TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1938, Page 11

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

GRAND NATIONAL TALENT.

(By

“The Cynic.”)

The Canterbury Jockey Club will hold its Grand National meeting next week, when the best jumpers in the Dominion will be gathered at Riccarton. For some of them the Grand National Steeplechase, on the first day, will be the chief objective, while the Grand National Hurdles, on- the second day, will claim main attention from other horses. Three horses. Clarion Call, Erination, and Brigadore, hold engagements in the two big races. This is a double that so far has eluded all the candidates that have attempted it, Aurora Borealis being the only winner of the steeplechase to gain a place two days later, in the hurdle race.

Many Have Tried. In 1892 Kaimanawa and Couranto were unplaced in both events. A year later Mutiny, destined to win the steeplechase in 1895 and 1896, was third in the steeplechase and unpla- 'd in the hurdles, while Empire, Despised, and Victrix were unplaced in both races. Liberator and Despised tried in 1895, while in 1896 Liberator, hurdle winner in 1893 and 1894, was unplaced in the steeplechase and third in the hurdles. Narrate was another to contest the two races. Levanter, in 1897, was the first winner of the steeplechase to contest the hurdles, but he failed in the second leg. Flirt and Ulster were others to run both days. There was no dual runner in 1898, but in the succeeding four years Dummy, Dundee, Kaimate, Moifaa, Cavaliero, and Huku all failed to reach the money in either event. Awahuri, the steeplechase winner in 1903, was unplaced in the hurdles, and Slow Tom had a similar record a year later. In the succeeding years, only Catherine Gordon and Ranana contested the two races. After four blank years, Paritutu won the steeplechase and missed the hurdles, and two years later Bercola became the fifth horse to join that party.

Let Backers Down. There was a lapse of several years till 1920, when Lochella, the steeplechase winner a year earlier, let backers down badly in both races. „.Omahu failed-in both races in 1923 and Sir Roseberry in 1925. Two years later, Beau Cavalier won the steeplechase but missed the hurdles, Kawini being unplaced each day. In 1928, Pouri was second in the steeplechase and unplaced in the hurdles, Beau Cavalier being unplaced in both, while.in 1929 .King’s Guard had two misses. Aurora Borealis won the steeplechase in 1930, with Omahu third. The former was second to Carinthia in the hurdles, with Omahu unplaced. Wiltshire, steeplechase winner in 1928 and 1929, failed in the double in 1931, as did Wako King, while High Pitch had a similar record a year later. No horse attempted the double in 1933, but in 1934 Billy Boy, winner of the steeplechase in 1932, was unplaced in the hurdles, after being third to Valpeen and Membo in the steeplechase. Then there was an interval of three years till Brigadore and Irish Comet failed last year. It will require an exceptional horse to break the record of failure in this Riccarton double. The change from the big fences to hurdles is not the only difficulty, as the strain imposed by three miles and a half over country is another obstacle in the way of success in the hurdle race, of nearly two miles and five furlongs, two days later. Dummy and Haydn were two hurdle winners to capture the steeplechase in subsequent years. Smart Sprinters.

Kilrobe is starting to sprint again, and the new season should see this brilliant filly well to the fore, though weight is likely to trouble her, as she is on the small side. By Robespierre from the Kilbroney mare Kildee, she is a full sister to Rousseau, which has been troubled by soreness for a long time. Peculiarly enough, Rousseau has been slow to reach top speed in his races, and showed up to best advantage over a distance, whereas Kilrobe is quickly into her stride and is not likely to get beyond sprint distances. Last season she started 7 times, for one win, two seconds and one third, while in two of her other three starts she was fourth. Opening her career by a ‘fourth placing in the Dunedin Handicap, won by Passaform, at Wingatui on Boxing Day, she followed up that effort by a third placing to On Call and Ortyx in the Juvenile Handicap on the second day. Raeburn beat her comfortably in the Lyttelton Plate at the summer meeting at Riccarton, but at the Westland meeting held in February she outclassed a weak field to win the Trial Stakes. At Trentham in March she was unplaced in the Plunket Nursery Handicap, won by Russian Ballet. Back again at Riccarton, Disdain, Density and Spendthrift beat her in the Russley Handicap, but she was I the runner-up to Disdain in the Aut-

umn Nursery Handicap on the second day. There is no question about Kilrobe’s speed, and the new season should find her sticking on solidly. Financiere is also sprinting nicely, and with this pair to represent him H. Nurse should have an excellent representation in sprint raceg. Last season Financiere won three races and was possibly unlucky to lose the Gimcrack Handicap at Riccarton in April, when Golden Chest got up to beat her on the post. Her earnings were £284, and it should not take long before she is competing in open company.

Mitigation in Form. Mitigation, a four-year-old by Captain Bunsby from Lubrication, ran third at the recent Dannevirke meeting and is evidently approaching a win. This horse is owned by Mr E. Preston, Junr., and about 12 months ago figured prominently in a Supreme Court action. Mr W. Smart sought to recover damages allegedly accrued from the purchase of Mitigation, who, owing to a hip injury, was declared to be useless as a racing proposition. The witnesses for the plaintiff succeeded in their efforts to convince the judge and jury that the horse would never be able to race, and judgment was given against the defendant. That such was not the case has now been proved by Mr Preston, who not

only owns the horse but also trains it. Mitigation promises to prove most aptly named. A win by him would mitigate the outcome of the court action and also the censure that inevitably follows what may appear to have been the perpetration of a shady deal. The mere fact of Mitigation being able to race completely exonerates Mr Preston. If expert advice had been sought during the hearing of the case it would have been revealed that a horse is not necessarily unfit to race if its hip is down. It may or may not be affected to the extent of not being able to race again. More than one horse with its hip down has proved capable of winning races. The Melbourne Double. Avenger and Bristol were backed a fortnight ago in the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double for more than £30,000. Avenger was coupled also with Apollo as well as with Nuffield, and he firmed to second favouritism for the Caulfield Cup. Ajax still is favourite. Prince Scion has also been supported for the Caulfield Cup, and he has been coupled with the most fancied Melbourne Cup horses, among whom is the New Zealander Elanage, who has been backed as the second leg of a double with the Sydney horse Buzalong. Juveniles at Awapuni. The first two-year-old parade in the North Island was staged by the Manawatu Hunt Club at Awapuni on Saturday, the youngsters being:—Mr H. E. Edmund’s brown colt, by Inflation from True Step, who has been named Deflation. Duncannon, a brown colt by Inflation from Kilcannon, will carry the well-known colours of Mr J. C. Kennedy, owner of Dungarvan. Mr L. H. Collinson, president of the Manawatu Racing and Hunt Clubs, will be represented by Daniel Defoe, a fine big brown colt by Defoe from Aratulla, a half-sister by Arausio to Martulla, dam of Old Surrey and the Marton winner Hunting Lore. From G. W. New’s stable was Messrs C. !<■

Fergusson and H. Nicol’s bay filly Vascones, by Gascony from Talari, a sister to Princess Doreen and a member of the famous Desert Gold family. Mr C. W. Boyd, who raced Martara and now has Surmount and Tidewaiter, paraded Classform, a bay filly by Inflation from the Greyspear mare Spearform. Horses for Riccarton. Catalogue and Royal Limond will be sent to the Grand National meeting, but Manawatu will be left at home. Manawatu ran an improved race at Awapuni on Saturday, compared with his Marton showing, but it was not up to the required standard, and it is clear he is not seasoned enough to take on the rest at Riccarton. Catalogue ran a good race in the open seven furlongs and the way he finished after drifting to the rear on the home turn made him look unlucky, but Pukeko really won very decisively. Catalogue’s form, however, was encouraging from a Winter Cup viewpoint. Pukeko is on the improve and should be a possibility at Riccarton if he goes down. Two years ago he was three times second at the National meeting. Catalogue, Royal Limond, Mittie, Forest Glow, and Pango were shipped to Riccarton tonight. Forest Glow contested the hurdle race at Awapuni on Saturday, but after being well up for a while he found the pace too solid. It was a satisfactory effort for a steeplechaser. Pango will have another race on the flat in the Jumper’s Flat Race before contesting the Grand National Hurdles.