THE TURF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 July 1909, Page 2

THE TURF.

[ ■ ♦ NOTES AND COMMENTS. Evidently Kiatere's leg has proved afl insuperable bar to his starting in tomorrow's big cross-country race at Flemington, the field for which will be composed of the undernoted ;—; — V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, 1500 soys; three miles and one furlong. Mr. D. J. Price's br g Bribery (Malvolio— The Gift), aged ... 12 11 Mr. R. Morton's br g Kuala Lumpur (Mikado II. — Honey), 6y is 12 9 Mr. R. G. Casey's bl g Pilot (Gunboat — Mermaid), aged 12 9 Mr. E. Manifold 'B b g Boisdale (Swiveller — Geometry), aged... 11 12 Mr. J. Lemon's bl g Workmaster (Grafton — Mnemosyne), 6yrs... 11 9 Mr. A. Miller's b g Boomerang (Firelock — Vindictive), aged... 11 0 Mr. P. S. Clements' br g Snob (Clayton— Sunray), aged ... 10 12 Mr. A. L. Wright's b g Confederate (Associate — The Cripple), aged 10 9 Mr. H. Miller's br g Dalny (Dorchester— Beryl), 6yrs 10 2 Mr. W. M'Donald's b g Billiards ( Brilliant — Lord Cleveland mare), aged 10 0 Mr. J. P. Cox's b g Grafnax (Grafton — Xantippe), aged 10 0 Mr. E. Manifold's eh g Squirm (Coil — Cretonne), syrs 9 12 Mr. G. A. Cookson'e b g Postboy (Postmaster — Busy Bee), 6yrs 9 12 Mr. J. Robertson's b m Quail (Tranter— The Quail), aged ... 9 10 Mr. Yon Stieglitz's bl g Kyber (Shah-en-Shah— Chablis), *syrs 9 7 Mr. G. Russell's b g Ripon '(Freedom — Priscilla), 6yrs 9 5 Mr. J. M'Donald's b g Fred (Savernak—Applause), aged 9 0 There is but one chestnut and one mare in the foregoing list, and the only New Zealand-bred acceptor is Pilot. According to The Australasian, Scobie has got Pilot very well, and in the opinion of the Ballarat trainer the massive Gunboat gelding is better than he was a month or two back, when he competed unsuccessfully at Warrnambool. To judge by the tone of Scobie 's remarks, Pilot's ability has surprised eyen him. Pilot is one who likes the true going which' is found at Flemington, but it should be noted that since the V.R.f" race was founded, nearly thirty ye-,rs ago, only three horses have managed to carry 12st 91b or more to victory. The Victorian minimum is 71b less than ours, hence Pilot's impost is equal to 13st 21b in New Zealand. There was nothing of much interest to record in connection with Gisborne yesterday. Te Arai had only a slow coach like Mozart to beat, and the C.J.C. aspirant naturally did his task easily. If he wins to-day, with the extra stone up, his present position in the double Avagering on the Riccarton events will be quite justified. Still it is not good business to come at such an unsound horse so early in the day, and those who fancy his chance would be well advised to wait until the Monaco gelding emerges unscathed from his Trenthem engagements. In the flat events, Pearl Reef and Continuance were backed for fair money. Wairaka, winner of the Trial Steeple, is an Ellers-lie-trained horse. Mr. G. D. Greenwood's horses will not be seen at Randwick. Probably tho rising two-year-olds, owing to the wet weather experienced lately, are so back■ward that Mason recognised it was futile taking on the Australian cracks. Nor was there much inducement to send Armlet for the Epsom, in which her prospects of success with 8.12 were of a forlorn sort. Accordingly Armlet, Formeden, Aerina (Soult — Hotcherina), and Lady Reina (Merriwee — Lady Helen) have been withdrawn from their A.J.C. engagements. In the books now open on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, Artillerie, Kyeadgerie, and Linacre, are quoted at the shortest prices in the first-named race, and Post Town and Prince Foote are the ruling fancies in the Flemington event. Prince Foote is the horse that loyal Australians expect will down Provocation in the A.J.C. Derby. Mr. G. P. Payne is a good friend to New Zealand breeders. During the last few years he has shipped quite a number of horses across the Tasman Sea, and now he has bought Goldbeater from Sir Geo. Clifford. Goldbeater's best perI formance was his second to Buccleuch in the C.J.O. Great Easter, last year. Goldbeater was a difficult horse to train, but if he stands a preparation the son of Clanranald should win a good sprint race for Mr. Payne. Auratus's price is lengthening in the wagering on the Riccarton doubles, and this may be a fairly reliable index of the difficulty experienced by the trainer of the massive Gold Reef gelding in getting him to stand up to the collar atter his Otaki mishap. Wailiuka halfbrother to Waipu, by San Fran — is reported to be showing considerable promise in his preliminary tasks at Nsw Plymouth. Woihuka, like Waipu, is a hors>e of medium size, but thick set and sturdily built. After Ellerslie, Paritutu was beginning to be regarded as a spent light, but this idea may have to be revised, for the tough old heart of oak is Still full of fight. Ataahua, according to the Melbourne Age, ran two miles and jumped nine hurdles in 3min 48£ sec. As he was shod and tarried F. Burn, say about 9 stone, this performance was "an extraordinarily good one." It was accomplished a few days prior to his mishap, which, by the vvay, waa brought about through another horse cannoning into him during a gallop. The superstitiously inclined may make some capital out of the fact that the gallop "in which Ataahua came to grief took place on a Sunday. I Kremlin is due at Trentham on Monday next. The Stepniak gelding will be ridden by W. Wilson, who was associated with most of Sol's victories. Another Ellei'ilie-trained -candidate in Cymri will not be competing at Ellerslie, as he o\ er-reached himself and had to be eased in his work. Stormont's owner, although he is sending last year's National Hurdles winner to Trentham, is understood to bo lukewerm, about his chance of success. In framing his Melbourne Cup Handicap, Mr. W. A. Menzies told an interviewer that the first idea in his mind was to give the best horses of respective ages a winning chance by not starting too high and sacrificing them for th& large number of moderates entered. Some of the latter were quite out of place in a race of this description, and required but little consideration fiom the handicapper. This straight talk should do good. At all events, it ought to save a large number of owners^ from throwing away their money in nolnination fees, and its effect may be seen in lighter entries in future. THE BLADE.

As showing the mildness of lha season, the Milton Mirror is informed that a flaxcutter at Rocky Valley, near Mount Misery (Otago) came across a patch of wild strawberries which were quite rip© and delicious to the taste; and it was then within a, fortnight of the middle of wintflt