Turf Notes

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1925, Page 20

Turf Notes

(BY i'VEDETTE. 1');

FIXTURES.

June 3 and 4—Otaki Maori K.C. Winter. June 3, 4, and 6—Dunedin J.C. Winter. June 3, 6, and B—Auckland K.C. Winter. June o—Levin E.C. Winter.

Juue 8 and 13—Australian J.C. Winter.

Nominations for the Waverley Winter Meeting are due next Friday.

After racing on the first day at Wanganui, Omahu and Landbird were -withdrawn from their engagements on the second day. Brigadier Bill, who is slightly amiss, was also a second-day scratching.

Fool's Paradise has made a quick recovery from the lameness which affected him at Hastings, and no doubt the very hard track thero caused him to go a little tender rather than the shoeing, as at first thought. The Wanganui Jockey Club cannot be congratulated on its steeplechase course, and.as a trial for a jumper it is next to worthless. The brush fences are in reality not 3 feet high, and a horse can take all kinds of liberties with them. The hencoops are trappy things, -which give and go up with a horse who hits them, and it is submitted that an obstacleof this kind would never be found in tho hunting field. In reality, the hurdles at Wanganui provide a greater test of jumping than tho steeplechase course, and if the Century Hurdle Race was run over three miles it would bo a better Great Northern Steeplechase trial than the^ Wanganui Steeplechase. The Auckland handicapper, Mr. F. M'Manemin, was at Wanganui, and issued his rehandicaps for the Great Northern Meeting. It is singular that he penalised Comical 81b in tho Great Northern Hurdles for winning a hack hurdle race at Wanganui, bringing his weight to 10.0, yet Dubious, the winner of the Century Hurdles, has got off with a penalty of 41b, bringing his impost in the Great Northern Hurdles to 9.4. Comical's form impressed the handicapper most.

Landbird outstayed Master Peter in the Wanganui Steeplechase, but there should be another story if they meet over some real country. In addition, Master Peter can be improved a very great deal, and he seemed to have been built up again ever since racing at Hastings. There is not much doubt that he will not be absolutely cherry ripe until Grand National Day in August. Passin' Through is one of the best chasers of the decade, and, but for an interrupted preparation, he would have been a very tough proposition in the Wanganui Steeplechase. He just weakened at the end, but it was a good performance.

Carawock jumped without any confidence m the Wanganui Steeplechase, and he gave S. Walls an uncomfortable ride. He will be raced possibly at the Waipa Meeting, if not at Auckland, but Thursday s exhibition may cause a revision of plans in regard to the Australian trip. Carawock looked very well to the eye, and he was finishing on in fourth place alter punching every obstacle, a tribute to his fitness or the, flimsiness of the fences.

Comical jumped fast and clean in the ivaitoke Hurdles at Wanganui, and there_ does not seem any doubt that he is going to be as good as he promised to be after winning at his first attempt over hurdles at Napier Park. A great mudlark and bred the right way, there is no reason why Comical should not take the highest honours as a hurdler Nukumai was given a gallop in the Century Hurdles. He looked and jump, ed well, and the most surprising thin°\ considering his condition and capabilities, was that he was quite neglected on the totahsator. This seemed a very reliable index, as he was never prominent, but for all that was always goinc very nicely in the middle of the field. Vagabond's run over the last seven furlongs of the Century Hurdles -was something worth seeing. He ran past half the field as x f they were anchored, and the manner in which ho skimmed the hurdles in his stride was good to witness. Bar accidents, a long-distance hurdle race will go to Vagabond during the season, for he is a lone- way .from being a back number. Boremoana looked as if he had had an easy time during the past week or two, and his running in the Connolly Handicap' rather supported that idea told to let the Hallowmas gelding run along, and having ridden hint out of the barrier, the horse was going so well that he went to the lead. With his 9.4 and the heavy going he was well beaten at the end of sue furlon»s. Alaric revelled in the going at Wanganui on Thursday, and, finishing much stronger than Imperial Spark, won nicely. Gray was called before the stewards for not riding a stronger finish on Imperial Spark, but as tlw horse has only a short run at best, and was obyiously "dying in his rider's hands " an inquiry seemed superfluous. In effect there were quite a number of other incidents more deserving of a "please explain than Gray's handling of Imperial bparlc. r

Boy Reed stated after riding Fool's Paradise at Wanganui that his injured leg was quite Well again, it having caused him no pain or inconvenience m the race. Rational registered a gallanfc effort in the Borough Handicap at Wanganui on Thursday. With one pound short of ten stone he ( was always O n the premises, and at the end ha was right up with the placed horses. Considering that it was the last race of the day and the track had heen cut up considerably jt was a great performance. ' Degage was taken home after tho first day s racing at Wanganui. She had none of tho luck of the race, and was in difficulties all the way, yet finished up just behind the placed horses. King Potoa was very unlucky in the first division of the Purua Hack Handicap at Wanganui on Thursday. He missed the jump out, and was always in trouble, and although he had run up handy at the turn it was a dying effort His stablemate, King Pot, earned his 9.10 m front for just over five furlong They were not bracketed on the totalisator, for they race in different ownerships. Rowley is a good three-year-old. His fourth place m the second division of the Purua Hack Handicap at Wanganui was a great effort, and he will soon be on the winning list again. Alaric's victory in the Connolly Handicap evidently impressed the handicapper, for m the May Hurdles on tho second day at Wanganni he was awarded 11.3, with only Lochson, 12.0, and Nukumai, 11.7, above him, and Frisco Mail on the same mark. In tho Rala Hack Hurdles Alario was honoured with topweight at 12A. l It was said iV Wanganui yesterday that Landbird had got cast,in his box in the night after winning the Wanganui Steeplechase, and w;is in anything but a good way when found in tho mornin" It is unlikely that there willbo any lasteffects, however. , . . There.was a, decided disposition to befriend the two Sir Piosebci'ys for the Great Northern jumping double. Bondicea is an unlikely starter at the DiuieditTMcdiiig; to Uisrconnectisus are

not satisfied with the weight allotted in the Tradesmen's Handicap on the first day. * The Trentham horses, Degage, Kuhio, Tanadees, and Otauru, are booked for the Dunedin Meeting. The three first named should earn some stake money on the trip. Duo was not adversely affected by his race on the hard track at Hastings, and he is being kept joeging along steadily afWaipukurau. This horse is rather a puzzle, as ho shows a bit of paco in his races, but'fails to run on. He cannot be recommended as a betting proposition, yet cannot be discarded altogether. Automme is reported to be looking in perfect condition, and, very fresh, he is one of H. Goscombe's active brigade at Uisbornp.

On his return from Australia, Mr. M. -H. luns said that Te Kara would possibly be sold. Au offer of 2000 guineas had been received before the horse won the Sydney Tattersall's Cup, but 2500 is the market price. T F. Quinlivan goes on to Auckland with Master Peter, Dubious, and Fool's Paradise after tho conclusion of the Wanganui Meeting. On tho completion of the Great Northern Meeting Quinlivan will bring his horses back to Wanganui, where they will bo trained during the winter months, or at least until the Wanganui Spring Meeting. Royal Divorce and the younger horses, including tha imported fillies and rising two-year-olds, will be sent to Wanganui from Trentham to join their mates.