TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

HAUGHTY WINNER RETURNS TO FORM

(By

“The Cynic.”)

Haughty Winner has returned to the form that enabled him to be leading three-year-old in the South Island early last season, when he won the Dunedin Guineas. While at Trentham last January he ws sold by the late Sir Charles Clifford to Mr T. Coltman, of Wellington, for a price understood to have been in the vicinity of 300 guineas, but delivery was held over under the terms of the sale after the final day of that meeting, when he won the Thorndon Handicap at his last start in his breeder's colours.

During the early spring of the present season the chestnut's preparation ■was checked by heel-bug, but he has struck form with a vengeance now with three wins and a second in his last four of six starts for the term. To date he has won eight races and been placed twelve times in 31 starts for £2625 in stakes, and for Mr Coltman his earnings now amount to £ll2O. In eight appearances on the Trentham course he has only once been out of a place, and his winning there total no less than £1540.

Now four years old, Haughty Winner is a gelded son of the Autumnus horse Winning Hit and the Bonny Glen — Lady Disdain mare Disdainful, the dam also of the useful Meprisant. He is not strictly a Stonyhurst product, as Disdainful, who is a full-sister to Contempt, the dam of Silver Scorn, and Disdain, and also to Reproachful, the dam of the New Zealand Cup winner Chide, was one of Mr G. Murray Aynsley’s best breed, and was acquired by the late Sir Charles Clifford under

1 an arrangement. The line, of course, ; is a branch of the famous Manto ■ family. Lady Disdain, the grandam of Haughty Winner was dam not only ■ of the full-sisters Disdainful Contempt ; and Reproachful but also of the Wellington Cup winner Bee and the Canterbury Cup winner Snub, so that it is seen what a successful branch of Manto this lino has been. Fate of Favourites. During the course of three days’ racing at the Wellington Summer Meeting, seven both-way favourites . were successful, four on the first day, two on the second day, and only one on the final day. Six other favourites ran second, and two ran third. The further back a favourite finished was ninth, the post occupied by Hinerawe in Monday's final event, incidentally won by her stablemate. Drachma. For Ceylcfri. The three-year-old colt Keen Sight, sold recently by the estate of the late Sir Charles Clifford, is on his way to Melbourne, where he should arrive just in time to transfer to another steamer which will take him to Ceylon as one of a batch of 16 horses, most of them purchased in Australia. Keen Sight has won only one race, a novice event at Ashburton, at the end of November. He has not done much racing but he has shown sufficient speed to suggest that he will develop into a useful performer. Wellington Cup History Prior Io 1906. the Wellington Racing Club held its meeting on the Hutt course, and the first Wellington Cup at Trentham was that in which the lightly-weighted outsider Ropa 6.11 won from Achilles 9.9. In spite of the fact that the'Dunedin mare Ailsa was an odds-on winner of the Telegraph, the Ropa—Ailsa combination returns; nearly a century on the double totalisator. The last Cup winner at Hutt was v.ic <.xiree-year-old filly Nightfall, who carried 8.2, and it is interesting \ note that since that year (1905) Rapine 7.12 is the only horse of that age to win the race. This gives an indication of the magnitude of the task which faced Defaulter with 8.11. RACES AT PAHIATUA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY [ The Pahiatua Racing Club will hold its annual race meeting on the club’s course on Friday and Saturday next. The first race will start at 12.15 p.m. The club has received excellent acceptances and as a good class of horse will be seen out the racing should be of a very interesting character. The club has* made special arrangements to provide an enjoyable day’s sport for patrons, and every details in connection with the meeting will be found to be complete. Those who appreciate good racing could not do better than attend the Pahiatua fixture on Friday and Saturday next. RACING FIXTURES i January 27. 28—Pahiatua R.C. January 28, 30—Auckland R.C. February 2. 4—Wairoa R.C. February 4—Canterbury J.C. February 4 —Matamata R.v,. February 4 —Tapanui R.C. February 4 —Opunake R.C. 9, 11 —Dunedin J.C. February 9. 11 —Egmont R.C. < February. 9, 11—Poverty Bay T.C. ( February 11, 13 —Rotorua R.C. 5 February 17. 18 —Winton J.C. j February 17,18 —Woodxille District J.C. February 18 —Tolaga Bay J.C. . ] February 18. 20 —Waikato R.C. , February 23, 25 —Wanganui J.C. f February* 24, 25 —Gore R.C. , February 25 —Waiapu R.C. February 25, 27—Westland R.C. ( February 25, 27 —Te Aroha J.C.