TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE the Tracery Line Stamina Fully Demonstrated MELBOURNE CUP WINNERS CAME FROM THAT BLOOD CUDDLE WON SEVERAL CUPS OVER TWO MILES (BY “CARBINE.") Some brief particulars as to the stoutness of the Tracery line are requested by a Carterton correspondent. Did it produce genuine stayers? asks the writer. In Australia, Peter Pan won two Melbourne Cups, Marabour won the Melbourne Cup, Contact won the Sydney Cup, Akuna won the Sydney Cup, Hotshot won the Easter Cup at Williamstown, Avenger won the A.J.C. Derby, and Sarcherie (the best all-distance mare since Wakeful) was twice second and once third in the Melbourne Cup. All of these horses come of the Tracery line; and in New Zealand Cuddle, another of the line, won several cups over two miles though she did not race in Australia like a true stayer.

This is not a bad record but it does not by any means cover the whole story of the success of Tracery’s descendants. In the 1938-39 season another of the line, Reading, was the best Australian-bred colt of his year, his wins including the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes. ' In England, and America, too, the Tracery line has given more than sufficient evidence of its power to produce outstanding stayers. Workman this-year won the Grand National at Aintree (a race run over about 41 miles), Kayak II won the Santa Anita £20,000 handicap (though this is run over only lOf), and recently Flyon won the Ascot Gold Cup, the greatest international test of staying power, for it is run over 2j miles at w.f.a. A few years earlier the. same race was won by Quashed (the best stayer of her day). The whole of these horses come of the Tracery line. Quashed defeated the American champion, Omaha, a high-class stayer. Up to a mile and a half Gothic was one of the best horses of his period in Australia. At Flemington he ran 12 furlongs in what was then record time; and he won two Newmarket Handicaps, on the second occasion carrying 9.10. Tracery transmitted both speed and stamina to his stock. Gothic was an example of this. Cuddle did not win beyond 9f in Australia, but she ran away with the mile Doncaster Handicap, carrying 9.4. Peter Pan could stay any distance, and he ran a mile as fast as Ajax did, equalling the Australasian record. Anther good horse by Tracery was Tamar. He was afterwards a successful sire in Europe.

On the female side, Man o' War, great racehorse and great sire, came from the same line as Tracery. His dam was Mahubah, by Rock Sand, who came of the Stockwell line. Rock Sand, in fact, had three strains of Stockwell, his dam., Roquebrune, being by St Simon out of St Marguerite, by Hermit, out of Devotion, by Stockwell. Sainfoin (sire of Rock Sand) had two strains of Stockwell.

SPORT OF KINGS OVERSEAS

PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. Many of the horses sent from Australia to India failed to acclimatise. Evidently breeding from English stock in that country is even a more baffling problem than having them acclimatised for racing purposes. “Trying to breed from English thoroughbred stallions and mares in India does not appear to be of the least good,” (writes “Audax” in “Horse and Hound.”) “Anyway, a friend who knows told me the other day that this is what happens to the produce: ‘The first crop are tied in at the elbows and stifles, have narrow, contracted feet, straight shoulders, -are very flat-sided, and really hopeless animals, while as to the second generation, they are absolute freaks.’ ” According to an American writer, 75,000 people annually visit the Faraway stud farm where Man o’ War is located. The great racehorse and sire is now 22 years old, but is said not to look more than 12 years. The horse still retains the proud eminence of being the best-looking sire in America.

The Trump, winner of the Melbourne Cup two years ago, has been supported again this year for the same race, and. he has firmed in the order of favouritism. Because of two indifferent performances since his win at Flemington on June 3 it was thought that The Trump could be discounted as a Melbourne Cup proposition this year, but the move for him suggests that he is doing well in his preparation. As well as having been supported straightout. The Trump has been coupled in doubles with the Caulfield Cup candidates, Pure Gold and Rivette.

According to one Australian writer who saw T. George after Beau Vite had run second to Defaulter in the Chelmsford Stakes, the New Zealand trainer*said: “Beau Vite has the Derby won already.” The same writer also says that Beau Vite is for sale at Mr Stewart’s price, which is not divulged. The 6000-guinea offer was made before the Stakes, so with the colt’s form in that race and his Derby chance also taken into account there can be little doubt that the amount necessary to buy him would run into five figures.

GALLOPS ON THE QUIET

REALLY AMUSING STORIES. It is really amusing to hoar the funny little stories that get around about horses doing gallops on the quiet. One has become so accustomed to listening to them that they have become uninteresting. Each race day at least one or two horses holding engagements have ran “6 in 14,” or “4 in 49,’ at some track or other, but it is generally noted that they have run the gallop far from the eyes of the regular dockers. It’s great fun to hear the tales that come into circulation on race day—if only half of them were true it would be worth while putting up with them. After all, trainers who work their horses for everyone to see and time are always best off in the long run.

RACING FIXTURES

September 30. —Otaki-Maori Racing Club. September 30, October 2. —Ohinemuri Jockey Club. October 5, 7.—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 5, 7. —Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 7. —Bay of Plenty Racing Club. October 9. —Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Club. October 12, 14. —Mast erf on Racing October 14—South Canterbury Jockey Club. Club. __