TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1939, Page 11

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Outstanding Riding Record Established ASHLEY JENKINS IN GREAT FORM AT RICCARTON MOST SUCCESSFUL MEETING IN MASTERTON HORSEMAN’S CAREER (BY “CARBINE.”) Riding 13 :horses at the recent Grand National meeting at Riccarton Ashley Jenkins, Masterton's cross-country horseman, established an outstanding record of seven wins, a second and three thirds. He rode in only three flat events, in two of which he was out of a place. Riding steeplechasers and hurdlers is a strenuous task. Jenkins's riding cheque for the three days was something like £215 and no Riccarton patron can deny that it was not well earned. Horses ridden by Jenkins collected something like £2,390 in stakes or a little more than one fifth of the total prize money.

The riding by Jenkins and the jumping of Padishah were the two features of the meeting. Jenkins rode with masterly judgment over both hurdles and across country, and displayed his versatility on Saturday by riding Gay Chou in a vigorous finish for third money in the final race. This was the most successful meeting in the career of Jenkins, who last season rode 38 winners, five at the Auckland winter meeting, where he won the Great Northern Hurdles on Charade. Seven wins places him at the head of the jockeys’ championship—only temporarily, because Jenkins said on Saturday that he would retire from riding till next summer, except for schooling any of the horses trained by him.

Jenkins has eight horses in his stables. After being apprenticed to A. Atwood, of Feilding, Jenkins has consistently ridden between 20 and 25 winners each season. He won the Grand National Hurdles on Callamart in 1931 and the Grand National Steeplechase on Clarion Call last year; the only other jockeys to ride the winners of both events are P. Johnston (who trains Aussie Ra), A. E. Ellis, W. Young and R. Beale. Jenkins’s first ride on Tuesday was Gay Chou in the Papanui Handicap. The Australian-bred horse was out of a place. His next mount, Charade 5 ) was a winner, the mare staying well to beat King Rey in the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap. Slayer finished third in the Grand National Sheeplechase. On the second day he had three wins and a third in five rides. He won the steeplechases on Bridegroom and Slayer, and a hurdle race on Begorrah, while he filled third place in the Grand National Hurdles on Charade, and was out of a place on Gay Chou. On the final day Jenkins won the first three jumping races on Hanover, King Rey and Begorrah, and he was beaten by a head on Bridegroom, which was outstayed by Slayer. Jenkins had ridden Slayer in the Otago steeplechaser’s first two starts at the meeting. In the final event of the carnival, Jenkins rode Gay Chou into' third place. He was at the peak of his form. I

There is welcome news about the next Grand National. Alterations are to be made in the rules, which will limit the weight any horse has to carry to 12.0, while the minimum weight will be 9.7. It is pointed out, truly enough, that several horses carrying 12.7 have won the race in the past but, considering those terrible jumps and the length of" the course, it is more than any horse, however stout-hearted should be asked to carry. Jockeys and trainers alike agree that in that last halfmile every extra half-pound tells on the the courage of these gallant topweights. It has been said politely that 12.7 can only be carried with discomfort. It might perhaps be expressed in much stronger language. Some horses are cruelly distressed by the time the winning post is reached. As a result of this all-round reduction in weights, the race will take on a brighter aspect, and we shall witness fewer of those falls that arc the result, not of bad jumping, but of sheer fatigue. The death occurred on Monday al the age of 85 of the Ellerslie trainer. Frederick Thomas Stenning. _ Of a genial disposition, Mr Stenning was widely popular and he will be missed by his many friends. It is only recently that he relinquished training and handed over Valspear, the last horse with whom he was associated, to his son, R. G. Stenning, who is training Melvanui. Mr Stenning came to New Zealand from England as a lad of 10. being first employed on the Goodwood and Bushy Park stations, near Oamaru. For years before coming to Auckland he was associated with various stables and stud farms and at Ellerslie he became one of our best-known trainers. Among the horses who passed through his hands were Jack Delaval, Hohoro, Woodbine. Mangere, The Sharper, Cobweb. Atlanta, Dunbrove, Soultane, Monojack, Pairawatu and Mullingar. It is understood that Gold Salute will probably be taken to Australia for the spring meetings. He has developed into a rather fine and upstanding, colt that on appearance would not be out of place in any classic field. At the recent. Racing Conference a remit was thrown out which would have prevented a change of riders being made during a meeting. Gold Salute had a change of riders during the Grand National meeting, with particularly notable results.

RACING FIXTURES I

August 19 —Pakuranga Hunt. August 31—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 2 —Taranaki Hunt. . September 2—Otago Hunt. j September 7, 9 —Wanganui Jockey j Club. ; September 16 —Foxton Racing Club. , September IG—Ashburton County ] Racing Club. < September IG, 18 —Avondale Jockey I Club. I