TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1941, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE The Ups and Downs of Racing

(BY "THE GRAFTER.")

The saying that “We shall at least have the satisfaction of seeing that we cannot be made to suffer in the slightest measure from other's faults, not even to the extent of continuing to be offended by them" may apply to many things, but certainly not to racing. A bad start may cost the public hundred of pounds, and naturally good cause for offence arises. Bad riding may also deplete pockets that would otherwise be full. Bad training, which breaks a horse's courage and so debars him from repeating a trial that led to support, and a few other things that tend to bar the way to the winning post, frequently crop up in connection with racing, and so give cause for frequent spasms of anger no matter how philosophically the ups and downs of racing may be taken. Racing tends to create philosophers if only for the reason that many of those connected with it frequently endeavour to put old heads on young shoulders.

Boat Song's Mishap. Injuries to the racehorse Boatsong, . which were received when the vehicle i in which is was being conveyed toGisi borne from the Wairoa lace meeting met with an accident, have proved to be less serious than was thought, and the owner. .Mr R. G. Fenton, has nominated the horse for the summer ’ meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf Club. ** ———. • Good Passage. I At times a horse that reads well on i paper is not in condition to take ad- | vantage of opportunity. This was the j case with Good Passage at Riccarton. She showed a retention of 'form" in ' her fractiousness at the barrier and j also in the way of speed, but was not '< in racing shape to see but a j'ace. In j fact, she looked too big to race, i Will See a Better Day. Some of those who finished behind Bird of Prey in the Lyttelton Plate will see a better day, and amongst them is Espionage, a chestnut cold by Solicitor General from Spionctta. Other likely sorts are a chestnut cold ! by Salmagundi from Stability. Flinepo i tNightmarch—.Azalea). and Good I Scout, a chestnut cold by Man's Pal j from Knocklyn. Pleading's Success. After his failures at Trcntham. Pleading appeared to hold a rather remote chance with 10.0 in the Middle Park Plate at Riccarton. It is understood that lie was started only because a suitable rider could not be obtained for him in the Craven Plate. The element of hick assisted the win, as Monetary's bad behavious cost him the, race. Now Ineligible. Iceland Spar and Aravane would have been eligible to run in the 10'.furlong hack race at Wingatui if the nominations had closed on Friday last, the day formerly adopted. Serious Breakdown. Settlement pulled up so lame a furlong from home in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton that it was thought he had suffered a broken log. but it was found that he had a serious breakdown. Ho was later led home to his stable, and it will probably bo some time before ho will be seen in public again’. .At the limo of the mishap. Settlement was going unusually well and looked like being the first io challenge Gay Parade. i

An English Champion. The best two-year-old racing in England last season was Poise who carried the colours of .Mr J. A. Dewar, who won the Derby a few years ago with Cameron inn.

The breeding of Poise is of considerable interest to New Zealanders. He is by Field Trial, a young sire by Fairway, who is quickly making good at the stud, from Sword Play, by Great Sport from Flash of Steel by Royal Realm from Flaming Vixen by Flying Fox from Amphora by Amphion from Sierra. Sword Play, dam of Poise, is a halfsister to the Spion Kop mare Spionetia. who is now in Mr J. G. Alexander's Cranleigh Stud at Marweil. She is the dam of Ruling Spi, Money Spi and Night Spy. all winners, and the promising two-year-old Espionage.

The family has achieved many important successes in England. Spionetta’s half-sister, Persuasion, was dam of Andread and Earlston; and Flash of I Steel was half-sister to Harpy, whose sons Raeburn and Orpen were both good winners, Raeburn winning the Irish Derby. Flaming Vixen was half-sister to Glass Jug. grand-dam of Cymene, whose son Cylinder, won the New Zealand Derby; and to Symbolism whose daughter. Catalani. founded a good family in New Zealand which includes the Melbourne Cup winner Catalogue. Amphora, the fourth dam of Poise, was a full sister to Sundridge, whose son Absurd, imported tb Now Zealand by Mr G. M. Currie, gave us a new conception of two-year-old speed. Unfortunately Poise is a gelding and is therefore ineligible for the three-year-old classics.

Royal Chief and Dunedin Cup. The star performer at the Dunedin Cup meeting will be Royal Chief, who already has a James Hazlett Gold Cup O') his credit He was not sighted near the finish of the Wellington Cup when carrying 9.10, and was two lengths away in the W.R.C. Handicap with 9.9 to Wardress 7.7 A and Proud Fox 8.0 run in 2min. 18jsec. The race record is held by Star Stranger, who in 1927 won with 9.5 in 3min. 17sec. Since then only four winners have won inside of 2min. 19sec. On the third day of the meeting Royal Chief 9.10 was fourth to Serenata 7.12 and Wardress 8.0 in ,‘hnin. 25sec. It had rained during the two ] previous days at Trentham. and the going was on the soft side, and, in fact, said to be bad in places. Under the circumstances. Royal Chief ran a very good race. In the first place he was badly treated as a defeated top-weight in the W.R.C. Handicap. A defeated top-weight should never, if possible, bo asked to carry an increase of weight. If Royal Chief was defeated under 9.9 he had much less chance under 9.10. It It was in Royal Chief’s favour that only nine others went to the post, and hence ho was likely to gel a much better run than on the two previous days of the meeting.

Only Going Halfway. It is the primary duty of a club to take every reasonable precaution to ensure that the public gets a fair run for its money and supply the reason when something occurs that prevents, by accident or otherwise, success. On one occasion during the career of the famous Sceptre permission was obtained to have her saddled at the post. At Riccarton on Saturday Bird of Prey was led to the post instead of doing a ; preliminary, but she was kept in the ; birdcase until the rest of the field went on the track. This is only going halfway, and when then- is reason to exclude a horse from the preliminary it should also be permitted to go to the post without being kept in the birdcage. Trench Fight at one time worked hintself into a lather of sweat when kept in the birdcase at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Par Avion, who started favourite for the Welcome Stakes and Spring Nursery Handicap, had run a race on both occasions before leaving the birdcage. He played up at the post, and did not shape anytwhere near the form that made him favourite. The colt, it is understood, was suffering from an ulcerated mouth, ■ but whatever the reason the public | might have got a better run if the bird- ■ cage parade had been missed. RACING FIXTURES Feb 1(1—-Rotorua. Feb lb—Poverty Bay 1 Feb 10—Gore. Feb. 1-1, 15.— Winton. ' Feb. 15.—-Tolaga Bay. Feb. 15. — Opunuke. Feb. 15, 17 —Waikato. Feb. 20, 22. — Dunedin. I Feb 22.—-V'aiapu. Feb. 22. 24.—Te Aroha. ■ Feb. 22. 24. —Woodville. ' Feb. 22. 24. —Westland. March. 1. -Franklin. March 1. —Rangitikei. March 1 - Bank-; Peninsula. March 7. B—Cromwell. i March 8.--Clifden. March 8. Carterton.

WOODVILLE RACES. S \TI ‘RDA Y AND MONDY FF'P.RUARY 2? X 24 \OMIN.\TIONS cL-.- at ■'! p MONDAY. February 10. For full programme, rec Official Ca eiidar < r apply ‘ ' W \ LYON