TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1926, Page 25

TURF NOTES.

(By SPEEDWELL.)

J. Toohey has been engaged to ride Manfred in his autumn engagements. When Manfred won the A.J.C. Derby, Toohey, who would have ridden the colt but for an accident, looked on. •Just before the. spring campaign Toohey fell in a race and broke a leg. [n his absenco W. Duncan piloted t lie colt in his Sydney engagement, but F. Dempsey had the mount ivhen Manfred won the Y.R.C Derby and finished second in the Melbourne Cup. Toohey has ridden the colt in several of lv.-i races and won the Champagne Stakes and Easter Stakes at Randwiek on the son of Valais. F. Dempsey will not be in Australia for the autumn campaigns, as he is leaving for England in February. Recently the announcement was made that The Rover, the veteran of the turf, would not race again after competing in the Bagot Handicap (says a Melbourne writer.) He lias been a wonderfully sound horse, going through campaign after campaign without taking any harm, but at hist lie hail begun to show some leg weakness, and rather than risk a complete breakdown, the old fellow lias been withdrawn from the racecourse. We had become so accustomed to seeing The Rover at Fleming-ton as a competitor in all the more important meetings that we are sure to miss him. A great track galloper, he always could be depended upon to do something when extended, and it did not matter what distance he was asked to go. The Rover, it is said, is to bo used as a hnck. so that it is possible that the gallant old chestnut will be seen about the city, still leading a useful life. Though a regular visitor in the mornings, Pilliewinkio is still taking things quietly (says a Melbourne exchange). He seems to be enjoyng his respite from active duty, for he bears a bright, healthy appearance and has put on a fair amount of flesh. Tim New Zealanu-bred gelding will be qu*te prepared to enter on his work in anticipation of the autumn meetings, when the proper time comes. Pilliewinkie will be one of the chief attractions on the tracks this autumn, especially as he is likely to be trained for distance events. It is the stayer that provides the most genuine interest in the training reports, and J. Scobie, with Pilliewink' - 2, Friarsdale and others, will give the watchers something to think about in the next few months. His letiin is at present -under the care of A. .1. Scobie in the absence of the head of the establishment in Adelaide with Friarsdale and the Night Patrol. A late addition to the stable is an Eng-lish-bred horse named Ocean Rover by Arion (son of Valeria), from Sour Grapes. Ocean Rover recently began steady work, and he is a horse of good stamp, being of fair size and scope, and possessing plenty of length. Hβ also appears to be of good disposition.

MR. E. J. RAE, the well-known Ellerslie ownertrainer, wlio is in liis seventieth year, but does not look anything like that age, and to-day is as bale, hearty, and active as many who arc much his junior as far as ago is concerned. Mr. Rae started his racing career in Marlborough with Mr. Henry Redwood in 1572, the late Mr. E. Cutts being the trainer, while Mr. R. J. Mason was first horseman for the stable. During his flat racing career he won races in Canterbury. Otago, Hawke's Bay, Wellington and Marlborough, and in IS7O turned his attention to riding over jumps, .piloting horses in all the important events in New Zealand, also a few in Australia, and has won most of them. Since HSO he has been a prominent trainer, and of recent years he will be remembered most by the success that attended Mr. F. Hall's horses which were in his care.

At the Epsom meeting recently (-ays the ".Melbourne Globe"), several hijielass racehorses were parading in the birdcage. Chief interest centred in Heroic, who has just concluded a spoil. The chestnut was big and burly, Inn in great order to be-in his prepara linn for the autumn. Heroic walked around quietly, and iva.- on his best behaviour. Lou Robertson had several horses >>v parade, the most important bcinir the English-bred horse Top Gallant, v-lio is owned by Mr. _-\. P. Wade. Top Gallant is a chestnut horse of average sizi: and full of quality lie is reputed to be one of the best horses sent from England to Australia. JJo is not ret in anything like racing condition. Ho appears to be a sober-going JK>r-o, and ga\e no trouble in the birdcage. When Top Gallant arrive! in Australia it. was ,innoimced that lie would not be tr.lined, and that lie would be sent to the stud of his owner in tiie Kiverina. kvidenlly that idea has been altered. A correspondent writes to an Australian paper as follows:—"Such turf eelebrites as Wakeful, Carbine, Grand Flaneur, all gained fame as big winners among the most select company, b;it it i? very doubtful if the winner of '.lie most registered races in Australia comes from among the top notehers. Old Boss Tailor, a bay gelding that raced around the I'iverina in the days when Carbine and Bravo were piling up turf history must be pretty near the record holder in respect io the number of races won. He won 70 registered races during his long turf career. He was owned for some years by a tailor in Xarandera (N.S.W.)* who kept tally of his performances, but was never quite sure whether the son of Sir Hercules was No. 1 on the list of registered winners or ngt Boss Tailor was a hollow-backed horse of 10.0, with a 'half Panic' head. He stood o\er a lot of ground, and was as reliable si-, the rent collector on Monday morning. A six furlongs flying at Canterbury Park, Sydney, came his way. and ua-s the most important of the 7i> wins. II ■ won the Hay Handicap two or three years running, and most of the country handicaps in Southern New soutii Wales. If Boss Tailor doesn't hold this particular record it -would be interesting to know what other horses hare, eclipsed it."