TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 October 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Royal Chief Said To Be In Good Form WILL HAVE BIG SAY IN NEW ZEALAND CUP (BY ‘■CARBINE.") The inclusion of Royal Chief in the New Zealand Cup lends class to that field. He is reported to be in good form. Royal Chief returned this week from Australia and his form at the A.J.C. carnival recently proved that he must be nearly at his best. If he is in top gear he will take a powerful lot of beating in New Zealand's chief flat race. Not only is he a good weight carrier but he is a stayer, and has only one pound more than weight-for-age to carry in the big Riccarton event. It is unfortunate that Beaupartir was withdrawn from the New Zealand Cup because after his race in the Harcourt Stakes the son of'Beau Pere—April Fool gave evidence that he was getting well to the top of his form and that the cup race was well within his range of achievement.

Though Siegmund won the Great Autumn Handicap last Easter he failed in the New Zealand Cup last year. That is not to say, of course, that the Cup is not within his grasp this year as he is training on very successfully. There were many followers of the turf who consider Thermidor may have something up his sleeve for the Cup, because he ran a second to Defaulter in the Wellington Cup; still he did not display anything of a flattering character at Gore.

Three New Zealand Cup candidates who are much talked of just now are Yours Truly, Centrepoise and Lady Furst. Keen judges hold the view that the former will keep Royal Chief moving, and that the Hastings candidate Centrepoise may well be up at the business end of the race.

Lady Furst usually attempts to win her races from the barrier which is not conducive to success in a two mile race. Still, after her Wellington Handicap performance it will be seen that she has staying power if properly handled.

Passaform will represent Washdyke in the New Zealand Cup, and, although he is certain to carry a few pounds overweight to secure the services of a strong horseman, he is entitled to consideration. He is very well and there need be no doubt regarding his staying ability. He will be seen out at Motukarara on Saturday, and a better line may then be available about him. Hunting Cat has won three races in recent weeks and may be due for a rehandicap. He is also by Hunting Song. Yours Truly has been rather unlucky in many of his races. He is bred on sound staying lines and many North Islanders fancy his chance. If the winner is to come from "the’ 7st division; which is surprisingly well represented, the honour may go to Mishna, who has raced consistently for a long time, although Capricious may also be worthy of consideration.

Though the New Zealand Cup is full of pososibilities it would appear on the face of things that those horses with the best prospects are Royal Chief. Lady Furst, Centrepoise and Passaform. New Zealand Cup horses to race at Motukarara tomorrow are Passaform, Dictate, Settlement, Swordstick, The Wrecker, Capricious and Spartan. Cerne Abbas failed on this course on the Saturday prior to winning the Nev/' Zealand Cup. Riccarton Handicaps. The following are the weights for the Riccarton Handicap, 9f, to be decided at the C.J.C. meeting: —Thermidor 9.0; Haughty Winner 8.13; Queen of Song. Sovereign Lady 8.11; Lady Montana 8.10; Trench Fight. Wardress 8.7; Baran, Rabble, Wagner,. Dainty Sue, Settlement 8.1; Swordstick 8.0; Norseman 7.13; Queen Dorothy 7.12; The Sandwich Man 7.9; Studley Royal 7.8; Wine Cara,.. The Wrecker,.. Spartan Wild Talk, Rebel Lad, Roseman, Master Dingle 7.7. ft-—--Entries for Auckland Handicap. Entries for the Auckland Racing Club Handicap, of £l5OO. 11m, are as follow;—Round Up, Flood Tide, Catalogue, Birthday Boy, Hot Box, Palmint, Yours Truly, Barrister, Poland, Thermidor, Balinavar, Gold Vaals, Saccone. Wotan, Golden Sheila, The Cardinal, Parquet, Royevrus. Bonstar, Entail, The Wrecker, Old Bill, Peerless, Spartan, Wardress, Dictate, Beaupartir, De Friend, Francis Drake, Pern, King Rey, Sly Fox, Master Brierly, Llangollen, Scotland, Cheval de Volee, Fils de Vaals, Raepata, Royal Appellant.

Auckland Cup Entrants. Nominations for important events at the Auckland Racing Club's summer meeting, to be held at Ellerslie on December 26 and 28, tmd January 1 and 2, closed with the total of 291, compared with 373 for the same races last year. The races concerned and the number of entrants, with those last year in parentheses, are as follows: —Auckland Cup, 47 (48); Railway Handicap, 46 (51); Summer Cup. 51 (65); Auckland Racing Club Handicap, 39 (52); Nathans' Memorial Handicap, 56 (79); the King’s Plate, 24 (36); and the Clifford Plate, 28 (42).

The nominations in the Auckland Cup, of £2950 and cup valued at £5O, 2m, are: —Round Up, Flood Tide, Catalogue, Birthday Boy, Hot Box, Palmint, Yours Truly, Barrister, Poland, Racecamp, Thermidor. Balinavar, Gold Vaals, Hackenschmidt, Saccone, Wotan, Golden Sheila, Kobi, Farland, The Cardinal, Parquet. Royevrus, Bonstar, Entail, The Wrecker, Old Bill, Peerless, Spartan, Wardress, Clessamor, Dictate, Beaupartir, Francis Drake, Pern, Inquisitor, King Rey, Winsome Lu, Sly Fox, Blonde Princess, Master Brierly, Llangollen, Scotland, Cheval de Volee, Fils de Vaals, Beverley, Bisquit, Raepata.

Trials for Major Events. Two New Zealand Cup candidates and one Stewards’ Handicap acceptor were seen out at Rangiroa. Shanghai Lily disappointed in the Rangiora Handicap. Although she did not get the best of the start, she was near enough to Dividend and Flame Queen with a mile gone to have a winning chance. She was in trouble at the top of the straight. The Wrecker was one of the outsiders of the small field in the Open Handicap, and he was putting in good work in the run home. Baffle, who remains in the Stewards’ Handicap, showed no form in the Oxford Hack Handicap.

Brilliant Effort by Kilrobe. Kilrobe again displayed an unwillingness to face the barrier at Rangiora, but once on the journey she showed brilliant speed in the Open Handicap. She was staying on at the end of the seven furlongs and a half race.

The Sandwich Man Shows Little Dash

When paraded for the Open Handicap at Rangiora, The Sandwich Man looked well, but he raced with little dash. He made a forward move after going half a mile. However, the effort was short, lived.

Aggravate-s Eight Wins. Aggravate has won eight races since he opened ids winning account at Rangiora 12 months ago, but he has still one nomination as a hack to run out before going into open company.

Not a Steward Possibility. Disdain was well placed at the false rail in the Nainai Handicap at Trentham, but then weakened badly. On her two efforts she can be dismissed as a Stewards’ possibility.

Great Flight Fails. Great Flight was well enough placed turning for home to have had a chance in her engagement at Trentham, but was then under the whip, and, in spite of vigorous riding in the next furlong, she failed to make any impression.

Always in the Rear. Night Prince, owned by the Hon G. R. Hunter and the Hon P. C. Webb, was slow away in the Novice Handicap at Trentham and was always one of the rear division. The Stewards Handicap. The field for the Stewards’ Handicap was reduced considerably when an acceptance was taken last week, and some more defections can be expected, although the number of starters should be well up to the average of previous years, with good class represented. Paper Slipper is to attempt his third victory in the race. He won last year with 8.6, and. although he has only won one race since, he has 9.5, which, in the face of his lack of racing, may be against him.

Nightcalm has proved himself a solid sprinter, and, if he races well at Motukarara on Saturday, he might be in strong favour. Gay Chou may find the distance a little short, as he appears to have lost a little of his early brilliance, but his effort at Trentham on Monday suggested that he will win some money on the trip south. The crack three-year-old Beaulivre has a host of admirers, although he has his fair share of weight. However, in his present form it is difficult to go past him. He is a' smart beginner and is capable of being well placed from the outset. x

New Zealand Trotting Cup. Gallant Knight's achievement in winning the Hannon Memorial Handicap at Oamaru has brought him into strong favour for the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Outstanding features of his performance were the courage and determination he showed, when, after a severe set-back at the start through interference, the task looked hopeless, and the superior stamina he showed over the concluding stages. He was back in ninth place with a round to go, and, in order to improve his position, he had to start his run nearly three furlongs from home, and in a field that was bunched. He was forced to cover a good deal of extra ground while rounding the bend into the straight. Once in line for home, he bridged a gap of four lengths, and although he beat Fine Art by a head only, he was going away from his field at the time. It was an impressive performance, and the race will do him good. He will go to the starting post for the cup at the peak of his form. It was a mile and a quarter race, and, under the handicapping schedule for spring events, he had to concede a a start to horses he wilt meet on level terms in the cup.

Stewards’ Candidates at Gore. The form of four C.J.C. Stewards' candidates, Lord Nuffield, Skyrena, Flagman and Dark Flight, at Gore was followed with more than ordinary : interest. Dark Flight was the only one to be returned a winner, but it is doubtful if his performance was up to the standard required of a Stewards’ winner. The Nigger Minstrel three-year-old beat Adina and Nigger Boy, who appeared definitely unlucky, by a narrow margin, and he will re- 1 quire to prove himself in open company before he can be considered for ' such a race as the Stewards’. Flagman ran a fine race when beaten a head by : Phalanx, but he does not impress as ; one likely to show up at Riccarton. Skyrena was not prominent either - day and she will require to improve a lot. Lord Nuffield had only one race at Gore, when he was unplaced, though ho had bad luck through his saddle slipping, over the last half-furlong. Lord Nuffield looks on condition to be a candidate class enough for the Stewards’ Handicap. Race Call in Form. On the track at Hawera yesterday Race Call (Farland) and Winsome Lu (Reilly) traversed half a mile in 521. The former is in great heart at present and promises to take a lot of beating in the sprint event on Saturday at Bulls. Considering that he was narrowly beaten under 9.0 on Monday he should appreciate a drop to 7.10 in the Clifton Handicap. O. Evans will again take the mount. Wellesley Stakes Winner. Enrich is a neat bay colt by the March Along horse Safari out of the Paper Money—Gazeworthy mare Sight Draft, a two-year-old winner herself, and he is thus a full-brother to Globe Trotter. He is only the fourth representative of his sire to have raced, but three of them have already been winners. At the dispersal Sale of the late Mr W. Higgins’s horses he was bought by Messrs R. Berryman and E. S. Craig, of Wellington, newcomers to the racing game, for 225 guineas, a price that has been quickly returned. Not Ready For Task. Beaupartir has been allowed to drop out of the New Zealand Cup, probably because he was too big in condition to be got ready for such a task. Bad Starting Post. The Wellington Racing Club should seriously consider the advisability of dropping races over a mile and a-quar-ter, writes “Sentinel” in the “Otago Daily Times.” In a big field an unlucky draw for position may completely settle any chance of winning. In the Watkins Handicap the placed lot all began near the rails. Rabble, who finished fourth, began from 12, Wagner from 17 and Homily from 13, and these were the only one from a wide position that got anywhere near the placed lot. Tooley Street began from 6 and was boxed on the rails until reaching the false rail, but then failed to take advantage of an opportunity. Lowenberg 21, Lady Montana 18. and Windsor Chief 19 were settled by a bad position at the barrier. The club, by the way. has discarded the six-strand barrier formerly in use at the mile and a-quar-ter start. Trotting Record Broken. The world’s two-mile trotting record of 4min lO’.sec. standing 1o the credit nf Pntor Manning since 1925. was reI ccn+lv lowered to 4min Gsec by the’ American wonder. Greyhound, who also holds the world’s mile trotting record of Hnin 551 sec. and the mile and a-half record of 3min 2 2-ssec. The flying grey trotted each mile of his two miles’ run against time in 2min 3sec, coming home the last quarter in 29Jsec. On the same course Billy Direct, who holds the world’s mile pacing record of Im in 55sec, made a new halfmile track record of 2min o,}sec.

A Good Start. Kindergarten, winner of the Juvenile Stakes at Poverty Bay on Saturday, is the first two-year-old of the season to win two races. Like Kindergarten. Kintyre and Dusky Morn, who filled the minor places, are all sired by the Poverty Baj’ horse Kincardine. FIXTURES. October 28. —Banks Peninsula R.C. October 28. —Ranffitikei R.C. November 3. 4. —Whangarei R.C. November 4. —Napier Park R.C. November 4. —Stratford R.C. November 4,6, 8, 11. —Canterbury J.C