TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1938, Page 4

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

GREAT STAR TO TRY AGAIN

(By “The Cynic.”)

' Great Star is to attempt another come-back at Amberley on Saturday. The veteran Solferino gelding looks as well as even and has been galloping satisfactorily, but he cannot go on for ever. His owner-trainer, J. H. Prosser, is loath to part company with the old fellow. Probably the horse enjoys being in regular training than loafing about at home.

Lovelilt has been placed in work with H. Griffiths at Hastings, as it is intended to try the Mimetic mare over the battens. A likely cut of a jumper, Lovelilt has shown sufficient promise on the flat to suggest that she will do well in her new role.

The veteran Slippery won another race at Woodville on Saturday. This brought his total starts to 150, and he has won 36 races, his stake earnings amount to more than £3OOO.

Once again Te Monowai demonstrated what a good hack she is by running second in a smart field at Avondale. Te Monowai has thickened out since she commenced racing and she is expected to hold her own when she is produced in open company.

That Kena is a first-class hack and one that will not be long in winning in open company, he showed by his two fine efforts at the Avondale meeting. He won the hack mile the first day with . 8.10, and with 7.11 he finished a close third to Day Wind on the final day, although Gold Vaals had outdistanced the pair of them. Nevertheless it was a very good debut in the open ranks and suggested that Kena will be one to remember, for he should be able to handle heavy ground; and it was soft last Saturday. Kena was entered for the Hawera fixture and he will be taken south for the Champion Hack Cup next Saturday and is to also run the first day.

Advices from Cambridge suggest that Tudor is in good order for his coming

1 campaign over country, for last week he was out qualifying with the hunt, so that he should not be wanting in condition if he is produced either day at Hawera. This dashing jumper has not raced over country since he went wrong in the steeplechase event at the Christchurch Hunt meeting very early in the present season, although he has won over hurdles in the interim. If he keeps sound he may take on of the big steeplechases this winter.

The Takanini trainer F. J. Smith was in a purchasing mood at Christchurch last week, and secured no less than eight horses for patrons of his stable. Several of them were young horses, but among the lot were Parauri and Santa Fe. The former is a promising three-year-old, and should not be long off the winning list in the north.

Johnny Walls appears to have regained his form, and as he has been raced into condition, he should take no harm from Saturday’s race. He appears to be a likely , sort at his next outing.

Pocket Venus has gained several places this season, and her performance on Saturday was full of merit. Her turn may come at her next start.

The Vaals filly Bonnybelle had her first race in the Rosebank Handicap at Avondale and showed good speed for half a mile. Bonnybelle is a likely maiden winner of the future.

High Star showed better fencing ability in his winning venture at Avondale and he is improving in stamina. The class he beat was not strong, but he has the speed to win more races as a jumper.

Under easy conditions the form of Philcourt has been consistent. He is a big colt likely to make a lot of progress between now and the opening of three-year-old racing next season. I,ike his relatives, Gay Sheila and Gay Blonde, his best form has bee i shown on yielding tracks.

Wildflower, who scored 'a brilliant end-to-end win in the Patea Cup on Saturday, has gone out to her owner’s farm for a well-earned spell. This hardy three-year-old filly, ■ who is a half-sister to Siegmund, being by Chief Ruler from Lilimond, has been a most consistent performer, despite the rigorous programme she completed this season. She started or no fewer than 25 occasions for five wins, six seconds and three thirds in races from five furlongs to a mile and three-quarters. She was runner-up in both the G.N. Oaks and St Leger and among her successes was the Ashhurst Cup in January. Wildflower also had plenty of racing as a two-year-old, when her 15 outings yielded four firsts, five seconds and ■two thirds.

N. W. Davis, who trains Passenger for Mr J. R McKenzie, was the purchaser of Love Affair at an Easter sale. This filly has often shown ability on the track, but her race form has not been encouraging and she was sold for 17J gns. Her new owner has decided to give her a long spell before asking anything serious of her.

The filly from Miss Camouflage by Cockpit in M. B. Edwards’s stable has been named Miss Bluff, and is reported to be a very smart two-year-old. Her dam was a useful performer on Otago tracks a few years ago.

The Australian-bred steeplechaser Bonnie Rollox is doing a lot of good galloping at Riccarton, and if his legs stand up to a solid preparation he should win races this winter. It is his trainer’s intention not to give him any schooling, as he is such a perfect jumper.

Last winter there was no more promising young horse racing in the Dominion than Rival Hit, and his successes at Trentham (July) and Riccarton (August) made him look a good proposition for Australia. But he has been disappointing over there, and recently finished last at a suburban meeting near Sydney.

Both Sovereign Lady and Disdain have been put aside for the winter months. The former's form in the Great Autumn Handicap was disappointing, but Disdain proved herself a brilliant two-year-old, and it is reported that 'her owner turned down an offer of lOOOgns for her.

In America jockeys do not waste time in the early part of races, no matter what the distance. The first two furlongs of the rich Santa Anita Handicap were run in 22 4-5 and the half-mile in 46 1-5. As the mile and a-quarter was run in .2.1 3-5, that meant 1.15 2-5 for the last six furlongs. The winner, Stagehand, did better than that, as he was only seventh, and just ahead of Seabiscuit, after going half a mile. Seabiscuit’s rider, Woolf, said he would have won if he

had not been so badly bumped just after the start that he was nearly 15 lengths behind the leaders after going half a mile.

Gay Chou, Mr W. Devon's purchase in Sydney, is a six-year-old bay gelding by Gay Lothario—Chouette, by I Magpie from the imported mare Doux Verre. He showed form last season, for after winning a trial stakes at Caulfield he went on to the A.J.C. autumn meeting and won the Rous Handicap, of seven furlongs. He then changed hands, and in three other starts he had two wins. These were a flying welter at Kensington and the Doomben Newmarket, of £l4OO, six furlongs, over the straight six, carrying 8.3, the top-weight being Pamelus with 9.11, who finished fourth. Early this season he developed first-class form and won first up in the Campbelltown Handicap at Warwick Farm, beating several fancied Epsom candidates; ran fifth in the Canterbury Stakes won by The Marne, with Mala third and Talking fourth; and was third to Mohican and King’s Head in the Quality Handicap at Hawkesbury. He was a fancied horse for the Epsom, but was unable to run closer than sixth to Gold Rod. The next day he was third in the Shorts, and his only other placing in three more starts was a second at Moorefield. He has not run since the A.J.C. January meeting. Provided Gay Chou is sound, Mr Devon appears to have made a good purchase.

At Kyaikasan racecourse, Rangoon, on February 12, was paid the biggest tote double dividend on record on the Thaung May-Natalia combination, the holders of the only ticket sold on the combination 8 and 1 in the Members’ and first enclosure getting £2148.

The French-bred horse Genetout, who started favourite for the Sydney Cup, has been retired from racing and will join the .Widden Stud.

Increases of £5OO to the stakes of the 1938 Grand National Hurdle Race and the 1939 Sires’ Produce Stakes were decided upon by the committee of the Victoria Racing Club recently. The Grand National Hurdle will now be worth £2OOO, and the Sires’ Produce Stakes £3500. The prize for the Grand National Steeplechase remains at £2500. No alteration was made to the Melbourne Cup prize, which last year was worth £lO,OOO.

When Linguist and Mungatoon last met the latter was giving 21b and in the Amberley Handicap the former, for some reason, or lack of it, comes in on 101 b worse terms. In the Gamaru Cup Mungatoon 7.7 finished second to Galleon 8.10, with Linguist 7.8 third. On the second day Linguist 7.9 was second to Ponty 7.9 J, with Mungatoon 7.11 unplaced. Mungatoon has won since then, whereas Linguist remains amongst the defeated lot, and yet has to give away 81b.

Modiste 11, dam of Royal Chief, was sold at the Westmere Stud dispersal in January last for 600 guineas to the New South Wales breeders, Messrs Thompson and Basche. She had a colt foal by Beau Pere at foot, and was in foal to Phaleron Bay. The colt was submitted at the Sydney sales at Easter, and elicited keen competition, being sold for 950 guineas to Mr W. J. Smith, of Sydney, who bought Beau Pere at Westmere for 3300 guineas.

NELSON ACCEPTANCES By Telegraph.—Press Association. NELSON, May 2. Acceptances for the first day of the Nelson Jockey Club's meeting, to be held on May 7 and 9 and at which the single pool system of betting will be in operation are as follows: — 11.45 — Novice Stakes, set weights; five furlongs.—Adieux, Far East, Esperance Bay, Girl Pat, Floral Robe, Gold Coat, Daymiss, Silver Fox, Diareus, Mother-in-law. 12.25 —Wakefield Handicap Trot, 3.40 class; one mile and a half. —Count Parrish scr, Evara (inc. rehdep.) 24, Loyal Avis 24, Cassidy 36, Coral Prince 36, Guy Zolock 60, Travisque 84. 1.5 —Hope Hack Handicap, seven furlongs.—Earl Colossus (inc. rehdep.) 9.4, Clubman (inc. rehdep.) 8.5, Sunny Blonde 8.1. Lustral 7.12, Bonny Agnes 7.11. Jewish Lad 7.10, Arrowglen 7.7, Laggard 7.6, Monty Loo 7.5. 1.45 — Nelson Cup. one mile and a quarter.—Siegmund, Might 9.0, Liane 8.7, Mishna, Bon Tray 8.3, Myriam 8.0. Roy Bun 7.9, Silver Lark 7.7.

2.25 —Licensed Victuallers’ Hack Handicap, one mile. —Earl Colossus (inc. rehdep.) 9.3, Clubman (inc. rehdep.) 8.4, Sunny Blonde 8.0, Lustra! 7.11, Jewish Lad 7.9, Contract, Gas Mask 7.8, Laggard 7.5. 3.s—Brightwater Handicap Trot, 3.2 class; one mile and a quarter. —Cam Dillon, Cassidy, Count Parrish, Coral Prince scr, Evara tine, rehdep.) 12, Guy Zolock, Travelwell 12, Travisque 36.

3.45 —Electric Hack Handicap, six furlongs.—Marcus Cicero 8.8. Free Gold 8.3, Bonny Agnes (inc. rehdep.) 7.12. Arrowglen 7.8, Gold Coat, Far East 7.5.

4.25 —Newman Handicap, seven furlongs.—Bon Tray 8.8, Alby 8.7. Round Score, Mataru 8.5, Myriam 8.4, Roy Bun 7.12, Export 7.11, Bun Fight, Silver Lark, Contract 7.9. MANAWATU MEETING CLOSING OF NOMINATIONS. Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for all events at the Manawatu Racing Club’s meeting on May 21 will close on Friday, May 6, at 9 p.m., with the secretary. Box 52, Palmerston North, or telephone 6264.