TURF GOSSIP

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22435, 23 June 1938, Page 14

TURF GOSSIP

Reminders Nominations for the Grand National Steeplechase, Winter Cup, Grand National Hurdle Race, Beaufort and Lincoln Steeplechases, and Sydenham Hurdles, to be decided at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Grand National meeting in August, will close at 5 p.m. to-morrow. Nominations for the Westport Jockey Club’s meeting, to be held on the Riccarton Racecourse on July 9. will close at the office of the Canterbury Jockey Club at 5 p.m. next Monday. Noctumus

An interesting acceptor for the mile and a quarter hack race at Ashburton on Saturday is last year’s Grand National Steeplechase winner, Nocturnus, who has been off the scene since last August. He is at present in the charge of M. B. Edwards at Yaldhurst, and has got through a good deal of useful work in the last few weeks. There is a doubt, however, as to whether he will stand up to another searching preparation, but should he comfl through his race on Saturday satisfactorily, he will no doubt return to Riccarton to be trained for his future steeplechase engagements. He figures in the nominations for the big cross-country events at Trentham. A Strong Contingent ' Riccarton stables are represented by the following horses in the nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting;—Punchestown, Monastic. Flashlight, Nightbound, Lady Leigh, Cocksure, Chaste, Silver Sight, Gas Mask, Contract, Haughty Winner, Arctic Star, Jolly Beggar, Noctumus, Courtyard, Wagner, Mungatoon, Ponty, Settlement, Every Port, Keen Sight, Potent, Great Bramble, The Wrecker, Synthetic, and Paper Slipper. In addition, Second Innings, trained in North Canterbury, has been nominated for hacks events each day. Papernilla, who also figures in the list, is trained by his owner, J. Bryce, at Hornby. He had one race at Riccarton on Easter Monday, and showed promise. In the meantime Papernilla will have a race at Ashburton on Saturday. Expensive Outing For the Epsom summer, or Derby, meeting, lasting four days, a balcony box to hold eight persons costs from £IOO to £l2O. Admission to the paddock costs £1 2s 6d on Derby Day and 10s on each other day, or £2 2s for the meeting. Grandstand accommodation varies from £4 4s to 16s 9d. A keen racegoer may travel from London in a motor bus, “all found,” for £3 3s, or he can get on to the heath free of charge, apart from the fare of a few shillings by rail, or a few pence by road.

Change of Stables Hunting Chorus, winner of the Trial Handicap at the recent Dunedin meeting, is under offer to an Ashburton sportsman, and is engaged at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday. His owner, Mrs C. Bain, has disposed of the two-year-old. Merry Simon (Gascony—Lady Makere), to a patron of P. J. Boyle’s stable at Winton. Services in Demand K. Voitre went to Adelaide for the Birthday Cup meeting of the Adelaide Racing Club, under engagement to ride Regular Bachelor, and was rushed with mounts. His performance at Victoria Park on Saturday, June 4, was one that kept his name well to the fore all the afternoon. Voitre started well by winning on a favourite, Pimlico. For good measure Voitre won on Point Sturt, favourite in the following race. Then on Regular Bachelor, Voitre went under by a halflength. He then , got the seconds complex. On Kingswood he was second in the Parkside Handicap, while the best he could do on Countess Amalti in the Toorak Trial was to finish a length behind the winner. Two winners and three seconds out of five rides nevertheless made the trip profitable.