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WHY V.R.C. SEIZED URUBA
SIMILAR MARKS
TO SONNICA
"On Wrong Tram"
Says Trainer
j By "CARDIGAN"
i The extraordinary resemblance between the nine-
| year-old mares Uruba and Sonnica is the reason why the
| Victoria Racing Club stipendiary stewards impounded
I Uruba yesterday, and placed her in the charge of the
j police at the St. Kilda Rd. Barracks.
Uruba is a bay mare with black points. She has a white star
on the forehead, with the edges of the star on the near side
, rather ragged. She also has a sear on her hindquarters.
j Sonnica, who closed her racing career on November 1, 1033,
I is also a bay mare with black points and, like Uruba, has the
j same kind of white star on her forehead and a scar on her bul-
j tocks.
! Mr Don McKcnzic. Uruba's trainer,
i said today: "If the V.R.C. authorities
: think that Uruba is Sonnica, then
Ihcy are absolutely on tho wrong
i tram."
Mr D. F. McNaughton, the owner of
Uruba, cf Little River, said; "I do
not know the marc Sonnica. Uruba
is the mare I bred, sold, rebouuhl,
and handed over io McKcnzic."
jFirst Raced In 1934
Urubn did not begin racing until April,,
.! whom. n stv.voyt'-nlrL sh rat', i
Hod the colors of Mr T. Davison, and
won the Novice Handicap at Green's
Creek. She also won at Colerame and
Colac at her next two starts for the I
same owner.
When she appeared next at the Bel
mont Picnic Races, she was owned and
trained by Mr D. F. McNaughton, of
Little River.
Mr J. Scnlly, the stipendiary steward
to tho Western District Racing Asso
ciation. said today that when Uruba first
appeared and won at Green's Creek,
and again at Colcraine, he checked
Uruba's registration and markings, as
he was naturally interested in the sudden
appearance of a six-year-old mare who
showed such good speed. j
As far as he was concerned, there j
was no reason why Uruba should notj
continue to race. 1
Mr. Davi$on did not like the stipendiary!
steward investigating the- brands and i
markings on Uruba, nnd he re-sold her
to her original , owner and breeder, Mr
McNaughton, who, although not in thcj
racing business, decided that he would!
train the mare himself. !
"But I did not do very well with hci\"i
Mr McNaughton said today when intcr-
i L, 1 \ivcr. i considered it
advisable to give her to a good trainer,
and that was the reason why 1 selected
Don McKcnzic.
. "I cannot understand the action of
the V.R.u in impounding the mare, and
I will attend the inquiry tomorrow to;
hear what they have to say concerning
her.
. "I do not know much about rac-!
ing and am not interested in it.!
as I have my business to attend to. |
"Mr Davison, who raced Urubn at1
Green's Creek and other places, is a!
friend of mine and lives at Werribce. j
"I do not know the marc Sonnica.)
and, to Ihc best of my knowledge, have!
never seen that marc. |
"Davison did not brand Uruba. Whcpi
Uruba was sold by me to Davison he)
gave , the marc to G. Turner 40 train.
Turner trains somewhere i'n tjio-- Wcstofii!
District. I understood from Dnvlsotf when
the marc returned to roe that Turiier had
put the brand 'D' on her near shoulder.
That was the only brand on her."
Mr McNaughton said today that he was
absolutely certain that the mare he sold
to Davison and ro-hought from him was,
1 the same marc os he bred.
"Longer In The Back"
Don Mcivcnzic, me iraincr 01 uruoa,(
said today, when interviewed at Flem-S
ington: "If the V.R.C. authorities think
that Urubn is Sonnica they are absolutely >
on the 'wrong tram.' 1
"I saw the marc Sonnica at Flemlngton
one day when I had 10/ on her because
she was by Eastern Monarch, the sire of
The Monarch, which I train.
"What I remember of Sonnica.- she was
H'llighter bay and longer in the back than
Urubn.
"I- have had horses all my life and
have been with them since I was a lad
at school, and if I am wrong this time In
the identification of two marcs then I
am 'slipning hack.'
"I have trained Urubn for about 18
months, and the first race I won with her
was at Campcrdown. There has never
.been any inquiry- about her bona-fldes
until tnc v.k.u stewards look the matter
in hand."
Uruba is not a striking looking 'marc
She is neat and racy looking, and for a
marc who has raced on country tracks
and has covered long distances in floats
and trains has remarkably clean tegs
with hardly a mark on them.
Yesterday when she was led into the!
float she did not make the least fuss.i
but in a docile way followed the man
who loaded her, and, although . no boy!
was in the float with her on ner way to;
the' Police Barracks, she was quite cool;
and calm when unloaded, and, walked'
to her nicc)y-appoir,>'l stall without
showing the least s:.7 is of fractiousncss.
CAUSED COMMENT
Uruba's striking resemblance to Son
nica has caused much comment In rac
ing circles for a considerable time. Last
Wednesday, when Uruba dcad-heatcd for
first with Gaybrookc in the Ycringbcrg
Welter at the Valley she was very closely
scrutinised by the stewards, and Messrs.
Bell and Hcslop have since interested
themselves greatly in the markings,
brands and registration of the mare.
It is many years since stewards of any
of the principal clubs in Australia have
taken the extreme action of impounding
a well-known performer; but the V.R.C.
authorities no doubt feel that, in fair
ness to her connections, the matter
should be cleared up.
Actually the stewards under the Rules
of Racing have no jurisdiction to seize
a horse off a racecourse. But before
Messrs jonnston ana uignan accom
panied D. McKcnzic, the trainer of the
mare, to his stables yesterday they first
of all called on the legal advisors to
the V.R.C.
McKcnzic. however, was quite willing
lor the stewards to take whatever action
they wished in connection with the
marc. He explained that he was given
Uruba to tram and as far as he was
concerned his responsibility ended when
he got her fit to win races.
McKcnzic is held in the highest regard
by Western District racing men and
officials, and his help to the V.R.C. was
appreciated/He placed no barriers what
ever in the way of the stewards in
specting the mare.
LIKE URUBA'S "TWIN"
Sonnica who, on looks, is Uruba's
"twin" is the same age as that rnare,
and is by Eastern Monarch from Vivre.
When she was registered as a two-
year-old the rule of racing concerning
brands- was not then in vogue and Son
nica bad no brands on her. She had,
however, some distinctive markings and
scars which were, as a matter of course,
placed on her registration by her trainer,
Frank Godhy.
At the conclusion of her racing, career
—in November, 1933— Frank Godby
offered Sonnicai- for sale at Mackinnon
and Cox's Newmarket yards and she was
knocked down to J. Watson, of Drysdalc,
for' 150 ens.
Mr Watson paid cash for tho marc,
and as far as the racing world knows,
she went tothe stud. Little is known
of her subsequent, doings, as none of
her. progeny have raced.
Tomorrow , the V.R.C. stewards will
hold an inquiry at their offices when
Mr McNaughton and others will attend.
As .there are Mooneo Valley races In
the' afternoon, the inquiry will be held
at -
Soanica'. -Performances— Back Page - '
. ; , j : -y- J. -Vi ; y : i'
The heads of Sonnies (top) and Uruha (lower). Help
The heads of Sonnies (top) and Uruha
(lower).
Action, pictures of. Uruba (top) when she :ran . second .to .Anionic, at. Geetoac. recently and Somiica., (lower) toward (bo-end of her racing -career. .\ : : ; J - ,vf s. - Help
Action, pictures of. Uruba (top) when she :ran . second .to .Anionic, at. Geetoac.
recently and Somiica., (lower) toward (bo-end of her racing -career.
.\ : : ; J - ,vf s. -

PERFORMANCES OF
SONNICA

(Continued from Page 1).
As a two-year-old, Sonnica. racing in
the ownership of Mr L. G. Beech, ran
five times. She was three times un
placed and won the Two-year-old Mile
at Flemington. Strangely enough., Godby
won the same race last June with an
other of his team— Again.
As a three-year-old Sonnica raced six
times, her only placing being in the
Three-year-old Handicap, of one mile,
at Flemington, when site finished third.
As a four-year-old Sonnica raced in
Frank Godby 's colors. She ran 14 times
for two wins, at Moooce Valley and at
Caulfteld. Her wins were over a mile
and seven furlongs. She was also second
m two other welters and was third in
! another welter at Williamstown.
Sonnica had a busy season as a fivc-
1 year-old. She started in 24 races and
'won four. These wins were the Werri-
:bee Welter, the Hanging Rock Cup. the
V.A.T.C. Glenferrie Handicap, and the
i Moonee Valley Flowerfield Handicap.
She was also placed on eleven occasions.
' As a six-year-oLd she ran five times
jand was unplaced on each occasion. In
; all she ran 54 times for 7 wins, 6 sec
onds, 10 thirds and 31 times unplaced.

I THE Melbourne Hunt Poinl-to-Point
i Steeplechase meeting will be held
»on Mr S. A. Greave's property. "Strath-
tard," Narrc Warren, on Monday, Sep-
Itember 14. Entries close with the sec
retary (Mr N". Wood), 121 William Street,
i Melbourne, on Monday, September 7.
| The Melbourne Hounds will meet atj
jthc Reserve, corner on the Princes' High
way. Pakenham. on Saturday at 10-33 a rr..
' >'

$