THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1362, 13 February 1912, Page 7

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. [Br GtEtfcoj.] The grey colt, Mira, who recently had to be stopped in his work owing to shin soreness, is again striding along freely at Trentham. The short spell seems to have done Mr. I , '. Hall's horse the world of good, and he is now looking better than over. In his last two starts lie ran second and third, an-1 it is interesting to note that the two horses which finished in front of him—lioyal Arms and Plantation—have both shown winning form since then. Both the Bezonian youngsters which wero sent to J. W. Lowe after the Waikanae sale are shortly to be handled. Tho colt is at present suffering from a slight cold, but the filly has gone on the right way, and is daily growing more used to her new surroundings. Counterfeit was .scratched for the Wanganui Cup at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Ebonite, who contracted a bad attack of strangles some months back, is ranking a slow recovery. His owner has decided not to race him for some time, and, with a view to quietening him down, the big fellow will shortly bo broken into harness. The Tara-.aki Jockey Club's meeting takes place on Wednesday and Thursday. Effort, who is to take part in the Dunedin meeting, will be shipped south on Thursday next. The chestnnt mare will be ridden in her southern engagements by H. Telford. Tho Hutt mentor, C. Pritchard, will leave for Dunedin on Friday next with Nauinai, Gold Bird, Odessa, and Turna. The quartette will be taken off the boat at Lyttelton, and railed from thero to Wingatui. Weights for tho first day's eventa at the Dannevirke Racing Club's meeting aro due on Satnrday next. The Oakleigh Plate, five furlongs and a half, worth 1000 sovs. to the winner, will be run at Caulfield next Saturday. On the second day of the Poverty Bay Turf Club's meeting, Lowe, rider of Easy in the Second Hack Flat Handicap, was called on to explain his riding of the filly. The inqniry was adjourned. The Auckland horses, Tiresome and Spectre, havo arrived at New Plymouth, to fulfil their engagements at the Taranaki Jockey Club's Autumn meeting. Queen of Scots was inadvertently omitted from the Tapiiata Welter at the Dannevirke Racing Club's meeting in the list of nominations published yesterday. When he ran second to Cornelian in tho Hack Hurdles at Hawera, Bismarck was just recovering from an injury to his heel, which kept him off the tracks for a few days. This being so, the gallop on Thursday may be depended upon to do him a deal of good. 'The starting problem is still an acute ono. in England, remarks a London writer, "but ono thing is now thoroughly certain—that tho starting-gate has come to stay. There are, of course, 6ome still left who would like to see us go back to tho old flag days, but they are very few. Certainly the question of a standing start is a debatable one, for in the first place it is not v, natural position from which to start a gallop; still, if every horse could be got to stand still it would be tho fairest start, but that wo know to bn a practical impossibility, and this is where the trouble comes in. In a field of a dozen horses, you may have ten standing perfectly still at the tapes while tho other..two are dancing round...lt is to those two that.the starter is paying all his attention, and when he gets them anywhere near tho tapes he pulls the lever and the two 'refractories,' being on their toes, get much the better of the start, or at least one of them does so. This is where the horses well trained to tho gate get all the worst of it, and in the circumstances it is hard on those who train their horses to stand still at the gate. No. If we are to have a standing or flat-footed start; let every horse bo made to stand; If not, -theh<"sbifte ''other' means of starting must be adopted." . Quandary ..(WaiuTcii—Mysterious),".who won a race on the second day if the Poverty Bay Turf Club's meeting, is probably .tho biggest outsider that has won in New Zealand dnring the present season. Waiatn, who formerly raced in the North Island, and was subsequently taken to Melbonrne by A. Peters, where he subsequently went through several stables, recently won a rncc at Fitzroy. He started at a very elongated price, and his victory proved a great win for the bookmakers. The New Zealand jockey, C. O'Neill, rode the winner of the Junipers' Flat race on the concluding day of the Tnsmanian Turf Club's meeting at Lannceston on February 3. There are not many of the progeny of St. Ambrose racing in Australia, but'one of them, Tomyris, won the Maiden Plate at Woodend (Vic.) last Wednesday week. Paritutu is in. work again at New Plymouth, and is reported to be looking very well after his spell. At New Plymouth yeMerdav- morning the weather was beautifully fine, and the course was in capital order for the training gallops. J. H. Pressor's horses were the first to appear. Dirge (Gray) and Aloha (Deeley) finished together' at the end of five furlongs run on the plough in Imin. 5,-iec. , Dearest and Ht. Petersburg (Emerson) covered a mile together on the plough in liniii. 45} sec. .Golden Loop, with a light boy in "the saddle, worked on the outside of the course proper, getting to tho end of a mile and a quarter in 2min. lGsec. Royal Arms easily defeated Crown Pearl over six furkiißj: run on the plough in Imin. lllsec. Royal Dragoon's task was half a mile on tho plough, the time- being 54sec. Tiresome finished in front of Spectre at the end of seven furlongs. This gallop was on the outside of the course proper, and occupied Imin. Sosec. Master Sylvia' galloped six furlongs at a strong pace, while steady work was apportioned Red Lupin and Glenfern. A number cf Auckland horses were to reach New Plymouth yesterday morning. H. Gray is to ride Domino in the Wanganui Cup. Tho crack Auckland steeplechaser, Antarctic, is at present doing duty as a hack preparatory to being placed in work for the winter campaign. FIXTURES. Feb. 14—Rotorna J.C. Annual. Feb. 14 and 15-Taranaki J.C. Antnmn. Feb. 21. 22, and 24-Dunedin J.C. Autumn. Feb. 21 and 22-Woodvill« District J C Autumn. Feb. 23 and 24—South Auckland R.C. Annual. Feb. 29 and March 2—Wanganui J.C. .Autumn. March 6 and 7-Dannevirke R.C. Autumn March 13 and It-Napier Park R.C Autumn. March IS-Ocnnake B.C. Annual. March 20 and 21—Nelson J.C Annual April 8 and D-Canterbury J.C. Autumn

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