TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Awapuni Gold Cup Tomorrow CHANCES OF OLD BILL AGAINST BEAU VITE (BY “THE GRAFTER.”) The race for the Awapuni Gold Cup which will be decided tomorrow was instituted in 1915, and since its inception it has been P won by many good horses. Included in the lists are the names of \ two Melbourne Cup winners, Sasanof and Nightmarch, each of whom had two successes. It is also interesting to note the part played in the event by Hawke’s Bay horses. The first seven contests were won by horses either owned or bred in the province, a sequence of which, the chances of being repeated are remote. From the outset the event proved popular, and the first race for the cup was a memorable one. being won by Mr A. B. Williams’s Chortle. Chortle had behind him that day Mr T. H. Lowry's Balboa, winner of the New Zealand Derby, and Merry Roe. The next year saw the start of a sequence by Mr Lowry’s grand mare, Desert Gold, which has yet to be beaten. Desert Gold won three times in succession. In her final victory, on a very heavy course, her time of 2.14 is the slowest yet recorded for the race.

In 1919, Mr W. G. Stead's Sasanof was the victor, while the following year the Gtatara-bred Amylhas scored, states "The Escort.” Sasanof registered his second win in 1921. while the following year, Ivlarqueteur, a horse bred by the late Hon J. D. Ormond succeeded. There was a break of three years before another success came to the dis-t trict. when, in 192 G. Rapine was the winner. Commendation won for Mr W. H. Gaisford in 1927 and Star Stranger gave Mr William's his third success in the event Ihe following year. This was the last time that a Hawke's Bay horse had won the event until lasl year, when Mr Lowry’s Awapunitrained Beaupartir succeeded from Royal Chief and Peerless. Old Bill and Homily were two in that field who will i be contesting the race on Thursday. Sasanof and Nightmarch were mentioned earlier as winners of the Melbourne Cup. It should also be noted that both these horses won the New Zealand Cup as did Rapier, while the latter .and Rapine were also winners of the Auckland Cup. Tomorrow's contest will not be devoid of interest, for Old Bill, the Wei--, lington Cup and Autumn Handicap | winner, is to take his place in the Kfield. and his meeting with Beau Vite jut • weight-for-age is being eagerly looked forward to. Old Bill has proved a good handicap performer, and in the Wellington Cup. last January, he defeated Beau Vite, from whom he was in receipt of 71b. by a neck. He will be now meeting his younger rival at a disadvantage of 151 b as under scale weights he has to concede Beau Vite 81b. In the circumstances he would be a bold man who would say that Old Bill would win, states the Napier "Telegraph" sporting writer. However, the race should serve to show what class performer al weight-for-age Old Bill really is. Liverpool Grand National. The Grand National will be run at Aintree (Liverpool) on Friday. The topweights are Royal Mail and Airgead Sios. with 12.1 each, and 18 horses were on the minimum. 10.2. Of the 57 entrants only one was as young as six. and five were seven. The others rang-' cd up to 14, that being the age of Lazy Boots, who has. 10.3. There were 17 of 10 years or over. With many English owners and trainers the idea obtains that a steeplechaser cannot be “made" before he is eight. At first acceptances only eight dropped out, leaving 49 in.

Nightbeam May Be Sold. Acting on behalf of an Australian sportsman, Wright, Stephenson and Co, Ltd. have been negotiating for the purchase of the two-year-old Nightbeam, winner of the Great Northern, Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie last Saturday week. An offer of more than £2OOO has been made for Nightbeam, and. a& he was passed sound today by the Auckland veterinarian, Mr J. Lyons, the deal will probably be completed. Bred by the Elderslie Stud, Ltd. Oamaru. Nightbeam is an upstanding bay colt, by Night Raid from Lady Burleigh. and he was purchased at the yearling sales at Trentham in 1939 by •Mrs W. D. Graham for 325 guineas. Up to the present he has contested eight races, for four firsts and a third, and stakes to the value of £l2-40. Nightbearn has engagements in Australia next season, including the Derbies and the St Legers at Randwick and Flemington. If the sale of Nightbeam is completed. Mrs Graham will not be left without a horse, as she also has in training the two-year-olds Night Pilot, by Night Raid, from Lytup. and Stratford, by Iliad from Anne Shakespeare. Force of Habit. The official clerk of the scales did not arrive at a bush meeting in time f) io weigh out the riders for the first * race, and a member of the committee volunteered for the job. While the race was being run the official clerk of scales arrived, and he was on hand to weigh in the riders. He found that every one of them was short weight. On being interrogated as to the reason for having weighed them out light, the volunteer clerk murmured: "Gosh. I must have forgotten myself and thought I was at home.” lie was the local butcher.

I Master Hotspur. The Ringmaster horse Master Hotspur which has been purchased by Mr Patterson, was a particularly brilliant two-year-old which won the John Grigg Stakes and Dunedin Champagne Stakes. He was a long striding colt and a tendency to got. unbalanced when jumping off the mark prevented him from scoring more wins in his first season. He only appeared twice this season and showed a retention of pace, but was not in condition to run out a race. Master Hotspur belongs to one of the most successful families in the Stud Book. His dam Impetuous was got by Litnond from Pennon, from a mare by Eulogy, the tap root of a long list of brilliant winners. Barrier Offences. Considering that fines for jockeys who start from wrong barrier positions arc not severe enough, the committee of the Victorian Trainers’ Association intends to ask the V.R.C. to take more drastic action. At Caulfield recently two jockeys were fined £5 each for having started from their wrong barrier positions. Many racing men lake the view that it is well worth the risk of a small fine if by moving closer to the rails a jockey improves his mount’s chance. But the riders who do so do not run the risk of only a small fine. The stewards may even decide on suspension, as they did one time with W. Duncan when he was at the top of the tree. The punishment meted out for offences of this kind (says the Argus), depends entirely on the circumstances, but any rider who thinks lie can take liberties at the barrier would be well advised to change his views.

Higli Jumping. But for the failure of the light, the ground record of 7ft. Gin might have been beaten in the “Osram" open high jump. This is one of the most successful events, says the Sydney Herald in reference to the Sydney Show, of the afternoon. Many people remained late in the stands to see the five finalists attempt seven feet three inches. Twenty-nine horses contested the event, including Ben Bolt, who at Bendigo in 1938. tied with . Silverwood at 7ft lOin, and Lookout, who at Tamworth this year was credited with .7ft Win. Silverwood, also a competitor, jumped 7ft lOlin at Inglewood, Queensland, this year. Fourteen horses cleared 6ft 6in, but when the bar was raised to 7ft, nine of them found the going too hard. The five finalists wore Lookout, Plain Bill, Ben Bolt. All Fours and Silverwood. Lookout failed at 7ft 3in. and then Plain Bill cleared the bar but dislodged his rider, Charlie Perry, who slightly sprained his ankle and jarred his foot. While Perry was receiving medical aid J. McGee, on Bon Bolt, cleared the bar with a magnificent leap. As All Fours and Silverwood failed. Perry and McGee agreed to divide the £3O prize rather than risk their horses in the failing light. Both Plain Bill and Ben Bolt were jumping so easily that the Showground record appeared definitely in danger.

A Lucky Deal. The story is worth repeating of Mr W. R. Kemball’s luck with Amiable, the Australian mile record holder. Mr F. E. Melton desired to lease a yearling colt named Sunnymorn, but Mr Kemball refused and Mr Melton was given a filly. When the youngster, by then named Amiable, was about ready to race, she became lame. A veterinary report was discouraging, and as the lease had not been lodged with the Victoria Racing Club. Amiable was returned to her owner. W. Hawthorne, one of Mr Kemball’s trainers, took her in hand and within a few weeks the filly ran second at Caulfied. In a little over two years she has collected more than £OOOO in stakes and she has conquered High Caste and Ajax. Mi' Kcmball and Mr Hawthorne formerly resided in Mpslerton.

RACING FIXTURES

April 4. 6.— Manawatu. April 6—Clifden. April 6. —Reefton. April 1). 13.—Hawko’s Bay. April 11, 13.--- Oamaru. April 12, 13.—Whangaroi, April 13. 15. —Nelson. April 20.—Napier Park". April 20.—Waimate. April 20. 22.—Marlborough. April 27. —Waverley. May 25.-—Fox ton. April 27.—South Canterbury. May 2, 4.—Egmont. May 4.--Franklin. May 4. —Amberley. May 11. —Otaki Maori. May 11. —Ashburton County. May II. —Southland. May 11. 13.—Poverty Bay. May 16. 18.—South Canterbury. May 17. 18.— Manawatu. May 18. 20—Waikato.