TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 October 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE The Masterton Meeting

(BY “THE GRAFTER")

Training operations at Opaki are now speeding in view of the Masterton Racing Club’s spring meeting this month. The nominations are most-satisfactory and would indicate a substantial field in each event on race days. Haughty f Winner, the Winning Hit gelding, trained in the South by C. C. McCarthy, has been entered for the two chief events. He is reported to be in good form and steadily improving. His last placing was second to Lady Tinkle in the Winter Cup. He ran unplaced in the Selwyn Handicap at the same meeting. Should he make the trip to Masterton there will be added interest taken, in the Masterton Handicap and,the Vallance Memorial Handicap. Another nomination iff the (two chief events is Old Surrey, the Hunting Song gelding from Martella. He won the Hokowhitu Handicap at the Manawatu meeting in May last and the Century Hurdles at Wanganui in June. He is reported to be coming away ve,ry well. Lindrum, another double entrant, is a Siegfried—Tale Teller gelding. He was successful in five .races lastiseason. He won the Taratahi Hack Cup at the Carterton meeting and the .Halcombe Handicap at Feilding, as well as the Makino Handicap three races in a row. Another horse entered for both events is J. M. Cameron s charge The Ring (Siegfried—Gay Salute), who won three races last season—the Meamea Handicap at Napier by a nose from Lindrum; the Hawke's Bay Cup with Lindrum again second and Galteemore third, and the Kelburn Handicap at the Wellington summer meeting, in which Pearl of Asia was second. The Ring is said to ibe in 'great heart and if he starts at the Masterton meeting should make the pace a merry one.

A Good Stayer. Willie Win, the Great Autumn. Handicap winner of last season, has 8.12 in the New Zealand Cup. In the Great Autumn, run over one mile and a 'half, he" carried 8.7 and won by three lengths. Even with half a mile further to go and a rise of 51b, he still looks well enough placed with 81b under weight-for-age. Willie' Win’s chief recommendation over the distance was a second placing under 8.1 to The 'Trump (8.5), in the Melbourne Cup of 1937, half a length separating them. On the same trip, he was runner-up to Frill Prince in the mile and a half Hotham Handicap, prior to the Melbourne Cup, and after it dead-heated for third with Donaster in the mile and three-quar-ters V.R.C. Handicap, Old Rowley and Silver Standard beating them. Willie Win 'was then a six-year-old, while now he is nine. He also looks particularly well and cannot be regarded in the light of a spent force. A Well Performed Mare. Taurangi, a well-performed mare, is rated as the best of her sex, being third, in the New Zealand Cup list under 8.8. By Beau Pere from Barbacan, an Australian-bred mare by Top Gallant, she is a five-year-old and is trained by D. T. Marks at Fordell for Mr W. McA. Duncan. Last season she won the Stratford Handicap and the Waikato Cup at her last two of three starts. Unfortunately, Taurangi had to be spelled after the Waikato Cup in which she carried 8.13 over the mile and three furlongs, defeating Balinavar (7.13) by half a length. It was a strong field and the first time Taurangi had been called on to. race over the distance. Taurangi reappeared at the Wanganui meeting, running third in a sprin-i race. Trentham form can be depended on to provide the correct line to her chance. Mares have done well in the race in . recent years, winners, being Oratrix (1928), Fast Passage (1932). Palantua (1933), Steeton (1934), Cuddle (1935), and Cerne Abbas (1937).

Royal Chief. Royal Chief is still considered the outstanding distance horse in the Dominion as once more he has been given the maximum weight, 9st 61b, in the New Zealand Cup, to, be run at Riccarton on November 9. It is a weight that has stopped many horses, the only one to carry it successfully in the present century being Nightmarch (1930). Last year Royal Chief ran fourth, a good performance in view of the fact that he was giving the leaders a big start with half a mile to go. While it is not usual for a good horse to show improvement as a six-year-old, Royal Chief may be one of the exceptions. He is in great shape at this stage of his preparation and with races at Wingatui and Trentham to provide a line to his prospects, he is certain to be one of the early favourites. Whatever his fortune in the meantime, Royal Chief cannot be penalised, as the conditions of the race provide that no horse can be rehandicapped to carry above the standard weight-for-age scale.