TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1939, Page 11

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

POWER CHIEF WAS IMPRESSIVE

(By

“The Cynic.”)

Power Chief created a tremendous impression when tie op’.ncd his winning account last winter by taking the Manawatu Hunt Cup. after standing up a long start to the favourite. Given, over the last mile. He just buried the opposition from that stage and won in a canter.

In his next start the big Tractor gelding disappointed at Foxton. but he made amends when taken to Auckland in June, for he won the Hunt Cup from Smilin' Thru and Hirangi and the value of that form was borne out by the fact that Smilin' Thru won the Winter Steelpechase oh the concluding day from Lucidus and the Great Northern winner. Valpcep. Power Chief ran second to the solid Auckland jumper Kinkle on the concluding day at Ellerslie. Bad Fall at Trentham. Proceeding to Trentham. this green horse took on the best class steeplechasers in the July Steeplechase and he gave an excellent account of himself until he made a mistake and sustained a nasty fall. The effects of that fall were not fully realised until he failed to make a/iy showing at all in the Hawke's Bay Hunt Cup. and subsequently, he ran badly at New Plymouth and Wanganui. Power Chief was then turned out for a spell and when he returned to the McDonald menage at Awapuni about two months ago he looked improved all round. Hill ’ and beach work at Akitio had made him more solid, and he quickly showed in his track work that he had lost much of his awkwardness. Power Chief did so well on the eve of the Egmont meeting that his trainer was confident that he would go close to winning, and her confidence was justified. Finished Brilliantly. Power Chief bowled along easily throughout the Manawapou Hurdles on Saturday, and was handy when Arthur Lord called upon him for his effort from the last hurdle. Responding generously to his rider's vigorous finish, Power Chief swept up to gain a narrow, but impressive vic- ' tory, and the effort left no doubts about his improvement. This six-year-old Tractor gelding is a natural jumper, and now he has overcome his early awkwardness, he is likely to improve with every race. Indeed, a Northern or a National may not be beyond him, though the latter part of the winter should see him at his best. Power Chief was bred in Hastings by Mr G. D. Beatson, and is by Tractor, who is 'an imported horse by The Tetrarch from the St Simon mare Gravitation, who was half-sister to that great stayer and- sire of stay,ers, William the Third. Family of Winners. Asterism, the dam of Power Chief, is also the dam of Lustra], who won a double at Trentham in March. She was a half-sister to the brilliant Asturisca, being by that wonderful sire Lord Quex from Asterina. by Merry Moment from Asteroid, by Apremont from Planet, by Caster from Victoria, the dam of that great steeplechaser Kaiterc. Asteroid was a smart galloper and the dam of Asterias, who won the Wellesley and Hastings Stakes, and was a half-brother to winners in Polyastra and. Astrophel. Asterina won nine races, while her daughter, Asturisca, won about as many, including the Flying Handicap at Hastings. Asterina is also the third dam of that useful galloper The Grasper, who won the Napier King’s Birthday Cup among other races. Power Chief is raced by Mi- Frank Armstrong, who won the Grand National Hurdles with Morning in 1913.

Conditions Will Suit. . I Rustem was running on into third place the second clay at Foilding and will appreciate the longer distance in the Raukawa Handicap at Otaki. The easier track conditions will also be in * the favour of the Foxton gelding, who is assured of a big following. Improved. Conveyer jumped the first fence of the Tongahoe Hurdles in good style at Hawera, but, on landing, he got tangled with Erebus and that brought him down. Mrs Alan McDonald has worked a big improvement in his condition this year and. in the smaller field at Otaki on Saturday Conveyer should show up to much better advantage. Quite Sound Again. Silk Sox, who was a smart performer on the flat, and then promising recruit to jumping ranks a couple of seasons back, broke down last winter when contesting the Trentham Hurdles, but a long spell has done him good and he returned to the winning list with an impressive performance in the Adamson Steeplechase on Saturday. It was his first race over country, but he had been hunted earlier in his career and some smart schooling efforts at Hawera brought plenty of support for him. Silk Sox jumped well throughout and, as he pulled up | well, it looks likely that he will win his fair share of the good class jumping races this winter. Silk Sox has more pace on the flat than most steeplechasers, and this he showed in beating Lady Stella, for the Hastings mare gained ground at most of her jumps. However, Silk Sox was definitely a class above her. though he was surprisingly well treated in having only 61bs above the minimum. Hard to Beat. That Electric Flash retains her former brilliancy she showed by forcing the pace for most of the way in the Onewhero Steeplechase;, Electric Flash has not been up long, and that display suggests that she is going to be hard to beat in the shorter steeplechases this winter. Good Race. Although beaten by Saccone at Pukekohe, Vitement ran an excellent race for second. He made up a lot of ground over the last half-mile, and is likely to be hard to beat in hack events at his home meeting at Te Rapa. Out of Luck. Inquisitor continues to race consistently, but with little luck. He was going strongly in third place at the end of the distance hack race at Puke- ! kohe. Inquisitor is a fit horse, whose consistency may soon be rewarded. Bright Prospect. A performance at Pukekohe that seemed to be the forerunner of success was that of Jack Tar in the Paerata Handicap. He is not generally regarded as a sprinter, and did not begin well, but he put in a slashing run at the finish, and with a little farther to go would have won. Jack Tar has previously shown ability to handle bad going, and as he looks extremely fit is likely to be one .of the brightest of the local winter prospects. Overdue Win. An overdue win camo to Valimeen in the sprint at Pukekohe. This Vaals filly has great speed, and outpaced the opposition from the start. C. Morse has handled this mare with patience, and as she is gradually getting more solid, may take much higher rank as a sprinter at four years old.

OTAKI MEETING ACCEPTANCES FOR SATURDAY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GTAKT. May 10. The maiden race at the Otaki Maori Racing Chib's meeting on Saturday will be run in two divisions and the totalisator will be open for each division. As there will now be eight events on the programme the first race will start at 11.50 a.m. instead of noon. Acceptances are: — Tarawa Hack Hurdles Handicap. I’m: Conveyer 10.4: Taumati 9.13; Strolling 9.0; Sunder. Primak, Tycoon, Gascon. All Blood 9.0. lluia Handicap. 7f: Lady Montana 9.0: Export 8.7; Old Surrey 7.9: Aureus 7.7: Lord Cavendish. War Lap 7.6; Beau Gallante 7.5; Solaria, Silver River 7.2; Ruling Spi, Rotoma 7.0. Raukawa Handicap. Ijm: Siegmund 9.0; Meamea 8.4; Galteemore 8.2; Hunting Cat 7.11; Sergia 7.8; Rustem 7.5: Good Sun 7.2. Hack- and Hunters’ Steeplechase. 2jm: Power Chief 10.11; Southern Blood 10.4: Redolent 10.0; Master Hector 9.3; Air Flow. Ngaitahu 9.0. Te Horo Hack Handicap, Im and 55yds: Hinerawe 8.11; Flying Acre 8.10; Red Chief, Toper 8.7: Screen Star 8.4; Dancing Flame 8.2; Sunbeam. Golden Orchid, Etzel, Whetuma, Titter, Gascon, Great Bramble 7.11. Waitohu Hack Handicap. 6f: Saki 9.7: Jeanne, Toper 8.6; Guiding Light 8.5: Conversion 8.4; Stella Lux 8.1; War Cloud. Wakarara. Gay Hunting. Renascor, Pursuit, Miss Waitarere, Dorak 7.7. Kuku Maiden Race, 6f: Coronado. Charmate, Etzel. Gothic. Golden Memory, Girl Pat, Haupongi, Little Robin. Lady Baron, Master Solway, Maturity. Parinui. Peach King. Regicide. Royal Lassie. Royal Show, Speedfast. Te Ore. Yed Prior. Bourmond 8.10; Sir Crusoe. Te Maori. Wings of Song 8.0. I * _ RACING IN AUSTRALIA SON OF AUROUS WINS ADELAIDE CUP. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. ADELAIDE. May 10. The Adelaide Cup, one mile and five furlongs, today, resulted:— Son of Aurous, 7.8 (Olsen) 1 Tempest.,B.7 (Medhurst) 2 Rotex, 7.12 (Carling) 3 Two lengths; length. Time, 2.46. A. STANTON. COMING TO NEW ZEALAND. SYDNEY, .May 10. The jockey A. Stanton will sail at the weekend to ride in the Dominion. He is settling in the Auckland district. Destined for Melbourne. J. Tomkinson is at present training a two-year-old colt by Pink Coat from Repudiation, by Paper Money from Tortrix, dam of Caterpillar. He is the property of his breeder, Mr J. Richardson, of Dunedin, and is built on solid lines. Aranui, who has been in Tomkinson’s stable since being purchased by Mr Richardson a few weeks back, is shortly to be shipped to Melbourne. A Double Loss. The. Matamata owner-trainer, Mr J. Clothier, had the misfortune to lose two of his horses recently. The four-year-old gelding. Broadway Bill, died as a result of injuries received while working and the three-year-old filly, Dark Lady, by Nightmarch from Lady March (dam of Spearmarch), broke a leg and had to be destroyed. The Lady March filly was bred on sound lines, her dam being a sister to Queen March, by Lucullus from March, by Marble Arch from Lady Musket, by Blairgowrie, from Mukerina, by Musket. Floral Robe. Floral Robe, a winner at Blenheim, is a half-sister by Robespierre to Silver Ring, and was bred by Mr G. Murray-Aynsley. She is now trained at Trentham, but has not performed up to early expectations.