TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

PUKEKO RETURNING TO FORM

(By

“The Cynic.”)

Pukeko,, which returned to the Winning list on Saturday by defeating Catalogue, top-weight in the Winter Cup, in the Open Handicap at Manawatu, raced well at the Grand National meeting two years ago, recording three seconds in open company. Once again Pukeko is engaged at Riccarton, and he will be one of the most interesting of the strong northern team. An aged gelding by Arausio, Pukeko comes from an obscure family. His dam, Defection, was by Signor from Blemish, by Vanguard from Allabaculia, by St Leger from Glenavy, by Traducer from Sweetmeat, by Sugar Plum. Sweetmeat, which was imported about 18G7, came from an obscure Irish line, and she failed to found a family, Defection being her only representative now. The only other member besides Pukeko to do well was Tresham, which won the Grand National Hurdles in 1902. He was by Catesby from Allabaculia.

Signor, by Pilgrim’s Progress from Ma Mie Rosette, was a good racehorse but was not a success at the stud. He won the Foxton Cup as a three-year-old and easily beat All Red, Glenculloch and Gold Crest in the New Zealand St Leger. The next season he was third to Downfall and Heorthen in the New Zealand Cup, but was not extended to win the Canterbury Cup over two miles and a quarter from Diabolo, Downfall, Zimmerman, Master Delaval and Husbandman. Signor’s last race in New Zealand was in the G. G. Stead Cup, but he finished out of a place. Taken to Australia, he was narrowly beaten by Pendiol after a great struggle in the Champion Stakes, while he was again the ruriner-up to the same horse in the Essendon Stakes. He was bred and raced by Mr G. F. Moore, and afterwards was at his owner’s stud. Pukeko is engaged in the Paparua Handicap, run over six furlongs on the first day of the Riccarton carnival, and he can be expected to race well. A Speedy Steeplechaser. All Irish is a brilliant ’chaser over a short course, and a handicapper’s *■ opinion in that direction is expressed in the weights for the Enfield Steeplechase. In the July Steeples run at _ Trentham All Irish was giving Chile 231 b. In the Enfield Steeples the poundage has been increased to 42. , Well-bred. The winner of the Maiden Race at Awapuni, Informer, is a four-year-old son of Intruder from a Battle Eve mare. Intruder is by Trespasser and half-brother to Might, Tutor and Boomerang. Battle Eve, bred in 1912, was by Martian from Tomorrow, and ■ full-brother to Equipment, the dam of i Cricket Bat, Full Feather and others. Mid-day Sun. The 1937 English Derby winner, ’ Midday Sun, is now at the Wyck Hall , Stud, Newmarket, where he is to ‘ stand at a fee of 300gns and will be 1 under the management of Reg. Day. 1 Call Boy, the 1927 Derby winner, is also at the Wyck Hall Stud, the lease 1 of which was taken over by Day after 1 the death of Sir Harry Wallaby Dee- 1 ley. Call Boy started at the stud at J a 400-guineas fee, and two years ago J was down to £4B. ’

1 La Vie. 1 Although the Night Raid fillies have 1 not been a great success, La Vie, the < two-year-old filly by that sire from Royal Flavour, is shaping well enough ( at Ellerslie to suggest that she will '■ be an exception. A big, strong young- . ster, she is more forward than the 1 majority of two-year-olds at this time s of the year, and in the several sprints P that she has had La Vie has displayed a fine burst of speed. ■ Her dam, s Royal Flavour, is an Australian-bred a mare by Claro from Forest Witch, and ’ is from the same family as Ammon P Ra, Prodice and Gallio. La Vie, who 11 will race in the colours of Mrs S. L. Parsons, was purchased for 70gns at the Trentham yearling -sales last Jan- g uary. Clarion Call’s Task. Clarion Call, the winner last week of the Homeby Steeplechase, at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, will have to set a new record to succeed in the Grand National. No horse has yet captured both these races. On the other hand, three horses beaten in the Homeby have won the National, though more frequently the winner has come from the horses that did not, run at the Hunt meeting. The Homeby Steeplechase’ was first run in 1919, Bore winning from Dardanelles. The former did not start in the Grand National, in which Dardanelles was unplaced, the winner being Lochella, third in the Homeby. In 1920 and 1922 there was no Hunt meeting, which in 1921 was a modest affair, held at Rangiora. Whipcord and Red Cent, first and second in 1923, were unplaced in the Grand National, but Master Peter improved vastly on his unplaced effort by running second in the National, which was won by Oakleigh, not a starter in the Homeby. Passin’ Through, Carawock and Mettle Drift filled the places in 1924. Only Carawock was in the Grand National field, but he fell, the winner being Sturdee, with second place filled by Tigerland, unplaced in the Homeby Steeplechase. Passin’ Through was not nominated for the Grand National that year, but he won the Beaufort and Lincoln. On his occasional visits to Ellerslie the hunter Gay Cavalier has impressed as being in very forward condition, and in his schooling has shown himself proficient. A half-brother to Prince Lu, Gay Cavalier will be seen at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting this month. Iddo did not last long in the hurdle race at New Plymouth on Saturday, as he lost his rider' at the first obstacle., but his running on the flat later in the afternoon indicates that he should have played a part in the decision of his jumping engagement. He will not be neglected during the spring. n

Smart Maiden. Ruling Lady, winner of the Wairau Maiden at New Plymouth, is by Rulanut, who has not been long at the stud. Her dam Gaiety Girl is by San Fran from The Hempie, by Natator from Romp. The family originated in Tasmania.. Ruling Lady won like a smart filly, so she is a good advertisement for her sire. The Limond—Queen March gelding, Birthday Boy, has joined the regular workers at Ellerslie and has attracted attention by his solid and bright appearance. Birthday Boy opened his career as a two-year-old in Sydney in very promising style, but tendon trouble afterward made him difficult to train. With easier track conditions here, there is every possibility of Birthday Boy standing up to a preparation.

Form Unreliable. Form did not work out well in 1925, when Erie won the Homeby from Passin’ Through and Charlantan. The e favourite, Tuki, failed, but made ’ amends by winning the National, with Fireblight, a fresh horse, second, and ’ Erie third, while Passin’ Through was " unplaced and Charlatan fell. ? After dividing the money in 1926, Red Cent, Ranui and Passin’ Through . were unplaced in the Grand National, won by Peter Maxwell, having his first ' race over the Riccarton country. Char- ’ latan, on the other hand, improved - from unplaced to third. Maunga, the Homeby winner in ’ 11927, was unplaced in the. National, won by a newcomer, Beau Cavalier. ’ The consistent performers were Peter ’ Maxwell and Charlatan, as they were ‘ second and third in both races. , Passinr’ Through was again on the 5 scene in 1928, when he won from Dubious. These two were unplaced in ' the National, in which the places were filled by Wiltshire, Pouri and Tuki, ’ none of them produced at the Hunt ■ meeting. In 1929 Lord Ranald beat Fabriano and King’s Guard in the Homeby. The first-named could not start in the ’ National, in which King’s Guard was 1 unplaced, but Fabriano was third, beaten by a fresh pair, Wiltshire and ■ Matu. ! Radiac, the 1930 winner, did not run ■ in the National, but he won the Enfield on the same day. Kapuna and Snowfall, placed in the Homeby, were out of the money in the big race, in which Aurora Borealis won from

Cornecrop and Omeo. There was no Hunt meeting in 1931 and 1932, and though it was resumed in 1933, the programme for three years did not include the open steeplechase, while two years ago a snowstorm caused the meeting to be abandoned. Last year Cock o’ the North won the Homeby from Nocturnus and Sreamline. The last-named was unable to run in the National, in which Cock o’ the North fell, Nocturnus winning from Shillelagh Wood and Irish Comet, a pair that did not compete at the Hunt meeting. On these results, Homeby form has not been a good guide. Six Homeby winners have run in the Grand National, but the best performance was Ericas third, as the other five were unplaced., On the other hand, the fact that Tuki was unplaced, Lochella third and Nocturnus second in the Homeby prior to winning the National, may be taken as consolation by admirers of horses that finished behind Clarion Call last Saturday.

Strong Stable Pair. Wino, who suffered a severe muscle injury when he fell on his home track some weeks back, has not made any progress towards recovery, and it is feared that he will have to be destroyed. Two years ago Wino created a slight surprise by winning the Winter Cup from Concertpitch with his stable mate Ponty finisning fast into a close third placing. For next

week’s race Cocksure will do battle foi’ Wino’s owners, and Ponty will 1 make another reappearance, and on ■ last season’s form both should take ■ prominent parts in the decision of the 1 difficult mile event. Ponty is to be 1 ridden by W. Broughton, and L. J. ■ Ellis will be on Cocksure. t 1 Dictate. An impression gained ground that Dictate’s'mishap in the Brabazon Handicap would mean his absence from ,’ the Winter Cup, but there is every I possibility of his going to the post. His injured hock has been under treat- . ment since Sunday, and the swelling had gone down considerably yesterday, ( and in all probability he will be given . a gallop on Saturday. The Trentham ' horseman, S. Wilson, has been engaged I to ride him. Red Manfred Injured. While running in the hurdle race at Moonee Valley on July 20 Red Manfred injured his tendons so badly that he will not be able to fulfil his engagement in the Australian Hurdle Race. He hit several of the fences very hard, but struggled on to fill third place. This was his first race over hurdles in Australia, but he had won over them in New Zealand. Red Manfred had been supported for -the Australian Hurdles, but when the last mail left Melbourne it was doubtful if he will ever race again. Red Manfred is an eight-year-old gelding by Manfred from Red Shank, and among many good races he won in the Dominion was the Wellington Racing Club Handicap at the 1935 summer meeting, and as a three-year-old the Harcourt Cup, also at Trentham, and the King’s Plate and Great Northern Derby at Ellerslie.

Cuddle. According to a report from Sydney Mr R. J. Murphy will probably sene Cuddle to Croupier. Cuddle was go: by Psychology from Caress, by Martian—Trichas, by Thrush. Psychology was got by Tracey—Keep Smiling, by Marco and has two strains of St Simon and one of his sister Angelica. Croupier was got by Surveyor from Pellet, by Thurnham—Pell by Hymettus— Pellicule, by Birkenhead —Film, by Eiridspord—Margaret by Yattendon. Surveyor was got by Nassau (son of William the Third) from Pedometer, by Stepniak—Demeter, by Wallace— Elensis, by Barcaldine. The name Bide-a-Wee has been claimed for the Vaals —Marion’s Acre two-year-old in J. M. Buchanan’s stable. Talek, the promising Vaals —Thurence colt, has been suffering from slight soreness and has had to be eased in his preparation. Araboa was ridden in the Brabazon Handicap by W. Shand, but there are indications that he will have another jockey in the Winter Cup. The Tea ■ Tray—Danae mare Tip Toes, who is now under the care of A. Kemp, has made her appearance at Ellerslie and looks in capital order to begin the new season. Lightweight Possibility. Fireguard made up a great deal of ground to finish third in the Longbeach Hurdles. He may be a lightweight possibility in the National. The stable produced a runner-up a few years ago in Captain’s Gift.