THE TURF

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 137, 8 December 1919, Page 11

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BI "HE LANCELOT.")

The first acceptance for the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap has reduced the fields considerably. Of the 59-horses Weighted in the two miles' race, twenty are left in., It was not expected that the top weight- (Gloaming) would be paid up for, while a number of others 'will be competing at meetings where it is considered it will not be so difficult to secure a stake. Of the twenty-three horses which appeared in the race with. 6.7 opposite their names, only three arc left- ivt. One of them, Hose Wreath, may drop out in favour of her stable mate (Affectation),. The Opaki-tra-ined pair are the only tliree-year-olds engaged "in the race. Blue Cross, another of those in with the lightest weight, was in tho money twelve months ago, behind Mascot and Sasanof.

feortuue Teller ia to accompany Red Signal to Woodville. The former has not much chance of beating Tessares on level terras in the Trial Plate. In the Nursery Handicap at Palmerston North, the handica-pper has placed 191b between them.

E. Browne, bead lad at the LadogaLodge stable, will take Spangle, Matty, and Hallow vonia to the Woodville Meeting. ■ - The Auckland Cup acceptances include Snub, Uncle Ned, Battle Song, Husky Eve, and Tressida, who were also engaged at- Awapuni. Client, Battle Array, Rose Pink, The Speaker, and Moutoa Ivauova are also engaged in both Cups, and may be found competing at Manawatu. .At Trentham on Saturday morning Prince Delaware (H. M'Sweeney) jumped five of the schooling hurdles in good style. The distance of the hurdle race, a mile and three-quarters, on tha opening day at Woodville may suit the Trenthamtraiued horse better than some of his opponents. Volo, who is not racing at any of the Christmas meetings, lias been engaged in the Stratford Cup. Bonnie Maid has been giving her trainer some trouble lately, and she is not likely to be seen out at tho holiday meetings. Battle Song will represent the stable in the Auckland Cup and Battle Array in the Manawatu Cup. Old Gold has been entered for the Wai. rarapa and Stratford Cups, both of Which are run on New Year's Day. Handicaps for the Stratford Meeting have been postponed until after the Woodville Meeting. C. Pritchard 5s taking Rienzi, Dick, Sweet Memory, Arch Lassie, and Rakaia to tho Woodville Meeting. The latter is owned by Mr. Whitney. J. Ayres was sufficiently recovered from his recent operation to be able to return home on Saturday. He hopes to leave for Auckland with the members of his team which are to compete at Ellerslie on Monday next. Mr.' Smart failed to find a purchaser for Pacific Slope, Who will accompany Prince Delaware to Woodville.

The brothel's Ashley., Roy, and Con Reed were out riding work at Trentham on Saturday morning. On the opening day at Woodville Roy will ride Dribble, Maioha,..Arrowsmith, Admiral Advance, Moinac, -and Paparoa. Tho latter is owned by Mr. W. Richmond and ran fourth in the Trial Plate at Feilding. T. Young generally rides Swane ..River in her trarjc work*and in races. He would .have had the mount, at Feilding only through being called away to Reefton a, couple-Of days previously to-sec ix relative who was - dangerously ill. He returns to-morrow, and will ride Swanee River at Woodville.

Chimera, is improving with the racing she is iiaving, and may strikfe winning form at the holiday meetings. In the Flying at Feilding she went out unbacked, and probably Covered more ground than any other competitor.

At Trentham on Saturday morning Preface, ridden by a stable lad, jumped one of the Ipony hurdles twice. After breakfast, with H. M'Sweeney up, Preface was sent over two of tlig big hurdles safely. She'is engaged in the jumping race on the second ..day at Woodville, and may be sent up. Simonides has been accepted lor in the Auckland Railway Handicap, but the name of his stable -mate (Pep-redation) is missing from the Auckland Cup 'list. This probably moans t^iat It.' Barlow will be racing at home (New Plymouth) at Christmas lime.

Battle Song, Pacific Slope, and Battle Array were sent a -mile together on the grass at Trentham on Saturday. They finished in the order -named in lmin 47sec.

Following are th. nominations for the Mai.on Cup, one mile and a quarter.— Daytime, Kilrush, Rose Queen, Ladoguer, Old Gold, Punka, Goldshine, Onla'hu, Bonny Heather, Brackenfield, Persian King, Arrowfie'ld, 'Oratress, Hurry Up, Athens IT., Demos, Maioha, Dribble, Bagdad, Borealis, Nobleman, Impediment.

At Trentham on Saturday morning Mascot, in company with Mo'tuihi, galloped a mile on the tan, doing it comfortably in lmin 46sec. The grass tracks are beginning to get hard, and most of the work is done on the tan, which is in .good order.

There is no stipulation in the Woodville programme that winners in hack company shall not -carry penalties an open class, so that Ad-lnyra will have to ■put tip 101b --erftra -in the Elcdtric Handicap, which -will -"bring her impost up to 8.0. She is also in the Grandstand Handicap, -seven furlongs, in which she will have to carry 8.13. That is 131b. -more than .she carried on the concluding ■day at -Feilding, when she ran -second in c>pen company -over the same distance.'