TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies PELMET AS BROOD MARE

(By

“The Cynic.”)

Pelmet, a useful mare, but an exasperating racing proposition, in that she was seldom seen at her best, has been retired from racing. She has been sent to Orari, where she will be mated with Man’s Pal, a son of the Derby winner, Manna, by Phalaris. As Pelmet is only a five-year-old and has been lightly raced, she may yet make up for her remissness as a race mare. By Limond from the Thespian Cowl mare Curtain, Pelmet was bought as a yearling by Mr E. Hay, of Pigeon Bay. In her first season she won the McLean Stakes at Dunedin and the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham. Since that time Pelmet has been unlucky, as she had to be eased up on a number of occasions, while recurring soreness prevented her from being raced much. Her first success since the Wellesley Stakes was in the Criterion Handicap at Riccarton last season. Later, she contracted heel bug and after a slow recovery it was decided to retire her. Curtain is by Thespian from Cowl, by King Rufus from Our Lady, which was sired in Australia but bred in New Zealand. Later, Our Lady became one of the foundation mares at Mr G. M. Currie’s Koatanui Stud. Cowl proved to be a prolific brood mare and produced a number of useful horses, among them being Rational, Veil (dam of Veilmond, a smart winner in Australia, and now at the stud). The Monk, Mask, Habit, Monastic, and The Masquerader. The mares from this successful family have carried on, Curtain being dam of winners in Gladswood, Loud Applause, and Smoke Screen, these being full-brothers to Pelmet. Another full-brother in Cortina was bought at the Trentham yearling sales two years ago by Mr G. J. Barton for 1000 gns, but has not raced so far. Limond mares are proving themselves at the stud and such a wellbred mare as Pelmet should play her part in adding to the record of a successful family. Leg Trouble. Redolent, which had to be withdrawn from steeplechase engagements at the Grand National meeting owing to his near hind leg swelling, is still giving his trainer, S. Barr, trouble. The cause of the swelling is not known. It comes and - goes with monotonous regularity. The horse does not appeal - to suffer any discomfort, but until it disappears Barr will have to bide his time in fitting his charge for racing. An aged chestnut gelding by Panmure from Redowa, Redolent nas shown some useful! form over hurdles in the past, but it is as a . steeplechaser that he may yet gain fame, as in schooling efforts he proved himself one of the most brilliant novice steeplechasers seen at Riccarton for a long time. Nightguard. Nightguard, who now seems to be quite sound, is coming into increased favour for the Caulfield Cup, for which he is particularly well handicapped. He is a four-year-old, with 8.2, which is 121 b less than weight-for-age. As a two-year-old he was mixing it with Hua, Ajax and Caesar. He won the Alma Stakes with 8.1, in which Caesar was second with 8.6 and Hua third with 8.0. He was third to Hua and Caesar in the Sires’ Produce Stakes, which Hua won by half a head from Caesar, with- Nightguard a head away. Ajax was unplaced. Caesar, Ajax, Hua, and Nightguard was the order at the end of the Ascotvale Stakes. In the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes, Nightguard was third to Ajax and Caesar, and third to Ajax and Hua in 'the Champagne Stakes. He was always there or thereabout with the cracks. Last spring Nightguard finished third in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup with 7.7 to Frill Prince and Mala. He led early and then dropped behind the pacemaker, Navarina, but he was in front again approaching the straight entrance. Frill Prince and Mala wore him down in the straight, but he was less than a length behind Frill Prince, and lost second place to Mala by only a head. All going well with him in the interim (says the Australasian).. Nightguard seems a possibility for the Caulfield Cup with 8.2. Avenger will have some difficulty in conceding him 151 b over the Caulfield Cup distance.

New Zealand Cup. The New Zealand Cup nominations, which closed last week, total fifty-six, or one more than were received last year. The best stayers have been drawn from all parts of the Dominion. The North Island has contributed thirtyone, and of the twenty-five from the South Island, fourteen are from Riccarton. The most notable absentee from the list is Wild Chase, runner-up to Cerne Abbas last year, but his omission did not come as a surprise, as he has not been long in work, after a spell. His owner on this occasion will have Trench. Fight to rely on. Of last year’s field of seventeen, onlyfi ve have beennomin ated again. They are Cerne Abbas (the winner), Argentic, Queen of Song, Lowenberg and Boomerang. Two of the five Cerne Abbas and Queen of Song—are in Australia so they may be regarded, in the meantime, as unlikely starters. Three of the horses entered are nine years old, the veterans being Argentic, Mungatoon and Made Money. Seven in the list are eight years old, twelve are seven years, eight are six years. The five-year-olds have the biggest representation, with seventeen, while the four-year-olds number seven. It is not often that three-year-olds start in the Cup, and there are only two engaged. They are the Beau Pere colt, Gay Son, winner of the Wellesley Stakes last spring, and the Night Raid colt, Night Attack. The latter, a halfbrother to the Australian crack, Gold Rod, showed no form last season. Cerne Abbas and The Buzzer were last year’s winners of the New Zealand and Auckland Cups respectively, while Wotan has a Melbourne Cup to his credit, Willie Win having a second in the Melbourne Cup as evidence of his ability to run two miles. Argentic, with two wins in the Metropoli-

tan Handicap, Ponty and Padishah (Wellington Cup), Floodtide (Mitchelson Cup) and Arctic King (Great Autumn Handicap) are among the mile-and-a-half winners.

There is thus a strong contingent of proved stayers in the list, along with other horses that have run well enough to suggest will add, to the interest, apart from those that are likely to prove themselves when tried over two miles.

Promising. Although Auto Sweep failed to collect any prize monef at Riccqrton, he displayed sufficient promise to suggest that his turn is not far off. In the Sumner Handicap, run over nine furlongs, he was right in the firing line a furlong from the post, but weakened over the final stages and was not in a place. Suitably placed, he should win in turn, but apparently requires a roomy course to show his best form. Progress of Not Out. Mr George Gould is to enter the arena again as an owner when Not Out carries his colours in the McLean Stakes to be run at Wingatui next month. Not Out, a colt by Winning Hit from Dutch Money, by Papei* Money from Dutch Clock by Nassau, displays a lot of quality and although he may be light below the knee, he has compensating factors. Trained by F. Roberts, Not Out will be ridden in his early engagements by C. T. Wilson, who has ridden him a lot in his work. Win Soon. The new season .should not be far advanced before F. Christmas scores a win with Gay Parade. The Nightmarch three-year-old raced well at the Grand National meeting and has continued to do well since.