TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1938, Page 11

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies A HIGH-PRICED FILLY. (By “The Cynic.”)

The three-year-old filly Early Bird, which Mr W. Devon, of Masterton, purchased for 2300 guineas at the dispersal of Mr Alan Cooper’s horses in Sydney recently, is regarded in Australia as one of the most promising three-year-olds in training. This probably accounts for the disparity in the porice which Mr Devon paid for her and the 575 guineas which Mr Cooper gave for her as a yearling. Early Bird as a two-year-old won the Havilah Handicap at Randwick by three lengths and the Canterbury Park Juvenile Handicap. She was second, beaten half a head by Mildura, in the Alma Stakes at Caulfield, and second in the Nursery Handicap at Warwick Farm.

She was third, beaten two half heads by Bonnie Legion and Moaenza in the June Plate at Randwick, third in the Federal Stakes at Caulfield, third in the Juvenile Stakes at Rosebery, and third in the Flying Handicap at Rosebery. Early Bird is engaged in all the important three-year-old classics in Australia this season-.

Her full brother, First Buzzard, won five races, including the Doomben Cup; was second in the Queensland St Leger; and third in the Queensland Derby and Brisbane Cup (twice). Early Force a half-sister to Early Bird, won seven races and was second, beaten a head by Lough Neagh in the Queensland Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Early Bird is by The Buzzard, sire of The Buzzer, from Early Girl, who was half-sister to Six-Fifty, winner of the Queensland Derby, and to SevenFifty, winner of the Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Early Girl was by Seremond (son of Desmond) from Stable Girl by Syce (son of Cyllene) from Bretelle who was by Haut Brion, a Musket mare whose descendants had a strong influence in the earlier days of the Elderslie Stud.

Defaulter. Footmark, West Australian’s best staying three-year-old, now in Melborune for the Cups, was picked from the- catalogue by Vic Egan, his trainer, for the Messrs S. J. and N. V. Mills, W.A.T.C. committeemen. He was the only yearling by Defoe listed in the 1936 New Zealand catalogue, and arrangements were made for an agent to bid for him. The colt, however, was not put up for sale, because of a slight injury, so the deal was made privately, Footmark being landed at Fremantle for £2OO. “He looked terrible,” said Egan. Next year the Mills Brothers, while scanning- the list of yearlings for sale, noticed another colt by Defoe, but when they cabled their agent, he replied, “Not worth two bob; wouldn’t bid for him.” This was the reason why Defaulter, the crack New Zealand two-year-old last season, who cost 55 guineas, did not come to Australia.

North on Top. Iff the early contests for the NewZealand Grand National Steeplechase the South Island had the race entirely to itself, but since 1888 the North Island has established a strong lead. Clarion Call’s victory in this year’s race increasing the score to 39. The following are the respective lists: — North Island: Mangaohane, Chemist, Norton, Waterbury, Mutiny (twice), Levanter, Dummy, Blackberry, The Guard, Gobo, Haydn, -Awahuri, Inniskillen, Eclair, Nadador, Te Arai, Paritutu, Captain Jingle, Bercola, Ngatoa, Waimai, Master Strowan, St Elmn, Coalition (twice), Oakleigh (twice), Sturdee ,Tuki, Peter Maxwell, Beau Cavalier, Wiltshire (twice), Aurora Borealis, Billy Boy, Valpeen (twice), Clarion Call.

South Island: Medora, Royalty, Fakir, Mousetrap, The Agent (three times), Clarence, Katerfelto, Kosciusko, Moody, Canard, Fough-A-Ballagh, Daddy Longlegs, Freeman, Ahua, Slow Tom, Phaetonitis, Eurus, Tim Doolan, Lochella, Snowfall, Thurina, Nocturnus.

Among the Ladies’ Bracelet candidates at Ellerslie on Saturday is True who ran second to Flying Comedy in the mile hack cup at Poverty Bay recently. . As True appears to run on fairly well, he should be a prospect amongst a moderate lot on Saturday.

Pyrenees, who is engaged in the Greenmount Steeplechase on Saturday, is a six-year-old by Tinakoa — Mountain Dream. He raced at Ellerslie in June, but did not appear to be at his best. Pyrenees is a half brother to Erie and Brushwood Boy who both distinguished themselves as jumpers.

Solid Steeplechaser. Trentham form indicated that Kahunoke is a steeplechaser of the solid rather than brilliant type. He jumps and stays well and the three miles journey will be to his advantage. Kahunoke is well seasoned as a result of winter racing, and the Ellerslie fences should not trouble him.

One of the speediest hacks engaged in the Sylvia Park handicap is the Te Aroha trained Huntingmore. After winning two juvenile races he developed wayward tendencies as a three-year-old and required careful handling. He is said to be training on well at Te Aroha and if his condition is right on Saturday is likely to be in demand.

Showing Progress. A late two-year-old winner of last season was Jayola who was showing marked signs of progress when the season closed. Little has been heard of Jayola since the autumn, as he is trained in the Bay of Plenty, but he is expected to race at Pakuranga where a line on his winter progress should be obtained.

A winner of two races last season, Calorie was a smart two-year-old who defeated that good youngster Hot Box at Te Rapa. Calorie is a neat Australia-bred Ally by Caledon and her appearance in the Admiralty Handicap on Saturday is awaited with interest.

Mixing It. More than one attempt has been made to win the Grand National Steeplechase and Grand National Hurdles with the same horse, but so far success has not been achieved. The possibility of success is shown by Aurora Borealis winning the big ’chase and running second in the Grand National Hurdles. This year Erination won over fences after mixing it with the hurdlers. One of the very few, or probably the only, horse to win over hurdles and fences at the same Grand National meeting is the Birkenhead gelding Audax, who won the Trial Hurdles and the Lincoln Steeplechase in 1908. Audax also won the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase. St Simon’s Influence. Concertina, grand-dam of the Derby winner, Bois Roussel, was never raced. Playaway, winner of the Newmarket Handicap, came from the same family, but this imported mare was a sprinter. Bois Roussel’s stamina is ascribed to his inheritance of so much of the prepotent St Simon blood in a well-bal-anced blending with Hampton, Isonomy and Galopin, sire of St Simon. An English writer, commenting on the runaway win of Bois Roussel, said it “was not so much a matter of French breeding as a reintroduction of our own blood from a land whose herbage furnishes good bone-making material.”

Liane For Sydney. Liane was kicked at the post when lining up for the Heathcote Handicap and she was one of the last to move. She then rushed up suddenly only to stop again in the straight. This mare may go to Sydney for the spring carnival. She was to have been accompanied by Rockingham if that horse had performed well enough, but a correct line to his form could not be gained as he bled during the running of the hack mile on the last day and was pulled up. His finishing run into third place in Strip’s race on the first day, nevertheless, was a most promising effort.

Moonraker has been retired from the turf and she is to be mated with the Elderslie stallion Solicitor-General this season. In her short career, Moonraker won two races.

Sunward. Sunward had fallen on every course on which he had raced this season until he came, to Riccarton. The big fences there held no terrors for him and he repeated his last year’s success in the Enfield Steeples Handicap while he was runner-up to Valpeen in the Beaufort Steeplechase.

Second Innings, who is described in the race book as an eight-year-old gelding by Winning Hit from Lady Clarenceux, is a five-year-old. He left hack ranks as the result of his solid effort to Win the hack seven furlongs event on the second day of the" National week, and although he was beaten into eighth place in the mile race under 9.13, he should soon be seen in winning form when he comes in again at a lightweight in open company. He should be capable of winning up to a mile. A Likely Filly. As an early selection of a local filly likely to graduate to form good enough to give her a chance in the N.Z. Oaks to be run in November the chances of Lady Rosette are advanced. This half-sister by Lord Warden to Vintage finished brilliantly in the seven furlong hack race last Thursday at Riccarton to be fourth in Second Innings’s race. Lady Rosette is trained by Mrs J. Campbell. RACING FIXTURES. August 20.—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August 27.—Otago Hunt Club. September 1. — Egmont - Wanganui Hunt Club, at New Plymouth. September 3.—Taranaki Hunt Club. September 8, 10.—Wanganui J.C. September 17.—Ashburton C.R.C. September 17. —Foxton R.C. September 17, 19. —Avondale J.C. September 22, 24. —Geraldine R.C. September 24.—Marton J.C.