Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1939, Page 9

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

GREAT WESTERN STEEPLES FAVOURITE

(By “The Cynic”)

Gold Wren, the “find’ of the steeplechase season last year, has started oft well again with a win over country at the Birchwood Hunt meeting. He is a splendid fencer which does not waste any energy at the jumps and will only need to train on to win some of the principal steeplechases this wintei. A nine-year-old gelding, Gold Wren, comes from a family that has produced many smart winners. He is by Song Bird from Goldfire, by Firearm from Rhine Gold, by Gipsy Grand from Taurida, by Stepniak, tracing to an early imported mare. The Giggler, by Tomboy. Gold Wren’s great grand-dam, Taurida, was a half-sister to Everton Lad. winner of the Dunedin Champagne Stakes; to First Lord, winner of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Middle Park Plate; and to Pibroch, dam of Menschikoff and Stepdancer, and ancestress of Stardancer, Warstep, Footfall, Starland, Limelight, Argfentic and other good winners. Rhine Gold was a sister to Golden Way, dam of the Invercargill and North Otago Cup winner, Silent Knight. Firearm was by Carbine, while his dam, Hestia, was by Grandmaster, a sire of hardy horses. Firearm was also a three-quarter brother to Gipsy Grand, which won the Dunedin Cup and sired Grand Rapids, a winner of the New Zealand Cup. Gold Wren is the likely favourite for the Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton at Easter, in which race he will clash with Poniard, also a winner at Birchwood, and undefeated in recent starts. Phalanx Sold. The five-year-old Nightmarch— Wink-a-Peep gelding, Phalanx, has been sold by Mr D. Spence to a Southland owner, and he was sent south recently to be trained by T. G. Pollock, at Gore. Though he has only won once this season, he has been placed on several occasions, and should pay his way. Night Hawk Well. Night Hawk has recovered from the splint that had been troubling him for some time, and he will strip in good order for the Riccarton meeting. Though fractious often when going out to work, the Nightmarch— Velocium colt has been tractable enough on race days. He has had two wins this season, the last being at the Manawatu meeting at Christmas. After the meeting he may be gelded. Doing Well. The former Hawera trainer, J. Fryer, has more than 20 horses in work at Melbourne. At Caulfield a fortnight ago he won a treble with Heroic’s Pride, Desert Chief, and Pantoon. Pantoon, who is a four-year-old by Musketoon from Panette, ran unbacked, though Fryer invested £2 on the totalisator, for which he received a handsome return. Desert Chief’s recent form has so impressed the critics that they regard the stable as having missed a good Sydney Cup chance by not entering him for that race. Riccarton Notes. H. Nurse has Treasurer, a four-year-old half-brother by Paper Money to Cottingham, Rebel Star and Palmyra, progressing well, and it is only a question of him standing up to a preparation to win races. Treasurer was in work early as a two-year-old, and showed promise, having an excellent turn of speed, but in the next season he failed to stand a preparation. Time has served Treasurer well, and he has developed into a solid horse. Fidelis has evidently appreciated a change of stables, as he is doing well for C. C. McCarthy, having worked on condition, which is reflected in an improvement in daily tasks. Fidelis had some smart form to his credit in the North Island, but in his races in the South has failed miserably. He will have his first run since joining McCarthy’s team at Riccarton. Master Hotspur showed a tendency to bolt recently, but an addition to his gear proved an effective check. The Ringmaster colt is well, and always anxious to increase the speed in his tasks. He is engaged in the Champagne and Challenge Stakes at Riccarton. Improved Hack. One of the most improved hacks in Auckland,is Mintlaw who was unlucky to be beaten by Vitement at Paeroa. The loss of ground at the start cost him victory. He has already won twice since Christmas, and we expect him to emerge from the hack ranks. Mintlaw is one of the team K. Heaton has in work at Ellerslie. Good Efforts. Two consistently good efforts were credited to Hot Box at Te Aroha the scene of his most recent outings. This three-year-old ran splendid races in the Great Northern Guineas and Derby, and is, on his latest form, coming on again. He has a handy weight in the Easter Handicap, and will not be overlooked in any race he contests at the meeting. Brazen Bold. Brazen Bold has won twice and been second in his last three starts and his latest victory at Tauranga was gained with the greatest ease. The class he beat there did not appear to be good but at Paeroa he defeated Heroic Maid, who has few superiors for sheer speed, and Brazen Bold could do no more than win easily at Tauranga. He looks a prospect despite increased weight at Ellerslie. A Good Hack. Auctor, who had a consistent record in the early part of the season when he won three races and gained two minor placings—one win and one placing being at the N.Z. Cup carnival — failed to run on in his races at Wingatui in February, but he showed up in the early stages. He was then produced in a big condition and undoubtedly the racing did him a lot of good while he hgs had some weeks in which his trainer. D. P. Wilson, could effect further improvement. The Balboa gelding is on the verge, of leaving hack company, but even with his 9.0 he is sure to be putting in telling work at the finish of his Riccarton races at Easter.

Likely One. . As the class in the Mangel c Steeplechase is not strong, Desert Stat is likely to bo one of those considered. But for bungling the last fence at Paeroa. he would have beaten Biform in the first steeplechase, and he should be all the better for that race.

Success in Store. Tnere was more merit in Balinavar s Tauranga Cup win than appeared on the surface. He was unlucky in the early stages, but overcame the setback with a well-sustained run in a hard race. Balinavar now stays a mile and a quarter in good style, and there should be more success in store for him.

Royal Chief. While F. D. Jones is quite satisfied with the progress of Royal Chief, he has a slight doubt as to whether the horse is as good now as he was in the spring. The top-weight, while allowing for his superior class, will not have to be many removes below his best when called on to carry 9.10 in the Great Autumn Handicap. Royal Chief might have been a trifle unlucky in not having won a race on the Trentham-Awapuni trip. Working Well. Trench Fight cannot be faulted on the score of condition and his most recent performance in running fourth —he was unlucky not to finish closer—was an encouraging performance in view of his Great Easter engagement. He, like! a number of others, is doubly engaged on the first day and the stable has Counterblast in the Easter and Wild Chase in the Sockburn, so it looks as if Chokebore may have a double string to their bow in each race. Trench Fight has been galloping pleasingly in recent work, but his race form has not been solid this season. Attractive Form. ' " r " ? Sword-stick’s form of late has been rather attractive and he should be suited by the nine-furlong Sockburn Handicap under the handy weight of 7.10. He races best in front and it would not be beyond him to lead all the way, if allowed to make the pace, but another in the race who likes this style 1 of racing is The Sandwich Man and it may not favour either if one is 1 troubled by the other. JOCKEY SUSPENDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 4. At a meeting of the Auckland District Committee the hearing of an appeal lodged by Mr L. Aiderton, deputy stipendiary steward at the Rotorua Racing Club’s meeting last month, against the decision of the judicial committee of that club to take no action in regard to the alleged interference during the running of the Borough Handicap was continued. The case had been before the district committee previously and had been referred back to the Rotorua club for rehearing. The district committee’s finding was that O. Evans, apprentice jockey, was guilty of interference as alleged by Mr Aiderton, whose appeal was therefore upheld, and that Evans be suspended for one month as from April 4.