TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1938, Page 4

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

MILANION A POPULAR WINNER

(By

“The Cynic.”)

One of the popular wins at the Avondale meeting was that.of Milanion in the Nursery Handicap. By Baralong-Imperial, this colt is one of four owned by the syndicate that races in the colours of Dr W. C. Ring.

A couple of seasons ago, the syndicate bought four yearlings in Australia. The results turned out badly until Highborn won the Nursery Handicap at Avondale, the same race won by Milanion. Later, Highborn won in Australia and was sold for 1250 guineas.

The other three, Silver Glow, High Sea and Disturbed have been failures. Last season four more youngsters were purchased, and of these Milanion is the first to win.

Defaulter will have a rest for several weeks before he is started on a preparation for three-year-old engagements. According to present intentions he will begin in the North Island, taking on the Wanganui, Avondale and Great Northern Guineas, after which he should be ready for the Derby at Riccarton.

The Riverton trainer, J. Thistleton, who won the Great Western Steeplechase with Possum, will have four steeplechasers for a winter campaign —Vitaphone, Smoko, Possum, and a recent addition in Sir Admiral. Vitaphone broke down at the Otautau meeting, but haS evidently recovered, as he is engaged to reappear at the Southland Racing Club’s winter meeting.

Jolly Beggar is in good fettle for winter steeplechasing and he may be raced at Waikato as a preliminary to Ellerslie.

Arrangements have been made to race Waitaka at the Waikato and Auckland meetings. This gelding has done well in the last few months, his form being good, and he is partial to soft ground.

Tom Tom, a three-year-old halfsister to Catalogue, is not very big, but she is showiong improvement with the little racing she has had, and she should be a maiden prospect if she is kept going a little longer. She is by Nigger Minstrel, and might be a fair performer next year.

Consequent on a slight injury on the eve of the Feilding meeting the Waverley owned and trained Ruaform was not entered for the Egmont meeting, but it is expected that he will have recovered in time to race at the Wanganui fixture. Ruaform is a fine hurdles in the winter, as he revels in portant events would not be beyond him if he was got to the post fit and well.

Court Yard, the hero of the two brush hurdle events at Easter, is getting through good work, and he may do some more winning over hurdles is the winter, as he revels in heavy ground. His victories have brought two additions to A. McMullan’s team, which now includes two of Mr A. S. Jones’s horses. One of them, High Speed, is a proved performer over country, specially partial to a soft track. The other, Chanteur, is a big gelding, formerly raced by Mr L. W. Storry, and he wilj start soon on his jumping education. Tomcat and Keipar are a pair of novices that will be heard of later, but they will require time before they are good prospects.

The success of High Glee in the Eas ter Handicap at Riverton made his score for the present season four wins, a second, and two thirds out of a dozen starts and £1045 in stakes.

The Australian-bred mare Amelita has started in 18 races this season for three wins, four seconds, and four thirds. Out of her last 12 starts she has only finished out of the money twice.

The appearance of Conveyor in a hurdle race is keenly awaited, for this half-brother to the well-performed Luna Lux is reported to have made a big impression on the occasions he has been schooled. Conveyor is a fine stayer and thoroughly at home under winter conditions, while he has more than held his own in middle distance fiat events. The opinion is rife that he will win more than one hurdle race when his connections deem it advisable to turn to this department of the game.

Flashlight showed promising form when he filled second place in the two brush hurdle events at Easter. He may not do any mor£ racing as a hurdler, but he looks a good steeplechase prospect, the best novice at Riccarton.

Mungatoon notched his first win since being trained in the South Island when he won the mile Irving Memorial Handicap comfortably, on the first day of the Reef ton Jockey Club’s meeting. His North Island owner, W. Hosking, was present to see his aged Musketoon gelding win, but it was only a flash of form as he failed badly over a mile and a quarter in the Lewis Pass Handicap, on the final day.

The Limond—Homage filly, owned by Mr G. M. Currie, has been brought in by W. Rayner, in readiness for her preparation on the race track and great things will be expected from this sister to Courtcraft.

Jolly Beggar remains the best of the Canterbury hurdle brigade. He has been galloping well on the flat, so he will be ready at any, time, while his school over the fences this week made him look a first-class steeplechase prospect.

Grampian, though he failed in the two brush hurdle events at Easter, continues to do good work. He will experience no difficulty with open hurdlers, judging from his form when schooled a few days ago. In spite of his latest form, he is at his best on a heavy track.

Dragon Moth, who dead-heated with Superior Guard in the Waitakeri Handicap, is a three-year-old filly by Vaals from Midget. She has started nine times this season for one second and one third. Although the field she defeated was by no means strong, she may go on to further success in better company.

All Irish, who came into prominence as a jumper last year, returned to the winning list at Avondale last week.

By Illumination—Kiki, All Irish is a speedy horse and a dashing jumper, who is expected to reach greater heights this season. Formerly trained by the late Fred Dowding. All Irish is now raced in partnership by Messrs A. J. Smales and M. O'Connor, and is owner-trained at Ellerslie. Mr

O’Connor has been in the past one of the most successful amateur riders in the north.

Gironde, and his stable mate, Lindrum, are again regular attendants at the Hastings tracks after a spell. The former, on appearances, is a much improved gelding. He has been suffering from an affected heal for some time, and although it is on the mend he has not yet completely recovered.

On the Riccarton track Great Bramble recorded Imin 21sec, Dividend and Pelmet Imin 21sec, Courtyard and Bright Prospect Imin 21sec, and Grey Honour the same time. Grampian beat Shirred Ribbon in Imin 20 4-ssec, and Paper Note and Wine Card were together in Imin 21 3-ssec. Glenogil easily beat Gay Lyric in Imin 20 2-ssec, and Davolo and Maroha took Imin 23sec, Davolo going very easily.

Happy Night and Settlement were mates in a strong working gallop over a mile in Imin 47sec.

Jolly Beggar (G. Ridgway) and Bright Red (G. Linton) jumped five of the schooling steeplechase fences in a spectacular manner, the former especially making easy work of each fence. He has been nominated for the principal steeplechases at the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting, and present intentions are to race him in them. He will, however, race over hurdles at the Waikato meeting before going on to Ellerslie. Ridgway has been engaged to ride him during the season.

Marcus Cicero, who figured in the acceptances for the Nelson meeting, has been off the scene for over a year. He ran third at the Otaki-Maori meeting held in May of last season.

McHeath, Surge, and Amy Johnson are being schooled over hurdles at Wingatui.

Gloaming’s pilot, the ex-New Zealander George Young, trains High Class (a sister to Talking), who recently won a good race at Randwick.

Davolo is looking well after his Easter exertions, and he will be racing at Amberley and at Ashburton, where the cup race carries a stake of £355, including a cup valued at £25. Davolo’s performance in the Sockburn Handicap was disappointing, but he ran a close fourth in the Great Autumn Handicap, and on that performance shoud soon be a winner.

The veteran mudlark Tradesman is to be seen out again this winter. He has always been good in soft going and if produced at the Franklin meeting his form will be watched with interest.

From 1919 to 1937 the Sledmere Stud sold 296 yearlings under the hammer for a total of 617,410 guineas. A notable feature about the stud is the fact that it does not keep a stallion. The mares are sent out to various stallions, and some years ago 21 mares visited 19 different sires. The restoration of the Musket line was effected by the Sledmere Stud, where Spearmint was bred.

Mr Standfast, now the property of a Waikato syndicate, was recently represented by his first runner in Ireland (where he had two years at the stud before being sent out to New Zealand). This was a two-year-old, Ever True, and the youngster won very impressively at The Curragh over a distance of five furlongs. Mr Standfast is a half-brother by Buchan to Beau Pere and Gay Shield, and he will have his first season in the Dominion this year.

High Speed is still in the paddock at Pareora. He was to have left for Riccarton early last week, but got into an argument with a wire fence. As a result his departure had to be deferred.

Garbo, a two-year-old filly by Valkyrian from Denixot, who will race in the colours of Mr A. S. Elworthy, is likely to have her first race at Ashburton. Her preparation had been gauged to have her ready to race at the South Canterbury meeting, but there is not a maiden race on the programme for the Washdyke meeting. Garbo, although small, displays a good deal of quality and she is a very smooth-actioned galloper.

Mr AV. Stickings did not have long to wait for a return of his purchase money for Carver Doone, as the gelding won both day at Hawera. He was secured for £2OO, so is now a very cheap horse.

There was a touch of sadness in the failure of Golden Miller to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the sixth time on March 17. His jumping was flawless. In fact, his whole display won the admiration of all. But age inevitably told its talc. There was no marked deterioration, but it was seen that he could not produce the thrilling dash during the last two or three furlongs.

WAIKATO TROTS

(.By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. May 6. Acceptances for the Waikato Trotting Club’s meeting, to be held on May 14 at which the win-and-place system of betting will be in use, are as follows: — 11.30 —Introductory Handicap, trotters, 3.49 class; one mile and a half. — Aurumar, Barney Bingen, Dick Redmond, Elliotvale, Flash Bye, Frontier Boy, Golden Surprise, Great Surprise, Heather Glow, Leeleeta, Masterman, Moira Bingen, Nelson Carbine, Ottawa Lass, Riptide, Rose Marble, Wiri Bingen, Worthy Worker scr; Canadian 48, Carona Bell, Native Princess 60, Win Huon 72, Braemar, Lady Bunker 84, Dilfashion 108. 12.10 —Eureka Handicap, 3.5 class; one mile and a quarter. —Axminster, Black Metal, Bonny Pointer, Concliff Maid, Excel, Frank Rolfe, Jewel Crest, John’s Last, Kia Kaha, Neon Oro, Peter Smith, Scottish Bard, Stargum, Sunny Parrish, Wall Street, Winhisway scr.

12.50 —Autumn Handicap, 4.40 class; two miles. —Guid Hairst, Kewpie’s Crest, Twenty Grand scr, Argolis, Gay Sister, Musketeer 12, Our War, Winaway 36, Crocus, Proletarian 48. 1.35 —Tamahere Handicap, 3.33 class; one mile and a half. —Charlie Chan, Derby Lu, Lady Amanda, Petite Jewel scr, Luminate, Bismuth, Our Summer, Transwell, Young Pointer 12, Handicapper 24, Baron Grand, General Sarsfield, Sandusky 36, Sir Frank 48.

2.15— Members’ Handicap, trotters; 5.0 class; two miles.—Canadian, Nelson Carbine scr, Grand Triumph, Win Huon 12, Braemar 24, Within 36, Bingen Sun, Nelson Chief 48, Dilfashion 60, Reception 84, Moko Girl 156. 2.ss—Rukuhia Handicap, 3.43 class; one mile and a half. —Axminster, Black Metal, Cunliff Maid, Excel, Harlow, John’s Last, Kia Kaha, Neon Oro, Ratepayer, Rosalyn Thorpe, Scottish Bard, Sports Queen, Sunny Parrish, Wall Street, Winhisway scr, Roma Girl 48. 3.3s—Kaipaki Handicap, 2.51 class; one mile and a quarter. —Argolis, Compass, Frank Best, Gay Sister, Hearsay, Kewpie’s Crest, Musketeer, Our Peggy, Twenty Grand scr, Valdor 12, Our War, Winaway 24, Crocus, Proletarian 36, Star Pronto' 48. 4.15 — Visitors’ Handicap, 2.21 class; one mile.—Bold Venture, Kaitawa, King Country, Nerihana scr., Bismuth, Charlie Chan, Cherill, Derby Lu, Hori Bingen, Our Summer, Spessiva 12, Luminate, General Sarsfield 36.