THE RACING WORLD

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20263, 4 August 1937, Page 11

THE RACING WORLD

By “ Martian.”

FIXTURES AHEAD. August 10, 12, 14— Canterbury J.C. August 21—Pakuranga Hunt C. August 28—Otago Hunt C. September 2—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt C. September 4—Taranaki Hunt C. September 9, 11—Wanganui J-C. September 18 —Ashburton County R.C. September 18—Foxton R.C. September 18. 20—Avondale J.C. September $3, 25—Geraldine R.C. September 25—Mar ton J-C. October 2—Otaki Maori R.C. October 2—Kurow J.C. October 2. 4—Taumarunui R.C. October 7, 9 —Dunedin J-C. October 9—Hawke’s Bay J.C. October 9. 11—Auckland R.C. October 14. 16—South Canterbury J.COctober 16, 18—Avondale J.C. October 14, 16—Masterton R.C. October 21, 23. 25—Wellington R.C. October 23, 25—Gore R.C. October 25—North Canterbury R.C. October 25 —Waverley R.C. October 25—Waikato Hunt C. October 25—Waipawa County R-C. October 29, 30—poverty Bay Turf Club. October 30—Banks Peninsula R.C. October 80—Rangitikei R.C. November 5, 6—Whangarei RC. November 6, 8. 10, 13— Canterbury J.C. November 13—Rotorua and Bay of Plenty H.C. November 18—Napier Park R.C. November 20 —Levin R.C. November 20-g-Southland R.C. November 20, 22—Waikato R.C. November 27—Ashburton County R.C. November 27, 29—Takapuna J-C. November 27, 80 —Feilding J.C. GOSSIP FROM ALL PARTS. Final payments for the Grand National Steeplechase and the Grand National Hurdles, together with acceptances for the minor events on the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting, at Riccarton, close tomorrow (Thursday), at 5 p.m. Progress of Gadger. Gadger is making good progress on the tracks at Te Rapa and he should strip well for the Pakuranga Hunt, at Ellerslie, on August 21. Signaller. Signaller broke down in the Longbeach Hurdles at the Christchurch Hunt on Saturday and has been sent home to Invercargill. Riding at Riccarton. L. Dulieu, R. E. Thomson and J. F. Fergus are due to go South on Thursday to fulfil riding engagements at the Grand National meeting. Dulieu is to ride Burglar and Corowa, Thomson, Ethiop and Donegal, and Fergus, Irish Comet. Cuddle Returning. Reports from Trentham state that Cuddle is returning to her old quarters in T. A. George’s stable this week. She will shortly commence a preparation for the New Zealand and Auck land Cups. Horses Return. The Te Rapa horses, May Song, La Femme Noire, Royal Mistake, Grand Score and Curlew returned home on Monday evening. May Song was the only successful performer on the trip, vanning both races she contested at the fixture Cock o’ the North. It will not be on the score of condition if Cock o’ the North fails to produce his best in National engagements. His splendid jumping and staying ability paved the way to his success in the Homeby Steeples at the Christchurch Hunt on Saturday. Grand Score. Grand Score failed dismally in engagements at Gisborne. While he left, here in the pink of condition he went amiss on arrival at Gisborne and performed badly. He is to be placed on the easy list for a couple of weeks and will not be contesting events at the Pakuranga Hunt. Valpeen’s Withdrawal. Waikato’s representation at the Grand National meeting has been considerably depleted through the wjt.h-' drawal of Tudor and Valpeen. The latter was officially scratched at 9.40 a.m. yesterday as the result of the disappointing display he gave in the Homeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt on Saturday. TUDOR. The Christchurch Hunt, the prelude to the Grand National, was not without its casualties, Tudor breaking down in the Homeby Steeplechase. He will return home to Cambridge this week. Prior to the meeting he was under suspicion but he appeared to be doing well on the steady pace tasks allotted him and it was hoped the soreness apparent after his Trentham engagements would not come back on him. It is bad luck for his connections that he will have to forego National engagements. Bred the Right Way. Siega‘, who had some experience in public earlier in the season, has done well this winter. She will probably he given a race at the Pakuranga meeting. Although she may not be at her best the outing will benefit her for later engagements. By Siegfried from Auricuius, by Lucullus from Wairarapa, who is descended from the imported mare Idalia, there is some stout blood in Siega’s pedigree, and she should eventually make good. Black Banner. Black Banner’s poor showing at the recent Christchurch Hunt was attributable to tendon trouble and it is questionable now whether he will see the National meeting. His prior efforts were of a distinctly promising nature and it was anticipated by his connections that he would pick up a winning stake at the big Riccarton gathering, next week. Royal Limond. Royal Limond is not too reliable at his fences and not an easy horse to handle. He is said to be looking In narticularly good shape at uresent. Last year Royal Limond had the Grand National Steeplechase won a eng way from home. He carried 10.8, and this year will have to take up aji extra (51b. Schooling Well. Riccarton reports credit Fireguard with schooling in promising style at Christchurch headquarters. The other morning ho was associated with Cora and Monastic, over five flights of fences and gave a fast and dashing lisplay. A disappointment on the flat, indications are that he will make full amends in the new department selected for his future activities. Shillelagh Wood. If Shillelagh Wood takes her place in the Grand National Steeplechase next week she will not lack a following on tho machines. In winning the Hack and Hunters’ Steeples at the Hunt meeting on Saturday she made an excellent, impression and her handling of the big fences indicated that she possesses more than an outside chance in better company.

Te Ahurangi. Te Ahurangi stopped badly over mb latter stages of the Kennells Handi- : cap at Riccarton on Saturday and finished about a furlong behind the field. At the time there did not appear to be anything the matter with him but later it was discovered he had developed a bowed tendon. He has been , sent home to Wingatui. Royal Limond. Royal Limond was going well in trie , Homeby Steeplechase at the Hunt ; meeting at Riccarton on Saturday ; when he ran off. O’Connor, who had the mount on 'Royal Limond, did not meet with the best of luck at the | meeting. He produced three horses in , the big steeples, and while one of , them, Arctic Star, ran third, Spearmarch fell and received injuries which necessitated his destruction, and Grey Boy fell and has been lame since. Bad Luck for Owner. , Sir Charles Clifford experienced bad luck at the Stonyhurst Stud a few days ago. Hororata, one of his young brood mares, by Tea Tray from Scrip, slipped twin foals to Cricket Bat. it was the third case of the ( kind at Stonyhurst this season. Last season Top Score, the dam of Rocket and Top Notch, slipped twins to Myosotis. The experience was repeated this season, with the additional misfortune that the mare died. Miss Mimic slipped twins last season to Bulandshar, and f a few weeks ago she had similar bad luck, this time after being mated with Cricket Bat. Owlscombe was also unfortunate in this way last season, when she slipped twins to Nightmarch. In the case of two of the mares there had been earlier mishaps, Miss Mimic slipping twins to Winning Hit in 1929 and Top Score to Day Comet in 1930. Rider for Nocturnus. It has been decided definitely that F. E. Baker will ride Nocturnus in the Grand National Steeplechase. Favourite for the Homeby Steeplechase at the Hunt meeting on Saturday, Nocturnus was beaten narrowly by Cock o’ the North and it appears that the reason for the favourite’s defeat was due to the instructions issued to Baker by trainer A. S. Ellis, who told him to keep his mount from near the front until the straight was reached. Baker is to be allowed to ride his own race in the Grand National Steeplechase. In Japan. The race book of the Nippon Race Club contains the following: “Horse races are, it is true, an important national enterprise, having for its object the improvement and breeding of horses and the propagation of ideas and matters concerning horses. It is a great mistake to think that a horse race is nothing but a game of sport. This is proved by the fact that the Imperial Court grants prizes xo winners at. race meetings which are held under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. Furthermore, grants-in-aid are officially given to race -clubs. It is, therefore, to be hoped that those present at race meetings will behave in a gentlemanly manner and refrain from any such action as will disturb the peace and order of meetings. Those holding grandstand tickets are requested to wear suitable clothes, Should anyone be considered as unsuitably dressed, such person is requested to follow the instruction of the club official who may call attention to' same.”