THE TURF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 48, 27 February 1911, Page 2

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Sir Bedivere.) There is no blinking the fact that the acceptances received in connection with the Wanganui fixture are not nearly up to expectations. Why so many horses have been allowed to discontinue their engagements it ia not easy to determine, but it may perhaps be shrewdly surmised that the exceptionally long spell of dry weather recently experienced is largely responsible for the position as we now find it. Training tracks and racecourses have been as hard as a turnpike road during the past month or two, and as a result many horses are now suffering from jarred joints and other infirmities. However, there is nothing to be gained by dwelling on what might have been ; it is more profitable to discuss the prospects of sport as they now appear. The Cup field, which originally numbered twentyfour, has dwindled down to ten, the most notable absentees being Lady Medallist, Waimangu, Danube, "and Paisano. Miss Mischief iE now at the head of affairs, and, big load though Bst 131b is for so diminutive a filly, her chances can no longer be overlooked. Taken as it stands the opposition is by no means fitrong. Kopu and Parable may each show improved form as the result of tho racing they had at Woodville. bufc it is at least doubtful whether either of them will strip thoroughly fit. Mendip has j yet to show whether he can get to the end of a mile and threequarters, and up to the present Merrivonia has failed to get beyond a mile and a half. Now, it seems to me is Bhkdale's chance to distinguish himself. He promises to be one of the fittest horses that will compete. W. Price, who* has been riding well this season, will pilot him, and 7st 121b is only just a nice racing weight, ! In the absence of Full Rate, Boanerges is now at the head of affairs in the Plying Handicap. After racing at Awapuni at Christmas time. Price gave Ijiim a spell, and if he has only recovered the form he showed last autumn he will keep the opposition extremely busy. Ho is, however, a colt with a will of his own, and when last seen out he was in anything but a good humour. Gladiole has lately sprung into prominence as a sprinter, but tho great danger in this event is Madam Madcap, whose chanoe is chiefly dependent upon her getting an entirely clear passage. The presence of ViceAdmiral and Montiform will add .considerable interest to this event, the result of which seems to hang upon so many "ifs" that I, for one, shall be quite content to look on. Though ihe entries for the Gngafc Eastar and Autumn Handicaps fall short of those received last season — tho figures being 46 and 28 as against 48 and 35 respectively — each event has, as usual, attracted the great majority of the best horses in the Dominion. Some ,of the best taleuit to be found in the Auckland province, including Waimamgu and Salute, is to renuin al home in view of the Ellerslie fixture, and the only Northerners engaged are Wauc'hope, Hohungatahi, and Domino. Penates and Prim, who finished first and sieccmd last year in the seven furlong event, are again in the field, and Outlander is to have another shot at the Great Autumn. Whilst, glancing over laslt season's results I noticed that among the also started division in tho Great Easter Handicap was Broadsword, who carried 7.10. What a contrast to the form lie showed on Saturday, when ho beat Comedy King at 61b and had Parsee, Son of the Marsh, Desert Rose (well fancied for the Newmarket Handicap), Queen of Scots, and sis oihor3 behind him. How different, too. to his showing a month previously in the Jackson Stakes, when, carrying 8.8, h& finished third to Armlet 8.11, and Formbv 7.6£, the trio being separated by lijjads. On this showing, it will be remembered, Broadsword was 1 regarded as. easily the pick of the Great Easter Handicap, but he failed badly, and so. afforded a striking illustration cf the truiam that w.f.a. form is but a poor guide as far as handicaps are concerned. Obsono had nothing very much to beat in the Flying Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday, but in carrying lOst 91b, and winning easily, he registered a most* attractive performance, and must now bo regarded as one of the most capable sprinters in the Dominion. Thistledown, who scored in the Waihola Handicap at Wingatui. is a halfsister to To-morrow (dam of Tenterhook) and Lady Wayward, and an own sister to Flitaway. Since Rose Noble was offered for sale, when, if my memory serves me right, he was knocked down at 160 guineas to someono who failed to produce the coin, he has done Mr. T?. H. Pyne more than one good turn, and as matters have turned out, it was a very lucky thing for the Canterbury spoitsman that he did not lose him. He came at the right end in the D.J.C. Handicap, and must in future be a quantity to be reckoned with in any long distance event for which he may compete. Great race mares not seldom prove & disappointment at the stud, but Wakeful is evidently one of the exceptions, [n Blairgour she has produced an uncommonly smart colt, and a.s she is yet a young mare shs should gain further distinction as a brood mare. Her great contemporary Cruciform,, who defeated her twice at weight-for-age, has yet to rear a worthy representative, tho only one of her progeny yet to rece being Martian's diminutive daughter Lily White, who is no longer, in training. Owners are reminded that a final payment of 5 soys is duo this evening in connection with the Wanganui Cup. As the Wanganui Club declined to guarantee the sum of £53 135, 4 d for the purpose of having a special train run back to Wellington on the night of the second day's races, those who intend to see the meeting through will find it necessary to remain in Webb-town until Monday. CONCLUSION OF DUNEDSN MEETING. [US TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, 25th February. Tho Duiiedin Jockey Club concluded ' its meeting at Wingatui to-day. The weather was fine and the attendance very large. 1/uring the three days the sum _of £37.487 passed through the totalisator, as against £23,326 for the corresponding meeting last year. During the third day £13,666 10s was invested on the machine, last year's amount for the third day being £7250. Remaining results : — Dunedin Jockey Club Handicap, of 350 soys. One mile and a quarter. Mr. Pyne's Rose Noble, by Medallion —Miss Kilmeny, 8.3 ...'( H. Gray) 1 Mr. F. Hall's Iranui, 8.13 (W. Ryan) 2 Mr. MachelPs Genius, 8.2 (J. Begbio) 3 Also started— Prim 8.13 (R. King), Cronstadt 7.5 (A. H. Wilson), Gapon 6.10 (C. Emmerson). Stratagem 6.7 (W. Lowe), and Pretty Face 7.1 (R. Young) Gapon and Pretty Face went out of the straight together, followed by Genius and Iranui. No change took place until

reaching the six furlongs mark, whea^ Iranui joined Genius, Cronstadt dropping out at half a mile from home. Iranui was the first into the straight, followed by Prim, Genius, and Rose Noble, all being close together. Below the distance Iranui seemed to be safe, but 200 yards from home Rose Nobla came with a great rush on the outside, and won by nearly a length. Genius was a length and a half away, and Prim was fourth. Stratagem firoke a fetlock in the straight, and did nou finish. Time, 2min 8 2-ssec. Hopeful Handicap, of 125 soys ; for two-year-olds. Five furlongs.— Avarice, 9.8, 1 j Daringdale, 8.9, 2 ; Pert, 7.2, 3. Also started— Sweet Ann 7.0. Time, lmin 4 3-ssec. Abbotsford Welter Handicap, of 130 soys ; cix furlongs. — Kostroma, 8.0, 1 ; Seagar, 7.7, 2; All Guns, 9.9, 3. Also started— Lupulite 10.5, San Severo 8.13, Officious 8.7, Loftus 8.6, Gold Sail 8.3, and Redmond 7.7. Time, lmin 16 3-ssec. Waihola Handicap, of 100 soys ; five furlongs.— Thistledown, 9.5, 1; Windward, 8.3. 2; Crosbio, 7.7, 3. Also started— Kilts 10.2, Grafton Laddie 9.7, Oblong 9.3, Baron Northburn 8.11, Big Blast 8.1, King Torrenz 7.13, Fireball 7.7, Obligate 7.7, Lady De Vere 7.7, and Obi 7.7. Time, lmin 3 3-ssec. Wingatui Handicap, of 150 eovs ; seven furlongs.— Puaka, 6.13, 1; Chief Lochiel, 8.0, 2; Armstrong, 7.2, 3. Also started — Boutade 8.9, Warsaw 7.9, Soldiers' Chorus 7.2, Cuirosettia 6.13, Eous 6.7, and Feodor 6.7. Time, lmin 29sec. WINNERS AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, This Day. The principal winning owners at tha Dnnedin Cup meeting were:— R. O'Donnell, £400; P. H. Pyne, £340- J. J M'Bride,' £330 ; Sir G. Clifford, £300 ; H. Friedlander, £280; H. A. Knighl, £280. The Government tax amounts to £976 odd. V.A.T.C. AUTUMN MEETING. CONCLUDING DAY. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. 1 MELBOURNE, 25th February. The autumn meeting of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club was brought to a conclusion at Caulfield to-day. The principal events resulted as follows: — Caulfield Futurity Stakes, of 2000 6ovs ; weight-for-age, with penalties and] allowances. Seven furlongs. C. L. Macdonald's b c Blaireour, by Wallace— Wakeful, 3yrs, 9.1 ... J A. Skirving's Broadsword, by Clanranald — Safeguard, 9.7 3 S. Green's Comedy King (imp.), by Persimmon— Tragedy Queon, 10.3 3 Also ran— Parseo 10.0, Son of the Marsh 9.9, Desert Rose 9.1, Queen of Scots 8.12, Kuringai 8.1, Something Irish 7.0, John Porter 7.0. Indiscreet 6.12, Nari 6.9, Tepps 6.5. Blairgour took charge shortly after the start, followed by Broadsword, John Porter, Desert Rose, Kuringai, and Comedy King. There w?s little changa to the turn, where Blairgour was threq lengths in front of Broadsword, with Comedy King, John Porter, and Kuringai as his nearest attendants. Blairgour? led into the straight, and in a good finish won by three-quarters of a length, with two lengths between second and third. Time, lmin 27^sec. Alma Stakes, of 400 soys; six furlongs.—Desire 1, Twa Brigs 2, Wilari 3. There were eighteen starters. Won by three lengths. Time, lmin 14|sec.