TOPICS OF THE TURF

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 263, 9 December 1930, Page 3

TOPICS OF THE TURF

(By "The Squire.")

JOTTINGS DAY BY DAY.

Amongst the entrants for the Maidon Race in connection with the Summer Meeting of the Waipukurau Jockey Clubj the name ISight Peter should read Night Speaker. Evidently taklng nonunatious by the aid of the telephone cau lead to error. However, a-s the immortal Shakespeare wrote, "a rose by any otlier name would sme]] as sweet," 1 do not suppose that the \vrong name prevented Night Speaker from relishing his usual daily meais. He is a well-bred gelding, having been foaled' by Elocution, to Night Raid, the sire of Phar Lap and Nightmarch. * * ' * 3 He is a full-brotlier to Niglit Recitalj and \ half-brother to Electric Lass, Gay Sonuet and Poetess, and he is oue of the pupiTs of G. W. B. Green, at Hastings. His dam was bred by the late Mr G. P. Donneliy, and was sired by Demostlienes from Formula, by Hotcbkiss — Formo, by Sterlingwortli — Pulchra, by Eosierucian. ' * * * Iving's J est_ is one of the holidaymakers at Karamu. His cessation from tiie ordeals of training will extoiid for a considerable period, as it is intended that he will not be put into work_ again tliis season. One of those who is lceeping him coinpany in his retirement is his half-sister by Arausio, Provenee. * _ 4s * ^ H. Gray rode fiA-e winners at the Taumarunui JMeeting lasfc week, his winning record for the season now standing at 36 points. » » * It has been hroadcasted that Cylinder is not to be a. starter in the Auckland Cup, in which he seemed to be well treated, as he ,was let in with 7sfc 61b, or three pounds under what would have been his portion had the eveut to be eompeted for under standard poundage. * * » One of the contentions of well versed followers of racing is that if a good three-year-old is handicapped under weight-for-age in a two-mile race, backing them generally means supporting the winner. Tliere is 110 doubt about Cylinder being a good three-year-old, and assuredly, on paper, he appeared to have a royal opportunity. Apparently the stable is going to re'ly 011 Star Stranger to land the goods in the two-mile race at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

*V* T *T* He is a quality horse without doubt, but he is now getting up 111 years and that will tell against him in a severe race like the Auckland Cup promises to be. He certainly -put up a great fight in the event last season, when he only went under by a head to Concentrate, to wliom he was allowing 16 pounds, the imposts being, Star Stranger 8st 121b, Concentrate 7st 101b, but it has to be remembered that was a year ago, and after a certaiu time in tlieir lives horses are not like wine, which improves with age. * * * It is 19 years since an aged competitor was successful in the Auckland Cup, the gee-gee to score bemg the then locally-owned and trained Bohrikoff. Although the event has figured on the programmes of the Auckland Ilacing Club since 1874, the agecl division has only six victories to its credit, those of that age who won, in addition to Bobrikoff, being Ariel, The Poet, Nelson (011 the occasion of his third success), Lochiel, and Putty, Nelson holding the wreath from the weight-carrying aspect, as he had 9st 121b on board. * # # The locally bred gelding, High Court, has not turned out a profitable speculation for the South Island sports who secured the son of Grandcourt and Taleteller from Mr Tony VVhit-e, of Hastings, at, so it was stated, an expenditure of 1000 guineas, as the gelding is said to he amiss, which looks a true bill as he was not a starter in the Tinwald Ha'ndicap, at Ashburton on Saturday, for which event tliere were only tw'o other acceptors besides liimself. * * * Ball Dress, who carried Sir Charles Clifford's colours into the first placing at Ashburton on Saturday, is a three-year-old fillly hy Winning Hit, who for many years held the 1J mile time record for Australia and New Zealand. * * * She is from Equipment, hy Martian — To-morrow, and is a full-sister to Semper Paratus and Cricket Bat, and half-sister to llivalry, Centrepiece, Green Cloth and Full Featlier. * * . * Last season she was saddled up 011 a dozen occasions for a couple of seconds and the same numher of thirds. * * * Although Lord Thomond and Painkiller, who finislied respectively first and second in the Winchmore Hack Handicap, at Ashburton on Saturday, were contestmg in separate interests, they had to be bracketed in accordance with the rules of racing which reads, "For the purposes of tliis rule a husband sliall he deemed to have an 111-t-erest in any horse in which his wife lias an interest." * 'I! •*> Lord Thomond is owned hy Mrs T. B. Dwau, and Painkiller is'tlie property of Mr T. B. Dwan. The pair liave been under the tuition of W. Stone, of Riccarton, wlio at one time was very successful with Silver Paper. Lord Thomond ancl Painkiller have both been nominated for the Summer Meeting of the Waipukurau Jockey Club, tp be held 011 Boxing llay.