TURF GOSSIP. (By Outsider.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3026, 8 April 1867, Page 5

TURF GOSSIP. (By Outsider.)

Tbce past month has been quite an eventful one in the turf history of New Zealand. Commencing with Oamaru, we find that the three-year-old col* Knottingly has had it all his own way as yet, the champion Stormbird having to give way to him on every occasion that they bare met. I wonder what is the breeding of this floe colt, who bids fair to earn for himself the champion honours of New Zealand: The first place at whioh he appeared was at Timaru, la«t month, when he shonld have won the Maiden Plate, but did not on account of his being badly ridden. Since then he has met with a continual run of prosperity, having won twice at Oamaru, and once at Dunedin on the first day. What he may have done on the succeeding days of that meeting we have yet to hear, but the intelligence will in all probability reach us in the course of a day or two. At Neteon, too, the annual meeting seems to have been a great success this year. It is true that the fields for the various events were in every instance numerically small ; but. to make up for this, the quality of the majority of the animals was of the very beat description, whilst the time recorded ' vras, in most instances, considerably better than has been the case in Neteon for some years back. This is good intelligence indeed, and it recalls to mind the ever-to-be-remembered performances on the same ground of Symphony, Joe, Zingara, Strop, Potentate^ Photbe,' Miss Howe, Waimea, Ladybird, Otto, an'd a host of others too numerous to mention. In all truth Mr.' H. Stafford has, at the present time, a first-class racing string, and no mistake, only second in the colonies perhaps to that of Mr. Tait; and it is the more to be regretted that they cannot come on terms to try conclusions with each other. In Magenta, Mr. Stafford has evidently succeeded in purchasing one of the best— if not the very best—oolts of his year; whilst in Omen he has unquestionably bred himself the bcsfc filly of her year. I sincerely hope to see Mr. Stafford amongst us. in company with his sporting confrere Mr* H, Redwood, in May next. There will be nothing for their horses to compete for down South about that time, and from amongst their large strings of horses they- can surely find one or more to nominate for our Handicap, which, added to the three-mile race, will surely joffer inducement sufficient to warrant their coming. Mr. Kedwood, at the last Nelson meeting, has been singularly unfortunate. Bis fine colt Akeake, from which so much was expected, appears to be a Ions; way from being so good as his owner so confidently expected, and had it not been for the prowess of Blackboy and the old Cloud Mr. Kedwood would have had to have been satisfied without a single win. Golden Cloud seems to be getting young again, for he won his race like a race-horse, and would inevitably have won another had he had a rider on his back. At Nelson too the firsi produce of the imported horse Golden Grape ran— a three-year-old filly. Mr. Stafford's splendid representative, Omen, however, proved by far too many for her. Omen is by Towton, out of Cassandra, but what Cassandra I am not prepared to ray, the only one of that name that lhave any particular knowledge of as belonging to this colony being a mare that was imported as a three-year-old to Canterbury, from Queensland, about seven or eight years ago. At Wairarapa, the old horse Volunteer has had it all his own way, as it might be expected he would have. What he may have done at Wellington is as yet problematical, but I think there is every reason to believe that the same success will have I attended his efforts in the Empire City. I wonder whether we may expect to see the old horse here again next month ; his owner might surely do worse than return him to the scene of his former triumphs. Both Native and Policy have i signally disgraced themselves at Wairarapa, In the case of the latter, however, things do not appear to have been quite so straightforward, to judge from the local prints, as they might have been. I hope our sportsmen here will take a note of this. It will be observed that the race committee of the Auckland Autumn Gymkhana have published their programme pretty fully, at least the most essential portion of it is now before the public, namely, the amount of added money to be given for the various events that furnish the two days' racing. Looking xt this programme ou the whole, I thiok it must be generally admitted to be a very sporting one, 'whilst the stakes offered, although in no inBtance so large in value as one or two at the Annual Meeting, are still quite large enough to wan ant owners going to the expense of training, with every promise, should their representatives prove successful, of receiving something more than mere returnable expenditure for time and trouble advanced. For instance, the two handicaps should surely reach the value of at least £130 a piece, whilst the three-mile race will fall very little short, if any, of an even century. Comparing our autumn programme with that of other places, I do not think we have anything to be ashamed of, but rather the contrary. It will be observed that the advertisement states that 10 per cent, will be deducted from the stakes, should the state of the funds absolutely necessitate it ; but I have the best reasons for believing that this will not be found necessary, and I am well aware that this objeotionable course of procedure will not be adopted if it is found possible to avoid it. A very reasonable amount of assistance from the public generally will obviate any such necessity, and I have no doubt this assistance will be forthcoming when asked for. The Ellerslie course has been obtained from Mr. Graham, who promises to deal liberally in the matter, so that everything seems most favourable to the probable success of the undertaking. At the present moment I do not know, of any very large nnmber of horses in training ; but, no doubt, now that the stakes are advertised, several owners may be induced to take up their favourites without loss of time. Mr. Walters, 1 hear, has only one jn hand, little Numa— Orlando having been indulged with a spell. I was in hopes we might again see Dainty Ariel to the fore, but I believe it is not the intention at preient to train him. George Cutts has two in hand— the three-year-old filly Marchioness, and the Napier representative, Euclid. It was at first intended to take up Brunette for the Maiden Plate and Produce, bat I believe the intention has been abandoned, it being considered in her present state too late in the day tocommence operations with her. Captain Reeve has in his stable Koheroa and Contractor, and the latter will, doubtless, be difficult to beat for the Maidea Plate if he comes out fit. Koheroa never astonished us but once, and then he did it to some purpose, at Otahuhu. It may still remain for him to repeat his success. Whatever my individual belief in him may be, I presume his stable don't think him absolutely a duffer ; at least, this is the reasonable inference to draw from his being again put through the mill. The pretty mare Moss Rose will, I believe, on this occasion carry the yellow jacket of Major Baker ; and I trust be may have a successful venture with her. This is the last time for many a day that we shall have the support of the military at our race meetings, and that we shall miss them when they do go I, for one, know full well. That enterprising sportsman, Mr. R. McGee, has become the owner of Annitton, and a capital purchase he effected, too, when he got him knocked down to him by Mr. Buckland at the reasonable figure of £24. IE the horse does not clear himself at the next meeting, and something to boot, depend upon it he will be very far wrong, which I sh&n t expect to Bee him, as he is in capital hands, undergoing his tuition with Jack Lang, in company with Medora, also belonging to the same owner. Contractor and Medora are at present the only two maidens that I know of in training, but surely some more will turn up somewhere before the appointed time. I don't think these two races are likely to go a be?gine for want of a field ;if they' do, it will be the rery first time in Anokland at any event*. Th'e'last news from Australia has been a surprise to some of us, and no mistake. "Who would have thought it?"— the despised Fishhook once more asserting his supremacy in the Champion Race at Launew ton, to the defeat of old Volunteer, Strop, and l Warwick ! Wonders, indeed, will never cease ; and here aeain we have another instance of the uncertainty of horseflesh. The very day before the race Fishhook . positively refused to keep on the course, asserting his bolting propensities on every oecauon he was treated to a spin j and yet out he comes when wanted, and wins almost in, a walk, without' offering to bolt af all; whilst he recapitulates his victory the following day by winning 'the St. Xeger Stakeß, ,af ter a - splendid finish with Nimblefoot, a Tasmanian-bred . one of good promise. A fortnight after Fishhook again comes out ia Melbourne, and wins the St. L-ger there, so that his bolting propensities appear to have been cured for the time being— in my opinion, just until the first time he^ meejai the Barb, when, sup: posing theJatter to be in. condition, at the time, I • sh»U expect to hear ot Fishhook cutting it again, if he can't get to his head. But I think it is nearly time I began to T think of concluding this scrawl, which I will at once do, but first of all reminding owners of horses that nominations for the Auckland Handicap will close, on the 20th of April. April 6, 1867;