TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1939, Page 11

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Defaulter Departs for Australia Tonight CHAMPION WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY MUNGATOON FOUR-YEAR-OLD WILL LOOK TREMENDOUS IN AUSSIE EYES (BY “CARBINE.”) Tonight at 10 o’clock on the Wanganella, Defaulter, champion three-year-old of last season, and the Dominion’s main hope for the coming Melbourne Cup, will leave Wellington for Sydney. Defaulter will be accompanied by Mungatoon, who was recently purchased by Mr H. D. Greenwood as a galloping companion for the champion. Moorsotis and Royal Chief, from Ricca Hon, will also travel on the same ship. When Defaulter landed in Australia last autumn, it was declared in numerous quarters that he was too big in condition to do justice to himself in the short time at his disposal., This time he will look tremendous in the Aussie eyes. In all outward appearances Defaulter cannot possibly be ready to show form approaching his best by the beginning of September, when he is to appear.

Except for a few weeks’ absolute spell, immediately after he came back frm Australia in the autumn, he has had daily exercises, mostly round the roads, where he was trotted and cantered anywhere from 10 to 12 miles and more recently he has been a regular track attendant. But up till the time of his departure he had not reached that stage of his preparation where he had had a really rousing sprint. He has had quite a lot of useful pace work and short runs at threequarter speed. Defaulter is in great health. Whatever result may attend the opening of his’ tour, the big fellow bids fail- to come up better than ever by the time the important races come round.

In view of L. J. Ellis being incapacitated at present, he brother, A. E. Ellis, has made tentative arrangements to go across to ride Defaulter.

Mungatoon, who is to accompany Defaulter, is doing so more in the capacity of a working companion. F. Roberts experienced great difficulty in obtaining suitable mates to gallop with his colt over anything but sprint courses on his last visit. This time he is making certain by taking one of his own team, the aged Musketoon gelding having recently been purchased by Mr Greenwood.

Royal Chief and Moorsotis were given a two-month spell after racing at the Easter meeting at Riccarton and then were started on their preparation for Australian racing. Royal Chief, who won the James Hazlett Gold Cup and the Sockburn Handicap since he was in Australia last spring, nevertheless did not show his true .form in..his New. Zealand- engagements this season.

Royal Chief, for whom E. Bartie has been engaged whenever possible, is to make his next appearance in the Warwick Stakes, to be run the first week in September, and he should be somewhere near his best by then.

WELL KNOWN TRAINER

TOTALISATOR INVESTMENTS

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE FOR 1938-39 SEASON.* Totalisator investments in New Zealand for the year just concluded are the highest since 1926. In both racing and trotting the year’s investments aggregated more than £8,000’,000, which has taken the figures more than £1,000,000 ahead of last year's joint total. The investments for galloping alone during the season were £5,785,545, against the aggregate of £5.289,415 last year, and of £4,607,069 in the previous season. The increase in the 1937-38 season over- the previous season was about 121 per cent, and that for the season just closed works out at about 8J per cent. There are nine racing districts in New Zealand, and the figures are as

MR J. T. MORRIS TO RETIRE. Mr. J. T, Morris,- the well-known Marton trainer, has decided to retire. He did not apply for a licence this season. Mr Morris announced recently that throughout his career as a jockey and a trainer, which lasted over 50 years, he was never called before the stewards even for a minor breach of the rules. Mr Morris rode in races for 30-odd years and only gave up when his son B. H. Morris became a jockey. During his career, Mr Morris trained three very successful apprentices. The first was Bert Morris, one of New Zealand’s most accomplished riders. Next was L. G. Morris, now established as a trainer at Awapuni, whose riding record during 19 seasons of 637 firsts, speaks for itself. The other apprentice was R. C. Miles, and, in addition, there was the finished gentleman rider, J. F. Morris. During his career, Mr Morris prepared winners of many important races. In 1919 Master Lupin, ridden by A. McDonald, won the Great Northern Steeplechase. and Omahu beat all but Sea De’il in 1922. Omahu, ridden each time by L. G. Morris, scored twice in the Wellington Steeplechase, and, with A. McDonald up, he won the Winter Hurdles at Trentham. Another good winner was the versatile performer Ngata, who won the

Wanganui. Marton and Foxton Cups. SPORT OF KINGS OVERSEAS PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. Rubber skull caps may become the vogue tor Australian jockeys. A Victorian has perfected a cap made of rubber and a patented substance. It weighs 13oz and is slightly larger than the caps now in use. In Sydney a trainer is working on a plan for rubber horse shoes for the protection of the animals when walking along slippery roads. It is recognised that some of the roadways are . treacherous for horses, and rubber will grip better than iron. The rubber shoes cover the hooves. Successful demonstrations have been made. Bookmakers and racing clubs in New South Wales have requested the Government, to permit the circulation of betting charts on big races in Australia. Negotiations with the chief secretary, Mr Gollan, are being conducted by Mr Kilpatrick, M.L.A. It. is claimed that lists on the A.J.C. double —the Epsom and the Metropolitan —and on the two Cups (Caulfield and Melbourne) do not contravene S.P. legislation.

Edward Moon, one of the best known cross-country jockeys of his time, died last month at his residence. Bradley Street, Randwick. He had remarkable success in hurdle races and steeplechases in Sydney and Melbourne till 192 G, but he missed winning several of the more important races. his best wins being in the Grand National Steeplechase on Sir Prim in 1919, and on Clan Robert in the same race in 192 G.

Aranui. who won a division of a two-year-old race in Melbourne last week, was purchased as a yearling by his former owner-trainer. P. T. Hogan, for 240 guineas. Hogan took him to Australia last spring, and won a juvenile event at Caulfield with him. Aranui did not win in New Zealand but ran prominently in the Champagne and Challenge Stakes at Riccarton las! Easter, and shortly afterwards Mr J. Richardson, of Dunedin, purchased him from Hogan for 500 guineas. Aranui was bred by Miss M. B. Lawrie, of i Palmerston North, the darn, Cupid's

Mark, being by Arrowsmith from. Sleeping Beauty, by Bonil'orm from Peace. Cupid's Mark is a half-sister to Pahn also a winner in Australia. Another recent winner in Melbourne of New Zealand interest was Hilton, a three-year-old by Beau Pare from Awaken, by Chief Ruler from Wake Up. He is owned by Mr W. R. Kemball. who purchased him as a yearling at Trantham for 275 guineas. RACING FIXTURES August 8, 10, 12. —Grand National meeting. August 19 —Pakuranga Hunt. August 31—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 2—Taranaki Hunt. September 2—Otago Hunt. September 7, 9—Wanganui Jockey Club. September IG—Foxton Racing Club. September 1G —Ashburton County Racing Club. September 16, 18 —Avondale Jockey Club.

follow: — Investments. Stakes. £ £ Auckland .... 2,094,408 130,019 Wellington 961,982 56,137 Canterbury 761.852 56,884 Wanganui .... 605,270 44,560 Dunedin .... 354,071 28,482 Hawke’s Bay 309,645 27,450 Taranaki .... 303.471 20,215 Southland .... 291,379 24,041 Greymouth .... 103.464 11,463