TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

ALMA FOR WAIMATE CUP.

(By

“The Cynic,")

Alma was galloped about a good strong mile on Wednesday morning. She began down the running on the inside grass, and was pulled up near the home turn. Alma looks in excellent order at present for the Waimate Cup.

Salient Knight.

Salient Knight, who is engaged at Waimate, has Deen oil the scene since racing at Riverton last season. During the season he started 17 times, and was placed four times. ■ His last placed performance was a second in the Waimate Cup to Rebel Lad. Pladie's Recent Win. The PaJadin gelding Pladie, who is engaged at Waimate, has latterly been racing on the West Coast. At Westland, on February 25, he won the Highweight Handicap with .9.0 from Malvasia 8.5 and Rebel Queen 8.8 in Imin. 30 4-ssecs. Palmyra. 9.5, and Contract, 8.5, were unplaced. Silver Sight. Silver Sight, who is engaged in the Waimate Cup, ran third last year with 7.9 to ’Rebel Lad 7.11 and Salient Knight 7.1. Queen Dorothy 9.0, Studley Royal 8.0, Linguist 8.0, and Surge 7.0, were unplaced. This season Silver Sight won over hurdles at Wellington, and also at the New Zealand Cup meeting.

Southland Notes. The yearling filly by Garnish from Mapuni in F. W. Ellis’s stable will race under the name of Garnui. Pandine has done well since joining J. Thistleton’s Riverton stable, and he gave a first-class display over five schooling fences on Saturday morning. He is carrying more condition than he has for some time.

Gold Wren is at present troubled with a splint, but it is not regarded as serious, and he is being treated for it. He was schooled for the first time this season at Riverton on Saturday morning, when he jumped five of the schooling fences.

Hunting Chorus, who has yet to be produced this season, is a regular worker at Riverton, and has been shaping satisfactorily. His only suc.cess to date was at Wingatui last June on a heavy track, but he has only to train on to win on firm going. No jumper at Invercargill has improved more than El Caballo, and the Balboa gelding will strip in forward order for the Birchwood Hunt meeting next week. He has done everything expected of him in his schooling tasks and this season promises to add interest to the important jumping tasks. In his racing last year he did not stay on as well as expected, but the experience he has had will assist him in this direction.

Irish Fling, a novice who attracted attention earlier in the year, is again working in good style at Riverton and wil have her next race at the Birchwood meeting. The half-sister to Wild Career had to be put aside for a time because of soreness, but she has now thrown off all signs of this. She is regarded as a novice much above the average. Lord Hawke Schooled over Hurdles. The latest newcomer to Hie ranks at Riccarton is Lord Hawke, who has been a failure on the flat since being acquired by Mr A. T. Douglas, of Waikouaiti, last spring. He was tried over two brush hurdles, and although balking several times, he got through his task satisfactorily for a beginner.

Good Class Sprinters.

Spanish Lad has trained on the right way since he won at Gore, and the Balboa gelding has impressed track watchers by his work at Riverton. On Saturday morning he always had the measure of Rodeur over six furlongs in J min. 19 3-ssecs. This pair are probably the two best sprinters in the south at the present, but at the weights Spanish Lad has a definite pull over Rodeur, who, however, is being sried over middle distances. R. McNay has not a big team in work at the present time, but with this pair he is likely to be very much in evidence at coming meetings.

A Strong Pair. Both Galleon and Foxlove have been nominated for the Great Autumn Handicap, and if they carry out this programme F. W. Ellis will have Mona’s Song to represent him in the Riverton Cup. Although he has failed so far in his races this season Galleon has rarely looked better, and the Paladin gelding may not be long in returning to the winning list. In his races at Gore he did not appear to be ridden to the best advantage as he was always kept too far back, and when he was moved on half a mile from, home he was conceding the leaders each day an almost impossible start. Foxlove appears to have recovered completely from the muscle injuries he received at the Dunedin Cup meeting. He put on some condition when eased in his work, but he will not require much work to bring him back to his best as he comes to hand quickly. A slayer of his worth would have to be considered in a race such as the Great Autumn Handicap.

A Promising Steeplechaser. The steeplechaser Poniard is getting through a solid preparation at Riverton and he is standing up to his work in good style. He has improved in appearance since he won the two steeplechase events at Winton last month, and he promises to go on paying his way in cross-country events. The Greyspear gelding is to make his next appearance at the Birchwood Hunt meeting this month, and his engagements include the Hunters' Flat Handicap.

A Difficult Task. Arctic Star is a daily attendant to the Riccarton tracks in charge of C. Dawson, who has leased the gelding from Mr A. Syme. Dawson has devoted a lot of time and patience in the endeavour to get him sound enough to race again, and it is hoped that he will be rewarded.

RACING FIXTURES

March 17. 18.—Wellington R.C. March 17,”18. —Ohinemuri J.C. March 18—Waimate R.C. March 23, 25. —Oamaru J.C. March 24, 25. —Manawatu R.C. March 25. —Birchwood H.C. March 25. 27.—Bay of Plenty R.C