TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 November 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Money Lost on High Caste HEAVY WAGERS AT MOONEE VALLEY (BY “CARBINE.”) Money iost on High Caste in the W. S. Cox Plate Moonee Valley Racing Club’s meeting recently must have been at least £lO,OOO. With High Caste was associated the biggest individual plunge on a ’ Melbourne racecourse for many years. The race was won by Mosaic from Gold Salute and Reading. Beau Vite fell three furlongs from home, causing interference to High Caste. High Caste, in winning two races at the Caulfield meeting, cost bookmakers a lot of money, but they got it all back when he was beaten in the Cox Plate. It was expected that the betting would be a duel between big wagering interests connected with High Caste and Gold Salute, but the plunge on High Caste was the most outstanding in Melbourne for many a day.

A Sydney backer well known for his allegiance to horses trained by J. T. 'Jamieson wagered with greater freedom than ever on High Caste, and probably lost most of what he won on the colt at Caulfield. He bet in a big way with practically every fielder on the rails. Six bets which he made involved an outlay of £1375 for a return of £1425, but this was not the end of this colossal plunge. A commissioner was entrusted with operations away from the rails and several minutes before the race started reported to the Sydney backer that ho had secured altogether £6OO to £590. It can be readily seen that the High Caste money from one man alone easily exceeded £2OOO. Probably* it was nearer £3OOO. Twenty-three bets noticed represented an outlay of £3285 for a return of £3470 10s. To this amount £2729 wagered on the totalisator on High Caste must be added to the losses on the colt. It was one of the worst blows suffered by the betting public in Melbourne for many years. Big money also was lost on Gold Salute. The backer who lost money on High Caste took his defeat with his usual placidity and proceeded to try to square the ledger. He backed Prime Seal in the Steeplechase, and the grey ran third. He had a real dash at Beechwood (second) in the Dundonald Handicap, one of his first wagers being £9OO to £3OO. • Undismayed by his reverses he supported Mildura heavily in the Phoenix Handicap, last race of the day, but the Sydney horse failed to gain a place. About two years ago one investor lost nearly £5OOO in one day. at Moonee Valley and perhaps the Sydney backer on Saturday was faced with losses of almost similar magnitude. The fielders had a great week, as three clays in succession, Ascot, Werribee and Moonee Valley, were all good winning ones for them, but they deserved a turn, as Caulfield was exceptionally bad for ringmen, big and small. Beechnut for Victoria. The two-year-old Rulanut —Attar gelding Beechnut who was secured by T. R. George at the national sales last January, was leased by George lor a couple of years while in Melbourne. Beechnut is to be shipped across to Australia next week, and he will enter lhe Flemington stable of B. Price, a son of D. Price, who will train him for his lessee. Mr M. O'Brien, of Melbourne. Peerless to be Spelled. Peerless, whose form, this spring has been disappointing, has been sent over to Nelson for a spell of two or three months. • Doubleack Coming On. Those who saw Doubleack racing at Invercargill are prepared to see him win a good race before the holidays are over. To Be Tried Over Hurdles. Black Bard, by Nigger Minstrel from Adorn, a mare by Sutala. is to be tried as a hurdler. He is just the right type to make a jumper, and his sire got Jolly Beggar, who won the Grand National Hurdles twice. Identification Discs. When in the saddling paddock prior to big races at Flemington, horses wear headbands bearing their names. In South Africa they carry placards attached to their saddle cloths, these being removed after the parade.