TURF TOPICS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 180, 4 September 1914, Page 11

TURF TOPICS.

C. Bourne has taken in hand the chestnut gelding by Kulnine, who has been spelling for the last couple of months as the result of muscular soreness. He has apparently made a good recovery, and appears to be quite sound again. Daylight Bill, with Coker in the saddle, gave one of his usual finished exhibitions of jumping in a round over five flights of the schooling hurdles this morning. He will probably be given a run at the Geraldine spring fixture. Rejection (McCarthy), Parable (Coker), and Eaglestone (Shaw) were •companions in a schooling task over four flights of the schooling hurdles at Riccarton this morning. The trio cleared the initial obstacle oil terms, after which Rejection *went to the front, and led over the second fence. He maintained his advantage until the third hurdle was reached, where he made a faulty jump and came to grief. The fall appeared to be a bad one, but luckily both horse and rider escaped unhurt. On being remounted, Rejection cleared the final obstacle safely. Parable, who had been fencing' indifferently throughout, narrowly missed coming to grief at the last hurdle. Eaglestone finished up by giving a more satisfactory display than his opponents. Mr A. W. Rutherford has decided not to further persevere with the two-year-old filly by Formative. She is to be railed back to her owner's station today, where she will be treated to a lengthy respite. A full sister to SignOrile is due to arrive at Riccarton to-morrow from Mr Rutherford's station. She will join A. McAulay's active brigade, and will be broken in forthwith.

The Auckland representative Jack Delaval lias been scratched for the Metropolitan Handicap, according to a cable message from Sydney. There will be. racing next week at Dannevirke and Ashburton, at both of which fixtures several Zealand Cup catididates will be seen under silk. Corrie claims engagement in both the Hurdle Race and County "Handicap at Ashburton. judging from the nature of the tasks allotted her since the National Meeting, it is the latter event that will, claim her, attention. /

Never at this time of year have there been, so many laxrve horses at Eiccartoxi as at the present time. ; The lack of rain during the winter months, and the execssive work got through, prior to the National Meeting left most of the tracks very hard, and matters in that respect are not improving. Amongst the horses that have gone amiss recently may be mentioned Moddite, the Birkenhead-Guitai? filly in M'Aulay's stable, Query, and Teviotdale, while several others are having to fee nursed in order to be got fit for immediate engagements. Unless the tracks receive several good soakings trainers will have a job to get their charges to stand up to the collar between now and New Zealand Cup time. . , C. Emerson signalised his return to New Zealand by riding Kaminhoe to victory in the Maiden Plate at Marton on Wednesday. The jockey Trevethick, who was injured while schooling Grit Lawless at Trentliam la"st. week, is in a very serious condition, and has been removed to a private hospital. If Pariform's showing in the Railway Handicap at Marton is to be relied on, it does not argue too well for his prospects in the Wanganui or Hawke's Br»v Guineas. In Wednasday's race lm began badly, and was uever prominent at any stage of the journey. Kew's downfall in the hurdle race at Marton was the outcome of misjudging his distance at the last obstacle. Previously to this he had jumped proficiently all through, and only. for the mistake may have won. Despite the substantial falling off in the totalisator receipts at the Marton Jockey Club's Meeting, a small profit will result over the fixture. This should be encouraging to those clubs that are undecided as whether to reduce their stakes or not.

That brilliant, but unlucky, pacer Calm changed hands recently, and goes into E. Eeay's stable to be prepared for future events. When competing in the last New Zealand Trotting Cup. the son. of Wildwood Junr. sustained injuries that have kept hirn in retirement . ever since, and 'it is doubtful if he will stand up to another strong preparation. Nothing trained at Eiccarton is putting in more attractive work than the New Zealand Cup candidate Warstep. All going well with her in the interim, she should be cherry ripe by the time the November fixture comes round.

Through lack of steamer accommodation G. Scobie was unable to get his team for the Australian Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, away yesterday. With the present uncertainty prevailing it would- come as no surprise to find the trip abandoned. Several racing clubs take entries for classic events at future meetings up to, this evening. Amongst them are the Manawatu R.C., Egmont R.C., Dunedin .T. 0., Hawke's Bay J.C., Manawatu R.C., Avondale J.C., Taranaki J.C., and Feilding J.C. The Ashburton County Racing Club receives acceptances for its Spring Meeting up to nine o'clock this evening. At the same time entries close for the Trial Plate and Maiden Hack Scurry. An acceptance for the New Zealand Cup falls due with the secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club this evening. An Auckland writer is responsible for the statement that the local mentor, W. Tozer, has received word that Albert li. is to dispatched to his care, which evidently means that the Rothschild horse is not to be persevered- with for the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Since returning to Ellerslie after his exertions at the National Meeting, Admiral Soult- has freshened up. splendidly, and is again amongst C. Coleman's active brigade. While being exercised at the starting barrier a few mornings ago at Ellerslie, the two-year-old General Pool, by

Elysian—Lady Eoyal, ricked himself rather badly, ami it is probable that the injuries ■will prevent him fulfilling engagements at the Avondale Jockey Club's Spring Meeting. According to a northern writer, Mr J. 0. Hay ward (importer of Soult and Gold Reef), writing from Newmarket, England, says that he has purchased the thoroughbred sire Lucullus, by Ard Patrick from Lucca, for stud purposes in this country. He also procured a thoroughbred brood mare, and he intended leaving with his charges the middle of thi§ month, and expected to arrive in Wellington about the early part of October. The well-known Sydney trainer, J. Allsop, who went to Germany some months ago with the intention of consulting specialists regarding his eyesight, had to make tracks for England as soon as the war broke out. Writing to a friend in Sydney concerning some of the prominent racehorses, he says:— "The Curragh, by Spearmint, who won the Prince of Wales Stakes, beating Breakspear, is a very fine horse, and very like old Carbine. The King's colt Breakspear, who was only beaten by a neck, will, I think, make a good showing in the St. Leger. I also saw Spearmint, whom, I think, will carry the line of Musket very prominently. There is 110 doubt England is a grand Old Country; but Australia is the best for me." The Durban paper, "The Latest,'' gives an idea of how pony-racing is flourishing in Johannesburg.- At a meeting of the directors of the Auckland Park Bacing Club last month it was decided to allot another dividend of 20 per cent, to the shareholders. This distribution meant* 50 per cent, for the present year, as threg dividends of 10 per cent, each had been previously paid. In addition to this 20 per cent, dividend, a sum of £2OOO was placed to reserve, • bringing the total to £13,000. The above figures are good enough to make even shareholders in Sydney "pony" clubs envious, and they do not fare badly in the matter of dividends. A HANDICAPPING SCHEME. ■ - S ; : METHODICAL ADJUSTMENTS. : In view of the interest that has been evinced lately in trotting circles regarding the question of handicapping," the scheme adopted by the* New Zealand Owners', Breeders' and Trainers' As-' sociation, which was submitted to the last meeting of the Trotting Association, will be of general interest. It reads as follows: —* All unplaced maiden horses to bis placed on the same mark. No horse shall be handicapped slower than its best winning performance. No fraction of shall count against.a horse's record. Horses running second sind third, and improving on their best performance, shall receive an allowance of .1. second in one mile and one mile and a quarter, and 2 seconds in one mile and a half and two miles. Horses with winning records slower than 2.26 to the mile may be penalised r.ot more than 2 seconds per mile, 3 seconds in one mile and a half, and 5 seconds in two miles; this not to include penalties for distance. (That' is, a horse with a two-mile record may be penalisfed 4 seconds in a mile race.) Horses with a two-mile record better than 4.56 shall, if entered for a shorter race, be penalised 1 second in one mile and a half and one mile and a quarter, and 2 seconds in one mile. Horses with a one mile and a half record better than 3.41 shall be penalised 1 second in one mile and a quarter and one mile. Horses with race records of. 2.26 and better to the mi-le shall be handicapped on actual time, with allowances for second and third, performances, and subject to a set distance allowance table. This system will be made to apply to all performances registered since August 1, 1913,. while all horses that have been let-up on their previous best performance, and have not been placed since August 1, 1913, may continue to receive the benefit of such let-up. ' '