Turf Notes

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 34, 8 August 1925, Page 20

Turf Notes

: ... ■•' RACING FIXTURES.

Augui, 11,13, 15-Canterbury J.C. August 15—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August 20, 22-Welllngton Racing Club. August 29—North Tarunaki Hunt Club. September 2, 3^-Jlarton J.C. September s—Otago Hunt Club. September's— Manawatu Hunt Club. September 10, 12-Wanganui J.C. September lU—])annevirk» K.C. September 17—Dannevifke Hunt Club. September IS, 10—Asliburtou County B.C. September 19, 21—Otaki Maori R.C. September 24, 25—Geraldine U.C. September 20— Napier Park R.C. September 28. 28—Avondale J C.

The Grand National; fixture occupies the attention of racing enthusiasts at the present time. The; meeting will be opened on Tuesday, continued on Thursday (Grand National Hurdles day), and concluded oh. Saturday. On the lastnamed day the Pakuranga Hunt Meeting will be held at Ellerslia. Lava, who is not engaged on the first day at Paccarton, was sprinted a smart five furlongs on Thursday morning. She was accompanied by the Cashmere Plate candidate Forgery over the last halfmile. Riccarton track-watchers have not given undue publicity to this pair. Erie is recognised to be one of the best track-workers in the country, and a couple of seasons ago, when trained at Hawera, she was the trial horse for Marqueteur and other good handicap horses. If they could hold their own with Erie over ten furlongs on the track their connections felt.justified in backing them. Passin' Through and Tuki, who finished well ■ up with Erin on Thursday over ten furlongs at. Riccarton, therefore can be regarded as having performed very well. Musical seems to bo working fairly well and soundly again at Eiccarton, and possibly will earn a stake at the

fixture. He has not had a race for a .long time. ' Vagabond is still showing signs of soreness, according to all accounts. As a matter of fact, there is a large number of horses at Riccarton reported more or less lame, a list that is being added to every day.

At the end of June, Loi-d Astor was the most successful owner in England, with £26,024, then coming Mr. H. E. Morriss (owner of Manna), with £21,----335, all of which had been won by the Derby hero. Alec Taylor was the most successful trainer, with 22 winners of £36,860, F. Darling being n.xt with 12 winners of £26,129. S. Donoghue was then in front on the jockeys' list with 40 winners, next coming G. Eichards, 36, and E. C. Elliott, 33. Donoghue no doubt lost his place, at least temporarily, by being kept out of the saddle after his accident in the Grand Prix'de Paris.

Frank Bullock had a peculiar experience at Sandown Park in June. After finishing second on Earlestown .in the Wadham Selling Plate, he got into conversation with Sir William Cooke, for whom he was riding in the following event. In.' tho end he omitted to weigh in, and he was called before the stewards. He explained the circumstances, and the explanation was accepted. All the same, the stewards fined Bullock £20 for his forgetfulness.

Lord d'Abernon has had the misfortune to lose his famous brood mare Donnetta. She was the dame of the One Thousand * Guineas winner Diadem, the Two Thousand Guineas winner Diophon, and also of Diadumenos, who is the sire of a targe number of winners in England, and of Mr. V. Riddiford's Merit. Donnetta's death occurred at the Egerton House stud a few hours after she had foaled a good bay colt by Grand Parade. The foal, who is an' own brother to Diophon, is aliva and doing

well. Donnetta was twenty-five years old. During her racing career ahe wou the Kempton Park "Jubilee" and the Duke of York Handicap. P, Hazleman arrived from Feotherston yesterday with Hall Mark, and went on to Riccarton by last night's ferry steamer. The chestnut has done well Hazleman stated that Licinius has wintered satisfactorily, and has developed into a commanding three year old. He has done a fair amount of solid, steady work, and is in just the right condition for the time of year. He will not be raced until the Hawkes Bay Spring Meeting, where he is engaged in the Hawkes Bay Guineas. The four two-year-olds in the stable have all come on well, and especially the three Aus-tralian-bred ones. They were sprinted recently in the presence of their owner, Mr. C. E. Elgar. The Comedy King— Camilla colt is not to be hurried, and it is not intended to race him until the autumn. The Rossendale—Naarilla filly shows more promise of coming to hand earlier than the Rossendale! —Pansy colt. All three, however, have shown that they can gallop. A Press Association cable message from London states that at the Dublin bloodstock sales, Mr. Sydney Reid, on behalf of Sir Sidney Kidman, purchased a colt by Silvern—Addenda for 1750 guineas, the highest price paid at the sales.