should now be in better order and the mile and a quarter hack race at Amberley may be suitable to her. Miss Bluff is the name by which M. B. Edward’s two-year-old filly by Cockpit from Miss Camouflage will be known. Edwards has been successful with other Cockpit horses in Wino and Cocksure and in Miss Bluff he has something worth while on which to work. Flashlight looks as if he will do good service for T. H. Gillett this jumping season. The half-brother by Shambles to First Sight has been given plenty of time by his trainer and the season should not be much further advanced before Flashlight makes a return. For the second year in succession Seabiscuit, a warm favourite for the Santa Anita Handicap, worth £20,000, was beaten by the narrowest of margins for the world’s richest prize at Los Angeles on March 6. So close was the finish between Seabiscuit and Stage Hand that the judges, as was the case last year when Rosemont won, examined the photographs of the finish before awarding the race to Stage Hand. The third horse was Pompom, 1 who ran second in the Kentucky Der- ’ by. i Seabiscuit was topweight with 9st 41b. The race was run in record time ' for the track before a record atten- . dance. Tote takings of £81,999 were I also a record. i i I Possum had been placed in several , cross-country events during the last two or three years, but he had not won a race of any kind prior to his victory [ in the Great Western at Riverton. He . is an aged gelding by Balboa, from a i Castashore mare, and is trained at i Riverton by J. Thistleton. The Matamata success of Erndale was an indication that this horse is going to be a force to be reckoned , with in coming engagements. He was 1 still a little above himself when he won there and as he relishes easy ’ tracks the future may have much in ’ store for him. The yearling sales held in Sydney ' last week were of special interest be- ’ cause of the fact that the last of the 1 Heroic and Valais yearlings were offered. The top pric for the Heroics,

2300gns, was paid for a chestnut colt from Trasina, who traces back to Orme and a family that has produced some great racehorses in Australia, Rosina, the dam of Trasina, being a sister to that brilliant two-year-old Two. In winning the Southern Champion Hack Handicap in 1.40, Norseman established a race record. The previous best time for the mile event was 1.41 2-5 and was held jointly by Red Sun (1932) and Travenna (1935). The weight-carrying record is held by Inevitable, who won with 9.8 in 1930. The Trentham horseman, S. Wilson, has been having his best season yet this term, and his big double at Riccarton on Ponty in the Great Easter and on Arctic King in the Great Autumn is probably his most notable triumph yet, even superior to his victory on The Buzzer in the Auckland Cup last Boxing Day. Wilson seems to know the Riccarton track better than the majority of the southern riders. At the last New Zealand Cup meeting he also had a very successful innings, winning on Cuddle, Peerless (twice), and Brunhild. The Great Easter-Great Autumn double has now been gained by the same horseman on several occasions. P. White rode Lady Zetland to victory in both races in, 1894, and B. H. Morris was similarly successful on Grand Knight in 1926. C. Emeron twice secured the double honour, on Madam Madcap and Cheddar in 1911 and on Songbird and Bonnie Winkie in 1922. The other two jockeys to ride both winners were H. Young on Kilbrokan and Punka in 1919 and H. Gray on Arrowsmith and Sasanof in 1920.

At a sale of bloodstock held at Christchurch on Wednesday, Invoice was disposed of for 70 guineas to Mr T. Matthews, of Chatto Creek, Otago, and the two-year-old Improvident by Defoe, after being started at 100 guineas was purchased by C. C. McCarthy for 240 guineas and will continue to be trained at Riccarton. Private Bunsby a ’three-year-old gelding by Captain Bunsby from Toiling Tessie, fell to the bid of Mr W. J. Doyle at 15-1 guineas. Improvident cost Dr Louisson 120 guineas as a yearling and Private Bunsby cost 130 guineas.

Royal Chief is still on the easy list, and will enjoy an easy time for another month before being taken in hand to be prepared for a trip to Sydney in the spring. It is reported- that his feet have improved a great deal during the spell, and his trainer is well pleased with the progress they have made.

It would be interesting to know what Gordon Richards receives in retaining fees in England. He has four retainers this season, their order being: Beckhampton stable (F. Darling), Lord Astor, M. Hartigan and Lord Portal. In addition, he has promised to ride the horses trained by S. Darling, Fred Templeman and Miss Norah Wilmot when possible.

Other riding engagements are J. Crouch for King George, who has 14 horses in training, M. Beary for Lord Glanely, and B. Carslake for the Hon G. Lambton’s stable. Carslake purposes retiring as a jockey at the close of this season. He won the Doncaster Handicap on Famous, at Randwick, in 1905.

It is understood that Disdain was under offer at 750 guineas just before she/raced at Riccarton, but because of the lameness she had shown the prospective purchaser did not buy the filly. She would have been a great bargain at that price, for the stakes she earned last week amounted to £440, and she won so brilliantly that it would undoubtedly take a fourfigure sum to purchase her now.

Waitaka improved with each race at Riverton and his success on the final day was well deserved, though the horsemanship of J. W. Jennings played a big part in his win. In carving out the mile in 1.39 4-5 the Robespierre gelding equalled the track record established by Charmaine when she won the event in 1932.

It is almost unknown for a rider to take a whip to a horse in the first furlong of a race in Australia, but M. McCarten did so recently and won. On Adios in the Second Division of the Rosehill Nursery, he noticed the colt was not pulling. He gave it half a dozen solid cuts and galvanised Adios into such a sprint that he whisked McCarten to near the front. Some more reminders followed, giving the impression that Adios is a colt that must be made to do his work, and a final few cuts revealed an unsuspected reserve to win the race. Adios is owned by a syndicate and was picked up cheaply as a yearling. He is certainly more than useful under the whip.