TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1940, Page 11

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE New Zealand Cup Conditions (BY “THE GRAFTER’’) It has been stated that The Raker, with £369 in stakes to his credit, would probably escape a rehandicap in the event of a win before Riccarton because Sly Fox went up only 31b for a win worth £7OO. That may be so, but Sly Fox already had 8.0, while the Raker has 7.0. The conditions attached to the New Zealand Cup provide that a winner of a race or races worth £5OO may be rehandicapped, but the value of the stakes won should be a matter of secondary consideration to the merit of the form displayed. Apparently this aspect of the question has been completely overlooked by some of the critics. It is merit and not money that counts in a question of public performance, just the same as a millionaire may not weigh an ounce in public opinion.

The sporting writer in the “Otago Daily Times” states that he has always considered the rehandicapping conditions attached to the New Zealand Cup as both crude and unfair. They should be cut out altogether in their present form and a rehandicapping system similar to that of the Melbourne Cup, limiting the extreme penalty to 101 b, should be instituted. The conditions are unfair because a horse near the minimum could be sent up'amongst the top-weights, whereas one showing the best of form at weight-for-age or special weights, such as one carried in a fierby, can escape a rehandicap. With a maximum weight of 9.7 and rehandicapping restricted to 101 b, the conditions would be more acceptable and no doubt lead to much better racing at the spring meetings. On form on the second day at Wingatui, Royal Chief 9.9 gave 281 b and a beating to Settlement. Assuming that The Raker is a 141 b better horse than Settlement on form in the Churchill Handicap, that would bring him up to 8.9 or 8.7 in the Army Handicap. If The Raker was entitled to give' Settlement 71b in the Army Handicap, he would be in at 8.2 or within 211 b of Royal Chief 9.9. In the New Zealand Cup Royal Chief is giving The Raker 341 b, when on collateral form he could be made as close as 211 b. What is to stop the handicapper from kindly splitting it into half or so and rehandicapping the Croupier gelding to carry an extra 10 lb if he wins again before being saddled up for the New Zealand Cup? At Wingatui, Swordstick could not give The Raker 61b, but nevertheless has to give 51b in the New Zealand Cup. Assuming that The Raker is on a par with Swordstick, then he should be re-handicapped up to 7.5 at Riccarton. The question of rehandicapping is a matter of personal view of the running by the handicapper. A thoroughly fit horse may beat a partially fit one, or again one may get a very good run and the other a rough passage, and thence again it is the merit of the performance that counts and not the value of the stakes. C.J.C. MEETING CARNIVAL AT RICCARTON. NEW ZEALAND CUP ACCEPTORS. (By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, October 25. . Acceptances for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting to be held on November 9, 11, 13 and 15, are:— NEW ZEALAND CUP, of £2OOO.

Stewards’ Handicap, of £800; six furlongs.—Sleeveless 8.12, Density 8.11, Duncannon 8.9, Nigger Boy 8.8, Rebel Mate 8.6, Sir Crusoe, Spanish Lad, Doria, Bronwen 8.5, St Cloud 8.4, Sir Beau 8.3, Enrich, Rakahanga 7.13, Endorsement 7.9, Not Out, Don’t Forget 7.5, Health 7.4, Gold Flight 7.2, Kentucky 7.1, Gay Parade, Retrogression, Belle Cane 7.0. Forfeits. Welcome Stakes, of £750; for two-year-olds; five furlongs—Drake’s Drum, Willow Wood, Corn Prince, Salutation, Palfrey, Varuna, Foreign Coin, Par Avion 8.5, Flying Spray, Silver Lily, Dash o’ Dublin, Soutane, Pay Roll, Miss Jessica, Desert Maid, Monetary, Leisurely, Bright Lady 8.0. N.Z. Derby Stakes, of £1500; for three-year-olds; one mile and a half — Beau Leon, Sir Cameron, Merrymeer, Don’t Forget, Lambourn, Sir Beau 8.10, Belle Cane, Enrich, Retrogression 8.5. The N.Z. Oaks Stakes, of £600; for three-year-old fillies; one mile and a half. —Cherry Bay, Inform, Wild Fox, Nightglass, Courting, Tissue, Doria, Merrymeer, Oragon, Talenta, Rue, Belle Cane, Erambie, Miss Hallowmet 8.10. Explanation Accepted. The explanation of the connections of Sleeveless was accepted yesterday by the judicial committee of the Wellington Racing Club at the adjourned inquiry into her running in the Shorts Handicap on Thursday.

Two miles. Royal Chief .. 9 6 Second Taurangi .. .. 8 8 Innings 7 3 The Buzzer .. 8 0 The Cardinal 7 2 Siegmund .. .. 8 1 Doubleack .. 7 1 Sly Fox .. .. 8 0 Wardress .. .. 7 I Te Kawiti .. .. 7 10 Little Robin .. 7 1 Capricious .. .. 7 9 Settlement .. 7 0 Passaform .. .. 7 8 The Raker .. 7 0 Sparkle .. .. .. 7 7 Serenata .. .. 7 0 Swordstick .. 7 5 Pearl of Asia 7 0 Trench Law .. 7 5 Kilometre .. .. 7 0 The Ring .. .. 7 4 Don Quex .. 7 0 Dictate .. .. .. 7 3 Auto Sween .. 7 0