TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE i A New Zealand Cup Hoodoo (BY "THE GRAFTER.") There was once a “hoodoo” that a (horse could not win the New Zealand Cup with more than 8.9. The idea was created <by the fact that since Lady Zetland won with 8.9 in 1896 until 1917 only one winner in Waiuku, who won with 8.6 in 1897, the highest weight carried was the 8.3 under which Grand Rapids won in 1904. In 1918 Sasanof scored a comfortable win under 8.9, and so helped to kill the (“hoodoo,” but long before that Wairiki 9.2 and Achilles 9.6 in 1903 fought out a finish with Canteen 7.12, who won in the then record time of 3rnin 27 1-ssec. In 1911 Los Angelos 9.3 ran third to Vice-Admiral 7.8 and Miscount 7.6, and helped to kill the “hoodoo,” and another nail in the coffin came from Midnight Sun, who ran third with 8.13 in 1913 after winning with 8.0 in 1912. Midnight Sun might have won again but for the fact that his stallion strap gear broke during the race. Menelaus won with 8.1 and ran third the following year with 8.11. Count Cavour 8.13 won in 1926 and in 1927 Star Stranger |9.4 ran second to Rapier 7.12. Rapier 9.0 was second in 1928 to Oratrix 7.1 iafter the latter was narrowly defeated in the A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap. In 1930 Nightmarch 9.6 won from Concentrate 8.10 and In the Shade 8.2. >

In Nightmarch’s year K. Voitre received instructions that he was not to leave the rails until reaching the straight. The result was that In the Shade was second last at the far turn and still there as they turne'd for home, writes “The Sentinel.” In the Shade made a great run, and really looked a certainty beaten if anything like well placed instead of giving a big start in the run up the straight. J. T. Jamieson, the trainer of In the Shade, overlooked one very important fact, and that is that at Riccarton no advantage can be gained in sticking to the rails in the back stretch, where a straight run exists for over half a mile. It is at this part of the New Zealand Cup that a position should be procured if possible. ’ It is true that.Palantua was at the tail of the field a mile from home and then won in the record time of 3m in 22 1-5 sec, but she was perhaps lucky in the fact that the pacemakers ran themselves out and that The Smuggler, who finished third, was running wide out from the rails throughout the journey. In the New Zealand Cup top-weights have won and have shaped very creditably on other occasions, but the element of luck has at times been in their favour. This year Royal Chief really dominates the situation and looks particularly dangerous unless some of the light-weights are sent out to make the handicap run at its full value and make the top-weight carry every ounce of his load.

Five Successive Wins. In winning the Stratton Cup and Queen Carnival Handicap at Gloucester Park last month Francisco Drought her total oi successes in Perth to live in as many starts. She won the Stratton Cup in 4.30)., equalling the race record of Flying Daly, who in 1938 defeated the New Zealand pacer Cloudy Range. Rustle, a successful trotter when trained in Auckland, won "the Bridgetown Handicap at the Stratton Cup meeting. Francisco met her first dereat a few night later when, through a mix-up in which several horses were concerned, she was pulled up in the Patriotic Handicap. Although the Jack Potts mare has won five races her earnings in Perth total only £330.

One Race for Foreign Coin. The Wellesley Stakes winner Foreign Coin has arrivel at Riccarton being accompanied by Kilometre, whose engagement in the New Zealand Cup is to be continued. Foreign Coin will probably have only the one race at the meeting, the Welcome Stakes, in which he will again be ridden by his trainer, P. Burgess, and after that he will be set aside till the Great Northern Foal Stakes at Christmas. Royal Chief's Rider. ! Royal Chief looks like giving L. J. Ellis an opportunity to have his fourth winning ride in the New Zealand Cup. Ellis's previous successes were gained on Oratrix (1928), Cuddle (19.35), and Fersen (1936). With Duncannon out of the Stewards’ Handicap, L. J. Ellis has been left without a mount, but he has another in view and a definite engagement will probably be made this week. Ellis won the Stewards’ Handicap on Knockfin in 1935. Beau Leon. Although Beau Leon did not run in the Harcourt Stakes on Tuesday there is nothing wrong with him. A. Cook is taking him to Riccarton, and he will therefore have plenty of time in which to settle down before the Cup meeting. He is engaged in the Riccarton Handicap, nine furlongs, on the first day as a prelude to the Derby on the second day.