THE TURF

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 124, 29 May 1922, Page 11

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(ill "sir. lAncbl»i.")

The Dunedin Jockey Club's Winter Meeting opens to-inon-ow and will be coiitinued on Thursday and Saturday. Half-a-dozen .-North Island horses have gone.down to compete. The prospects of Kato, who is engaged in the Otago Steeplechase, are considered the ' most favourable ' ,

Sunny Corner and Blackmail ha-ve been paid up for in both the Raukawa Cup and Taiputi Handicap-on the opening day at Otaki. Sunny Corner has been a disappointment sinc4'.sho came' to the island. Last afttumn she ran second ip the Great Easter and third to Chillier* in the Teinpleton Handicap at Ric'carton. She finished! Op as a three'ye"ar-old at North Otago, whert.she Won the Oamaru Cup, one mile, carrying1 8.8, in lnrin 4lsec, and President's Handicap, ten furlongs, carrying 8.7, in 2min 9sec. Pavo was placed behind Prince Abbey in the sprint event on bc-th. days of the Auckland Autumn Meeting 'In the Members' Handica-p, six furlongs, at Ellerslie on Saturday, lie comes in on 161b better term*, which should enable Pavo to reverse positions with his opponent. Pavo (The Welkin—Land Rose) is a full brother to Weldone, and was probably purchased by Mi'. H. Friedlander in Australia on account of old associations. Mr. Friedlander faced Rose Shield, who won-races at-Elierslie. She was a member of the successful Hotchkiss—Rose of Wellington famiiy, to which True Blue, Royal Artillery, Screw Gun, Martello, and others belonged. Rose Shield;produced Land Rose (dam of, Battle Plane, Pavo, and Weldone) and Northern Rose to Finland. Northern Rose is the dam of Mise De Val, Trentham Rose, and Swatfee River: > Rose Shield has also done w»ll at the stfld lit recent years. She is a dam of American Beauty and j Roee of Athens. Both matrons, the prb- ' perty df Messrs. Dwart Bros., have yearling .colts by Bonifdrm. Contrary to expectations, both Mar- ; queteur and,'Volo have been paid up for the Raukawa Cup at ,Otaki. On recent'form the writer ; considers Marquetcur1 the better of ihe Hawera-trained pair at a difference of 41b. To* the failure of hunt clubs to carry on. their meetings may be attributed the decrease ill the number bf horses fingaged in hack and hunter steeplechase events. Tfife filling'off is rather noticeable at Otaki. fen h<3rses were engaged in the cross-country event 6n the opening day,, and six have accepted. Last year there were twelve runners on , the opening day, and ten on the second. |It may also have an effect on the fields in the open steeplechases before the end of the season, as the records of the past go to show that many iwell-known crosscountry performers .qualified in the' hunter class. _ k There are only seven . eventSi on the programme of the' Auckland Winter Meeting, but. a division- of the Jervois Handicap, .in which, forty-five have accepted, on the opening day will bring the card up to eight'. The club attached 500 sovs to the Jervois Handicap: stake, towards which owners have contributed about 200 sovs. Noble's name was included among the acceptors for the Hack' Steeplechase on the opening day at Duiie'din, but as he has been paid up for in two events on | the opening day at Otaki, he will, proi bably not Tie seen out at Wingatui. | ; Most of the horse's handicapped for : the Maiden Steeplechase, at Ellersiie are : missing from the race .'after;', acceptances hftvi" been""declared. r They include Explorer, Hyginas, Maniahera, General Raven, and Sir"Solo. From this it would appear, as if they are unlikely starters in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Tame Fox and Dissertation are the popular picks for the Raukawa Cup.. At a difference -of 3.21b the • Writer would consider the Foi'dell representative better than the Hawkes Bay Cup winner. Irl connection with the Cornwall Handicap, Gr^at Northern Hurdles, and Steeples, a final payment has to be made at the post. Punka has been a great disappointment since aha came to this island, and will shortly be retired to the stud. She was engaged at Otaki 4 and Dunedin this ; week, but will not be found competing jat either place. <- Crowliftrst t who was allowed to drop out of his Steeplechase engagement at Otaki, .will be found, contesting the Maideri Hurdle Race at Ellerslie.