THE TURP. NEWS AND NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 149, 23 December 1908, Page 2

THE TURP. NEWS AND NOTES.

Te Aroha, who has recently been giving her trainer a lot of trouble has broken down, and may not race again. Armlet is galloping in great style at Ellerslic. The little daughter of ..Menschikoff, shortly after her arrival there, ran half a mile on the down grade in a tick over 46sec. Mason is said to be pleased with her ; this means much, as her opponents will realise when they are kept busy chasing the little iharvel. Ambrosian, by St. Ambrose — Marlin, the two-year-old full brother lo Mr. Tancred's colt, was bought as a yearling by Mr. Pajne for 250 guineas, and the Christchurch sportsman disposed of him last July, so it is said, for a sum well over 600 guineas. The colt was auctioned at Melbourne a few weeks ago and found a new owner at 250 guineas. Heorthen has gone off and her trainer saw it was useless bringing the Phoebus Apollo mare up to Palmerston. Mahutit docs not yet gallop with his old freedom, and both his stable mates, Lon^ner and North East have lately been beating him on the tracks. Waitapu is hardly ready to get to the end of a mile and a half, but will make it very interesting for the opposition over a course two furlongs shorter. When Don Carlos fell at Feilding his rider, C. Mitchell, appeared to escape j with a shaking. His injuries now prove to be more serious than were anticipated, and his spine is badly bruised. It will be some time before Mitchell will be able to ride again. Glencullbch is reported to be moving very short in his work. He has done a good preparation, however, and may run forward in the Manawatu Cup. Under the heading of "You never can tell till the numbers are up," "Phaeton" in the Auckland Herald writes that the Aberration-Ikon finish at Woodville recalled to his mind the finish in the A.R.C. Champagne Stakes of 1893, when the judge gave his decision to ' Eve. He says : — "Though over fifteen years have sped their flight since the eventful afternoon when Noyade, Royal Rose, and' Eve fought out the issue in the two-year-old event at Ellerslie, I retain a vivid recollection of the finish ; and it is ever with me as a striking illustration of what may happen in racing. It was no question of a head, or a neck, that the judge had to decide, for Noyade had a' clear lead from Royal Rose, who also was in front of Eve.. It could be said, with tolerable safety, that the judge stood absolutely alone in his decision, and, though he was gently reminded that the rules permitted liim to alter his decision within 15 minutes of the result, he would not budge. And so Eve's name went into the records as a winner of the Champagne Stakes ! How could such a mistake be made ? was, of course, a question that presented it-self to many minds. It may be remarked that Noyade and Eve were similar in colour ; but in seeking for a solution, many came to the conclusion that the judge got mixed up in the colours worn by the riders. The colours carried by Eve_ were pink and black, while those carriexl by Noyade were given as buff and black. The colours worn by the jockey of Eve might at one time be ,said to have carried a pink shade, but they were very dull on the day she carried them in tb^e Champagne Stakes, and anyone not over quick to recognise colours might have confused the same with those worn by Noyade's jockey. Mr. J. B. Williamson, who trained Eve, and who, L think, also held an interest hi the Brigadier filly, was oiie who took matters philosophically regarding the decision. The genial Irishman would never go quite so far as to contend that the judges decision was correct; but, with a merry twinkle in his eye, he would add that it squared matters up so far as Eve was concerned, as she was, in his opinion, entitled to the verdict in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, in which Reflectpr was declared the winner by a short head." Dr. Watson, the Australian owner of Pilot, is evidently a strong believer in New Zealand-bred horses for the jumping game, for he has leased Aeolus from Mr. W. Lyons. Over Pilot's victory in the Cup Steeplechase at Flemington, his owner is credited with having had a royal win, the stable commission being nearly a four figure one, yet so strong was the ring on that occasion that the horse's price at the finish was sevens. It is little wonder therefore that Cahill got the stake, some £250, for his piloting of Pilot. Commander, who won the first hurdles at Dannevirke, was purchased a few days previously for £50 by W. Griffiths, his trainer. Commander is a strongly-built horse, well up to weight, and has a fair amount of pace, and there is no reason why he should not add another stake or two to his account before this season is over. Heavenly Twin, the dam of Theodore, is a full sister to Canteen, being bj Castor — Vivandiere. W. H. Pearson, who has ridden with considerable success for the Messrs. Millar Bros, and others in Australia, arrived in Auckland by the Wimmera last Monday, and if sufficient inducement offers will take up his residence there. ("As Pearson can go to scale at 7st 41b, \he should get plenty of riding. A new starting machine, the invention of Mr. H. Reynolds, was tried in public at tho Christchurch R.C. meeting last week. It difers materially from any of the barriers now in use. In place of the customary tape or webbing, an elastic band is stretched across the course, and on the release of the barrier it flies across the track, so that there is no chance, as with the old style of machine, of. the horses' being frightened by the barrier flying up in front of their faces. The machine worked without a hitch. A. M'Millan, who rode Pluck in nice style when the Merriwee gelding scored at Dannevirke, has been engaged for Pohutu in the Auckland Cup, and D. Kemp will have the mount on Ikon in the same race. Backers of favourites in big events of the English turf have had a very rougn tjmc this year. The long list of outsiders includes Norman 111. (Two Thousand Guineas), Rhodora (One Thousand Guineas), St. Wolf (Wcwmaiket Stakes), Signorinclta (Derby), Polar Star (Manchester Cup), Elmstead (Stewards^ Cnp, Goodwood), Simonson (Duke of York Slakes), Yentoi (Cesarewitch), and Marcovil (Cambridgeshire). Tho year 1008 will lone: be remembered with pleasure by the knights of the book and pencil. An English writer states there is ground . for anticipating an early rearrangement of the King's racing "affairs, which may involve the giving up of Egerton House, tho most princely training establishment, perhaps, which has ever existed. In that case Marsh wt*ld be installed elsewhere as private trainer to His Majesty. R. Marsh has been at Eqerton House for many years, and it was from there he sent out Persimmon to win the Derby for his Royal employer (then Prince of Wales) and Diamond Jubiho to sweep MlO board of the classic races in 1906. Certain other

owners have been privileged by the King to train at EgerLon House, among them being the late Duk3 of Devonshire, and Lord Wolvorton, Mr. Arthur James, and Mr. J. W. Larnach, owner of the sensational 100 to 1 Derby winner, Jeddalu American owners and breeders of thoroughbreds aro invading England in earnest, and if Mr. J. R. Keene s champion Colin, who arrived in the Old Country a few weeks ago, should strip at his bast next season ; he should make matters unsettled for His Majesty, Radium, Llangwm and Co. Colin, who is to be trained by S. Darling, is only a ihreo-ycar-old, has not yet been defeated, and ins won £06,000 in prize money. Unfortunately a bowed tendon kept him on the snelf for a iVy months prior Uy his departure from America, but if the trouble was leally serious it is improbable that he would have been sent to England for racing purposes. R. E. Brown has severed his connection with James Twohill's \ Thames stable, and has taken up his residence in Auckland. It is stated there is a piobability of Brown journeying' to Australia to ride Squltlino in the Newmarket Handicap.