TURF TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1938, Page 24

TURF TOPICS.

N.Z. CUP WINNER. ENGAGED AT AUCKLAND. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. A Trontliam report states tliat Arctic King has never been better in his lite than lie is at present. He thrived on his racing at Kiccai ton, ami he returned home looking a picture ot' health. Ills near eye is still a little swollen after the operation lie had before going south, but it does not trouble him. and veterinary opinion is that in a month or two the swelling will have completely vanished. Jt Arctic King races over the holidays it will be only in the Auckland ( up. His owner-trainer. \V. .J. Wood, is waiting to see what weight the gelding receives. It lie does not conic north lii.s next outing will be delayed till the Wellington Clip. A iter that lie will probably be transl erred to Melbourne, with the Australian Cup anil Sydney Cup among his missions. Arctic King's Australian trip will also depend on the weight he receives. I he handicaps tor the Australian Cup are due about the end ot January or beginning of February, over a month before the opening ot the \ ictoria Racing Club's autumn meeting. Jf the trip is undertaken Arctic King will be accompanied by the three-year-old Kabbi gelding JSarabbas, who is his three-quarter blood relative. Barabbas is still a maiden, and even it' he should win before his departure it should still be possible to place him. Jn due course liarabbas is likely to be a very useful performer. He is a Kabbi more the stamp of Synagogue, and In- will grow into a big horse. ENCOURAGING START. 1 lie full-sisters Sailing Lady and Sea Lady made an encouraging start on the new season by tilling minor places at Jnvercargill on Saturday last. Sea Lady did well to finish third after being left several lengths in the High-weight. She was lushed up to the leaders inside the first two furlongs, and more judiciously handled would have been closer up than third. She is a very plain mare (says a Southland writer), but there is no doubting her Speed, and her latest performance suggests that .she will race successfully over middle distances. Sailing Lady was inclined to liang out in her race, and had she come home the shortest way over the last two furlongs of the Flying Handicap she might have won. Both mares were having their tirst race in several mouths. DROPPING IN WEIGHTS. Alma has been dropping in the weights since she has repeatedly failed to show up over middle distances, and on Saturday last in the Southland Cup she was better treated in the handicaps than she has been for some time. She was weighted at a stone above Alona's Song, a recent graduate from the hack ranks, but. in spite of this, she has yet to prove that she is able to run out a solid ten furlongs. She was at the rear of the field running out of the straight, but at the seven-furlong post her rider took her on the outside into second place behind J'ink Holx*. J'assing the home turn she appeared to be doing her work comfortably, but did not finish on ;ls expected, and had Pink Kobe not been interfered with at the top of the straight it is doubttul ii Alma would have been third. Consideting her previous displays over a distance, it was quite an encouraging effort, and as her trainer, A. K. Didhain. has elected to race her over middle distances, confidence is likely to be shown in his judgment rather than in other opinions. A GOOD EFFORT. A feature of the contest for the Stewart Island Handicap at Jnvercargill last Saturday was the finishing run by Astral Flash, who appeared to strike some trouble in the middle stages of the race and then came from a. hopeless position to get third money. Her forward running did not come as a surprise, as she had been working exceptionally well before the meeting, and her latest effort suggests that she will not be long off the winning list. UNLUCKY IN CUP. Mona's Song should have won the Southland C up last Saturday, but her diminutive rider was outridden over the final stages by the more experienced jockey on Ardchoille. By Songbird, her dam Kylemure is by Balboa from Lady Kyle, by Charlemagne IT. from Strathpeffer, the dam of that good mare Sec Sail. j FOR ELLERSLIE. Peerless looked better than ever after her two recent outings in the Derby and Oakn, and she is next to make a trip to Kllerslie at Christmas for the King's Plate, Great Northern Derby and Clifford Plate. Like Cuddle, whose colours she carries, she seems to possess more tliau ordinary powers of recreation. PROMISING TWO-YEAR-OLD. Although Beaulivre may remain the classic representative of H. A. Telford's team this season, the stable has another very promising two-year-old in Globe Trotter, who is one of the first offspring of the March Along horse Safari. Globe Trotter was given an outing on the second day of the recent Wellington meeting, and he surprised everyone, his connections included, by being among the leaders throughout and finishing a close fourth. Among those behind him were Baran and W inning Rival, who have since been winners.

GALLOPED ON. Rebellion was galloped on while taking part in the Stonyhurst Handicap on the final day of the Riccarton carnival, and he hasuince been enjoying a rest. It is unlikely that he will be racmg again until the summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club in February. RATHER FORTUNATE. It was rather fortunate that interference at the top of the straight in the Southland Cup at Invereargill last Saturday was not attended with more serious results. Milford was putting in a great run from the back when he endeavoured to get through on the inner, but when he was checked he hit the rail and had to be almost pulled up, at the same time stopping those behind him. With a clear run Milford may have taken a hand in the finish, as he was within striking distance of the leaders when the trouble occurred. AN IMPROVED YOUNGSTER. During the last few weeks the two-year-old King l)a//.le lias made rapid improvement and he is also displaying abundance of speed on the track. He is a compactlyluiilt youngster by King Lti from Miss Dazzle, and will probably make his first appearance in public in the Rakino Handicap at the Auckland meeting on Monday next.