TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1940, Page 9

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Training Operations at Opaki MOST HORSES ON EASY LIST GAY CHOU RECOVERED FROM INJURY

(BY

"THE GRAFTER.")

With the exception of B. Burgess’s team easy work is being indulged in by horses at the Opaki course. Lady Montana, White Rajah and Augment are being kept well in the collar, and are stepping out nicely, having greatly improved as the result of recent racing. It is on the cards that these horses may make a trip to Rotorua or some of the meetings in the vicinity. If so it should be profitable as Burgess has been putting great work into his charges. The Lord Quex —Kilceit mare since her recent appearance on the racing track has shown improved form, having shaken off the stiffness which was noticeable a short time ago. Consequently a series of wins or places may soon come her way. The Eastern Monarch Princess Rosalie gelding. White Rajah, owned by Mr J. Jameson, of Masterton, has greatly pleased in his work recently and must be practically at the peak of his form. He is due to salute the judge before long.

Gay Chou Recovered. It will be remembered that Gay Chou was going particularly well in the Criterion Handicap at Riccarton last November when he was galloped on. This was, indeed, unlucky for the Gay Lothario—Chouette gelding and not only was his chance spoilt in the Riccarton race but he was robbed of racing at the Christmas meetings. However, it is satisfactory to note that he has now recovered and is being put into work again. On the Easy List. B. J. Kellaher’s team is on the easy list at Opaki following on a successfultrip to Pahiatua, but will soon be put in active service again in view of meetings prior to Easter. Filling the Gap. Heroic has passed on, but he has left several notable sons to carry on his line, and one of them is Hall Mark, who was represented by another winner recently at Moorefield. Hall Mark was probably the best horse sired .by the brilliant son of Valais, as he won the A.J.C. and the Victoria Derbies, as well as the Melbourne Cup. Now it appears as if Hall Mark is going to be just as successful at the stud as he was on the racecourse. His progeny raced for the first time this season,, and ..the fe.w who have been tried have all shown promising form. One of them is Rylstone, a winner of two juvenile events recently, and the latest to score is Mark Twain, a fine colt owned and trained by his breeder, William Booth.

Raratonga. Raratonga has returned to his quarters at Masterton after a trip to Auckland. Though the Philamor colt did no good as far as stake money was concerned he benefited in other ways by the trip. On left hand courses he always runs wide at the turn and with a view to breaking him of this he was tried out on the right hand courses up north and ran a much better race than he does on the former type of course keeping well in at the corners. He is being given light work at Opaki. Ashley Jenkins's team is also doing easy work. Big Expectations. Speaking of High Caste, Mr George Tancred, brother of the owner of High Caste, said that the colt had improved'so much that he was expected by his connections to become the outstanding colt of the season. "High Caste is such a great doer that he requires a lot of»racing, and we have to keep him in training when many others would be spelling," Mr Tancred said. Would Be A Great Race. According to the latest Australian information Ajax is ready for the acid test of big racing and has come through his preparation well. It appears definite that he will race again before he is retired to the stud. There is talk in Sydney of a match race among Reading, High Caste, and Beaulivre. Reading and High Caste are the best of their age in Australia. Possibly they will meet in the weight-for-age races at the Flemington autumn carnival. Mr G. Luscombe, part-owner of Reading, stated that he would not dodge a meeting with Beaulivre. He expects Reading, to have improved out of sight, since he claims that the colt made an amazingly quick recovery from being at death’s door with laryngitis and pneumonia. He fancies a ' match race up to a mile and a half. Turf Retirements. The news that Manolive was to be retired has been confirmed. This Manfred —Sister Olive horse was the horse of the hour early last season, and he was, for a time, looked upon as the horse likely to trouble Ajax. He failed in the St George Stakes, when the champion ran him off his legs, and then broke down in the Australian Cup when he appeared to have a winning lead. It is probable that the last has been seen on the racecourse of that great galloper Spear Chief. In the spring he developed a weakness in one of his tendons, and he. in consequence, had to miss the spring racing. It was thought a rest might result in thetrouble clearing, but it reappeared and now his owners are considering retiring him. He will either be sold or leased as a sire. The Three-year-olds. Three-year-olds have played a prominent part in the decision of many of the important handicaps in the Dominion this season, and on Saturday at Ellerslie, two of that age, Our Jean and Fils de Vaals, fought out the finish of the Takapuna Cup. Both had performed creditably at the Christmas meeting at Ellerslie, when Our Jean finished third in the Nathan’s Memorial Handicap. of one mile and a quarter, and Fils de Vaals won the Summer Cup over the same distance. Going on to Wellington, Fils de Vaals disappointed, running much below form. Back at Ellerslie, however, he was responsible for a sterling performance in the Takapuna Cup on Saturday. At the rear of the field tor most of the way. he unwound a brilliant run to finish a neck away from Our Jean, who was among the leading division throughout. Mintlaw was three-quarters of a length away in third place. It is a coincidence that all the placed horses were sired by Vaals, who is a serious rival to Hunting Song in producing winners when conditions are soft underfoot. RACING FIXTURES February 8 and 10.—Egmont. February 10 and 12— Poverty Bay. February 10 and 12—Gore. February 10 and 12.—Rotorua. February 16 and 17.—Winton. February 17.—Tolago Bay. February 17.—Opunake. February 17 and 19—Waikato. February 22 and 24—Dunedin. February 24.—Waiapu. February 24 and 26.—Westland. , February 24 and 26.—Te Aroha. February 24 and 26.—Woodville.