TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1941, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

The Horse in War (BY "THE GRAFTER.") The call for horses has come out of the very campaign which demonstrated the machine at its deadliest. The German conquest of Poland appeared as a smashing victory for the mechanised engines of war, the plane, the tank and the combat car, but without the horse the brilliant strategy of the blitzkrieg would not have sufficed to conquer the Polish Army. Germany moved into Poland with more than 200.000 horsts. Every infantry regiment had more than 500 of them. Of the 240 divisions available to the Third Reich when the Blitzkrieg hit France and the Low Countries, more than 200 used animals for draught and transportation. Nazi propaganda photographs, including pictures of the Paris occupation, showed the presence of horses in large numbers.

In invading Poland on the ground the army first sent infantry divisions; a German infantry division calls for more than 3800 animals. Behind the combat cars rode the horse cavalry to consolidate and hold the captured terrain. Then came more infantry, afool or on truck, supported by horse-drawn artillery and animal transportation to consolidate the gains. Germany had used the horse in its well-established military role. It had remembered the dictum of Ludendorff, who attributed his failure on the Western Front to the lack of cavalry. “Without cavalry it is impossible to reap the fruits of victory." Within the frame of changed conditions that dictum has not been forgotten in other blitzkrieg drives.

Schoolgirl All Right Again.

Schoolgirl, which was found to be suffering from kidney trouble after her run in the Summer Handicap at Trentham. is all right again and is being kept going with a view to racing at the Dunedin meeting. C. G. Humphries intended spelling her after Trentham. Jn the Wellington Cup Schoolgirl made a bold showing and she should race well in any races chosen for her in the south, Hazlett Gold Cup. Trench Fight represents good handicap class over a distance, but has never been a weighl-for-age star. Southern stables „ are lamentably weak in good class horses, and while the usual number of "hopefuls" is] likely to be entered for the Hazlett Gold Cup at Dunedin at nomination time. Beau Vite will stand out if entered. The list of winners of the Hazlett Gold Cup includes many of the best horses to have raced in the Dominion. Some of them are Warstep. Amythas. Winning Hit, Limerick. Nightmarch. Silver Scorn. Silver Ring. Royal Chief and Defaulter. Garonne. „ Garonne looks well enough, but he r suffers from some kind of trouble in his hindquarters, often being lame. J., Pankhurst is speeding up his work with a view to seeing whether the Gas-| cony gelding will stand up to a prepa-' ration. Garonne showed some form asj a hurdler last season.

GORE MEETING ACCEPTORS FOR SATURDAY. The following are the acceptances for the first day of the Gore Racing Club's meeting on February 8:— Gore Ilighweight Handicap, Rif: Combat 11.2; Heidelberg 10.13; Aspire 10.3; Atua, Rere 0.12; Sir Denis 9.2; Very Happy 9.0 Longford Hand.cap, Gt: Kippen 9.4; Withdrawal 9.0; Green Gables 8.11; Philibun 8.7; Colonel Rouge 8.9; Southern Sail 8.2; Great Legion 7.13; Ackemrna 7.13; Secret Flight 7.13; Dolitu 7.11; Gnohill 7.10; Gold Robo 7.3: Shantyman, Green Locket 7.7. Electric Trot .3 13 da?:- I'm: Bright Lass, Burnham Camay. Come Away. Great Wold, Koesian ' -bids Pride Monaco. Sill; Bonn. . Sir Dcighton. Southern Change. Suilhci'ii Wrack. Sunny Dale. Trevtilhan. '1 wo Crowns Undaunted ser: Gnyloa 24yds behind; Polling Day 36yds behind; Slave D nard 48yds behind; Play Safe GOvds behind. Racing Club Handicap IJm: Monti’s S..ng 90; Peony Rose fl 7; Doubleack 8.0; Spml-.1.- fI.G; ILml.m fit; Sir Hugh 7 I. Novice Handicap. Gf: Royal Money 8.(1; Central Star, 'i opspin. Valcron Reyn' Chorus 8.2; zXstral Flame, Ballyaggan, Banins Crinkle Eastern Song, l ake Mist I’m lance. Sally Sage. Silver Light 8.0. Croydon Handicap, (if: Spendthrift o.O: Fleet Street 8 12; Nightcalm 8.5; Norseman 8.3; Crniglen 7.12; Boloyna 7.12; Phalanx 7.8: BlUsful Lady 7!!; y.kyrenn Royal Lancer Cold Flight 7.7; Boafurm 7.(1. Progrr-csive To.t 339 da« I'm: Dim Sp... Bright Las F< i,d| , June Tide. Nancy Guv. Pmolc cr; Aidas. Bdh.nd. Embargo I...yah ! M.-lmse Oregon. P.-ur Young. Rev Chimes 12 yd.-: behind: Debtor. Happy Erin Jar- : tad;*; 24yd< behind; Prince Charlc: 36 yds behind Summo.- Hark Haiidfcap 1m Green B«>a 9.0; S--a Lady It 11. Aravane 9.0; Nolm 7 11; Knight of Old Slide Palmar 7 7.