THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 551, 5 July 1909, Page 6

THE TURF.

RACINO FrXTUIIES. July 8 and 9.—Gisborno It.C. Slwpleehase. July 17, 21,( and 24.—'Wellington R.G. Wintor. Aug. 10. 12, and 14.—C.J.C. Grand Nationnl. NOTES AND COMMENTS. rßr. Gukcoi.l The Gisborno Racing _ Club's steeplechase meeting takes place on Thursday and Friday. ' Acceptances, for tho first day's events at tho Wellington' Racing Club's winter meeting,, close to-night. Entries for tho Trial Plato are duo at the same time. The Hotchkiss gelding Brilliancy is being spelled at Palmerston North. / The Porirua trainer, J. H. Prosaer, intended to give a couplo of his two-yoar-olds a run in the. Trial Plate at Trontham, but owing to tho unfavourable state of the weather lie has been unable to gallop them, and consequently they will not now be entered: W. Young will ride Wirral m his WeEineton and Riccarton engagements. • Jackpot, it is understood, will not nm at Trentbam. There is a possibility of H. Cairns riding Bully, at the Wellington meoting; v The.Lochiel horse Ghoorka will next sear son do stud duty in the Feilding, district. Kurawaka, Simplex; and probably ■To Kahurangi will bo the flat racers from the Ponrua stable competing at Trentham. The V.R.C. Grand National meoting will be continued on Wednesday, but the Grand National Steeplechase, in which Kiatere and Pilot are engaged, is not run till Saturday.; ' Mr- 11. M. Speed, who was in town yesterinformed me that Dnii has gone wrong again, and has been relegated to tho paddock. . ■ : Waipu appears never to have held a winning chance in the big hurdle ! race at Flemington on Saturday,; and, as this is the. Torpedo _ gelding's second failure' in the samo race it looks as if he is not; quite up to Viotorian Grand National form. /.;• i;a;.. ■ Fossil, who v won the ' Grand National Hurdle' Race at Flemington, would' probably ,start favourite; after tho withdrawal of Ataahua. He had practically no public form .whatever to recommend him, but as soon as the appeared he came in for very solid support, so he had evidently shown his party something in private. He is owned and trained by James Scobie at Ballarat, and was ridden by one of the family. The time of the race was faster than in tho two previous years, but it is a few seconds outside the reoord. •' \ i Several; of the local pony owners express annoyance at.the abandonment of the Miramar meeting that was fixed for July 22. Had the meeting' not been ; advertised tie majority' of the ponies would have been given a spell, but in several cases they have been kept up to the collar in anticipation of the fixture. ;, No doubt the club are . well advised in not racing on the track this month as it has been' lately; top-drossod, . and with the present state of ; the woaiher the going would, be dangerous, whereas ■if it is-given a couple of months!- spell. it should be in gobd order for tho season. , ,

San Julie, who injured her tendon on tho hard going at the . Feildmg Spring Meeting',' and;; was thrown : ont of' work in consequence, is now doing service as a drover's hack in the Wairarapa. '

It was reported .that Trainer.. J. Cress, of Masterton, might r possibly. go into tho hotel business again in another district—his is one: of the present "dry" houses—but there is a.probability that' ho will continue to reside in Mastcrton, and devote, his exclusivo attention to his "string; of.racehorsos.

■ Dark Rbnald, who* on i 'Thuffeday>'won the rich Princess of' Wales Stakes at Newmarket, was sucoessful in another- important!),race a fortnight ago!. This was tho Royal ; Hunt Cup at. Ascot. It looks, therefore, as if his ■sire Bay Ronald will again occupy a proroin r eht place wmning'sireShst this' season. ■ ■ . '' ,-.j: ' : Last lyeSr Bay Ronald (now dead) sprang into prominence through the unbeaten two-year-old Bayardo, and eventually he finished third :on the winning stallions list. Altogether he was the sire of fourteen winners of 26 races, •but, strange to say, Dark Donald'never credited him with a single stake. This season Bayairdo is tho defaulter', but there, is time for this brilliant colt to strike form yet, and ho may possibly win a'good race during tho next throe months. > ..

A'pleasing item of news from Australia is the announcement that the hurdler Ataahua will not have to be, retired from facing on account of the serious'accident which he met with whilo -schooling. His owner, Mr. E. Manifold, has bought v several good horses from New Zealand, but 60 far he has not had much luck with them. It is to be hoped that Ataahua will yet win a good hurdle raco for him in Melbourne. ■

• V:\ ' I. .■ ;• ' V'--'"-:' - V.R.C. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

FOSSIL WINS THE HURDLES. ' (By Telegraph.—PreSß A BsoclaUwil-OopyricfiU (Rec. July 4, 5.5 p.m.) Melbourne, July 8. .At the Victorian Racing Club's Grand National meeting to-day, the following was tie result of the . GRAND NATIONAL HURDLE RACE, of 1250'eovs. Throe miles. Mr. J. Soobie'sb. g. Fossil, by Harvester Moth, 4yrs., ,9st. (Soobie) 1 Kalnuck, lOst. 71b (Oosgrovo) 2 Old Nick, 9st. 51b .. (Woodburn) 3 Also.started: Enchanted! States, ,11st. 101b.Concave, list. 51b.: ' Sokno, llst. 31b.; Aringa, list. lib.; Wollara. lOat. 131b.: Circulus, lOst. 131b.; Nightlight, .;10st. 91b.' The Sun (including 51b. penalty),--10st.= 81b.: Waipu, lOst. 51b.; ' Vernier (including 71b. penalty); .10st.-21b.-j Knotter, lOst. lib.; Old Chappie, 9st. 131b. 9st. 111b.'; Coraki, 9st. 91b.; Woolloomooloo, 9st. 71b.; Togo (including 71b: 9st. 71b."; Kulcurna, 9st.; Rogue's March, 9st.: and Tho ( Kibble, 9at. , March was in front at the first hurdle,- followed .by The Sun,-Knotter, Circulus, and Old Nick. A little later ,The i Sun took, chargo from.■.Circulus.' ' Entering tho straight, tho leading division wore The Sun. Enchanted Statos, arid Fossil together, and these were followed by Old Chappie, Knotter, Old Niclc, and-Jlahinck. Opposite tho lawn Enchanted Statos and Circulus fell; Knottor, "then joined Fossil, and along tho river side they were showing the way to Tho Sun, Old Chappie, Kalnuck, aid Kulcurna," with tho rest strung out: At tho four furlongs post, Kalnuck went into second plate behind Fossil, the next being Old Nick. Fossil and Kalnuck entered the straight on terms.' and a great raco homo resulted in Fossil winning,,by a short length, with Old Nick four lengths . away, Woolloomooloo was fourth, and tiien followed Wollara, Rogue's Jtarchj and The Son, , while Togo and Waipu were among the ruclc. Timo, smin. 52}soc.

WOOTTON CONVALESCENT.

London, July. 2. Frank, Wootton, tho Australian jockey, who was injured through being thrown and kicked by a horso in a raoo at tho Ascot mooting, lias loft,his bed. Ho is still very sore, but is convalescent.: