TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Largest Private Breeding Establishment in Dominion DISTINCTION GOES TO STONYHURST STUD PREPARATIONS UNDER WAY FOR SPRING RACING

(BY

“CARBINE.”)

The distinction of being the largest private breeding establishment in the Dominion goes to the Stonyhurst Stud, Christchurch. Founded more than sixty years ago, by the late Sir George Clifford, it is there that the horses are bred which continue to carry the Clifford racing colours to fame and fortune on New Zealand race tracks. At the stud there are two stallions, both of them home bred. Winning Hit, by Autumnus—Winning Way, made a reputation from the successes of his progeny, but Wild Chase, by Paper Money—Wild Hind, is in his first stud seaStm, following a good race record. The majority of the twenty odd mares at the stud will be mated this year with one or other of these horses.

Following the practice that has been in force for several years, however, some of the dry mares will travel to be mated with outside sires. Two were sent to the North Island recently on a visit to the Blandford horse, Bulandshar.in Hawke’s Bay. One to go was Rivalry, in an effort to secure a full relative to Winning Rival, and the other was Wild Hind, the dam of Wild Chase. Three mare will travel to The Grange Stud, near Wanganui, Fast Passage (dam of Good Passage) and the young mare Competition (Polazel — Rivalry) on a visit to Phaleron Bay, a son of Phalaris, while Fracas (Winning Hit —Scrimmage), a mare with no stud record yet, will go to Boiefort, by Blandford.

Solicitor General, another'Blandford horse, has been selected as the mate for Ball Dress, a Winning Hit —Equipment mare, with no stud record yet. The trustees of the late Sir Charles Clifford headed the winning owners’ list last season, as Sir Charles had done on several previous occasions, and they have a useful team under the care of H. and A. Cutts, at Riccarton, in preparation for this season’s engagements. Many of them will be in action at the Spring meetings. In Winning Rival and Great Swoop the stable shelters a couple of three-year-olds that showed smart form last spring, and then had to be spelled. They have done a lot of work and have trained on well for early engagements. Both are booked to race at Ashburton next month —Winning Rival in the open sprint, and Great Swoop in the mile hack race. At the same meeting Wild Fox may be seen in the John Grigg Stakes. This is the first two-year-old race in the South Island. Wild Fox, a neat' Foxbridge filly, is a half sister to Wild Chase, a previous winner of this event. Provided they come through their Ashburton engagements all right, these three may be raced at the Dunedin meeting, where Wild Fox will have the McLean Stakes, and Winning Rival and Great Swoop the Guineas as their chief engagements. In addition to these three, the team for Trentham may include Counterblast, the best winner of last season, also Great Flight, a four-year-old mare, needing very little to put her out of hack class. Paper Slipper. Good Passage and Wild Talk are doing only light exercise at present, but they should be ready to resume racing at the New Zealand Cup meeting in November. There will be some more two-year-olds later on. Mr G. R. Macdonald, another patron of the stable, will also be represented at the spring meetings, as he has two horses in training. Scold, a three-year. old filly, by Myosotis—Berate, showed promise last season, while Shikari, by Bulandshar —Capercailzie, is a wellgrown and good-looking two-year-old colt. This pair may open the season at Ashburton, with Dunedin to follow. RACING FIXTURES August 31—-Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 2 —Taranaki Hunt. September 2—Otago Hunt. September 7, 9 —Wanganui Jockey Club. September 16 —Foxton Racing Club. September 16 —Ashburton County Racing Club. September 16, 18—Avondale Jockey Club.

JOTTINGS The New Zealand Cup, to be run on November 4, will be worth £2,000, £1,325 and a gold cup worth £75 to the winner. Nominations are due on September 1, and handicaps will be declared on September 22.

The Australian writer who stated that “the very best of New Zealand jockeys have none the best of it” certainly does not pay a compliment to the control of racing in New Zealand. It has been stated that as a result of experience some of them have preferred to ride on the outside of a field. * The Waimate Racing Club made a profit of £lOO last season, and hold assets over liabilities at £2,429 17s Bd. The club carried out a considerable number of improvements on the course during the season.

There will be no galloping meetings in any part of New Zealand on Saturday. This is the only week during the whole of the season that there will be no racing. Next week the combined hunts’ meeting at New Plymouth and the Otago Hunt Club’s fixture at Wingatui will take place. ABOUT HORSES EPIC SHOWS IMPROVEMENT. Epic, who was in a bad way during the Grand National meeting, is now. showing a slight improvement, and is to be turned out for a few weeks. It is stated from Christchurch that Silver Sight is to definitely retire. Now 10 years old, Silver Sight has 15 wins, 28 seconds, and 22 thirds out of 151 starts to his credit, and his stake winnings are over £3,000. When Cottingham broke down in the Grand National Steeplechase he looked a bad case, but he has improved so much in the last few days that H. Nurse thinks the trouble may not be serious. The horse is to have a spell, but it is hoped he will come back for another jumping campaign next winter. Pandine has made a good recovery from the cold which prevented him from racing at Riccarton, and he has /been nominated for the Otago Hunt meeting next month. Dark Flight, by Nigger Minstrel— Francolin, is to make his first appearance as a three-year-old, at the Otago Hunt meeting next month. The Nigger Minstrel gelding showed much promise as a two-year-old. The Irish Lancer —Kuickform two-year-old filly is a shapely sort, favouring her sire in colour. She is at present on the small side, but big considering the fact that about 20 months covers her actual age. Willie Win has been a long time in easy work, but with the spring racingnear at hand, he will soon have to enter upon more strenuous tasks.

D. J. McDonald is working a shapely three-year-old chestnut gelding by Gustavo from Last Note. He will race under the name of Taxpayer, a cognomen rather suggestive of being overburdened—the last thing desired in racing.

Lord Nuffield is in work again after a spell. He has built up in condition and looks in good order for another preparation.

Biform, the winner of the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, was a consistent performer last season,'when he won twice, was six times second and twice third in eleven starts.

Douglas Hyde, an Irish-bred three-year-old by Interlace, a close relative to the Ohau stallion Defoe, has been placed in training at Matamata by J. W. Cathro. He was purchased at the Dublin sales last year by Mr J. Corbett, owner of Kaspian and The Cardinal.

It is understood that Beaulivrc will open his three-year-old programme at the Combined Hunt's meeting at NewPlymouth. after which he will pursue his career in the Wanganui, Avondale and Great Northern Guineas, the Harcourt Cup at Trentham. and the New Zealand Derby arid Canterbury Cup at Riccarton.

Allan McDonald is working a three-year-old gelding by Paladin from Attractive Lady, the dam. of Lord Nuf - field. The gelding is not built on such massive lines as Lord Nuffield.

Brazen Bold, who won the second division of the Sylvia Park Handicap at the recent Pakuranga meeting, wc-r twice as a two-year-old. and was once second in thirteen starts. He is an Australian-bred colt by Brazen —Ridicule. by Absurd —Cheloma.