TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

FANCIED ASHHURST CANDIDATES

(By “The Cynic.”)

Among the Ashhurst candidates, the brightest prospects may be those of Te Morehu, Lexden, Gold Petal, Red Sand and Kokako. The first-named was successful in his last two starts and will be well suited by the distance of the Hack Cup. He is in great form just now and is assured of strong support in this event.

Lexden was only started once over the holidays, narrowly defeating smart horses in Footloose and Noitaro. The Resinous gelding has done very little racing, but has yet to run a bad race, and is another whose prospects look bright.

Gold Petal is a real speedster and should set a merry pace in the hack five. He has improved under H. Dulieu’s care and is probably the fastest hack in the province.

Kokako has improved as a result of - ’his recent racing, and is hanging on better than formerly, but it is doubtful if he can foot it with Gold Petal. Red Sand is engaged in the Cup and ' Raumai Handicap. She scored an easy win in the latter event 12 months ago, and if she runs up to her New Year form she should go close to repeating the dose.

(Carefully Trained. • To look at Rebel Chiefs legs makes one wonder how the Robespierre gelding keeps going. It certainly is a tribute to the care bestowed on him by owner-trainer F. Hall. Nevertheless, Rebel Chief won in such impressive style at Reefton that he is reckoned to be about at his best again. At any rate Hall is going to take him to Trentham to tackle the City Handicap for sprinters on the concluding day of the Wellington meeting. Galloping Well. Scold, the Myosotis filly from Berate, has been galloping well lately, and now that she has had a little race experience she may soon be capable of showing her unquestionable ability in public.

May Win Soon. Sovereign Lady won the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton 12 months ago, and that race will mark her next appearance in a race. The mare is worthless on a heavy track as her Wingatui effort demonstrated although most of the Winning Hits handle those tracks well, but given conditions to suit her she should soon add to her winning record. Following her Riccarton racing, Soverign Lady will go south to contest the Dunedin Cup.

Dress Parade. Dress Parade, an unraced two-year-old from Cutts’s stable, shows a good deal of ability in her track gallops. . She-is a full-sister to the Waikouaiti * Cup winner, Night Dress, by Nightmarch from Ball Dress, by Winning Hit from Equipment. Due Soon. Papernilla is well on the way to qualify for Silver Sight’s record of placed performances before securing a win. The Paper Money gelding ran five seconds in succession at the Grey- ' mouth and Reefton meetings, making his sixth time in that place for the season, and his eighth during his career, which began only last season. Strangely enough with so many second placings, Papernilla has never been third. His turn is due for a win if any horse deserves one.

Sky Pilot Back. C. McCarthy left his Trentham team for a day or two while he returned home to get Sky Pilot on the way again. Although the Day Comet horse has not raced since early in the winter before last he is not so backward as may be expected despite his not having had a saddle on his back. Sky Pilot had quite a successful stud season in the term just closed, 40 mares being sent to him. He is to be prepared for racing on the circuit which opens at the Egmont R.C.’s meeting on May 4 and 6 and follows at Te Rapa on May 20 and 22 as a preliminary to the Great Northern Steeplechase meeting in June. Monastic is under similar orders and if Kaipera, still another jumper in the stable, trains on satisfactorily he will be taken along also. McCarthy has made arrangements for A. Leach to ride Sky Pilot throughout his winter programme. Leach, who steadily has been coming into recognition, looks certain to command plenty of riding during the jumping season.

Plans for Keen Sight. Keen Sight should have been on the way to Ceylon b£ now, but suitable transport arrangements could not be made last week to connect with the Maunganui which was Mel-bourne-bound. The Nightmarch— Good Sight colt was recently purchased from the estate of the late Sir Charles Clifford by a racing man in Ceylon, and it will be in that country that Keen Sight will do his future racing. The colt has raced only a few times and was a winner at his latest start. He is a very good type and comes from a successful family. His dam was a full sister to Semper Paratus, Ball Dress and Cricket, all winners, Ball Dress going on to produce winners, one of which is the Waikouaiti Cup winner Night Dress (by Nightmarch) while Cricket Bat is making a name for himself as a sire, Silver Bat being a winning two-year-old by him in his first season. Good Sight'is by Winning Hit from Equipment, by Martian from Tomorrow, by Bill of Portland from Elusive, by Trenton from Eleusis by Balcaldine. Keen Sight looks as if he will have a successful career wherever he is raced. In New Colours. Aggravate, of whom the best was not seen over the holidays on account of his failure to travel well, has been taken over by his trainer J. Tomkinson. who effected a lease of the gelding last week. He is to race in his new colours al Riccarton at the C.J.C. meeting next month. Raced Ungenerously. In addition to having become very unruly at the barrier, Queen Dorothy raced badly at the Vincent Meeting, and it is probable that the best has been seen of this Paper Money mare, who is now racing as a nine-year-old.