THE TURF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1909, Page 2

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. On the whole form worked out splen* didly at New Plymouth. Speciosa, Ke« reora, and Perolina repeated their firati day's, success, whilst Burton and Tei Whaharoa were able to improve upon their positions as runners-np. Tha i heaviest backed winner yesterday, botli ' on the course and away, was the Aucki land-owned Freevata, who was the me* dium of an almost unlimited commission., His party recouped their Wednesday's losses with interest. Hatch, with four wins, has again moved away from Ben Deeley, their respective scores being 63 and 52. It is Hatch's ambition to rida a Cup winner, but fortune denies him., this, although she treats him well other-" wise. It looked as if Whetumarama was goinc; to do the trick for the crack lightweight, but the journey was either ai furlong too far or the horse was just short of a gallop. The Advance gelding made no mistake about the manner of! his winning the Paul Memorial. Both Whetumarnma and Waitapu are liable for the maximum penalty, 101b, in tha Waipipi Cup, which is run at Mastertons next Thursday. The Masterton Club has very seiisibly altered its penalty clause, and it now lays down what la the maximum, but leaves to the discretion of the handicapper the exact poundage to be allotted. No doubt Mr. PoU lock will avail himself of the maximum, in which case Waitapu's weight will be increased to Bst 131b, and Whetumarama's to 7st 121b. In the Taranaki Cup their respective imposts were 7st 121b' and 7st 7ib. , Kareora's double win must have been a great surprise to the touts at New, Plymouth, who reported that the St.. Clements gelding was not displaying* attractive form. Golden Eagle was another whose track work was considered inferior. When it came to tha real business both these useful gallopers showed that there was no screw loose. That Kareora could present Moriarty with lib and beat him out of sight over five furlongs is, however, too tough ai morsel to assimilate. A year ago, at the same meeting and in the same race, Mr., Watt's gelding gave Kareora nearly ai stone and a sound beating. After running unplaced behind Kareora, Cyrene, and St. Maria, it was hard to see how, Moriarty could be given any chance in ■ the Farewell Handicap. However, Hatch, was substituted for H. Price, and the Merriwee gelding put down the heavilybacked Mon Ami. The stewards, after an enquiry, which was adjourned, decided to pay out on Moriarty. In conversation with Mr. Watt yesterday, prior to Moriarty's races, he informed me that in his opinion the Merriwee gelding was not too reliable. He is evidently a horse of moods. We all know them to our cost. The chances aro that Moriarty would not take hold of his bit in the first " two furlongs of the Grand Stand Handicap, and by that time he had lost too much ground. In the Farewell Handicap at Wanganui, when he beat Longner and Ballarat, Moriarty looked a beaten horse in the early part of the run down the back, but all at once he took hold of his bib and the race was over. A little bit of weight and a gallop or two make a lot of difference. Afc Wanganui, in receipt of 91b, Shannon Lass ran away from Burton in a sixfurlong! race. Yesterday, in receipt of 61b and well backed, she cannot get closer than two lengths to Burton. The fact is that the form of moderates is constantly, chopping -and changing. Blinker beats Surcingle to-day — a week later the position is reversed. It is the unreliability of second and third raters that keeps the wheels of bookmaking * revolving. The most capable of trainers cannot escape letting his patrons fti for losses with that type of horse. Sea King is in great heart for his Great Easter engagement. The St. .. Ilario gelding carried his big weight in fine style at Timaru. He has two important qualifications for his task at Biccarton, brilliancy off the mark and ability to stay a mile. There has been a lot of reshuffling with the C.J.C. doubles. In the 'doubles ending with Boniforra and Waitapu prices have tightened. The Yaldhurst hope is Boniform, but it would indeed be a remarkable achievement for a horse that has Tjeen out of action so long — one, moreover, that has done stud duty — to win over a mile and a half course. Now that the sale of Master Soult has fallen through, he has come into favour for the A.R.C. Easter Handicap, in which' his weight is 9.3. Evidently Watson was not confident about the colt standing the adamantine Indian tracks. Mr. E. d. Watt's team for Ellerslie is a strong one. .Aborigine, Muskerry, Maori King, Wimmera, and Moriarty are a strong hand to play. Muskerry has filled out, and is a better looking mare than she was last January ,when she made such a show of her field in the Racing Olub Handicap at Trentham. Mr. Watt says Aborigine is showing traces of soreness, but otherwise the black is very well. Wimmera, full-brother to Boomerang and Muskerry, is a gelding that can' gallop very fast. Speaking without the bdok, Wimmera's record this season, his first by the way, is two starts, two wins. If Merriwee's place in the sires' list is not improved by . the performance of the foregoing quintet at Ellerslie, it will be a matter for surprise, not to say amazement. Messrs. E. A. Price and J. F. Hartland are due in Wellington to-day. They - have come down to represent the Auck-' land Metropolitan Committee in connection with the Avondale R.C. ap%. peals. The special committee* appointed: by the Racing Conference will take evidence on Saturday. Its decision isbeing awaited with deep interest in Auckland, whose sportsmen are divided into, hostile camps over the matter. From Hawkes Bay reassuring news has been received of California. After his win,, at the Hawkes Bay Summer meeting, when, practically on three legs, the big San Fran rut down the speedy, Woodhey, Lagor, who has a fair veterinary knowledge, gave the horse a spell, and set to work to discover what was the trouble. In this task he has, it appears, been successful, and the backend of the season should again see California in active commission.