THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 284, 26 August 1922, Page 7

THE TURF

RACECOURSE ROUGHS' IN ENGLAND 808 BACEGOERS AND BLACKMAIL BOOKMAKERS Itrt , • ■ (Beo. August 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 24. Gangs of racecourse roughs are boBoming more active, and the Jockey Club is considering the cancelling of meetings on certain courses. The gangs blackmail bookmakers, demanding money at each, meeting for their protection against violence, and await * favourable opportunity to assault and rob those wno refuse. The bookmakers, after having a good day, are followed, held up and compelled to part with largo sums. Successful backers are afraid to uso the trains, knowing they are watched, with a view to robbing them when returning homewards. The victims are afraid to inform the police, fearing they will be laid out afterwards. Gangs have been known to wait for weeks for a favourable chance for such revenge. Conflicts, shooting, and stabbing affrays are becoming frequent also, caused by one gang operating on another’s ground.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CUP SCRATCHINGS. BT TKiiaaAPH.-PnEss association. Christchurch, August 25. Gasbag and Rapine were scratched for the New Zealand Cup at 1.50 p.m. NOTES AND COMMENTS Br Glmooi The Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club meeting, which was postponed from Wednesday on account of the weather, Is to bo held to-day on the Hawera racecourse. ’ Korean was priced by a southern buyer recently, but at the SOOgns. asked no business resulted. Volo, who broke down at Riccai'ton, has been turned out for a lengthy spell. Entries for the, Otaki meeting close en Friday next. A big contingent of New Zealand sportsmen will leave by the Maunganui on Monday to witness the spring racing in Sydney. Amongst the number are Messrs. A. McDonald (Masterton), J. J. Corry, and W. Fuller (Blenheim), and D. Munro (Mangaweka). F. Davis is leaving Woodville on Monday, and for the next few weeks he will be located at Wanganui with fbur members of his team. They are the three-year-olds . Lucius and Highland and a two-year-old full-sister to the former, and a filly of the same age by Kilbrongy from d'Oro. All the members of this trainer’s team are backward, and they are not likely to be raced at Marton next month. J. S. Jamieson came to Wellington last evening to see Mr. A. McDonald prior to his departure for “Sydney. The Woodville trainer has entered a Solferino —Adore colt at Wanganui, but as he is very backward on account of the lot of bad weather experienced at Woodville he may not be ready to race at Wanganui, though his trainer will take him over to slip some work into him, and if he shows any pace on the tracks he may go north for thv Avondale Stakes.

The Auckland owner, Mr.. Eliot Davis, has already won a race in Eng land with his recently-purchased two-year-old. Mr, Davis has cabled that he will be back in Auckland early in November, and his two-year-old is expected to arrive some weeks later.

At tho annual meeting of members of the Dannevirke Racing Club, held on Thursday the vacancies on the towards caused by the resignations of Messrs. McGovern aud Jansen were filled by the election of Mr. Don Fraser and Mr. M. W. Hartgill. Solfanello, who was spelled after his return from his unsuccessful trip to Sydney and Melbourne, is again amongst the active brigade at Trentham. Vindictive has also come in from the paddock. Both horses look well after tbier spell Hula Boy is carrying a lot of condition at the present time, and it does not look as if he will be able to race at the coming Marton meeting. It is not likely that any of the Riddiford team will be raced again until the Wellington Racing Club’s spring meeting in October. The highpriced Martian colt, who. is greatly thought of by his owner, is very backward. as yet but with nearly two months before he will be required to race he should make a big improvement.

T. F. Quinlivan’s hurdle gelding Kaiku is to contest the Hack Hurdles at Marton. He will be ridden by H. 'McSweeney. ' Mr. Symes, of Canterbury, and Mr. Free Holmes, who have been visiting America, are due at Auckland by the Makura. By the Maunganui, which arrived from America yesterday, came three thoroughbred trotters for MessrsSymes and Free Holmes, of Canterbury. Free Holmes’s importation is a chestnut horse Cope De Oro, dam Subrito, a ' full brother to White Socks, winner of the 40,000 dollar Exposition Cup. Mr. Symes’s purchases are two mares —a black by Hal McKinney (2-5) and Teddy Bear (2.6). The horses arrived in charge of W. Collins.