THAMES RACES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1940, Page 9

THAMES RACES

FIRST DAY ACCEPTORS

AUCKLAND, January .12.

Acceptances for the first day of the Thames Jockey Club's meeting, to be held on January 20 and 22. are: — 12.0—Trial Handicap, 61'.: Merry Vaals, 5.12; Royal Fawkes, 8.10; White Foam, 8.8; Hunter’s Night, 8.7; Bronze Emerald, 8.7; True Measure, 8.6; Flying Eagle, 8.6; General Riske, 8.6; First Gold Money, 8.6; Mandalay, 8.5; Mercury Bay, 8.5; Wishacre, 8.5; Lady Clorane, 8.5; Miss Bridge, 8.5; Kingcraft, 8.5; Joy Vaals, 8.5; Red Hawk, 8.5; Whenua, 8.5; Every Port, 8.5. 12.45 —Maramarua Hurdles, Im. and 5f.: Hopalong. 10.5; Royal Abb, 10.3; Inquisitor, 9.13; Te Hai, 9.10; Centaurus, 9.4; Dauber, 9.2; Mai de Mer, 9.1; Haile Boy, 9.0; Master Appellant, 9.0; Phiakuo, 9.0; Tane Mahotu, 9.0; Enjoyment, 9.0; Midland, 9.0; Flashing Spear, 9.0; Seneta, 9.0; Maereana, 9.0; Fast Wind, 9.0.

I.3o—Flying Handicap, 6f.: Maxam. B.3;.Brazen Bold, 7.10; Bachelor King, 7.10; Corato. 7.10; Tosh. 7.9; Lornacr*., 7.9; Foxmond, 7.7; Anion, 7.0; Miss Te Koura. 7.0; Trilliarch, 7.0; Mon Acre, 7.0.

2.15 —Thames Hack Cup, Im. and 88 yds.: Greek Queen, 8.13; Racecamp. 8.9; Town Section, 8.5; Foxtoon, 8.3; Clipper, 8.1; Raepata, 7.11; Mia Fratolio, 7.11; Trig Sttation, 7.10; Hunting jßee, 7.8; Karatoki, 7.7; Every Port, 7.7) Nithmount, 7.7.

3.0 —Goldfields Cup, Um.: King Rey, 9.0; Namara, 8.5; Pirate King, 8.5; Sunola. 7.13; Te Hai, 7.12; Very Glad. 7.4; Scotland, 7.3; Mintlaw, 7.7; Royal Tray, 7.0; Bonstar, 7.0; Raceline. 7.0; High Delight, 7.0. 3.45 —Putin Handicap, ' 5f.: Heroic Maid, 9.4; Biddy Girl, 8.6; Maneroo, 7.12; Lady Waima, 7.11; Phil Vaals, 7.11; Fairfield, 7.11; Glenbevan, 7.11; Royal Musk, .7.8: Prince Pilot, 7.6; Paymaster, 7.6; Gold Money Song, 7.6: Surpai, 7.6; Volifox, 7.3; Sharmin, 7.3: Bronze Bird. 7.3.

4.3o—Borough Handicap, 7f.: Pocket Venus, 8.9; Prince Rangi, 8.8; Tosh, 8.7; Erlick, 8.7: Silver Eagle, 8.6; Grand City, 8.5; Eastern Heir. 8.0; High Sea, 8.0; Mon Acre, 7.12; Trilliarch, 7.11; Valdene, 7.7; Calorie, 7.7. s.ls—TapuHack Handicap, 6f.: Ora King, 9.6; May Song, 8.12; Penzance, 8.9; Town Section, 8.6; Paxeno, 8.3; Little Ruse, 8.3; Silver Cloud, 8.2; Ngawiri, 7.12; Sir Robin, 7.11; Pasture, 7.10; Hunter’s Rose, 7.8; Paint, 7.7; Orally, 7.7: Royal Rawkes, 7.7; Noisy Night, 7.7; Kakarere, 7.7.

Some Wellington Cup Winners.'

St Michael and Concentrate followed up their success in the Auckland Cup by winning the Wellington Cup. St Michael won at Auckland with 7.4 and at Wellington with 8.5, and Concentrate went up from 7.10 to 8.10. These are the only two horses to win both races in the same season. Rapine won the Auckland Cup in 1925 and the Wellington Cup in 1923. The best record of all is held by Nelson, who won the Auckland Cup, two miles and a-quarter, the A.R.C. Handicap, one mile and three-quarters, the Island Bay Cup, one mile and a-half, the Wellington Cup, two miles, the Dunedin Cup, two miles and a distance. and the Marshall Memorial Stakes, and so completed a triumphal march through New Zealand. He was then taken to Australia, and won the Autumn Stakes at Randwick and Place Handicap on the same course. He was also second in the A.J.C. Plate, three miles, and third in the Cumberland Stakes.

Improvement.

When Vintage won the Wellington Cup with 9.2 in 2min 30jsec he scored comfortably by two lengths from Cuddle, 7.10. Cuddle afterwards won the New Zealand Cup with 7.13, and the Auckland Cup with 9.0 and 9.3 and her form shows how a horse can im-

prove. When Vogengang won the Wellington Cup in 1894, he was saddled up again later in the day and won the Telegraph Handicap. Vogengang was then a four-year-old colt got by Burlington, a son of Albany, whose name occurs fairly frequently in the back of some trotting pedigrees.

Richest Hack Race in Dominion.

The Douro Cup Handicap, to be run over a mile on the second day of the Wellington meeting, carries a stake of £575, including a gold cup valued at £75. and is the richest hack race in the Dominion. The Mosgiel Park trainer, D. P. Wilson, has both Hearth and Lord Puck engaged in this race. Bookmakers in Trouble.

The extremes in betting at Randwick came before the stipendiary stewards at the Australian Jockey Clubs summer meeting. A bookmaker was fined for using his clerk to back a horse which he had overlaid, and another was warned against taking 2s bets in the saddling paddock. There is a rule preventing a bookmaker from backing a horse except when he leaves his own stand, and does the business himself. There is not a rule governing the minimum amount that a bookmaker may accept as a wager, but an instruction was issued some time ago warning bookmakers against taking such small bets. That action followed the decision of a bookmaker to cater solely for small bettors during depression times. He had a notice printed find placed above his stand seeking 2s wagers, and officials took the view that the soliciting - of 2s bets in the saddling paddock at Randwick was not dignified.

A Rare Success.

’ All going well Norseman will be taken north to i'un in the Wellington. Cup. Ke has been worked at Wingatui and looks just in much the same shape as when racing at Riccarton and the recent holiday meetings. The Dunedin stables have never contributed a great deal of support to the Wellington Cup and in all the history of the race only contributed one winner in Loughrea, who won in 1924. They managed to supply some that gained a place, as the Wingatui-trained John Barleycorn ran third to Bunting and Rangitero in 1917, Roseday, 9.5, was third to Loughrea, 8.5, and Gold Light .8.0, in 1924, and Pink Note, 7.1, finished second to Star Stranger, 9.8, in 1928. In that year, Ark Royal went to the post and his trainer, the late S. G. Ware, was perfectly convinced that Ark Royal on their work at Wingatui would have fini ished well in front of Pink Note. Ark Royal was kicked when at the post and had his shoulder broken. He was never any good afterwards. The Stewards' Handicap winner Michaela was taken up for the big sprint one year and she : also had her chance settled by getting | j kicked when at the post. It is such I mishaps that compel criticism when ’ fractious horses received unwarranted latitude when at the post.

J A Light-weights’ Race. Since Ropa won the first Wellington Cup run at Trentham, in 1906, the only winners carrying 9.0 or over have been Achilles 9.4, Star Stranger 9.8, Compris 9.0 and Vintage 9.9. In the same period the only winners with 8.7 or over up to 9.0 have been Maioha 8.7, Surveyor 8.8, Concentrate 8.10 and Defaulter 8.11. Winners with between 8.0 and 8.7 have been Kilrain 8.3, Loughrea 8.5, Enthusiasm 8.5, and Vertigern 8.3. This leaves 23 winners of out a total of 33 who carried less than 8.0. This strongly suggests that the Wellington Cup appears to be a light-weights’ race but nevertheless does not debar a good horse from winning under a good weight. A Horse Partnership. Early Bird will in future race in the partnership of Mr W. Devon and Mr A. E. Cooper. Early in her career Early Bird carried the colours of Mr Cooper, but was sold at public auction to Mr Devon for a high figure. Now Mr Cooper has purchased a share in the mare and in future will supervise her training. Sleeveless Has a Chance, When Sieveless (Valkyrian—-Chival-ry) ran second to Beaulivre in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton last November she carried 7.4. Since then she has again finished second on two occasions, and with 7.8 cannot be regarded as harshly treated in the Telegraph Handicap. Chivalry was by Gay Lad from Lady Talbot by Pilgrim’s Progress from Lady Fillian, a family I noted for winners and stamina. Sleeve-1 less certainly has a good chance in the | Telegraph Handicap.

Thermidor’s Chance. The Robespierre mare Thermidor has in the Wellington Cup what is a luxurious burden when compared with what she has successfully carried. Her chance, however, looks better on paper than it does in fact for the reason that she is generally slow on her legs in the early part of a race, and this would doubly handicap her chance at Trentham, where a fairly good position at the turn out of the straight to the back stretch seems essential to success. If badly placed when leaving I the straight, a horse’s chance then seems to vanish. Thermidor was fancied for her engagements at the New Zealand Cup meeting, but got lost in the crowd. Her best form has been put up in small fields and this fact must be taken into consideration when summing up her chance. In common with others bf her sex, she came to the top of her form in the second half of last season. She won in a field of 16 in the spring at Riccarton, but the opposition was not strong and the course supplies an opportunity for a final run far better than any other in the country. Under her light burden Thermidor might safely be ridden to gain a position without seriously taxing her. but she seems naturally slow on her legs. She had 7.11 in the New Zealand Cup, 8.5 in the Fendalton Handicap, ( and 8.1 in the Metropolitan Handicap, and failed to show up at the business end of a race. At her best, and with a fair run. Thermidor would be hard to beat as the distance would not trouble her. Races are often won or lost in the early part of a race just the same as they are at the finish.

Won, Yet Lost.

There were two cases of backers of a place-getter losing money on the place machine during the holidays. In one case the dividend was 19s 6d, and in the other 15s 6d. This is inequitable, as no supporter of a winner should receive back less than his stake. The conference should consider the adoption of the English system, under which it is impossible for a person who back a place-getter to be out of pocket. Under the English rule every dividend must be more than the sum invested; and, if in an extreme case there is not sufficient money in the pool to enable this to be done, all investments are returned. No percentage is deducted, but the Government, would not allow this in New Zealand. The rule reads as follows: —“After deducting the determined percentage from the pool, and the sum represented by the total of winning bets on the placed horses, the balance shall be divided into as many parts as there are horses placed, and each part shall be divided by the number of unit bets on the horse to which it refers. To this shall be added the value of the bet." In other words, £1 is allocated for each £1 ticket on a place-getter, and the residue of the pool is divided in the ordinary way. Under this method, no backer of a place-getter can receive less than £1 0s 6d.

Most Fancied Candidates. Old Bill. Beau Vite. Malagigi and Gladynev appear to be the most popular horses for the Centennial Cup, and in the Telegraph Handicap those who. are regarded as the likeliest include Arvakur, Bronwen. Amigo, Duncannon, Olympus and Sternchase. To Run at Trentham. Though Footloose is not an acceptor for the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham, he is making the trip to race on the second and third days. H. Dulieu is taking Liberal’s Mint and Life Guard to Ashhurst, and will probably take Ringling and Saxon Tor to Ellerslie az the end of the month. Noble Fox ano Kaiwaka are spelling, and Last Matcn has been returned to his owners.

Brackets at Trentham.

The following horses will be bracketed on the first day's card at Trentham: —Highweight Handicap: Chere Arnie and Colibri; Cymric and Esperance Bay; Kalika and King’s Toast; Lord Puck and Phil; Ruling Star and Scold; Thrasos and Twenty Grand. Wellington Cup: Tooley Street and Tidewaiter; Laughing Lass and Globe Trotter; Moorsotis and Blonde Princess; Monads Song and Raeburn; The Wrecker and Windsor Chief. Ruapehu Handicap: Pekoe and Gay Gipsy.