THE TURF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 94, 18 October 1909, Page 3

THE TURF.

m> j VICTORIAN AMATEUR TURF CLUB. SPRING MEETING. DEAD HEAT IN CAULFIELD CUP. BETWEEN ABORIGINE AND BLUE BOOK. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. CAULFIELD, 16th October. Caulfiold Cup day, with which the spring meeting of the Victorian Amateur Turf Club is concluded, this year drew the biggest crowd ever seen on tho Caulfield grounds. The day was fine, with a warm northerly blowing, but its disagreeable effects were not felt on the course. The tracks were in splendid order for galloping, and it is calculated that no previous Victorian spring fixture ever attracted a more numerous attendance of inter-State sportsmen, and Flemington week gives promise of being the biggest race meeting ever held in Melbourne. The following are the results :—: — Oby Hurdle Handicap, two miles one furlong and 60yds.— Corntax, ll.b, 1 ; Royal Malion, 10.11, 2; Cheval, 9.7, 3. Also started — The Sun and Athens. Won by three lengths. Time, 4min llisec. Gwyn Nursery Handicap, of 600sovs, for two-year-olds ; four furlongs and a half. — H. Boan's Tanamai, by Dalmeny — Lateen, 7.3, 1; Rigadoon, 7.9, 2; Sweet Brow, 7.11, 3. Seventeen started. Won by a head. Time, 57 l-4sec. Caulfield Cup, of 3000 soys ; second horse 350 soys, and third horse 150 soys from the stake. One mile and a half. Gordondhas Khattau's b.g. Aborigine, by Merriwee— lndian Queen, 4yrs, 8.9 (M'Lachlan) t J. C. Williamson's eh. h. Blue Book, by True Blue — Lady Mary, syrs, 8.1 (Connell) ... . . ... t H. Power's b. h. Pendil, by Bobadil — Penitence, 4yrs, 8.7 (Cameron) 3 G. Buckley's eh. h. Trelo Vouni, by Hymettus — Lady Carbine, 6yrs, 6./ ... ... ... ... ... 4 Also started : lolaire, Post Town, Parsee, Knox, Kyeadgerie, Waipuna, Artillerie, Golden Slipper, The Shifter, Malt King, Thistlebrook, Flavel, Dhobi, Kerlie, Royal Blue, Woorooma, Dunolly, Nobel, • Mindful, Black Prince, Carl Dour, Al Caaba, Idyll, Aberdeen, and Manana. When they were fairly in their stride Mindful showed the way from Golden Slipper, Aborigine and Kerlie, with Kyeadgerie last. Rounding the hill the order of the leading division was Mindful, Kerlie, Dunolly, Golden Slipper, Thislleßrook, Post Town, Artillerie, and Idyll, Parsee being last. On the far turn Mindful dropped back, and Kerlie led by a length irom Idyll, then came Dunolly, Trelo Vouni, lolaire, Nobel, and Artillerie. Trelo Vouni moved up and forged to the front two lengths in advance of Kerlie, Golden Slipper, Blue Book, Flavel, Kyeadgerie, Artillerie, Aberdeen, and Aborigine. At the distance Trelo Vouni, Blue Book, Thistlebrook, Aborigine, Kyeadgerie, and Pendil were bunched. A magnificent struggle ensued in the run to the winning post. Amid intense excitement Aborigine and Blue Book crossed the line together, with Pendil only a short neck away. The judge's decision was eagerly awaited, and no surprise was caused when the numbers of Aborigine and Blue Book were hoisted bracketed together. Trelo Vouni was fourth, Carl Dour fifth, then came Artillerie, Kyeadgerie, Dunolly, Thistlebrook, Golden Slipper. lolaire was the last to finish. Time, 2min 35sec. Wyuna Steeplechase, about two miles three furlongs and 83yds. — Secret, 9.0, 1; Confederate, 12.7, 2; Comus, 9.0, 3. Also started — Squirm, Syringa, Earl of Castles, Boomerang. Won by four lengths. Time, 4min 44isec. Windsor Handicap, six furlongs. — Queen o* Scots, 7.13, 1; Irishman, 10.7, 2; M'Culloch, 6.13, 3. Fifteen started. After Irishman and Miss Given had made the running up to the straight entrance, the winner took charge, and drawing away won by five lengths. Time, lmin 16sec. Moora Welter, one mile. — Marcus, 7.7, 1 ; , Burston, 8.9, 2 ; Perilous, 8.3, 3. Twenty-four started. Marcus came with a fast dash and won by a neck. Time, Imin 42sec. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Th& dead heat for the Caulfield Cup on Saturday was the first occasion that the judge was unable to separate the placed horses since the race was instituted in 1879. . Last season Maranui won the race for Mr. D. O'Brien, being the only New Zealand-bred horse to win the race right out. Apologue ran second to his stable mate (Poseidon) two years ago, and afterwards won the Melbourne Cup. Artilleries defeat must be added to the long list of Maordland failures. Recent form pointed to the Royal Artillery mare running prominently in the race, for which she was heavily backed by her owners and. their friends. The 800 soys attached to the Caulfield Stakes would pay expenses of the trip and also Cup wagers. The Chelmsford Stakes race at Randwick, in which Artillerie divided Prince Foote and Malt King (who subsequently won the A.J.C. Derby and Caulfield Guineas respectively) proved a reliable public trial for the Caulfield Stakes, in which Artillerie carried 121b more than her Caulfield Cup weight, and won easily in lmin 56isec. Alawa, who ran second won the Eclipse Stakes, one mile and three furlongs, on Wednesday. And yet the Royal Artillery mare failed to get in the first three in the race on Saturday. Another example of the glorious uncertainty of the turf. One of the dead-heaters for the Caulfield Cup was a New Zealand-bred horse by an Australian-bred sire, and the other an Australian sired by a New Zealander. Honours are with Aborigine, who was conceding his opponent a year and 81b, and geiding allowance. Probably the most disappointed > man at Caulfield on Saturday was D. J. Price, who allowed the Merriwee gelding to go to y- Indian syortisman Gordondha Khattan. When Aborigine won the Thompson Handicap, D. J. Price was in treaty foi the purchase of Moriarity. Mr. Watt recommended Aborigine as more suitable to the Mordialloc trainer at 1200 guineas. When Aboivigjine woe. the Burke Memorial the performance was cabled to Price, who took untiJ the following day to consider, when he wired Mr. Watt accepting. In tho meantime the agent of the Indian buyer had secured the option of purchase. The reply was favourable, and although the Victorian would have gone to 1500 guineas, his offer came too late. The gelding was sent across to H. Raynor, the Randwick trainer, and has since done well both on the track and in races. The division of the Caulfield Cup Stake, amounting to 1450 soys, was the first return, and the owner now practically has paid for the horse. Considering that he races only-* a few horses Mr. J. C. Williamson, has no cause to complain erf having dabbled in the turf. Blue Book (son of True Blue), has been a wlid performer all through. As a two-year-old he won a mile handi-

cap* in lmin 42isec. As a three-year-old he ran fourth in the A.J.C. Derby. Last season he won up to a mile and a half, and was second in the Epsom Handicap. He wae engaged in the Melbourne Cup with 8.0, but will have to carry 8.10 in that event. Aborigine and Blue Book both competed unsuccessfully in the Epsom Handicap. The latter was also unplaced in the Metropolitan Handicap, and acted as runner-up to Maltine in the Craven Plate. Mr. Williamson owns another promising True Blue colt in Danilo, who ran third in the A.J.C. Derby.