WAIRARAPA RACING CLUB

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1940, Page 3

WAIRARAPA RACING CLUB

MEETING OF STEWARDS. WIN AND PLACE BETTING SYSTEM ("Times-Age” Special.) The monthly meeting of stewards of the Wairarapa Racing Club was held in the Club’s building, Featherston, yesterday, Mr J. W. Card presiding over a good attendance. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs D. H. S. Riddiford, A. Campbell Pearce, W. Howard Booth, D. C. Collins, C. J. Nix and H. Lawson. One new member was elected. Dr. R. N. Campbell, Carterton, was appointed hon. surgeon in place of Dr. T. D. M. Stout and Dr. J. M. Coutts, who are on active service. It was decided to adopt the win and place, system of betting for the jubilee meeting on January 1 and 2. The following tenders were accepted for the next race meeting: Meat, Mr W. H. Davis, Featherston; No. 2 privilege, The Wairarapa Ice Cream Co.. Masterton. The acceptance of a tender for stores was left in the hands of the secretary and catering supervisor. It was reported that the military authorities had vacated the racecourse on November 30. They are due to resume occupation after the New Year race meeting. The grounds and buildings had been left in excellent order, the Army authorities assisting to replace goods and chattels which had to be stored when the race course was occupied.

Trainer-Owner's Death. The death occurred at Auckland on Wednesday of Mr R. Knox, a former well-known Masterton racehorse owner and trainer, at the age of 89 years. Deceased during his long career as an owner-trainer had under his care a number of good horses, including Sir Roseberry, Sir Knox, Penury Rose and Lady Fingers (a sprinter).

A Credjtable Record. At the beginning of November, Foxola was a maiden performer after five starts, all this season. She has since won her next five races in a row, the Trial Stakes, seven furlongs, and the Waitemata Hack Handicap, six furlongs, at Avondale, the Taupiri Hack Handicap, six furlongs, at Waikato, and the Ponui Hack Handicap, one mile, and the Pupuke Plate, one mile, a hack classic at Auckland, collecting £1025 in first-moneys in a little over a fortnight for her owners, the Hon E. R. Davis and Mr O. Nicholson, who bought her early in October following a promising third in the Avondale Maiden Plate towards the end of September. A three-year-old black filly by Foxbridge out of the Hunting Song mare Aureola, who is closely related to Lucullus Lad, Lucullus Boy, Keddar, and Maiohu, she was bred by Mr L. S. Otway and was sold at the National Sales to Mr W. Clifton, of Papakura, for 110 guineas, who did not race her till this season and disposed of her after her third start. Foxola is a sister to Renarde, who raced prominently at Riccarton. Renarde is trained by J. Tomkinson for Mrs G. L. Rutherford, who bought her privately after the Trentham sales.

Sandwichman. At a special sale at Trentham of imported English thoroughbreds, a yearling colt offered on account of Mr E. Steele, of Windsor Park, Oamaru, was passed in at 850 guineas, the reserve being 1000 guineas. This colt, by Sandwich (by Sansovino) from Falcon, by Flamingo, was later sent to Sydney to be trained by P. Nailon for Mr Steele, and although he is not being hurried in his work, he is reported to show a good deal of promise. The name Sandwichman has been claimed for him.

A “Bogey” Laid. Recent results suggest that Flemington’s “bogey,” the outside or grandstand side of the straight track, is losing some of its terrors (comments “Pilot”). Ted McMenamin helped to lay the ghost when he took Pooka up the supposed slow side to win the Ottawa Stakes, and other jockeys have since steered a similar course with excellent results. Flemington's curator has always contended that each side of the straight six affords equally good going, and that riders themselves have furthered a false impression by always crowding toward the inside. People are now swinging to his way of thinking. That “slow” side became a major problem for the V.R.C. Removal of the hedge under the flat-side rails was its final way of attempting io combat the conviction that a horse drawn wide at the barrier had little, if any, chance of success. The hedge acted as a windbreak horses on the flat side from the erkrance of the course proper to the finish, and in Wet -weather helped to absorb moisture on that side of the track. That was the general idea, anyway. .