TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 December 1938, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies BIG SUMS OFFERED FOR YOUNGSTERS

(By

“The Cynic.”)

The two-year-old filly, Kqiiheta, by Bulandshar from Sunny Hours, for whom her owner, Mr M. Steinberg, refused an offer of 3000 guineas, made on behalf of the well-known Australian sportsman, Mr SoL Green, was bred at Mr Frank Ormond’s Karamu Stud, and was sold at the Trentham yearling sales last January to her present owner for 290 guineas. Konneta is trained by Stan Bagby, and has only sported silk on three occasions. In her initial start last October, she was second to Anopheles in the Welcome Stakes, at the Auckland Racing Club's Spring meeting. Her next essay was at Trentham in the Wellesley Stakes when she finished second to Beaulivre, with her Auckland victor a half a head further back. She did not appear again until last Monday, when she won the Rakino Handicap from end to end.

Konneta is a half-sister to Karl and Sergia, and her dam, Sunny Hours, is an unraced mare ,by Leighton from Los Vegas, by Boniform from La Valiere. The latter mare was the dam of that great three-year-old Nonette, and also produced that good handicap performer, Los Angeles. Sunny Hours is a half-sister to Passion Flower, Passion Fruit and Fluency, the dam of Friesland. It is also stated that an offer of nearly double that offered for Konneta, Was refused by Mr McGovern for the Bulandshar colt, High Caste, who is also an inmate of Bagby’s stable, while early this Week, Mr Ormond received a communication from Auckland, inquiring as to whether he would be prepared to put a price on Bulandshar himself. It is strongly suspected by the interested parties that the inquiries came from the same source. Mr Ormond replied that he would not entertain the idea under any consideration, which decision is gratifying, for from the little that has been seen of Bulandshar’s first batch of foals, the influence of the Blandford horse, will have a decided effect for the betterment of the thoroughbred in the Dominion.

Auckland Cup Weights. It comes as a surprise to some that the Grand National Hurdles winner t’adishah should top the list in the Auckland Cup, but the handicapper Shows that he has a high opinion of the victory the Hastings gelding scored in the Metropolitan Handicap after his stout finish in the New Zealand Cup to finish fifth. Padishah’s 9.0 represents ah increase of 81bs. on the weight he carried in the New Zealand Cup, but The Buzzer, who ran second in that race and was third in the Metropolitan, has gone up_Blbs., and, on figures, the best treated horse is Arctic King, who has gone up only 91bs. ,

Willie Win Improving. Willie Win, who ran second in the Melbourne Cup 12 months ago to The Trump, and Who has 8.12 in the Auckland Cup is one of the few proven stayers in the field. His form at the New Zealand Cup meeting was consistently good, for he finished very strongly into fourth place in the Cup, after anything but a clear run. He was the only one to make a race of it with Defaulter in the Canterbury CUp, and, on the concluding day, he Was fourth in the Metropolitan with 9.0. He was running on in that race, too, and it is reasonable to assume that he Will go on improving.

Auckland Cup Prospects. Wild Chase, who was second in the New Zealand Cup in 1937 with 8.13, has received 8.11, which is the same as he carried when unplaced at Ellerslie last year. Wild Chase recently won the Fendalton Handicap, 1{ miles, with 8.8, and was second to Defaulter in the Canterbury Cup. Wild Chase should be capable of a solid effort if produced fit. Round Up has performed attractively up to a mile and a quarter and he may go on further. He has been allotted 8.8, which has also been given to Mazir, who ran fourth in 1936 with 7.11.

. Mazir should have prospects if he stands up to a thorough preparation. Trench Fight has good form and is also on the 8.8 mark. If relatively as good at two miles as at shorter distances he would be very difficult to beat, but there may be a doubt about him running the journey right out. Inbred Colt. The two-year-old colt Aurania, who was responsible for a surprise victory in the Maribyrnong Plate at the Victoria Racing Club’s Spring meeting, has been transported to New Zealand in order to give him the change of climate and pasturage which the Dominion offers. Aurania is included with the initial progeny sired by the English-bred horse Manitoba, and he is considered likely to prove the leading juvenile performer in Australia this season. One of the most interesting features of the pedigree of Aurania is the close inbreeding to Son-in-Law. His sire, Manitoba, is out of a daughter of Son-in-Law and his dam, Rondalina, is by Beau Fils, son of Son-in-Law. Fine Career ‘of Jonathan. As a five-year-old Jonathan did not race, and as a seven-year-old. he started 14 times without earning anything, yet he has compiled a notable record in the other five and a-half seasons he has appeared on the turf. He has contested 95 races for 15 wins, 10 seconds and 11 thirds, his stake-win-nings amounting to £5278 10s. Jonathan did not show much promise at two years, when he ran nine times for a second and a third, but as a three-year-old he gained distinction both in victory and in defeat. He won three handicaps, but gained more notice by being runner-up to Pillow Fight in the Avondale Guineas and to Silver Scorn in the Great Northern St. Leger, when he was beaten only by a heck.

His best year was in the following season, when he scored in seven races and won £1935 in stakes. His successes included the A.R.C. Easter Handicap and the Huia Handicap. Following a year's absence, Jonathan returned to the winning list in the Railway Handicap, his only success as a six-year-old; then came a busy season, which was quite barren of results. Last season, Jonathan returned to his best form, winning the King George and Bledisloe Handicaps at

Avondale and the President’s Handicap at Te Aroha, while he also dead-heated in the Waikato Cup. His recent victory in the same race at the age of jiine years and his two fine efforts subsequently at Ellerslie show the remarkable quality of a galloper who has had his share of mishaps and ailments. A Remarkable Meeting. What must-have been a remarkable race meeting was that held at Land; Kotal, in the Khyber region, on a hot Sunday in September. Three of the chief races were run over two miles and a-half, while the Khyber Metropolitan Stakes was for heavyweight mules, which ran two furlongs and ahalf. According to advices received by the Horse and Hound: “There was a tremendous concourse of natives—of the male sex only—and many of them

brought their best friends with them, in the shape of a rifle and belts of ammunition. Yet the utmost good fellowship reigned, and the Royal Corps of Signals announced everything through loudspeakers in three languages—English, Urdu, and Pushtu. There was also a tote for 4-anna tickets only, paying out for wins and places —altogether an amazing, yet typic-

- ally English, scene.” ■ Rapid Betting. A new totalisator being completed at - Wembley, the leading dog racing stas dium in England, will cost about 2 £lOO,OOO. When working at full pres--1 sure it will be capable of registering ■ 27,000 bets in 2s units every minute. Meaning of Word “Punter.” ' These days, the recognised meaning ’ of the word “punter” is a man who ’ bets in a rather big way, but com- ’ pare this with the following definition 1 taken from an English publication of 1 50 years ago:—“A ‘punter* means a ' person who speculates for small ' amounts. At baccarat or on the turf ' he operates generally for shillings, half-crowns, or crowns, oi’ the smallest amount the banker or bookmaker will accept. In this way he is distinguished from the ‘plunger,’ Who operates for large amounts.” F. Sheafi’s Earnings. It is probable that spring racing has been worth at least £3OOO to the jockey E. Shean. Percentages from his five principal wins---the Melbourne, Caulfield, and Williamstown Cups, the Eclipse Stakes, and the Epsom Handicap—amounted to £872 10s, and it is understood that he was laid £lOOO if he won the Melbourne Cup on Catalogue. Shean said that unless he had some attractive mounts at the Christmas meetings in Sydney he would return to Melbourne to ride at Caulfield on Boxing Day and at Flemihgtoh on New- Year's Day. AUCKLAND MEETING I

FffiST Forfeits. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 2. After the declaration of first forfeits the following remain in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, for two-yeaf-61ds, 6f.: Prudent Prince, Anopheles, Classform, Winning Rival, Submission, Beaulivre, Orelio, Millament, High Caste, Beau Repaire, Cheval de Bataille, Konneta, Foxmond, Valerian, Pearl of Asia. Forty-Fourth Royal Stakes, 6f.: Prudent Prince, Anopheles, Oriental Bay, Surmount, Winning Rival, Classic, Submission, Homily, Scandal, Te Hero, Orelio, Pearl of Asia, Millament, Royal Message. High Caste, Cheval de Bataille. Fils de Vaals, Konneta, Foxmond, Gay Son, Beaulivre, Beau Repaire, Mayfair. Sixty-Fifth Great Northern Derby, for three-year-olds, IJm.: Windsor Chief, PhilcoUrt, Little Wonder f„ Coronado, Miltiades, Defaulter, Te Hero, Little Duchess c„ Dunmanway, Night Attack, Beaupartir, Gaoler, Submit, Amigo, Royal Message, Old Bill, Olympus, Hot Box, Gay Son, Wynardo, Dis-) trait c„ Spoon filly.