THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1505, 30 July 1912, Page 2

THE TURF.

9 NOTES AND COMMENTS. [Bt Gdexcoe.] As F. Mficnianemin was unable to mako the triy 4, liiucnrton with Dully, tlio Freedom jjeldiug has been handed over to M. Hobbj, who will superintend tho latter pm't of the Grand National candidate's preparation. Lady Hester (dam of Master Soult, etc.) is to visit Penury (Gallinule-Dowcrless) during the coming season. At the conclusion of the Wellington Steeplechaso meeting I). Moraghan went home to Ellerslie, leaving his two jump, ers, Taiaha and Master Theory, in charge of J. W. Lowe. The, northern trainer returned to Wellington yesterday afternoon, and will take his horses south by the Monowai this evening. Tho Victorian Amateur Turf Club's big winter meeting commences at Caulfield next Saturday. Owing to the fact that tho accommodation house on tho Trentham racecourse was closed on Saturday, Trainers P. Johnson and P. Coit'ey brought their horses to Wellington and worked them on the beach yesterday. Last evening they were shipped to LyttelUm, and will finish off their National preparation at Eiccnrton. C. Pritchard leaves for Biccarton on Wednesday night and will take with him Mount Victoria, Odessa, and Ceylon. Captain Jingle is still located at Tven- ' tham, but his owner will take him south at the end of the presont week. Hβ has not been worked on tho tracks since he raced at Trentham. Ho is, however, being given a lot of hill work which, in tho opinion of his owner, will keep him fit. Eauparo, who won a race in Melbourne on Saturday, was bred at Waikanae. She is a half-sister to William I. J. W. Lowe, with the Winter Cup candidate, Mira, is to leave for tho south this evening. It is the general opinion of thoso who know the Soult horse that he. will bo much moro at homo on the solid going at Eiccarton than he was at Trentham. He will be ridden by his old pilot W. Ryan who, so far, is tho only horseman who lias won a race on the grey horse. Tho Auckland Racing Club distributed.£2B,S9o in stakes last year, nominations returning ,£5747, just 20 per cent of the amount given away. Taiaha was entered for the Enfield Steeples at Eiccarton, but as he won an open steeplechase worth 125 sovs. to tho winner at Gisborne, ho is, of course, not eligible to run in the two mile race at Riccarton. Hβ will now have to race in tho Beaufort and Islington Steeples, and if specially reserved for the latter event, he should have a good chance of annexing the plake, as he is a bold jumper, and the country at Riccarton would be to his liking. It is given out that if 13. Deeley does not remain in Australia he will, on his return to New Zealand, accept a retainer from the Ilighd«n stable. This does not 'mean that A. Oliver's services are to be dispensed with, but, owing to his increasing weight,. it is impossible for him to ride lighter than, Bst. Gib., while Deelcy can go to scale u stone lighter.. Royal Arms, Paritutu, and Crown Pearl have not , been taken south yet, hut they will go shortly. The first-limned, who is a great fancy in the Taranaki district for the Winter Cup, is looking wonderfully well, but ho ia only being given light exercise on tho hills at Trentham, and, unless ho is smartened up a lot, tho final pinch of the eight furlongs might find him out. His admirers stato that, on track form, ho is a much better horso than his stable-raat?, Crown Pearl. If this is really the case, then ho must be given a great chance in the Cup. That is, taking a line through the running of Mt. Victoria, who on tho second day of tho I Trentham meeting was only a head in front of Crown Pearl, and who is one- of tho best fancied candidates for tho Winter Clip. /. ... ■ ; ... An Australian writer says that Guuenp is about tho smallest , horso : to win the V.R.C. Grand National' Steeplechase sinco tho race was re-established in 1881. Discussing tho chances of Paritutu in the National Steeplechase, a well-known sporting man yesterday gave* it as his opinion that tho'Castor gelding is a.better horse now than he was twelve months ago, and has dono a much better ' preparation this year than last, when ho was more or less unsound.' There is, no doubt, a good deal in this statement. It was noticeable that, after schooling at Trentham, the old fellow was then given a couple of solid rounds on the grass track, Light-weight jockey J. O'Shca, of Auckland, has been engaged to ride Smilai in the Winter Cup. C. Coleman, trainer of Black Northern, passed through Wellington yesterday on his way south to superintend the National preparation of the Salvadan gelding.