THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 22, 1939
1
Review Of Racing Season Reveals Increased Interest Mr. Encarnacao Heads Jockeys For Second Year Messrs. K. I. Ip And C. F. Chiu Graduate
(By “RAPIER”)
The Thirteenth Extra Race Meeting held on Saturday last before a record crowd, and in which three Champions events were contested, proved a fitting climax to Hong Kong Jockey Club's 1939 season.
KING KONG'S A GRAND TIME LEADING
RECORD
There is really not a great deal of inter- est to record with regard to subscription griffins of this season. Practically unknown
at the Annual Meeting. King Kong later im- proved rapidly and has since established it year's subscription griffins. Its superiority
self as the outstanding pony among
this
has never been in doubt, especially during the second half of the season, and it has won the most important events, including
the Sub-Grimina Autumn Plate, the Subs. Grims, without being serious chal-
Griffins Leger, and the Subs. Autumn
Despite misgivings attendant upon the commencement of hostilities in Europe, there has been no slackening of sup- port for the various extra race meetings; in fact, a decided lenged. increase has been reflected in the unusually strong demand On its performances at the Annual Meet- for tickets in the cash sweeps on practically every occasion.ing. Marksman was expected to do great
UNLUCKY
ROSE ELECT
things. It gradually faded away, however, to be displaced in public favour by King
Kong.
This great-hearted pony has proved so good that it has been placed in "B" Class, a distinction once held by Racing Boy, sub, champion of former days.
AUSTRALIAN
Quite the best races seen at the Valley were provided by Australian ponies. After winning the Australian Ponies Champions at the Annual Meeting, Lucky Lad fared vary badly, and, not winning a subsequent race,
failed to qualify for the Queensland Autumn Champions.
Pride of place for Australian ponies must now be given to A Grand Time, owned by Mr. Li Po-chun, which revealed great form in winning the Lanark Handicap under Mr.
Queensland Autumn Champions, under Mr.
Lancashire Chips and Baffin Bay, winner of the Fremantle St. Leger,
Yuen at the 12th Extra Meeting and the
Black, beating such ponies as Courting Eve,
Courting Eve has been most disappoint- ing, but Lancashire Chips, since coming under the control of Mrs. Taggart, bas
well in the Champions event, but, as pre- viously, could not last out the full distance.
shown good form. It was expected to do
Among the new ponies Baffin Bay, belong- ing to Mr. L. Dunbar, and Chiltern, owned by Mr. Eu Tong Sen, gave the old stalwarts a good deal to think about.
In reviewing racing since the Sum- mer recess one cannot but be impress- ed with the excellent weather at prac- tically every meeting. This factor did much to attract ever increasing crowds to the Valley, where keen racing, which has been the order throughout,
Musketeer came second in the Autumn Among the China ponies. Griffins of this
Ridden by Mr. H. J. A. Hearne, Baffu has been made possible by the fine season, Rose Elect, after winning the Derby Champtons, and so must be regarded as be
but surprising condition of the track..
and Champlona Stakes at the Annual Meeting the next best to King Kong. It won the Bay scored a meritorious Dealing first with the Jockeys; congratula-ing, had the misfortune to pull a tendon dur- Austin Handicap at the Eighth Extra Meet-victory in the Fremantle St. Leger to pay
the second best win, dividend of the year. tions are due to Mr. C. Encarnacao, who.ing the race for the Double Tenth Plate and Ing. Then comes Strathbannock with two for the second year in succession, achieved was prevented from taking part in the Hong wins to its credit, in the Jordan Handicap and Autumn Champions and the Castle Peak Handicap (First Sec- the distinction of being Champlon Jockey. Kong St. Leger
tion) for "D" Class Class ponies, events. He scored no fewer than 34 wins. Mr. V. V.
In
Navylight came into consequence Needa was second with 25 winning mounts.
Mr. R. B. Moller came down specially prominence. It will be recalled that Navy- from Shanghal to ride Navylight in the light, ridden by Mr. H. C. Pih, fared very Hong Kong St. Leger, an event for China badly against Rose Elect in the Derby, and ponies, grins of this season, and he won thereafter was taken to Shanghal. "After re- through determined riding in the closing celving careful attention and gradual train- stages of the race. He returned to Shanghai ing it was brought back to Hong Kong for after this meeting but will probably particl- the St. Leger event, in which it was chal pate in our Annual Racing Carnival next lenged only by Eve of Harvest in a thrilling | EXE?EXXEXEXEXEKS&=>=XBXBXBX
X February.
Messrs. B. L. Tao and A. W. Raymond appeared before the Stewards and the form- er was suspended during the second half of
the
season. Mr. Raymond's offence was much more serious and he was "warned off" the course and thus forfeited his mem- bership of Hong Kong Jockey Club.
finish,
I would rate Eve of Harvest second to Navylight. Marked down as a pony of dis- tinction early this year, it has fully justified that
It ran third in the Derby. opinion. after which it went on to win the Double Tenth Plate, and then, in the Hong Kong St. Leger, only lost to Navylight by a neck.
ROSE EMILY IMPROVES
Messrs. K. I. Ip and C. F. Chiu graduated from the novice-class, a distinction- fully-Rose Emtty~" belonging to Mr. Eu Tong merited.
Honours among owners were fairly evenly .distributed during the period under review.
ROSE EVELYN OR
KING KONG?
Among other subscription griffins that have done well are Bressay. Kut Cheong, West Lake, Talkative, Guinness Time, Tiny Tim, Geordie, Wilber. Smiling Time Chatterbox.
Sen, falled to come up to expectations dur- ing the first half of the year, but since then it has done quite well, winning on two occa- Bions. Ridden by Mr. C. F. Chiu, it account-X ed for the Yunnan Handicap, and, under Mr. Encarnacao, won the Hong Kong Grif fins Cup.
Blue Diamond, belonging to Mr. Hung, 1s another pony which failed to impress dur- ing the Annual Meeting, and the subsequent extra meetings, but after the Summer re- cess improved rapidly, It has three wins to its credit, Le, the Island Bay Handicap (second section), the Austin Handicap (sec
Littic can be said regarding the old subs. Rose Evelyn was certainly in brilliant form when it wor the Island Bay Handicap and the Connaught Handicap confined to "C" -Class China ponles, and for such perform
ances will have, in the future, to race ond section) and the Shùm 'Chman Handicap among "B" Class ponies. It was expected | (first section) for "C" Class China ponies, to put up a fight against King Kong in the Connaught Handicap, but the latter threw its jockey, Mr. S. L. Sung, near The Rock. Since then these two have not clashed,
Whether Rose Evelyn is better than King Kong is a question which will have to re- main unanswered for some time. Person- ally I am inclined to the belief that King Kong is the better pony.
Other winners were the Leopard, in the Norfolk Handicap, and Golden Cow, in the Gallowgate Handicap.
Galaxy, belonging to Mr. L. B. Chao, lost; to Rose Emily in the Hong Kong Griffins Cup, but this result was reversed in the St. Andrew's Stakes, which Galaxy won without being fully extended.
Then comes Rose Fiana from the Eu Tong Sen Stable, which has scored two nice wins, the second paying a fairly good dividend in the second leg of the "Dally Double" last Saturday.
Other griffins of this season which have won a race each are Eve of Heaven, Avon, Sunlight View and Lilliber.
CONFUSION BAY'S
FINE FORM
Confusion Bay, owned by Mr. L. Dunbar, has established itself as the best of the old Griffins, China ponies. Bince makingTM its appearance on the local track, it has done remarkably well, but its best was not re vealed until after the Summer 'recess. IL has scored several wins, the most notable being in the October Handicap (11⁄2 miles) and The H.K, Autumn Champions. Further- more, carrying 168 lbs., this great-hearted pony broke the mile record, which until
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HONG KONG BOWLING ALLEYS
and Rose Elect.
It was a great pity that Rose Elect was unable to run in the Autumn Champions and thus give the public an opportunity, of Beo- ing it in action against Confusion Bay,
Royal Highness), with Mr. V. V. Nesda up, carried off the Hunan Handicap (Arst `sec- Hon) Kwängtung Handicap for "D" Class ponies, and, promoted to "C" Closs, prompt ly won the Shum Chun Handicap (second section).
Jober, from the Marber Stable, under the control of Mr. S. L. Bung, won the Kwangsi | | 32 Handicap and the Sussex Hai
Kár: Moonlight.
and
Chiltern, piloted by Mr. Encarnaçao, im- proved to such an extent that it came in third to Baffin Bay, while Ajax, ridden by Mr. Poy, sprang a neat surprise on the oc- casion of the Twelfth Extra Meeting, when it paid out over $200.00 for a winning ticket and caused the "Dally Double" $7,523 to be carried over.
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