TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 September 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies KINNOULL SOUND AGAIN

(By

“The Cynic.”)

Kinnoull. Now six years old, Kinnoull is reported to be doing well at Riccarton, and his trainer, D:_ Cotton, has hopes of being able to keep him sound this season. If he does Kinnoull should be a great stake winner. Cotton also has a full sister, Lady Kinnoull, in work, and she is likely to make her first public appearance at Geraldine this month. M’Lean Stakes Candidate Destroyed. A good-looking filly by Blatherskite from r lout, owned by Mr T. H. Fraser, broke her leg a few days ago while being exercised on the roads and had to be destroyed. This filly was engaged in the McLean Stakes, and had been showing promise in her work on the tracks. Great Return. In his comments on the purchase of Nearco, “Audac,” In the Horse and Hound, had the following reference to Catnip, grand-dam of that horse. “This mare,” he writes, “was thought nothing of by that great judge, Noble Johnson, who then managed the Eyrefield stud at the Curragh. It was on his advice that after the death of his uncle, Major Eustace Loder, Colonel Giles Loder, who had been left by Eustace his stud, sent the then five-year-old Catnip, covered by Pretty Polly’s brother, Cock-a-hoop, up to the Newmarket December sales of 1915, when Frederico Tesio bought her for 75 guineas. In doing so he secured what has proved an absolute gold mine through the descendants of this extremely moderate bay daughter of the very easy 1906 Derby winner, Spearmint.” Catnip was a poor performer, ’starting 10 times for one win. Richards’s Record. Gordon Richards’s total winners must now be close to 2370, of which he rode 2225 from March 31, 1921, to the conclusion of last season. In the same number of years F. Archer rode. 2747 winners, but for the last eight season of his career he had difficulty in going to scale as low as 8.7. Richards on the other hand, does not yet experience any trouble in riding at • 7.12. Out of Hacks. Lady Leigh has been kept going steadily since - the Grand National meeting, and it is to be given a race at Ashburton, where she will have to tackle open company. Studley Royal, in the same stable, is at present being ’ hacked about by J. Olive. He failed to find a buyer when offered for sale last month, and no, doubt his owner, Mr C. Holdsworth, will later put him into 7 work again. 7.- ' . For the New Zealand Cup. Last year’s New Zealand Cup winner, The Buzzer, is doing steady work as a member of L. G. Morris’s team at Awapuni, and will be accorded a nomination for the New Zealand Cup. As one of the few proved stayers over two miles now in commission in the Dominion, The Buzzer has much to recommend him for the Riccarton race. Great Geldings. Following the success of Gloaming. Ballymena, Cupidon, Prince Humphrey, and Ammon Ra —geldings from New Zealand —in the A.J.C. Derby, the two main clubs in Australia decided to bar geldings from entry in classics, and Phar Lap was the last unsexed horse to win the AU.C. Derby. Besides those mentioned, New Zealand owners won a lot of weight-for-age races in the Commonwealth with Limerick, The Hawk, Rapine, Bobrikoff and other geldings, and every now and again it is proposed to extend the ban and exclude geldings from weight-for-age races also. Just what purpose this would serve is not clear. It is claimed /that geldings cannot perpetuate their kind, and do nothing to improve the breed. Directly, they cannot do so, but they are able to give a correct rating to entires which, with a clear field might have established false claims to greatness. If Phar Lap, Amounis, Gloaming, The Hawk, Ballymena, Rapine, Bobrikoff, Limerick, Star Stranger, Commendation, Ammon Ra and other, illustrious geldings had been excluded from classic and weight-for-age contests, turf history would have been differently written, and many horses might have been foisted on breeders as champions merely because they were the best of those they were allowed to meet. Fidelis. Fidelis is sharpening up with the sprinting tasks recently allotted him. The brother to Catalogue is on the small side, but he is expected to turn out useful even if he does not reach the class of his relative. Fair Speed. The Musketoon gelding Gamos, is now being sent along in his work and without doing anything startling is showing fair speed for a novice. Gamis is a nicely moulded horse who should make good later in the season. Improving. Although he is a light-hearted worker, Royal Abb has not so far shown the waywardness he did as a two-year-old. Gifted with a nice turn of speed Royal Abb should be a useful galloper this season if he settles down to race kindly. He raced several times without winning last season, when he was a hard horse to handle. Pleasing. The Limond colt Orelio, is pleasing to track watchers at Takanini and is one that may come into discussion for the Avondale Stakes. A member of F. Smith’s team, Orelio. will carry the colours of Mr T. Impey. Acre Mare. The Acre mare Pasture is now working under H. Nisbet’s direction at Ellerslie. This mare proved speedy last season, but minor mishaps prevented her from showing her best. She should be a maiden prospect this season. Good Performer. That good performer of last season Round Up, is working in free style at Takanini and there is no reason

why he should not do well again this season. At the same time it is questionable whether he will be quite wound up for the Avondale Cup/ King Rey. That good horse King Rey, has not appeared since he won the chief race at Matamata in decisive fashion. King Rey is one of the best horses in the north with ability to act in any kind of going and he is one that should be ready to do himself full justice at Avondale. Promising. The performance of Paddy the Rip at Pakuranga was distinctly promising. A big son of Whirlwind and the Oaks winner Danae, Paddy the Rip has done little racing and it is expected that he will yet make considerable improvement. He is engaged in the maiden class at Avondale. Electric Flash. The jumper Electric Flash, who was recently trained by A. McGregor, at Rotorua, is back in Auckland with her owner Mr J. D. Kemp, who has been completing her qualification for hunter’s events. Electric Flash may make her next appearance over hurdles at Avondale. Finished. By finishing solidly in the Sylvia Park Handicap at Pakuranga, Spearford indicated that he is on the upgrade.