TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 July 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies HUNTING BLOOD IN FINE FETTLE

(By “The Cynic.”)

Hunting Blood, a North Island entrant in the Winter Cup, has been working in excellent style since he has been at Riccarton, and he should strip in great order for the National meeting. This season he has started fourteen times for five wins and one second. placing. The family to which this bay gelding belongs has produced some smart gallopers. He is by Hunting Song from Multi, by Multione from Gazi, by Gazeley from Cheddite, by Soult front Lyddite, by Tasman. Two accounts have been given of Lyddite’s dam, but it is believed that she was called Muscatel and was by Musket from Katie, by Dainty Ariel out of a thoroughbred mare imported to New South Wales. Among Lyddite’s progeny which won races were Soultite, by Soult; Cheddite, by Soult; and Lady Lyddite, by Penury. Cheddite had two daughters at the stud, Natalia, by Multifid, producing good gallopers in White Fang and Hunting Cry; while her other daughter, Gazi, is the dam of the New Zealand Derby winner, Sporting Blood, and granddam of Hunting Blood. The Winter Cup may not fall to the lot of Hunting Blood, but he should get some of the money at the meeting. Vaalso was expected to go close to victory at Matamata, but he did not start. , Possibly it was deemed advisable to give him longer to get over

his hard races at the Great Northern meeting. The son of Vaals is a good hack who may be heard from early in the new season. The disappointing Fleetwind continues to work freely on the tracks, but she has failed so often that investors will await a public demonstration of improvement before according her much support. ■ That Valpeen is now a plodder pure and simple, was revealed at Matamata. He was in a winning position half a mile from home, but the .opposition cracked on the speed; he could do no ■ better and wound up in fourth place. He is to go to Riccarton, but despite the longer journey and bigger fences he does not, look a rosy prospect unless mistakes are made by the others. Aggravate is picking up well since he was recommissioned and shaped well in his first sprint last week. Having shown an inclination to run out a journey, his future efforts are'likely to be over distances at a mile and longer. The Ashburton spring meeting in September should see him in action again.

Merry March has pulled up on several occasions after a gallop in such a bad- state that his absence from work the following morning has often been expected. He has always made a speedy recovery, but at the same time, there must be something amiss causing him to be so lame on occasions. Among the more recent additions to Riccarton stables is a Nightmarch colt from Pollen, owned by Lt-Col J. Staf-

ford and trained by H. and A. Cutts. Pollen, who has not previously been represented on the turf, was by Polazel from Petal Dust, a full sister to the successful racehorse and sire Marterma, by Martian from Per Arma. Roy Bun is working with plenty of dash at present, and he is looking better than ever. A Winter Cup candidate, Roy Bun showed promising form in the autumn and he may be accountable for a good race in the big flat race at the jumping carnival. ■’ I Since running fourth in the maiden i event at the Westport meeting, Co- • mus has gone on improving and he should strip in forward order for his • early engagements. < A Grand National Steeplechase can- : didate who raced at the Rangitikei j Hunt Club meeting on Saturday was Manawatu, who finished a poor third : in the Hunt Cup, and will have to improve considerably to have any chance

in the big cross-country event at Riccarton. Two years ago Manawatu distinguished himself by running fourth in the National and winning the Beaufort Steeplechase and the Lincoln Steeplechase. Manawatu has not fulfilled the_promise he gave at that period, but unsoundness contributed to his failures. A few weeks ago his . owner, Mr F.. Armstrong, told me he ■ had been informed that the horse was j perfectly sound again. Perhaps with I seasoning Manawatu will do better, but there seemed to be no excuse for J Saturday’s failure. J Another National Steeplechase can- c didate, Brigadore, has been schooling well at Marton, and he is looking r in good trim. On performance, Briga- I dore will not be seriously considered, J but he does not entirely lack quality. He was a pretty capable hurdler, and as a steeplechaser he has given his r owner encouragement. I Lone Raider, who burst into the ( limelight as a hurdler not long ago— 1 or, rather, was “written” into it—is r schooling very satisfactorily, and is j one of the acceptors for the National g Hurdle Race. He is liable to improve, fc Last year’s Winter Cup winner, Catalogue, is doing nice work at Awa- ® puni. He is not breaking records on the track, but is a horse who does not need a great deal of hard galloping. He should be very fit for the big mile, and should run prominently. This

year he will carry 9.10 (top weight), whereas the weight under which he won 12 months ago was 8.13. Great Hope in a Winter Cup lightweight who is sprinting smartly at Awapuni. He failed in the heavy going at Trentham, but should go much better on the firmer ground which can be expected at Riccarton. He is speedy, and may be ridden by B. H. Morris, but if the pace is on all the way he will find the distance far enough.

The Oration gelding, Orwere, looked like winning at Matamata on Saturday, but he just failed to see the journey out. He is a nippy galloper who may show up in a maiden race early in the new season.

That horses in form are usually good to follow was exemplified by Gay Seton at Matamata. This little horse showed fine form at Ellerslie and Te Rapa and won in great style on Saturday. In the past, a bit of weight usually settled Gay Seton, but he has acquired strength with age, f and is now a hard horse to beat under winter conditions. The more sees of the Gay Shields, the more we realise what a loss his early death was to breeders.

Another Avondale horse to let numerous supporters down at Matamata was Erndale. He was well placed early, but drifted in the middle stages and came home fifth. Erndale has run some good races this winter but this was not one of them. It is always unwise to discount a proved horse' for one failure, and this may turn out true in the case of Erndale.

Backed with confidence in a field of five at Matamata, Full of Scotch was a beaten horse six furlongs from home. Staleness or unreadiness after a brief let-up since Wellington would account for his failure and we are inclined to the latter reason, as he fenced with his usual dash in the early stages.

Brown Lance, who won the £1,400 first prize of the Doomben Cup at Brisbane recently, might have been battling around Sydney tracks as a brush hurdler. Almost a racing nondescrip six months ago, he was offered by his owner-trainer, R. J. Rogers, at a remarkably small quote to the Randwick trainer, G. .P. Nailon. .“He’s; a’ great jumper. I have tried him out on my own'property at Toowoomba, and he has cleared his hurdles like a stag,” said Rogers. But Nailon was not interested. Again last May, during the Brisbane Cup Meeting at Ascot, Jack Nailon, a son of Pat, could have bought Brown Lance for the Indian owner-trainer, Alex Higgins. The price asked was only £350, but it was considered too much.

Mr L. C. Breakwell, of Dannevirke, has done well with Passion Fruit, who was given to him by Mr O. Nelson. Passion Fruit broke down badly in the amateurs’ race at the Hawke’s Bay hunt meeting, and a few days later Mr Breakwell received another gift from Mr Nelson in Hunting Cat, who won some good races for his owner but who did no good this season. He is a good type of horse for bracelet races but Mr Breakwell may not find him so easy to ride as Passion Fruit was. The weather was fine when training work began at Riccarton yesterday morning, but showers later made the conditions unpleasant. The No 1 grass track was heavy. Bon Vellum and Keen Sight were the opening pair, the former showing the way over half a mile up the back in 51 4-ssec. Paper Slipper followed in 51sec, the best of the rhorning. Mob Rule took 54sec. 'Sovereign Lady reeled off seven furlongs in Imin 37 2-ssec. - Asset and Aymon took 58sec for an easy half-mile. El Caballo and Wild Irishman following in 59sec for the last part of their work.