TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE A Busy Time at Opaki (BY “THE GRAFTER.”) There has been a busy time at Opaki this week in preparation for the holiday racing. Happy Ending, the Beau Pere —Termination gelding, is striding along well and .should be in the stake money before long if the company is not too “hot.” White Rajah is gradually working off his soreness and has much improved during the week. Half Caste has been showing fair form and may “catch” during the holiday meetings. Larwood has settled down to his work well, and his task of competing in hurdle and flat events has been a hard one and shows that he is capable of putting up a good showing. The Daniloff gelding should soon be well in the picture.

Additions to Team. B. J. Kelleher has taken in hand two new additions to his team—a Foxbridge mare and a Black Ronald gelding, neither having yet been named. B. J. Kelleher should be capable of bringing out the best there is in these two racers. Quick Decision. A. Jenkins has been doing excellent work' with Quick Decision, a Matana two-year-old, which will be given a tryout at Tauherenikau. Metonomy. Metonomy is down for an appearance at the Wairarapa Racing Club’s New Year meeting, and A. Jenkins has the Nightly-Cheerful Lady gelding, which is owned by Mr C. Cameron, in good fettle. Edna’s Birthday. Edna’s Birthday, two-year-old winner of the Novice Stakes at Whangarei on Saturday, had raced only once previously, in the Ruakura Stakes Handicap at To Rapa last month when she revealed early pace and her each-way favouritism at very short prices was an indication that her potential worth had been astutely assessed. A bay filly, she is a daughter of Lord Quex and the Arausio—Waterlea mare Marais, a sister to the jumper Petrarch and from the same family as Mascot, Ardenvhor, Black Cat and Essex, and she looks to have been a cheap purchase at the 60 guineas she cost Mr A. Stewart, of Matamata, at the yearling sales. She is a member of J. W. Cathro’s team. It was a two-year-old, Cillas, who also won the same event at Whangarei last year.

Cup and Railway. Cheval de Volee ijf not the only horse to have won two successive Auckland Cups, but only one, Nelspn (1885, 1886 and 1887) has ever won three on end. Cheval de Volee’s owner is said to be confident he will equal Nelson’s record. When .Cheval de Volee won in 1938 he had 7.0. Last year he carried 7.9, and this year he has 7.8. Cheval de Volee is now seven years old and the last aged horse to win was Cuddle, also a seven-year-old, in her second winning year, 1936. The previous aged horse to win before her was Bobrikoff in 1912.

Although the Auckland Cup has seen several successive dual wins by the same horse, the Railway Handicap has been won only once in successive years by the same horse, and only once previously had a horse won it twice. King Lupin scored in 1913 and in 1917 (dead-heat with Hymestra). Hunting Cry scored in successive years, 1929 and 1930. Bronwen will have a chance to repeat Hunting Cry’s performance.

Appeals Lodged. Mr B. Nausbaum has appealed against the decision of the Canterbury District Committee, disqualifying him for life in connection with the running of the Members' Handicap on November 16, won by his horse, Nigger Boy. Mr S. Nausbaum, who is in partnership with his son, has appealed against the disqualification of the horses raced by the partnership.