CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1940, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Interest Centres in Dauber (BY “THE GRAFTER.”)

Dauber, a light-weight Grand National candidate, looks very well and interest will centre in his showing over the course in the Homeby Steeplechase on Saturday. A five-year-old brown gelding by Romney from Orpheum, a Spalpeen mare, Dauber was bred by his owner, Mr J. T. Crawford, and is trained by A. Tinker at Takanini. This year Dauber has had seventeen starts for four wins, three seconds, five thirds, and £990 in stakes. Dauber has won on the flat and over hurdles and country this year. In most of his hurdle races he set a fast pace but did not always run on, though since he started steeplechasing he has shown an improvement in stamina.

Dauber opened his winning account over country in the season just closed in the Onewhero Steeplechase at . Franklin in May, beating Mahala, which was later the runner-up in the Great Northern Steeples. He carried lOst 31b and was receiving lib from , Mahala. At the Great Northern meet- , ing Dauber fell in the Panmure Hurdles and in his other start was third to All Irish and Bells of Bow in the Winter Steeples. At his last appearance he won the W. G. Park Steeples at the Waipa meeting from a moderate lot. 1 Should Pay His Way. ] Recollection had his first run since , the beginning of the 1939-40 season in ( the Claremont Handicap at Washdyke and pulled up well. He has done a good preparation without showing any signs ' of the soreness that was responsible for restricting his racing. , Recollection is one of the best j hurdlers trained at Riccarton and he , should pay his way at the Grand ( National meeting. 1 A Riccarton Prospect. Dranoel did not appear able to hold a position during the early stages of the Pentlow Hack Handicap at Washdyke, but his finishing run was one of the features of the race. He finished wide out and just failed to catch the t third horse, Merry Simon, by a neck. , School Girl beat Captain Bruce, which . also finished fast, by half a head, with . only half a length back to Merry j Simon. Reasonably well placed during the ■ running, Dranoel should be a prospect for the hack races at Riccarton. Didn’t Like His Pants. An Irishman wished to sell a broken-winded horse to a country but found that his intended victim was more than a match for him. “He’ll go just as well with the saddle as in harness,” stated the seller. “Can he gallop?” asked the priest, who on being, assured that the horse was a second Carbine, instructed the seller to sprint him up the road. This was done, and the broken-winded animal was puffing like a traction engine when pulled up. “Hasn’t he a lovely coat?” said the Irishman, patting the horse after he had dismounted. “Yes,” replied the priest, “there’s nothng wrong with his coat, but I don’t like his pants.” Schoolgirl. Schoolgirl has rapidly gone up in the weights as the result of her three wins to date. Although Schoolgirl is in the Winter Cup. she is not engaged in the Brabazon Handicap on Saturday, so will contest the mile hack race. Present intentions are to start her in the Winter Cup. To bridge the gap between winning a race in moderate hack coir-' pany and winning a Winter Cup is tin-, doubtedly a very ambitious undertake ing, but Schoolgirl is improving with racing, and is capable of making a bold showing. She is a well-grown mare by Paper Money from Air Valve, by Tractor from Callbird, by Pallas from Decoy, by Medallion, and unlike many of the Paper Money breed has been given plenty of time before being raced to any extent. A Typical Hunter. The grey gelding Tommy Ruff caused a little amusement by his slow but deliberate jumping in his first appearance in public at Washdyke, especially over the double in front of the stand. He hesitated at the first, but took off a long way at the second, and cleared the fence by several feet with a dashing effort. He evidently did not like the next fence, as he stopped at it twice before he could be induced to scramble over it. He then carried on at a hunting pace and completed the course without further trouble. His young rider was offered a little extra to his riding fee if he succeeded in getting the horse round safely, and there was no doubt about his determination.to earn the reward. Tommy Ruff has made gradual progress under the tutorship of G. Ridgway, and his display on Saturday showed further improvement. Ages of Steeplechasers. The ages of the horses remaining in the Grand National Steeplechase are as follows: —Padishah. 11 years; Clarion Call. 10 years; Erination. 11 years; Slayer. 8 years; Ballybrit, 10 years; Chat, 7 years; Gold Wren, 12 years; Nightbound, 9 years; Trisox, 13 years: Dv&iber, 7 years; Gay Boa, 9 years; Flashlight, 10 years; Makoi, 8 years; Lactose. 9 years; and Golden Glow, 9 years.