TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1941, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Keep Local Horses in Mind

(BY -THE GRAFTER.")

Some good gallops have been recently recorded at Opaki, and in the circumstances of the turf should keep local horses in view for immediate future meetings. Followers of the turf in Masterton who took recent advice given in regard to focal horses have every reason to feel satisfied with the general result. Opaki trainers know their job. and are quite as capable as any in bigger centres in properly preparing their charges for events. The wise punter will use his own judgment in making selections and will not overlook the qualities of horses trained at Opaki. Too often have the chances of Masterton horses been set aside for no other reason than that an outside trainer had a great reputation.

the fact being overlooked that given quality for quality the Masterton trainer is equally capable of bringing his charge up to the standard necessary to register a win. It is, of course, not suggested that every Masterton-trained horse should be blindly followed, but the punter should know enough of the game to be able to make his selection judiciously.

An Erratic Winner. Owl's Rest, a Stonyhurst-bred filly by Jericho from Owlscombe. registered an extraordinary performance to win the Nursery Handicap at Rosehill on January 25. She is a very speedy galloper, but just as erratic, and she cannot be kept on the course, states a Sydney correspondent. At Rosehill she went from the inside to the outside of the course in the straight and finished along the fence under the judge’s box. but still won from Tanda. who had scored in his last three races. Owl's Rest is to go to Melbourne for her next contest, and it is reasonable to assume that she will be suited more by the left-handed tracks. Due to Win. Dash o' Dublin is due to open his winning account any lime now. He was bred by his Central Otago owner. Mrs A. E. McLaren, and is a small bay colt by Salmagundi from Fairform, dam of Rin Tin Tin. Charmaine Tauramai and Passaform. to mention the best of her progeny. Dash o' Dublin makes up in solidity what he lacks in size and E. J. Ellis should soon lead him in a winner.

Out of Hack Company. , Iceland Spar had his fourth success, all of them this season, when he responded well to a hard ride to cut Omapo out of first place in the Halswell Handicap in the last couple of .strides at Riccarton. Iceland Spar did not start well, a common failing with him. A. E. Ellis let him make up his ground gradually. Iceland Spar has now won £690, of that sum £585 being in winning stakes, and he will do his future racing in open company. Purchased by F, D. Jones in Australia for Mr H. S. Williams, of Christchurch. as a yearling Iceland Spar is now a four-year-old being a chestnut gelding by Excitement from Calcite, lie is a lightly-fleshed horse, hard to condition, and considering his frame he handles weight well. Strong finishing runs have been characteristic of many of Iceland Spar’s races and as he stays well he should continue to pay his way.

Foxette. Few horses sired by Foxbridge have been of much use until their three-year-old terms, and Foxette has not been one of the exceptions. A sister to Foxsen. a useful winner. Foxette had her first success in the Hornby High-weight at Riccarton. coming home solidly to head oil Aggravate. Her victory followed a couple of minor placings and more successes can be expected. She is trained by E. J. Ellis at Washdyke for Messrs A. L. Bayliss and S. Findlay. who raced the Great Northern and Wellington Steeplechase winner Survoy. Bird of Prey Good. Both Bird of Prey and Dash o’ Dubline fought on solidly in the Lyttelton Plate at Riccarton. but Bird of Prey proved superior over the final 75 yards, winning well by a neck. Bird of Prey is a half-sister by Solicitor General to Shikari, which showed groat promise last season until he became affected in the wind. Bird of Prey has yet to run a poor race, though at times she has been troubled by hard tracks. Her two successes and one second in five starts have brought her owner-breeder. Mr G. R. Macdonald, £555.

Suspension Reduced. The Wellington District Committee yesterday heard the appeal lodged by J. 11. Jefferd on behalf of the apprentice jockey R. G. Howell, against the two months' suspension imposed on Howell by the judicial committee of the Wellington Racing Club on January 18. The ground for the suspension was careless riding of the horse Rakahanga in the Telegraph Handicap on the first day of the club's January meeting.

The district committee’s decision was that the action of the judicial committee be confirmed, but that the penalty imposed was. in the opinion of the committee, too severe, and that it be reduced to suspension for one month from January 18, 1941, The district committee added a rider to its verdict expressing to Jefferd the opinion that Rakahanga was not a fit horse to be handled by an apprentice and that in future an experienced horseman should be employed. R. G. Howell has appealed to the Now Zealand Racing Conference against the verdict of the Wellington District Committee.