THE TURF

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 48, 25 August 1921, Page 12

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

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When Mr. G. L. Stead's thoroughbreds were submitted at auction at Auckland last June, Starland and Eoyal Box were' retained by their owner. There were several buyers after the son of Nassau and Bray ton, and had his owner wished to sell he would have had no difficulty in getting four figures for him. Recently the horse had not been doing well and was sent to Auckland to get veterinary treatment. Ho got away from his attendant at Auckland on Saturday last, and sustained injuries which will put him out of spring engagements. Royal Box was in the Avondale Cup and Guineas, also the Canterbury Derby and New Zealand Cup. He won once out of four starts as a two-year-old, and in his last start carried 9.0 into third place behind Kick Off and Grotesque. Arrowsmith will probably make his reappearance in fhe Eclipse Stakes, the weight-for-a,ge event to be run on the second day of the Wanganui Meeting next month. Another likely competitor in the race is Amythas, who was beaten last, year by Trespass. One of the roles passed at the recent conference was easily broken at the first metropolitan gathering, that of the,. Canterbury Jockey Club. The rule in'question, referring to the time of running of races at winter meetings reads as' follows:

At no race meeting from 7th May to 31st August inclusive shall the last race of the day be fixed for a later hour than 4.15. Although a start was made at/11 a.m. at Riccarton, the last event, timed to be run at 4.15 p.m., was not run 'until 4.55 p.m.—forty minutes loot. The difficulty could have been got over by reducing ,the number of events to. seven, by cutting out the Tally Ho Plate, which is only a, burlesque on what a /curtain-raiser at a Grand National Meeting should be. . Six^ events should be ample at Grand National Meeting. H. Gray weighed out for Dervish in the Milton Welter at Newmarket, but on leaving the paddock the colt got rid of his jockey. The New Zealand er .stuck to the reins, but the bridle came off, and the colt bolted, and when last seen the three-year-old was in full chase of s a motor-car on the Oambndgc-road. His number was quickly' withdrawal, and foe must not be considered as a starter. Dervish was engaged in the London Cup two days later, when he ran second to Grandcourt,, on which Gray had the mount, and -which started at nearly a double-figure price.

The committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club has.passed^ the programme for this season. It provides for stakes totalling £37,800, an increase of £1000 on last season. ■■ , ,

In a letter to ".Whalebone," Mr. T. H. Lowry states that the victory of his filly, Pai'adise Duck, in the British Dominions Two-year-old Plate at Sandown, was fully expected by the stable, and the filly started second favourite. She had started only once previously, at Newmarket last month, when, after 'bolting before the start, she finished! fifth in a field of 15. In the race she won, H. Gray jumped her out smartly from the barrier, and the filly^ leading all the way, beat an; odds-on favourite, Fodder, and won by a length, covering the distance in lmin 2sec. '

According to the report of th® Sandown. Meeting in the Sportsman, Paradise Dude ran* in the nomination of Sir S. Scott. Gray also won the next event on the card, the Wellington Stakes, oil Precious (The Tetrardi—Zoare), owned by Lady-Cuiiliffe Owen. '

The committee of the Auckland Racing Club, at its recent meeting, decided! that rio races for three-year-olds and upwards should be run over a less distance than- six furlongs. In regard to acceptances, it was decided that in all the principal races, after the first payment the final payment be made at the post. It was further resolved that, instead of, as formerly, charging 1 per cent, on the amount of the stakes, fees in future will be based) on the net. amount payable to the winner only. * ■' Mr., P. J. Lysnar was in town yesterday 6n business, and. was, therefore, unable tp be at-.the Dannevirke Hunt Club's Meeting to see Admiral Codrington race. The Gisborile owner hopes to be at the Marton Meeting in a.fortnight's time. , The Dunedin Cup Jlefiting will be held On Thursday. 9t!j. February, and Saturday, Uth February. " When the club's dates were originally approved it was intended to open the meeting on Wednesday, .Bth February, and the change will find general favour.

The progeny of the New South Wales sires Quantock and Bowman ran first and /second in a two-year-old race at ■Sandown Park at the end of ' June. Bowman (Chaucer—Sagitta) is a fullbrother to Arrowsmith, and was represented by two other winners in Bow-street and John Charles, both four-year-olds, in England this season. Bowman has a full list at 50 guineas in New South Wales this season]

The French racing authority has adopted an apparatus ■which, by electricity, registers automatically the speed at which races are run. The indicator marks each quarter-mile separately.