TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1938, Page 5

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies PEONY ROSE OUT OF HACKS

(By

“The Cynic.”)

As a result of her success in the open seven at Invercargill on Saturday Peony Rose puts herself out of hack company, having won £525 in first prize money. The Robespierre filly ran out the seven furlongs in solid style and as she is only three years old she appears to have a very bright future. She was bred by her owner, Dr W. Robertson, of Tapanui, and is by Robespierre from the Night Raid—Rose Lady mare Paigle.

Malagigi seldom looked better than he ■ does just now and this useful handicap performer will have to be treated with every respect in the President’s Handicap the first day with 8.1. A big striding gelding, the roomy Te Rapa straight will suit him and he should certainly account for more than beat him. He has raced fairly consistently this season for four wins and as many seconds in sixteen starts and a line through his recent efforts on the track influence one in the assumption that he will add further to his record,before the season draws to a close.

By winning the chief event at Pukekohe, Cheval de Volee showed his best form over a distance to date. This horse beat Oratory in the Taranaki Stakes last year, and being a son of Vaals is not likely to be neglected in winter engagements.

One of the best performers on the Nelson-Marlborough circuit was Roy Bun, who won at each place and was only narrowly beaten in his second start at Blenheim. He was produced in fine condition and stood up to hard racing splendidly.

The promising jumper Black Marlin who, it was feared, had ended his racing days, is now reported from Hukerenui as being perfectly sound, the trouble having been located. He will soon rejoin the horses in training.

After his good showings at Avondale, Tonnerre was expected to win at Pukekohe, but again he just failed to see the six furlongs right out. He is a very fast horse, who is getting more solid in condition and it would be unwise to discard him until he has been further tried in public.

Mishna gained an overdue success when he scored in’ the Flaxbourne Handicap at Blenheim on Monday. He had previously filled the role of runner-up in three consecutive outings, so a victory was not out of turn. He appears to have regained his best, and may be worth remembering.

' Esperance Bay is proving a very costly proposition to backers, and it is unlikely that he will again be supported with the same confidence as at Nelson and Marlborough.

The effort of Earl Colossus in open company at Blenheim, when he finished behind Mishna and Roy Bun in the Flaxbourne Handicap, was most encouraging, and he should not be hard to place to advantage during the next month or two.

Sinking Fund has been hitting out freely in his trials at headquarters and he should strip well for pending engagements. Sinking Fund is the type always likely to surprise, his last success being over a mile at a February meeting, when he was sent out eighth favourite in a field of eleven.

Several of the novices ran promisingly over the Nelson-Marlborough circuit. Silver Fox, after scoring at Nelson, won a hack race at Blenheim. He is a big-striding chestnut by Pink Coat from Saxette. He is a six-year-old, and gave promise when younger, but went amiss. On the last day of the circuit Second Innings, who had won the novice event two days earlier, easily beat Silver Fox and other hacks who had run well on the trip. Second Innings has done little recent racing, and was above himself in condition, but he looked well and' won both his races attractively. He is a four-year-old bay gelding by Winning Hit from Lady Clarenceau. Another from the ranks of the novices who attracted some notice was Daymist, a three-year-old filly by Nightmarch from Starmist.

Three English mares bought by Mr E. Steele at the last December sales served to English time have all had foals at the Elderslie stud. Falcon, a well-bred mare by Flamingo, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, from the classic . winner Lamrnermuir, has a colt foal to the English St Leger winner Sandwich. Doretta, who received a good advertisement last week when her three-quarter brother, Mr Grundy, won the Chester Cup, has a filly by Portlaw and the French-bred Karlova by Clarissimus has a filly by Dark Legend. All the mares 'have done. exceptionally well since arriving at Elderslie.

Golden Miller’s recent performances make it certain that he is going downhill, and Miss Dorothy Paget has naturally been looking for something to take his place. English papers say she has bought the six-year-old gelding, Ard Macha, who was Ireland’s champion hurdler last year, and has also won over fences. The price is not stated, but as Miss Paget does not allow money to interfere when she wants a horse, it is safe to say it was a high one.

The two-year-old colt by Pink Coat from The Geisha, who was recently broken in at Ellerslie by R. S. Bagby, has been named Yakusha. The colt is owned by the successful Indian trainer, A. Higgins, who is at present on a visit to his homeland, Australia, where he has recently made many purchases.

Forest Glow’s third in the Grandstand Steeples on the concluding day at Wanganui should serve as a fitting prelude to his Steeplechase engagements at To Rapa. He is a fine stayer when right and though beaten by Count Willonyx and Arctic Star the other day he was noticeably sticking to his work. at the end.

More brilliant speed than Rhodesian showed to reach the front in the Wanganui Farewell Handicap, has seldom been seen. He drew No. 15 which caused him to ease in the betting. but he made light of the handi-

cap and was quickly in front and over on the rail. Nothing could get near him and he won easily by three lengths. Rhodesian is a three-year-old by Vaals and has all the family speed. Early in the season he was unable to get five furlongs, but he has thickened out and there are not many horses who would now head him off at half a mile.

C. McCarthy has recommissioned Screamer, who was gelded during his long spell, and Argentic is to be brought in again next month. The latter has been spelling in a paddock at Riccarton with the yearling by Royden from Helen Gold, bought at Trentham in January by Miss M. C. Wilson. This youngster has furnished into a solid colt, and a substantial offer was recently refused for him. In addition to Monastic, who is to be raced at Trentham, Miss Wilson has in work two fillies by Lord Warden from Amourette and Love of Silver respectively, and both are shaping well.

Merry Ruler, who won the Wanganui Debutant Stakes some years ago,, still retains his speed, but does not stay well. He worked well just prior to the Wanganui meeting and in the Trial Stakes he was one of the leaders to the turn, but he petered out in the run home and finished fifth.

Acceptable is to be given an opportunity over hurdles, and he was given some education over the pony hurdles. He took charge of his rider after jumping the first, but after completing a round of the inside tracks, he went over two hurdles twice satisfactorily. Guilder again jumped two hurdles at a fast pace. This Paper Money mare will be an interesting hurdler later in the year.

Perfect Idea, a six-year-old full brother to Gay Ballerina and La Moderne, ran a good race in the River Hack Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday. He drew the extreme outside of a 16-horse field and had to be hard ridden for the first three furlongs to get a position. He was forced oft the course for a good portion of the journey, but he showed up again a furlong from home.

Possession of Mirza II gave the Aga Khan most of the limelight of early two-year-old racing discussions in Eng-