OVERSEA NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 87, 29 March 1930, Page 2

OVERSEA NOTES

2,2, 2,2, 2, 2| 1,2, 2, 3. This is not an arithmetical puzzle. The little row of figures indicates the exasperating luck that has attended the once Maoriland and now Sydney trainer George Price since he won a :ace at Randwick with Gesto early in January. Price has since had a long run of minor placings and they were continued at Moorefield a fortnight back. Up was second with both Casque d’Or and Magdaff and topped the day off with a third placing for the New Zealand bred three-year-old Peacemaker, who, in the* last few minutes of the betting, was backed from 8 io 1 to less than half those odds. The plunge, says a Sydney exchange, caused a furore and punters were dashing all over the ring trying to get the good prices about Peacemaker. • * * Leading Sydney Riders. Maurice McCarten. who does most ot the riding for George Price when weights suit, has of course shared in this evil luck. At Moorefield ho was on all three of the placed horses from Price's stable. He still, however, maintained his second position among Svflnpv jnotropolitai) riders, bill hirecord of wins il lit He more than half

that of E. Bartie, who has had a wonderful run of successes recently. Three at Moorefield brought his tally up to 47 against McCarten’s 21J, which is closely pressed by W. Cook’s 24. Bartle is going strong after his last season’s record of 59 wins and three dead-heats, and, with ordinary fortune he should overtake that total. £SOOO Steeple,

Despite the fact that depression is affecting racing in Melbourne ah in other capitals, the V.R.C. has decided not to decrease the stake for its Grand National Steeplechase. Last year the race carried a prize of £5OOO, and it has been announced that the added money this year will not lie altered. This makes the race one of the richest of its kind in the world. For a time the Great Eastern Steeplechase of £3OOO run at Onkaparinga on Easter Monday was the largest stake offered for a steeplechase in Australia, but, as racing is in such a bad way in South Australia, it is not surprising that £lOOO was cut off the prize this season. Despite this reduction an entry of 40 horses was secured. Gesture’s Randwick Race. No doubt her owner, Mr. J. R. Murphy, greatly regrets that Gesture’s breedei- failed to nominate hei for either the £5,000 Sires’ Produce Stakes or tho £3OOO Champagne Stakes to be run at tho A.J.C. autumn meeting. There being no real smasher among the Australian juveniles, three sovereigns spent on making entry for these events would probably have added at least 1000 guineas to the wonderful little filly’s present selling value. The race that is specially marked out for her at the Randwick meeting is the Easter Stakes, to which is attached a sweepstake of 6 sovs. with 1000 sovs. added money, of which 700 sovs. goes to the winner. This event, run on Easter Monday, is confined to two-year-olds that at time of running have not won a race (other than a handicap) of the value of £lOOO to the winner. The weights to bo carried are: Colts 8.2. fillies 8.0, geldings 7.13. As the winner of a race bringing in more than 500 sovs. to her owner Gesture will, however, hare to put up a 71b. penalty, while there will no doubt be maiden competitors entitled to the 71b allowance. Hie distance is 7 furlongs, a journey which Gesture, carrying 8.11. covered with every appearance of comfort at Awapuni last Wednesday. There is also a £lOOO two-year-old handieap on the last day of the fixture, but Heaven knows what sort of a weight would be allotted the Mnorilander in that • • » £lOO to a Match. A picturesque figure in bookmaking circles in London m Billy Alden lied last month, following upon an accident. Ho was a member of Tattersail's ring for many years, and an incident which made him famous was when lie iaid £lOO to a cigar against a horse winning a race. He went further by laying £lOO to a njatch with .which to light the cigar. The horse 'duly won. Mr. Alden was noted throughout his career for his absolute fairness At the time of his death he was owed more than £40,000 for betting debts, but not once in his life did be sue a defaulting punter or take one before the responsible racing authorities. A son. Mr. A. Alden, lives in Australia, and a sister, Mrs. Hill resides Jn New Zealand. Odds and Ends. Nothing more is likely to be heard of Gay Ballerina for some little time, as the Adrian Knox Stakes winner lias been relieved of her autumn engagements and has been turned out tor a spell. , * » That Australian breeders are impressed with the performances of Chief Ruler’s gets is shown by the fact that Mr. G. N. Magill, of Molong, N.S.W., is sending over a mare to be mated with him. This is the five-year-old Bouveret, by Valais Girilah, who cost him 2,400 guineas a yearling, but has now left the racecourse for good without ever having won a race. Her best achievements were to record a few minor placings. so that her progeny will have a good big debit to work off.

It is not often that the veteran Vic torian trainer' Janies Scobie travel: far with a one-horse team. That, how ever, will bo his case in connectioi with tho A.J.C. Easter meeting t( which he is taking only the two-year old The Doctor's Orders. The coll will contest tho Sires’ Produce Stakes a race the trainer has already wor four times, Wolama, Thrice, am Furious succeeding in the colours ol Mr. E. E. D. Clarke, and Cyden win ning for Mrs. M. L. Falkiner,

Sydney papers note tho death of r well known registered owner-trainer Mr. J. E. Byrne, with whom nianj New Zealand visitors to Sydlioj meetings have no doubt made ac quaintance. Among the horses hi raced and trained privately at Ascol were Golden Voice, Gun Club. Chu : quisacn, Amaton, and Chrysolad, anc with all lie has scored recent successes.

Racing men. says a Sydney exchange. are curious to know what will happen to tho many horses owned and raced by the late Mr. John Brown, the Newcastle coal magnate. Two trainers in Sydney, who have sonic of tile horses, have been instructed to continuo training them. At Wills Gully, where the late Mr. Brown bred horses, there were said to be hundreds of thoroughbreds running about the paddocks, and over 400 mares and foals at Darbalatra.

When AJr, Pol Green left for England last wonk, ho stated that Strophon will have his first race in England in the Great Jubilee Handicap at Kempton Park, on May 17 The main mission of the horso is lire Ascot Gold Cup. to bo run on June 19. Win or lose. Mr. Green said, Streplion would not bo returned to Australia when he bad finished racing in England. A hurdler called Phaedo met with his end nt Port Adelaide recently in n peculiar way. He was having his first public outing over the battens and fell lightly in front of the stand When rising two others collided with him and Phaedo was knocked ovei again, and had his neck broken 11 was the third hurdler trained hr T Reid which has been killed lately with t’re crack rider G. Dally on top.