TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

OPENING OF JUMPING SEASON

(By

“The Cynic.”)

The jumping season in the North Island opens with the Egmont meeting Indications are that jumpers will be fairly numerous this season. Jumpers who are in forward condition are Disturbed, Hanover, Lady Stella, Sporting Song, Red Sun and Riotous, and all there arc entered at Egmont. Disturbed had several successes recently, but his opposition was moderate, and a better idea of his rating should be obtainable now the winter meetings are at hand. However, he is a good jumper and very fit. Hanover is well seasoned and is improving, but so far there is nothing exceptional in his form. Riotous and Sporting Song will have been improved by recent racing. Schooling Well. Erebus has been schooling very attractively. He is more solid now than he used to be and his speed and jumping ability should make him very dangerous in tne' shorter hurdle races. He seems almost certain to win a race or two during the winer. Silk Sox, who has been entered for the Egmont fixture, has not raced this year, but he was good last year, making his presence felt in the best of company. » String of Seconds. Bryce Street, who had a string of seconds in leading steeplechases last winter, is out again. He was runnerup in the Great Northern and in the Grand National, and is not old as jumpers go, so will be expected to improve through last season’s experience. Taumau and Power Chief are being prepared at Awapuni. Both are competent jumpers, and Power Chief should oe better this season than he was last year when cross-country racing was new to nim. He belongs to Mr Frank Armstrong, who won the Grand National Hurdle Race with Morning and important steeplechases with The Spaniard. New Recruits. The season’s recruits will include Conveyor, a stable-mate of Catalogue. Conveyor has fair form on the flat and is expected to make good as a hurdler. He was taken to Victoria with Catalogue when the latter won the Melbourne Cup, but raced below expectations. He is related to Luna Lux, who did fairly well as a steeplechaser. For the Stud. The 1934 bay mare Heiress, by Pos-’ terity from Episode, was purchased for the Kia Ora Stud at 350 guineas, at the Sydney sales. She is a sister to Entail, and was sold as a yearling at Trentham to Mr E. J. Watt for 475 guineas. The .Derby Favourite. Unless the running of the Two Thousand Guineas substantially alters the market, the ruling favourite for the Derby is the French-bred Fox Cub, by Foxhunter from Dorina, who is to be G. Richards's mount. Fox Cub

did not race till late last season, making a promising debut by running third in the Boscawen Stakes over a straight six furlongs at Newmarket on September 28. He won the Criterion Stakes over the same course on October 25. Fox Cub is in F. Darling’s stable, and in his races last year was ridden by Richards. Before the Guineas. Foxbrough 11., the winter favourite, had gone out of favour, and Blue Peter, who supplanted him. was only third in popularity. Still Formidable Visitors. New Zealand has left its mark on this year’s racing in Sydney and Melbourne (says “Pilot”). It has done so before, but rarely to the same extent all round. Dominion representatives have included the best three-year-old of the autumn (Defaulter), two-year-old (High Caste), and Melbourne Cup (Catalogue), Metropolitan (Royal Chief,) and Warwick Farm Autumn Cup (Maligigi) winners. Admitting only good horses are, as a rule, sent over, it has been demonstrated that those from New Zealand can still more than hold their own against most of our best. It has been fortunate for Australia that Ajax has stood in the way in weight-for-age races. Bidding for Malagigi. One of the most interesting lots offered at the bloodstock sale in Sydney on April 17 was the New Zealand-bred gelding Malagigi, whose form this autumn has been excellent. First bid for him was 500 guineas, and with offers of 100 guineas, he quickly reached 1400 guineas. Bidding then ceased, and thought endeavours were made to persuade the Kandwick trainer, J. T. Jamieson, who made the final, offer, to increase his bid to 1500 guineas, it was unavailing, and Malagigi passed through the ring unsold. Malagigi’s movements are uncertain. It is not likely that he will go to Brisbane for the Queensland Turf Club’s meeting, but a visit may be made later to the Doomben meeting. Steady Progress. ' Majority’s half-brother by Foxbridge, has been named Minority. Reports from New Plymouth states that premises to be a fine looking three-year-old. Good Hurdler. It is intended to qualify the Gainscourt gelding Halley, with the hounds, so that he will be eligible for hunter’s fiats and bracelets. He is the type to make a good hurdler. Back to Form. Prosy Boy is said to be back to his former self. The Lucullus gelding is owned by Miss Grace Twist, and at his best is in the first flight of cross-coun-try horses. The absence of Prosy Boy from the racing track in the last two seasons was because of his being poisoned by some berry weed when running out on the late Mr C. Twist’s farm.

The Right Breeding. . Phenomenal, winner of the maiden race at Washdyke on the first day, is a three-year-old gelding by Robespierre from Sundance, by Sunny Lake from Showana, by St Ambrose from Savanna, by Stepniak. Sundance, his dam is a half-sister to the Great Easter Handicap winner Kilbrogan, and Savanna was the dam of Ireland, a useful horse in the colours of Mr E. J. Watt, when T. F. Quinlivan was training for him. Ireland and Midnight Sun, who was to win the New Zealand Cup the following year, won a double at the C.J.C. Metropolitan meeting as three-year-olds. Phenomenal has not done much racing. He ran four times late last season, and this season had started only three times before last year. He was second in his previous two races at Greymouth and Kumara. Density. There is no doubt that Density has a good turn of speed and might stay a lot better if not sent out to win all the way. I Top Row. Top Row shapes as if he has had enough racing for the present, as ,he does not shape with the same dash as earlier in the season. Flagman. Flagman, who won each day at Timaru, is a half-brother to Slayer. He was got by Lord Warden from Battleflag by Martian —Lady Kinloch by Menschikoff—Lady Melton by Bill o’ Portland. Milford. Milford continues to give trouble at the barrier, and so doubly handicaps himself. He has been nominated to race over hurdles, and a course of hurdling might improve his manners at the barrier. A Likely Sale. Rabble created another good impression by his win at Timaru on Saturday and his two races suggested that he is likely to develop into a highclass stayer. As his owner. Mr E. W. Spencer, has decided to settle in England, Rabble was placed on the sale list recently at 750 guineas, and there were several inquiries for him, but fortunately for Mr Spencer, no business was done before last week’s meeting. • After his win in the Timaru Cup. Rabble was placed under an offer to a commissioner acting for an Australian buyer, the option to expire today. As Rabble showed his worth by winning another race in fast time since the option was given, a sale would seem to be likely. Should this take place, it will be unfortunate for Rabble’s trainer. C. McCarthy, who has spent a lot of time and patience to get the gelding up to his present standard. RACING FIXTURES May 4, 6—Egmont. May G —Franklin. May 6—Amberley. May 6, B—Marlborough.