THE TURF

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 70, 24 March 1915, Page 4

THE TURF

FIXTURES. '] March 24 and 25— Rangltikei R.C. Anilial. April 5 and 6— Canterbury J C. Autumn. April 5 and 6— Feilding J.C Easter j April 3, 5, 7, and 10— Australian J.cfUutumn. April 7— Westland K.C. Autumn. { NOTES AND COMMENTS l (Byi " Sir Lancelot ") I The attention of owners and {trainers is directed to the programme of the Autumn Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, to be held on 14th and 17th 'April. The New Zealand St. Leger and North Island Challeiige Stakes should bring together the best two and three-year-olds, and the Trentham Gold jCiip, of 1000 soys, will bring out the best in commission in the Dominion. The Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase . each day ie woith 200 soys. The Plunket 1 Nursery on the first day is worth 200 soys, and the Pacific Nursery on the second day 300 soys. The principal handicap events are the Thompson Handicap, of 650 fiovs, and the Autumn Handicap, of 500 soys. There are four hack handicaps, each worth 150 sove. The railway Handicap, of 300 soys, and the Suburban Handicap, of 300 soys, should bring out some , good sprinters, both events being run at six furlongs. Nominations for all events cloee on Friday, at 9 p.m., with Mr. A. E. Whyte, secretary. A* rule that has been more ' honoured in the breach than, in the observance in the Dominion in the past is that concerning the ownership of horses by bookmakers. It seems strange that the matter was unnoticed by the authorities until last week, when iMr. M'Mahon (chief stipendiary steward) went into the entry of Mummer, who was among th 6 acceptors for the Masterton Cup. He had been nominated by his owner, Mr. F. W. Fitzpatrick, in whose name he lias competed for some time, but appeared in the race card m the name of his trainer, M. J. Chaafe. Mummer has been a well-known -competitor the past couple of seasons, and won three races at Gisborne last month. This is not an isolated case. The hurdler Merrimax, who is owned by a well-known Aucklander, lias been a regular competitor at meetings of the Auckland Racing Club, and was engaged at the Easter Meeting. King Star (owned in Christchurch) won a double at the Greymouth Metropolitan Club's Midsummer Aleeting. It will be seen from the above that owners and officials were unaware of the rule, which reads as follows: — "Part XVI., Clause 7. — No horse in which any person who is a bookmaker has any interest shall be entered or start for any race, and any such horse, if he shall start, shall be disqualified for the race." After the way he raced at , Masterton, Tangihou would probably be benefited by a. spell. He may not be taken to Rangitikei. Biidge ran second in the Brush Steeplechase at Garroo (Victoria) on the 13th, and got the stake through the winner running inside a Hag. Botanist ( was engaged in the Trial Hack Handicap on the opening day at Tauherenikau, but having won a race at Masterton is not npw eligible. _ The Wairarapa-bred Manifest (Merrie England — Sweet Oil) ran two good races at the Opunake Meeting on Wednesday last. He won the Maiden and later in the da.y ran second in a Welter Handicap. Sweet Oil (dam o.f Manifest) was by Petroleum, and won races in the Wairarapa a few seasons back. Merrie England has not many representatives on the Turf, at piesent, but recently haft three winners in Merry Guy, Merry Gain, Manifest, 'and Royal Sleeves. In this issue, Mr. D. J. Evans, secretary of the Westland Racing Club, directs the attention, of owners and trainers to the closing of nominations for the Club's Easter Meeting, to be held on 7th April. The sum of £600 will be distributed in stakes. The pi'incipal event is the Autumn Handicap, x)f 150 soys, one mile" and a-quarter. The trotting events are sure to fill well, as there are a great number of trotting horses ownfed on the coast. The Reefton and Kumara meetings are also held about the same time as Westland, and North Island owners can thus get three meetings on the trip. The Hokitika track is the same as that at Ellerslie-*-right-handed. Nominations for all events close on Friday. Classic, who has not won a race for over twelve months, was made favourite for her engagement' at Opunake, but finished out of a place. Enquiries are^ being instituted in Syd Iney as to the identity of a horse, supposed to be named Gold Chord, who raced in the country recently. In June, 1910. a colt registered as Gold Cord, by Kilcberan from Spun- Gold, beat v Martyre and Camballo in the Bonny Vale Handicap, for two-year-olds, at Flemington. He raced unsuccessfully in the following season at suburban meetings, but has not come under notice for a considerable time. 1 The silver enp given by the Marlborough Racing Club as an addition to the stake for the Mtirlborough Cup at their meeting on the sth and 6th May has been imported from England by the club, and will arrive during the week. Six of the horses engaged in the Great Easter are also in the Great Autumn Handicap. The winner of the short racie will have to put up a stone penalty in the longer event. .J. li. Prosser has two of the Porirua horses in each event. He won the Great Easter with Boreas. The nearest the Porirua stable got to winning the double was in 1907.. when Achilles ran second to Firciron in the Great Easter, and Marguerite was beaten a head by Seal Rock in the Great Autumn. Both races have been won by the same horse, but only on three occasions since 1892, when the Great Easter was instituted. The successful performers were Lady Zetland and her daughter Lady Lillian, and Vladimir. A Queensland exchange reports that .Soult King, by Soult. dam Erry Roe, the property of Mr. S. A. Taylor, of Bon Accord, was found dead in the paddock recently, having evidently been struck by lightning. The owner, who races under the name of "J. Bond." recently refused an offer of 1000 guineas for the horse, which was doing Btud duty. Soult King was a full brother to Merry Roe. _ C. Emerson has been riding Warslep in her work at Riccarton. and "it 'is understood he will ride her in the Great Autumn Handicap. They were associated in the Auckland Cup. Bercola has been engaged in the hurdle and steeplechase events to be run at the A. J.C. Autumn Meeting. Toa Tere is well engaged in the flat" events. Chortle and Belasco, who are 'engaged both at Ellerslie and Riccarton at Easter time, have competed at both courses. Chortle won the Winter Cup at Riccarton in August, and a double at tho Auckland' Cup- Meeting on both his visits to Ellcrslie. Bdasco has managed | to pick up a idee.