TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 April 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

SPANISH LAD DISAPPOINTING

(By “The Cynic,”)

In three starts at Riverton, Spanish Lad finished in a place each time, but he did not show the same dash as in earlier winning efforts. He has a good amount of hard racing, but will be in favour when he freshens up again. Night Dress. Of the Riccarton horses to race at Riverton, Night Dress performed best. He finished a good third in the Riverton Cup, and was narrowly beaten by Milford in the Easter Handicap. When Milford beat him he appeared to be made rather much use of. Successful Elevation. ... , Strip was only produced twice at Riverton and won on each occasion. The first day he carried 9.3 and beat a hack field easily; in the chief sprint race the second day he won comfortably. This was his first start in open company and it was rather a convincing effort as he did not get a good passage in the early stages. Strip is still near the tail of the weights, and on Riverton form he is just the type to beat a good class field of sprinters. Spell During Winter. Peerless, Beau Vite, and Pearl of Asia have completed their season’s racing, and will now go out for winter spells. Royal Chief to be Spelled. Royal Chief did not suffer any illeffects from his two hard races last week, and is now to be put aside for two months, and then recommissioned to prepare for another trip to Sydney in July. The two-year-old Moorsotis was sore after his race last Tuesday, and has been blistered. Successful Family. A most unusual record was established on Easter Monday by the produce of Passbook. Passbook has three representatives on the turf —Deficit, Dissipation, and Beaulivre and all three won on the day mentioned. Dissipation won a novice event at Tauherenikau, where Deficit won a hack scurry, and at Riccarton Beaulivre won the Challenge Stakes. Dissipation is a three-year-old filly by Night Raid, Deficit a four-year-old gelding by Lackham, and Beaulivre a two-year-old colt by Beau Pere. The dam, Passbook, is by Paper Money from Password, a Martian mare from Secret Link, the dam of Silver Link, granddam of Silver Stick, one of the season’s good two-year-olds. Phar Lap Forgotten! Two of Entreaty’s progeny were sold cheaply at the Easter bloodstock sale at Christchurch last week. Raphis, a four-year-old full-sister to the mighty Phar Lap, was secured by Mr K. Austin for 40 guineas, and Ham Way, a two-year-old half-brother by Iliad to Phar Lap, was bought by Mr H. A. Boyle, of Christchurch, for 25 guineas. Entreaty, the dam of Phar Lap, was also offered on account of Mr E. Armstrong, of Christchurch, and she was passed in at 100 guineas. Other passings at the sale were Pledge (dam of Swordstick) at five guineas, Haughty Toti (a three-year-old sister to Rebel Song) at 30 guineas, and Battle Flag (dam of Slayer) at 25 guineas. Not Without Precedent. Siegmund is not the only horse to have raced elsewhere on Easter Saturday and then won the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton on the Tuesday following. Three years ago Queen of Song won the Riverton Cup on the Saturday, travelled north by float over the weekend to Christchurch, and won the Great Autumn Handicap on the Tuesday. Wild Career tried to go even a point better last year, as he won the Riverton Cup on the Saturday and was on hand at Riccarton for the Great Easter on Monday and the Great Autumn on Tuesday, but he failed in both his Christchurch races. Now at Awapuni. The three-year-old, Raeburn, has been sent to Awapuni to be trained by Mrs A. McDonald. Shortly after his return from Melbourne last year, Raeburn was gelded, and hopes are entertained of him fulfilling his earlier promise when raced next season. Argentic. Argentic is still at C. McCarthy’s stable at Riccarton, but his racing days have ended, and probably he will be sent to Reefton to his owner,.Miss M. C. Wilsonr. During his six years of racing, Argentic won close on £6OOO and probably contested more distance races than any other horse in commission. He holds the distinction of contesting four New Zealand Cups and three Auckland Cups. He won over all distances except two miles, but had a second, a third, and a fourth placing in the Auckland Cup. Return of Stretto. ' After racing unsuccessfully in Australia for the last three months, Stretto has returned to Auckland. The Hunting Song mare developed respiratory trouble, and she failed to show anything like her true form. Stretto is to be retired to the stud, and her first mating will be with Bulandshar. Up in Weights. Milford has proved a great stakeearner since he joined R. E. McLellan’s team at Invercargill, and his Riverton form confirmed the opinion expressed before the meeting that the Anomaly gelding is now as good as at any part of his career. When he won the Easter Handicap with 9.0 his performance was one of the finest ever recorded over a mile and a quarter on the course. Milford was definitely the unlucky runner in the Riverton Cup. as he was forced to race outside three horses from the half-mile post to the straight, and then finished a good fourth. On top of this he finished second to Foxlove over a mile when carrying 9.9, conceding Foxlove 161 b. and this effort further demonstrated his weight-carrying ability. Milford’s place in the handicaps now requires him to be a great horse to pay his way. Full of Promise. Although he had only won one race previously, Waitoru gave an idea of his worth when he beat a good field of open sprinters over seven furlongs.

This was one of the best sprint fields assembled at the meeting, and with the sting out of the going, Waitoru won impressively. This half-brother to Trebleack has been unlucky in several of his races, and he gives every promise of developing into a good middle-distance winner later on. Primak. Primak has joined E. Burgess’s team at Trentham and after having been 1 shown and hacked about he looks in good order to start on a race preparation. Burgess also has Revival, Defy, and Golden Wattle in work. Defy is back after a spell due to tendon trouble, and it is doubtful whether she will stand a full preparation. Thirty Years in Racing. The Trentham trainer H. Pritchard, after more than 30 years’ association with racing, has handed in his trainer’s .licence and intends to take up other work at Castlepoint. Pritchard has had stables at Lower Hutt, Opaki, Blenheim and Trentham, and he has been at the last-named centre for 12 years. Among his patrons were Sir Thomas Wilford and the late Mr W. H. Ballinger. Probably the best he raced were Rachel, Alyson, Anthonie, Phantasy and Royal Game. He recorded his final success when Mister Quex scored his surprise win at the Wairarapa Easter meeting.

RACING FIXTURES

April 19, 20— Manawatu. April 21, 22—Whangarei. April 22—Clifden. April 22 —Reefton. April 22—Waverley. April 27. 29—South Canterbury. April 28, 29—Dannevirke (at Woodville). April 29, May I—Nelson.