TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Is Early Racing Harmful?

(BY ‘‘THE GRAFTER.”)

May Not Race Again. After his promising efforts in his previous attempts over country, Begorrah was sent out favourite for the Green Lane Steeplechase at Auckland, but he broke down and finished only a moderate third. It is unlikely that Begorrah will race again.

Fails To Run To Expectations.' In his track work Hanlon had been shaping well with Nightwings, but he failed to run up to expectations in the Members’ Handicap at Dunedin.

New South Wales Jockey Premiership. The jockeys. W. Cook and E. McMenamin, are having a great struggle for the lead on the winning jockey’s list in New South Wales. Cook is well ahead of his rival, being 101 wins in front, but it is almost certain that both riders will ride 100 winners before the season closes at the end of July. Already this season Cook has ridden 961 winners. No jockey has yet succeeded in piloting 100 winners to victory at metropolitan and provincial meetings in the. one season, but several years ago E. Henry topped the century mark on the old pony courses in Sydney. «

A Bargain Horse. Another bargain horse has won the Great Northern Steeplechase, All Irish, who scored this week, having been purchased by Mr A. J. Smales for £lO, states the sporting writer of the ’’New Zealand Herald.” All Irish is a nine-year-old gelding bj r Illumination from Kiki and he is owned in partnership by Mr Smales and his trainer M. O’Connor. Some doubt existed regarding his capacity to run the long journey right out and it is safe to say that if he had not been bracketed with Baldric he would have been at much longer odds. Actually, All Irish had most of the field beaten a good way from home, and it is evident that he is staying much better than formerly now that he does not pull so hard in the early stages of his races. Bred by Mr C. Matthews, All Irish has some good blood in his pedigree. His sire Illumination. who was by Limelight, son of Lally and grandson of Amphion, ran second to Te Kara in the Auckland Cup in 1924, and has sired some useful performers. The dam Kiki was by Winkie. sire of the good performers Pilliewinkie and Bonnie Winkie, from Kilrea. by Kilbroney from Arai-te-Uru, by Birkenhead from Fair Nell, by Apremont from Idalia (imp.), by Cambuscan. Winkie was an imported horse by William the Third. The winnings of All Irish now amount to- £5040. He has had 39 starts for 10 wins, five seconds and seven thirds.

An Expensive Oversight. Mag, who won the first division of the Progressive Stakes at Canterbury Park (Sydney) recently, was not eligible for that race, and the correct weight flag was hoisted before the error was discovered. The stake money, however, will go to Consonance, owned by Mr F. W. Hughes, who announced recently that 20 per cent of all money won by his horses would be given to war charities. The race was for horses “who have never won a flat race or races (maiden, novice, encourage, trial, and two-year-old races, excepted) of the total value to the winner of more than £125.” Mag had never won a race worth in itself £125, but she won several 14.2 handicaps, which placed her outside the qualifications. After the race the stewards questioned N. Dewsbury, part-owner of Mag, who is alleged to have stated that Mag had not won more than £125 in any one race, which was the qualification for the race. When it was pointed out to him that the race was for horses who had not won a race or races of the total value of £125, he told the stewards that in the aggregate Mag had won more than £125. The owners were cited to appear later before the stewards at the Australian Jockey Club oflice when following the inquiry by the stipendiary stewards heavy fines were inflicted. The stewards disqualified Mag for the race, but were satisfied that there was no fraudulent intent on the part of the connections. and that the happening was due to carelessness. They decided to fine the part-owners. Messrs N. R. and R. Dewsbury and W. D. Kelso. £5O. and the trainer (N. Dewsbury) £25.

Riding Engagements for Hawke's Bay. The following are some of Saturday's riding engagements:—O. Evans, Royal Spades. G. R. Tattersall, Endorsement and Versatile. H. J. Callahan, Hunting Mint and Skyette. IL N. Wiggins, City Song and Hunting Royal. J. Forsyth, Isis and Padishah. W. J. Mudford. Flying Flag and Gold Ballad. R. Marsh, Roeon, Royal Star 11. and Vascones (Woodlands). R. W. Savage, Southern Blood. H. C. Murray. Lady Chat. P. Atkins. Oraiti, Heroic Maid (Woodlands), Noble Fox, and Nora Gregor. B. H. Morris, Proclamation, Dainty Doll and Dunmanway. A. E. Lord, Small Boy and Queen’s Dream. C. L. Kerr. Opoho and Dozie Boy. J. Scullin. Tide. N. E. Howard, Malacca. Native Song, and Dusky Morn. W. C. Grindlay, Lucullus Boy. N. Caveney, Son and Heir. Kehua, and Chandlery. A. Jenkins, Limbohm. A. Gregory. Queen Ha. E. Baker, Wild Wind. W. J. Broughton. Lady Ex and Smiling Personality. J. Rae, Haile Selassie. C. P. Shield, Arabic and Blue Tiger (second day).

RACING FIXTURES

June 8. —Dunedin. June B.—Hawke's Bay. June 15. —Hawke’s Bay. June 15.—Greymouth. June 22. —Otaki-Maori. June 22.—Ashburton County. June 22—Waipa. June 29.—Dannevirke Hunt. June 29.—Oamaru.

There is an impression in certain quarters that early racing is harmful to trotters and pacers; but a glance through the list of winners of the New Zealand Sapling Stakes will show that many of our best racehorses were champion two-year-olds. It should be rcmembeied, however, that the Sapling Stakes is run very late in the season, and the contestants are approaching their third birthday. After racing in the Sapling Stakes the majority are given a let-up for several months before being asked to contest the next classic, the New Zealand Derby. Among the winners of the Sapling Stakes are horses that have later entered the best class, and the number includes Doraldina, Childe Pointer, Ahuriri, Taurekareka, Kohara, Arethusa, Silver de Oro, War Buoy and Parisienne. Ahuriri was twice successful inithe New Zealand Trotting Cup, Kohara also won the race, and War Buoy was twice placed, while Parisienne, one of the greatest mares ever raced in New Zealand, was acclaimed the outstanding performer in the inter-Dominion championships held at Addington.

Tuatara Shows Speed. Missing the jump-out in the Wanganui Borough Handicap, Tuatara showed speed in pursuing the field, but the stern chase was doomed to failure, with the run of the race in the Farewell Handicap, he just survived a late challenge by Vivacious, showing gameness in a hard finish.

Worth Keeping in View. A recent series of placed performances entitled Flying Flag to the position of favouritism for the Maiden Scurry on the first day of the Napier meeting. and she won all the way. This filly is a half-sister by Lord Warden to the Southland jumper Slayer, their dam being the Martian mare Battleflag. She should be worth keeping in view for future events.

Form Well Balanced. Form was nicely balanced in the River and Balgownie Handicaps at the Wanganui meeting. In the former ■event the issue resolved itself into a struggle between Colossal Chief, ridden by B. H. Morris, and Young Charles, who had P. Atkins in the saddle. Both horsemen were seen at their vigorous best, but the winner. Colossal Chief, had the better run. They again took part in the finish of the Balgownie Handicap, but the pair had to give way to Kilometre, who was placed in a shorter race on the first day. A Gap Bridged. /Although he had been placed in many important events Dictate bridged a gap of 19 months between his win in the Empire Handicap at Wanganui and his last previous success, in the Buchanan Memorial Handicap at Motukarara. He still carries the colours of the Christchurch sportsman Mr M. O’Brien, but is now trained by E. Simpson, at Trentham. More Will be Heard of Kriemhild. It is evident that a good deal more is going to be heard of the three-year-old filly Kriemhild, winner of the Trial Handicap at Wanganui. She early established a clear lead and won with the greatest ease. She is a sister to Wotan and races in the. same interest, but she went into H. Dulieu’s stable only a week before the meeting opened.

Poutatau. Poutatau, winner of the Trial Plate at Greenmeadows only began racing at the end of March, when he showed immediate promise at Feilding. He is a two-year-old son of Colossus from Tripping, by Nigger Minstrel from Dainty Step, by Lucullus. Dranoel Sold. Dranoel. a five-year-old gelding by Robespierre from Rose of Orange, has been sold by Mr L. W. Starry to a patron of C. C.’ McCarthy’s stable at Riccarton. He has been placed four times this season, without a win. his latest glimpse of form being when he was second to Great Night in the Trial Stakes at Riccarton in February. That race was seven furlongs, and he finished strongly. I-Je looks in good order to show early improvement. A Woman Vet. In recent times women have figured conspicuously in racing as owners of racehorses, but few of them have actively participated in the sport in an official_capacity. ’Women have acted as secretaries of racing clubs, and Miss Margaret Gordon has been handicapper for country clubs in South Australia. for* years. Miss Kathleen Farr, however, probably made history when she acted as veterinary surgeon at the Geelong meeting recently. She has taken charge of the veterinary practice of Mr D. J. Sefton, who is in hospital. She had previously acted in a similar capacity for a Goulburn Valley veterinary surgeon while he was on duty at a military camp. Miss Farr, who isin the early twenties, is the only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Farr, the assistant-secretary of the Australian Jockey Club. She graduated at the Sydney University Veterinary School about 18 months ago. Australian Classics.

Yearling nominations have closed for the classic races of the principal Australian clubs. Some were lodged with the Canterbury Jockey Club for events of the Victoria Racing Club and Victoria Amateur Turf Club. They were: —Mr H. D. Greenwood's filly by Theio —Queen Salute, and colt by Foxbridge —Rose Latour; Dr. R. S. Jay and Dr. E. M. Fitzgerald's filly by Iliad—Lady Burleigh; Mr A. M. Branch's filly by Myosotis—Miss Nightraid, and Messrs J. P. Quncon and M. E. O’Connor’s colt by Tiderace--Dorec. Mr K. Austin's Solicitor General was entered among the sires for the Sires’ Produce Stakes of 1942.