TURF NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 248, 18 October 1924, Page 57 (Supplement)

TURF NOTES

(By V.TIALEBONE.)

The brothers, A. Smyth and Victor Smyth were concerned in a desperate finish when riding Watford nnd Salmon Trout in the Richemount Three-Year-Old Stakes at Huret Park rerently. Both jockeys were hard at it fully a furlong from home, and A. Smyth, on Captain Thistlethwayte's improved chestnut got first run from the distance and won by a head. The stallion Presto 11., stationed in the South of Franco, has been destroyed at the ago of 23. Presto 11. never sired anything of much value, and his sole claim to fame was in having defeated Pretty Polly ill the Prix dv Conseil Municipal in Paria in 1904. starting at 100 to 1. The Grand International Criterion at San Sebastian last month for two-year-olds, over five furlongs, and worth about £.')000, was won by the Aga Khan's Lo Bijou, with the Due Decazes' War Legend second, and Senor Unzue's Chubaseo third. Le Bijou won by a neck; half a length separating second and third The Aga Khan evidently meets with success in all countries. There can be no doubt about Diomedes being a very high rlass colt. He had won all his previ "« races, and at Manchester on Sept"-i' -i 0, with top weight, carried off the I'a in tine Nursery in the same easy manner. The general impression was that the handicapper had made a mistake, nnd was responsible for the fact that only five runners went to the jiost, and that odds had to be laid on him. Tt was a travesty of a race, for Diomedes jumped away in front, and nothing wafl capable of really extending him, though Maxim Gun, under his penalty, was running on gamely at the finish. Sir Charles Hyde, by way of celebrating his victory with Game Shot in the "Gimcrack" recently, has sent a cheque for 100 guineas to the York Citizens' Committee, to be expended in boots and clothing for the poor children of the city. The gift is a very timely one, as the York Citizens' Committee have very little money in hand to begin their winter work of providing poor children with boots and clothing. Sir Charles Hydc'3 cheque will be gratefully received and appropriately used. It is, we believe (says the "York Herald") the first time the owner of a "Gimcrack" winner has signalised his pleaeure in this happy way. Mr. E. J. Watt's English purchase, Royal Crescent (Royal Canopy—Marvel of Peru), arrived in Sydney recently, on the Port Pirie. Royal Crescent, who is a grey, and four years old to Australian time, started in five races in England this season, thirds resulting from each of her last two runs. With 7.8 she was third to Guardsman (7.12) and Noisy Oyster (7.0) in the Waterbeach Handicap, six furlongs, at Newmarket on July 4, end at the Rame track was similarly placed with 7.8 to Fairy Elf (8.21 and Tarpon (8.0) in the Bury Handicap, 5 furlongs, on July 17. P. Gilpin trained her at that ''mc. At the conclusion of the Ballarat Miners' races on Friday, September 20, Mr. T. it. Torpy, owner of Fortenee, which had won the Farewell Handicap comfortably by four lengths, was called before the stewards. Fortenee ran third on the first day in the Welter Handicap won by Monel. After having heard evidence in regard to the matter the stewards disqualified Torpy and Fortenee for six months on a charge of inconsistent running. Fortenee wa9 ridden by a different jockey each day. The decision will not affect the result of the event Which Fortenee won. An appeal has been lodged with the Ballarat District Racing Association. Triory Park, which earned such an enviable reputation when winning at Goodwood, will only make one more appearance during the present season, and then be reserved for the Derby of next year (says "Sporting Life"). The son of Rockßavage's engagements are at Windsor, Gatwiek, and Newbury, and according to present intentions one of the last two mentioned meetings will be. given the preference for the colt's reappearance. In all probability J. Thwaites, who was originally retained to ride, the colt at Goodwood, will have the mount. The North Country jockey is also the probable jockey for the colt's classic engagement next year, this arrangement being due to the fact that F. Bullock will not be available for the Derby. The English trainer. F. Darling, is strong in two-year-olds this season. Margeritta has won £5127 and Black Friar £4987, but his best three-year-old of next season may be Manna, a bay I colt by Phalaris from Waffles, by Buck- • wheat from Lady Mischief, by St. Simon. ] Manna, who cost 6300 guineas as a ; yearling, is owned by Mr. H. Morris, a j Shanghai merchant. Manna's first 1 public appearance was at Sandown in July, and, as it was rumoured he was than either Margeritta or Black ! Friar, he started at odds-on for the ! National Breeders' Produce Stakes. He ] was beaten by Garden of Allah and j Bucellas, but at Goodwood he made amends by easily winning the Richmond Stakes, for which he was a (3 to 4 favourite. Manna is a shapely colt, ! possessing plenty of substance, and it is : safe to bet that in England he will be i one of the winter fancies for the Derby. ! The fact that he is out of a Buckwheat mare is of interest to many breeders in I Australia. j Rock Rand, the sire of Tracery and I Toque 11., is dead, but Rochester and I Rock Flint have represented him very i worthily in this country, and last, but ! by no means least, there is his son, Rocki savage ,to whom I wish tq specially • direct attention, for he is the sire, in i his first season, of that remarkable two--1 year-old Priory Park, who gained such a startling victory at Goodwood (says an English writer). Rocksavage is a very ; typical Rock Sand horse, and he won ; many races. He was bred by Lady James ■ Douglas, and is out of Manuka, by Eager, her dam Sempronia, by Carnelion. The family is a branch of No. 3. From his first year's stook Rocksavage is credited with two other winners 'besides Priory Park, and four others placed, out of eight runners. This is remarkable for a first year and a small subscription list. , The victory of Priory Park was fully I expected, and it is well on the cards that he may be the best of his year. Xow that Tracery is gone, the other sons of Rock Sand,, all of whom are good stallions, additionally valuable, and it I seems obvious that Rocksavage is ono oi I the beet. .^

Ashley Reed, the crack New Zealand jockey, "who won the Chemsford Stakes on Heroic, and rode Nigger Minstrel in the A..T.C. Derby, is likely to settle in Melbourne after the Cup meetings (says the "Australasian"). If he does, ho will he attached to C. T. Godby's stable. Mr. .T. C. Galstaun, one of India's most prominent owners, continues to huy horses in England and Ireland. Last month he gave between £4500 and £5000 for Ireland's champion two-year-old, Pensacola (Spearmint—Clancare) A few days after being bought by Mr. Galstaun, Pensacola ran with 9.12 in the Phoenix Two-Year-Old Plate, of £1178, at Phnenix Park. He was in the betting, but missed a place. A Louisville message, says the London "Sportsman," states that Epinard's unc le—Hawthorne, somewhat broken in wind, is busy there drawing a pedlar"s cart and, at odd times, dragging thn plough. The dam of old Hawthorne was Whitethorne, who was also the grand.im of Epinard. Twelve years ago Hawthorne defeated the cream of American two-year-olds, and won the famous Bashford Manor Stakes at GhurchUl Downs. In England few owners or trainers favour the employment of stipendiary stewards, this on the score that the supervision of such officials would be a reflection on racing honesty (says Pilot). They are quite content with honorary stewards, and evidently have no objection to age. One of the stew-, ards controlling the racing at the Redcur meeting in August was a few days short of 80 years of age. Bred as ho is, Humbug holds out every promise of being a sire of crack sprinters (remarks an Australian writer). He has also proved a cure foal-getter, and has stamped his stock with his markings. A fine colt is a chestnut from Lone Gull, whose two- ■ year-old son by Quantock is one of the best youngsters at Rosehill just now. Pretty Nell, the dam of Cetigne, has also a nice-looking chestnut colt by the Absurd horse, and the HoVbroc'.i. mare Selbrook has a shapely filly by him. Mr. W. L. P. Richardson, of Rereen, Barraba, has euffered a severe loss in the death of his stallion Salitros, which died from tetanus recently. A highclass performer on the turf, he won, among other races, the A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbies and A.J.C. St. Leger. Salitros made a great start at the etud as a sura foal-getter. Mr. Richardson put Iβ of his own mares to him last season, and all proved to be in foal, and the same result was obtained with visiting marea. Salitros was by imported Limelight from imported Suffer by Rightaway, and was bred by Messrs. H. and G. Main, ef Hlabo, N.S.W. How eaionsly the V.A.T.C. Spring Meeting is effected by the opening day clashing with the last day of the A.J.C Spring Meeting is reflected by the large falling off in the general entries for the meeting this year compared with last year, when the two meetingß did not clash. For the 14 races for which entries were taken on September 22, an aggregate of 505 nominations was received, compared with a total of 617 a year ago, and 805 in 1D22. The 1923 figures were, however, the highest, with one exception, ever - received for the V.A.T.C. Spring Meeting, the record being 642 in 1917. The Cypher has not teen a lucky horse for Mr. E. Eccles. Hβ narrowly miesed a big win with him in the 1923 Melbourne Cup, and this year a troublesome tendon has disposed of the Martian horse's chance of atoning for that failure, says an Australian writer. In addition to going so close to winning the Melbourne Cup, The Cypher was placed in four weight-for-age races at three years. In one of these, the A.J.C. Plate, he ran a great race to David and Rivoli, and, despite his failures of last season, he was particularly well treated in the coming Melbourne Cup with 5.4 —151b less than weight-for-age. His recent win at Rnndwick emphasised hie chance, but though he did not actually break down after that run, the tendon of his near foreleg was sufficiently bowed to make it doubtful whether it would be wise to persevere with him. Hie trainer, G. Price, was against it, and his opinion, backed up by that of the well-known vet., Mr. W. J. Miller, decided Mr. Eccles upon taking him out of all his spring engagements. He is to be blistered and spelled, and it is hoped that next autumn will ccc him ready to add to his winning account, which in Mr. Ecclos' ownership includes the V.R.C. Handicap, £890; Aspendale Park Handicap, £160; Tocal Handicap, £956; and Warwick Farm September Handicap, £661.