THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 224, 15 June 1908, Page 4

THE TURF.

RACING FIXTURES. June 17 and 18.—Hawko's Bay J.C. Winter. Juno 24 and 25. —Napier Park II.C. Winter. July 0 and 10.—Gisborne R.C. Winter. July 18, 22 and 25. —Wellington R.C. Winter. August 11, 13, and 15— Canterbury J.C. Grand National Meeting. August 12. —Auckland R.C. September 9 and 10. —Horowhenua Hack R.C. Annual. REMINDER. Owners and'.trainers aro reminded that nominations for all events at the Wellington Racing Club's winter' mooting (except the Trial Plato) close with tho Secretary, Mr. A. E. Whyte, this (Monday) evening at 0 o'clock. NOTES AMD COMMENTS. [By Glkncoe.] Tho Ascot Gold Cup is run on Thursday. • ■ Tho southern horses, Eurus and Stronghold, .have declined their engagements 1 on the first day of tho Hawko's Bay meeting. Reports say that tho only engagements that Kaipetipeti will fulfil during tho remainder of this season aro the steeplechase events at Gisborne. After that meeting he will bo kept for the Grand National.' Tho Eton gelding Noteorini, who is engaged in the hack hurdle events at tho, Hawko's Bay meeting, arrived at Hastings on Friday. Kola Nip (Soult—Helen M'Gregor), who mot with an accident in Auckland some .months ago, was destroyed last week. All efforts made to savo' the gelding proved unavailing. Lull'has been left in the Hawke's Bay Hurdles-in preferenco t-o tho Steeplecliaso. Tho Taranaki owner-trainer, Mr. H. Eva, was married in Now Plymouth last Wednesday. The South Island appears to bo vory badly off - for jumpers just at present, and no .promising recruits are forthcoming for' the steeplechase ranks. Probably when/ tho Grand National meeting comes round that good old battler Slow Tom will bo tlio best of the southern 'chasers. , He is getting through useful work at Riccartoii, and would be considerably benefited by tho couple of runs lie had at tho Dunedin meeting a fortnight ago.

Now Zealanders find it hard to believe that Waipu has only received lOst. 31b. in tho Victorian Grand . National' Hurdles. It certainly does seem odd that tho Torpedo gelding should bo assessed so lightly after winning the Great Northern' Hurdles with 9st. 131b. in tho saddlo, and on the faco.of it thero would appear to bo an error in tho cablegram. On the other hand, it is possible that Mr. Menzies, tho Victorian liaiidicapper, overlooked tho 101b. penalty carried by Waipu. Tho arrival of tlio'Sydney mail will clear up tho mystery. , . Letherin will make . his first, appearance over hurdles at Hastings on Wednesday. The Stake and Kremlin having dropped out of the Whakatu Hack Hurdles, Lothorin .remains at tho head of the handicap. ■ Tho Auckland horses, Loch_ Fyne and J3hrapnel, occupy tlio respective posts of. honour in tho Hawko's Bay Stecplecliaso and Hurdles.- At tho conclusion of tlio Hastings (ixturo both horses will probably como on to Trentham. i Frank Burns, who has been riding in and around Auckland for tho past tweuty-eight' years, has (says " Whalcbono" in the •'Star") decided on retiring from active work in tho saddlo, and leaves shortly lor Opotiki,' whero 110 has taken over a business. Burns was olio of tho mo3t popular horsemen riding, and during his career has ridden the winner of practically all tlio leading cros's-soaitry events.- about v Auckland. His services havo at all times-been greatly in request, and tho ljewjs'of v his retirement will received ''with-'regret'.'^

Tlio field in the Whakatu Hack Hurdles at Hastings contains some promising jumpers, and a good race may bo expected. Noteorini showed good form by • beating Paritutu in thciMaidcii Hurdles' at Takapuna, and Defeat proved himself a good ono by tho manner in which he accounted for Compass at.-.the Feilding Easter. Meeting ' .Whataluira and Top Roso were, in evidence. at Otalsi, and Letherin and Ruabon are .both well, spoken of." . i , . ••.> ■ ■ Though Kiipetipeti has dropped out of the Hawko's Bay Steeplechase, Mr. J. Clark'B colours, 'frill'' be carried in tlio race by' Ffiro, who'wort the Final Steeplechase at Wanganui 011 May 25. At a meeting of tho Manawatu ■' Racing Club Committeo held last week, it was decided to call tenders for the formation of a sand track at the Awapuhi Racecourso.

Concerning • the Musket horse Stanton, who died receitly in Australia, a Melbourno paper rccalls an incident in connection with the horse's "triple crown" victory at Riccarton in 1888. A few days beforo tlio races, 0110 who was indirectly connected with the stablo-.fancied in.his sleep that ho saw Manton win the first two legs of the treblo and further fancied that ho predicted to a friend, in telling him of the good fortuno of tno colt's owner, that Manton would also win the third of the coveted sequence of events.' The dream wns related m many quarters beforo the races wore decided, and was, in 'fact, generally known. ENGLISH RACINC. THE MANCHESTER CUP. »tjY TELEGRAPH —PHE6S ASSOCIATION —COPTBIOHI London, June 12. The following is the result of: — THE. MANCHESTER CUP HANDICAP of 200 sors. One mile and a half. Mr. W. Hall Walker's ch. c. Polar Star, by-Pioneer—Go On, 4yrs 2 Mr. Wm. Clark's br.c. All Blaok, 4vrs. 2 Mr. A. E. Bowen's b. o. King's Courtship, 4yrs. ....; 3 The English files to hand do not disclose the weights for tho Manchester Cup. Polar Star won the Eempton Park Great Jubilee Handicap and another smaller event last , season, and was runner-up/to Sancy in the Rous Memorial Stakes. As L. H. Hewitt is first horseman for Mr. Hall Walker, it is probable that tho Now Zealand jockoy was up on the winner.' All Black was a good performer last year; he won threo' events and was placed on five other occasions, his principal victory being in the Ascot Derby Stakes: King's Courtship won three races, including tho Gatwick Selling Handicap.