TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 August 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE New Zealand and Australian Records

(BY

"THE GRAFTER.")

Only one Australian and New Zealand track record was broken during the 1939-40 racing season, but two others were equalled. Amiable, Dark Flight, Density and Enrich were the successful horses. In running a mile in Imin 344 sec under 8.12 at Flemington last March, Amiable put up fresh figures for the distance, the previous best time, Imin 35Jsec, standing to the credit of Peter Pan, Sarcherie, Ramdin, and Ajax, all their efforts being at Randwick. The New Zealand record for a mile, Imin 35 3-ssec, was done by Smoke Screen at Ellerslie. Catalogue holds the Riccarton record, Imin 37 2-ssec.

In beating Atreus by a head in the Pioneer Handicap on the final day of the last New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton, Enrich ran the five furlongs in 58sec, time that equalled Machine Gun's long-standing Australian and New Zealand record. Enrich carried 8.7 as a two-year-old while Machine Gun was a four-year-old and weighted at 11.5. or 2st 51b more than weight-for-age when he established the record at Riccarton on November 12, 1904. Dark Flight’s winning time of Imin 9 2-ssec in the Avon Handicap at Riccarton last November equalled the Australian and New Zealand record time of Silver Scorn for six furlongs put up on the same track in February, 1933. Both were three-year-olds at the time, Silver Scorn carrying 9.0 and Dark Flight 7.10. Density held Duncannon off by a head in a thrilling finish for the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton last March, running the seven furlongs in the New Zealand record time of Imin 23 l-ssec. The Australian record of Imin 23sec is held jointly by Lough Neagh (1937) and Mohican (1938). Some of the Australian and New Zealand records have been standing for a long time. Miss Gladsome ran three furlongs in 37Jsec at Moonee Valley as a two-year-old in 1893. but this time would have long since been beaten had there been any races over the distance. Gloaming is the half-mile record holder with 45sec, his time being recorded at Trentham in January, 1921. The Riccarton record of 45 3-ssec was done by Surveyor as a two-year-old in 1918.

Fuji San ran nine furlongs at Brisbane in Imin 49ijsec in 1926. compared with the joint Riccarton record of Imin 51 2-ssec done by Admiral Drake (1929) and Nightly (1933). There are few opportunities for good class horses over nine furlongs, otherwise better times would have been done for the distance.

Popular Distance. One mile and a quarter is a distance popular in New Zealand and the record of 2min 2 4-ssec was established by the brilliant Bronze Eagle at Riccarton in 1931. The Australian record is slightly faster, 2min 2sec, and was done by Manolive at Flemington in 1938. Argentic, in winning the Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton for the second year in succession in 1937. ran the mile and a half in the New Zealand record time of 2min 30sec, compared with the 2min 27. : jsec to the credit of Palfresco at Caulfield in 1935. Australian Faster. Spear Chief recorded 3min 19 : ;sec for two miles at Brisbane in May. 1939, while the New Zealand record of 3min 22 l-ssec was done in the New Zealand Cup by Palantua in 1933. Each year sees some alterations lake place, but all the loose records have gone by the board and each season the task of establishing fresh figures grows harder. Several records had been established at Trentham, but the distances had been marked out in error and Trentham records were removed from the list a couple of seasons ago.

Leopardstown. Leopardstown was given another school over four hurdles at Riccarton yesterday. Ridden by G. Ridgway, he went round at a fast pace, and gave a very good exhibition. The present intention is to give him a couple of hurdle races next month, after which he will be sent home for a few months. When he returns to Riccarton from Longbeach, he will be prepared for a jumping campaign next winter.

Finished With Racing. During the .running of the Winter Cup, Alma broke a sesamoid bone, and she has finished with racing. Her last success was in the Christmas Handicap at Dunedin, and. subsequently it became evident that she was beyond her best. Bred in 1932 by Mr L. C. Hazlett. she was a brilliant two-year-old, and in all she won 14 races, including the Canterbury Jockey Club Stewards’ Handicap in 1937. Ravenna, the dam of Alma, who is to be retired to the stud, was a good performer, and as a brood mare she continued to be a success, all her progeny being useful. To Tractor, she produced Amy Johnson and Ventrac; to Paper Money, Alma and Boloyna; and to Gustave. San Marino.

HUNT MEETING

WEREROA STAKES DIVISION,

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 26. The Wereroa Stakes on the first day of the Combined Hunt Club's meeting at New Plymouth on Thursday has been divided. The totalisator will open for each division. Divisions are:

First Division:—Mansura, Valtour, Alexcelia, Moymell, Gold Card, Te Monoplane. Gar Vaals, Mitigation, Vuleran. Seafoc, Windsor Glow, Vai Bay, Gold Blaze, all 8.5.

Second Division: —Hoapai, Liberation, Vacation. Boden Park, Uvedale. Abbey King, Lu Chang, Ra Hou Hou. Surveyor-General, Bournemouth. Colerica, Teasoff, Merrymeer, all 8.5. Starting times are: 11.45, Trial Hurdles; 12.25. Wereroa First Division: 1.5. Wereroa Second Division; 1.50. Whenuakura; 2.35. Hunt Cup; 3.20. Waihau; 4.0, Bracelet: 4.45, Waverley.

Poland Looking Well. . Poland is looking well after a spell and is thriving on the hill work that is being allotted him. It is intended to give him a race at the Avondale Jockey Club's spring meeting. The Dude, a half-brother to Poland, is to rejoin the active brigade shortly and the patient policy that has been exercised with him should be to his advantage.

Avondale Cup. The following are the entries for the Avondale Cup. l.jm: Coronation. Gamos. Te Kawiti, Erndalc. Royal Appellant, Winsome Lu. Prival, Vai Lu, Kelly, Mazir, Sly Fox. Blonde Princess, Srirella. Floodtide, Clinch. Mastci Brierly. Aero King, Day Wind. Black Musk. Silver Glow. Golden Sheila, Raceline. Kena, Valamito. Beau Rcpaire. Royevrus, Our Jean. Mintlaw, Ned Cuttie, Erlick. Jayola, Brazen Bold, Kilcash, Flying Acre, The Cardinal, Siegmund, Gold Vaals. The Tetrarch.

Great things sometimes hinge upon small events. One day at the Straffan Station Stud in Ireland a mare kicked The Victory. His leg was broken, and it was necessary to destroy him. Had that not happened The Tetrarch would) not have been bred, and much of the turf history of the last 25 years would have been entirely different. After Tiro Victory won the Melbourne Cup in 1902 he was sent to England, and ho was leased bj r Messrs Clarke and Robinson to Mr Edward Kennedy. the owner of the Straflan Station Stud. The Victory was a tail male descendant of Herod, and in acquiring him Mr Kennedy, to uhe his own words, aimed to restore in Great Britain "the lost line of Herod." Whether The Victory

would have done much in that direction is'doubtful, as he met with only moderate success as a sive. After the loss of The Victory Mr Kennedy bought the French-bred Roi Herode. He was also a member of the Herod male line. Mr Kennedy had been greatly impressed by Roi Herode when the French horse divided Amadis and Dark Ronald in the Doncaster Cup. and before the end of the year he had purchased the horse from M. Caillault. He was kept in training for the Chester Cud early in the next season, but tendon’ trouble sent him into retirement before the race. The stud season was nearly over, but Mr Kennedy decided to mate him with some mares that year. It was too late for any outside mares, so Mr Kennedy had to restrict him to any of his own. One was Vahren. a daughter of Bona Vista. She visited Roi Herode. and the resultant foal was The Tetrarch. He was unbeaten, and won £11.336 in stakes, and sired winners of £179.603 15s.

May be Profitable. The three-year-old colt Myraid. by Myosotis —Miss Nightraid, may be a profitable member of Mrs J. Campbell s team this season. He had four races last season, without being in the money, when he was trained in the North Island. He has d’one well since he came to Riccarton and looks a likely prospect for later on.

Race Away. A. S. Ellis has made arrangements to take Race Away south this week for the Otago Hunt meeting. The President's Handicap, of five furlongs, should suit him. as he has great speed, though his stamina has failed in recent races over longer journeys. He will be ridden by L. J. Ellis. To Race at Wingatui. F. J. Boyle, who sent three of his horses home to Southland after the Grand National meeting, will leave Christchurch on Thursday with El Caballo and Merry Simon, who will race at the Otago Hunt meeting on Saturday, after which they will go ■home. Both horses have done well since they raced at Riccarton. P. Boyle will ride them in races at Wingatui. Eeau Vite. According to Frank McGrath, who is training him while he is in Australia, Beau Vite’s mission is the Melbourne Cup. The veteran Sydney trainer was impressed with the horse's condition when lie arrived from New Zealand. He carries that healthy and well-trained appearance usually found in a stayer. George Price, who won the Melbourne Cup with Windbag, is greatly taken with Beau Vite. "I think he will take a deal of beating in the Melbourne Cup.” said Price. "He ran an excellent race in it last year and I am certain that he is a much better horse this season." Beau Vite will take on the weight-for-age races at Randwick, and his clashes with Reading. High Caste,, and other stars, will make these events more than ordinarily interesting.