TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Short-Pedigreed Horses

(BY

“THE GRAFTER.”)

An interesting feature of the running in the Melbourne Cup consists in the fact that Beau Vite and Beaulivre, in finishing close to the third horse, break about even as stayers. Considerable discussion has cropped up in Australia over the fact that Beaulivre is a short-pedigreed horse and not included in the Australian Stud Book. This is principally due to the fact that when the Racing Conference took over the control and publication of the New Zealand Stud Book the New Zealand mares were dropped out of the Australian Stud Book. Several very successful lines are included in the Australian Stud Book, which cannot be traced, and this also applies to the New Zealand Stud Book. The principal shortpedigreed taproots in the New Zealand book are those tracing to Slander, Sharkie, Woodstock, Spray, Princess, Yatterina, Miss Foote, Rosebud, Vesta, Miss Rowe, Finesse, and Gipsy. Each of these taproots has enriched the turf with some very high-class winners and they have bred on so well and produced such stylish-looking horses that, although like Topsy, whose origin was “wropt in mystery,” were undoubtedly thoroughbred. In the case of Miss Rowe and Finesse, they trace to pure Arab mares.

Beaulivre belongs to the Sharkie tribe. Sharkie was got by Riddlesworth from a mare brought from Sydney without pedigree and was one of the earliest importations to New Zealand. Sharkie was foaled about 1846, and produced several foals. Riddleswcu’th was bred in England in 1834 and got by Emilius, who won the English Derby in 1823. The best known foals produced by Sharkie were Golden Drop, Bay Leaf, and Laurel. Through Laurel, a daughter of Bay Leaf, we got Advance, claimed to be one of the greatest horses ever bred in New Zealand. Through the other Laurel we got Fishhook, a winner of the Dunedin Cup, and from the Golden Drop line come the New Zealand Cup winners Tortulla and Rosefeldt. Many other notable winners trace to Sharkie including Silver Link and Guarantee, a particularly -fine type of thoroughbred.

Melbourne C«p Winner. Old Rowley, the 1940 Melbourne Cup winner, is a gift, horse, seven years old, with bad joints, but he won on his merits, in one of the cleanest-run races for the Cup. He covered as much ground as any other horse in the field, and he sustained a very long run to win. He was one of the last five at the mile, and was still only eleventh in the field of 20 at the halfmile. From there he made up ground on the outside of the field. A Good Bet. His owner, Mr E. C. Harnett, accepted a wager of £5,500 to £5OO about Beaulivre in the Caulfield Cup after the draw for positions was made. In the Epsom Handicap Mr Harnett placed £2,500 on Beaulivre.

Foxlore in Training. Having given Venture to his son, Mr C. J. Wells, the president of the Avondale Jockey Club, Mr J. E. Wells, has placed the three-year-old Foxlore under the care of F. Smith at Takanini. Venture is now in the team of E. George at Ellerslie, and is a stablemate of Clinch, who is also owned by Mr C. J. Wells. Fo'xlore is a brown gelding by Foxbridge from Light Step, hence a half-brother to Kaspian. Light Step is by Weathervane from Dame Winkle, by Winkle from Stepka. by St. Leger from Stepfeldt, dam of Veldt, Elevation, Gravitation, Provocation. Reputation and others. It is a good family that has produced many fine performers.

Hawke’s Bay Club. In preparation for the Hawke’s Bay Jpckey Club’s summer meeting on January 1 and 2, the club’s committee has decided to construct the racing rail and to erect a barrier on the new se-ven-furlong starting post. The committee decided to make a donation of £lOO to the £1,000,000 patriotic appeal. The programme for the summer meeting was tabled. It provides for an increase in stake moneys of £lB5 on last year's programme. It was approved by the committee.

Bred in Queensland. It is interesting to note that Old Rowley, winner of the Melbourne Cup, is by The Buzzard from Syceonelle by Syce, and The Buzzer is by The Buzzard from Eastern Belle, who is also by Syce, her dam Culture, being a half-sister to Culprit. This family includes Parisian, winner of the 1911 Melbourne Cup, and Wolowa, a Derby and St. Leger winner. Eastern Belle is closely related to Lough Neagh. Both Old Rowley (foaled in 1933) and The Buzzer (foaled in 1935) were bred by Mr J .G. McDougall, of Queensland.

Heavy Betting. The 1940 Caulfield Cup produced wagering almost unprecedented in the history of the race. Some huge wagers were made and several of the largest were made on Beaulivre, who started at double figures. Actually Beaulivre was the sixth favourite, those at shorter odds being True Flight. Reading, High Caste, Gladynev and Historian.