TURF NEWS AND NOTES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES.

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Beau Vite Early Favourite for Cups (BY ‘THE GRAFTER. - ’) The New Zealand colt Beau Vite has been made favourite for the Melbourne Cup, and he is also the first on the early list for the Caulfield Cup. Beau Vite ran an excellent race in the last Melbourne Cup, being in front a furlong from the post. Critics considered that on firmer ground he might have won. On the second line in the Melbourne Cup list are the rising three-year-olds John. Lucrative and Pandect, the rising four-year-old Pure Gold, and the proved stayers Maikai and Mosaic.

John, a colt by John Buchan from Mince Pie. is first choice among the coming three-year-olds for the Victorian spring campaign. He macle his reputation by his defeat of Lucrative in the A.J.C. Champagne Stakes, this being his second success.

Lucrative’s winnings include the colts’ division of the Maribyrnong Stakes, the Rawdon Stakes and the A.J.C.j Sires' Produce Stakes, while he Uas runner-up in the Melbourne event of the same name to Trueness. Lucrative is by Gay Lothario from Balkan Rose. Pandect, the third two-year-old on the list, annexed the Gibson Carmichael Stakes and was second to Lucrative in the A.J.C. Sires' Produce Stakes.

Pure Gold was in good winning form last spring, when he won three races over a mile in quick succession. He has not raced lately. Being by Heroic from Herowinkie. he is bred to stay.

The old rivals Maikai and Mosaic are rated equally. Maikai was run-ner-up to Rivette in the last Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, but he won the Williamstown Cup. Eclipse Stakes. Cumberland Plate and A.J.C. Autumn Plate. Mosaic won the Sydney Cup for the second successive year, the W. S. Cox Plate and the A.J.C. Plate. In the third division' of the Melbourne Cup are Apostrophe (South Australia), Beaupartir, Cephren. Dhoti. Nuffield. Old Bill. Reading and Tragopan (Queensland), so that at least four New Zealand-bred horses are in the market four months before the event. However. Old Bill is to remain in the Dominion.

For the Caulfield Cup the chief fancies are Beau Vite, Dhoti. Greenwich, John, Landlaw, Maikai, Moonray, Mosaic, Pure Gold and Reading. Of these Dhoti. Landlaw, Moonray and Greenwich are imported.

Milk Cart Horse Wins. Referred to as "the milk-cart horse." Binstock, who is by the New Zealandbred Bingen Boy from a Ribbonwood mare, won the Trotters’ Handicap at Victoria Park, Sydney, recently. This was Binstock's third race at Victoria Park, and he finished second in his previous starts. For nine months Binstock did service in a milk delivery van at Newcastle, and after proving successful at the Newcastle show in trotting races, was sent to Sydney, with good results.

Doing Slow Work. Defy, Ilie Defoe-Rangitere mare, has been doing slow work at Opaki in view of future engagements. She has not raced since the Otaki meeting in November last, when she was always handy in the Manuao Maiden Plate, but weakened towards the finish. The Lord Quex filly is also being given slow work.

A Disappointing Horse. A solid finishing run by Royal Style into second 'place at Dunedin a month ago evidently was noted by southern sportsmen, who made him favourite for the Farewell Handicap at Oamaru. However, lie had to strike his colours to Counter Lunch. Royal Style has won twice in two seasons and he must have proved a disappointing horse for the stable of A. E. Didham. Counter Lunch. The Iliad filly Counter Lunch opened her winning account at the beginning of the season with successive victories and she is apparently concluding it in the same way. In the interim she was placed five times. Her winning stakes total £395. so that she is still eligible for hack company. Her dam. Countersign, a very smart mare, included the Dunedin Guineas in her list of successes. Counter Lunch is a full-sister to Drachma and half-sister to Linguist.

A Surprise Winner. The surprise winner of the Winter Handicap at Oamaru. Combat, is vising seven years and, apart from the fact of his age, his fame is not likely to become more widespread, lor his activities have been confined to the Otago Province. He has won half-a-dozen races, including two at Otago Central meetings earlier this year. He is a brother to Compensate, who won the McLean Stakes on his first appearance, but whose subsequent career was both short and disappointing. Report Ridiculed. A report in the Sydney Herald states that the wire stretched across the Doomben course was probably put there by children playing on the previous day. Z\ suggestion that the wire might have been placed on the track to injure Beaulivre is scouted. The wire was secured at one end only. Reading Not For Sale. A Victorian sportsman wants to buy Reading, but Mr Gordon Luscombe, part owner, says "that money can't buy him.” Fancy- prices have been offered for Reading. The highest figure to date is lO.OOOgns. Reading is reported lo be doing well in his training at Moorfield and has developed the right way. Sale of Blood Stock. The annual wThter sale of brood mares, racehorses in training, and untried stock, was held at Trentham yesterday by Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co, Ltd. Highest price was fetched by Kilometre, who was sold to dissolve a partnership between Mr J. E. Meuli who recently died. an,d his trainer. O. Cox. Kilometre’s price of 400gns was closely followed by that of 380gns given for an untried bay colt brother to Anita Foo (Defoe—Pollyanna), rising two years. Kilometre was purchased by Messrs F. ,1. Evans and F. 11. Barrell, Feilding.

An Unlikely Starter. Nightbound was unable to fulfil either of his engagements on the opening day at Trentham. and it is unlikely that he will bo able to run at the meeting. It is thought that he caught a chill on the trip up.

RACING FIXTURES

July 11. 13—Wellington. July 20—Matamata. July 20—Waimate District Hunt. July 20— Manawatu Hunt. Jub r 27—Rangilikei Hunt. July 27—Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt. July 27—South Canterbury Hunt., August 3—Christchurch Hunt. August 13. 15. 17—C.J.C. Grand Nation-