TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 28, 2 August 1934, Page 8

TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

. Thurina's school at Riccarton yesterday morning shows that bis connections are going to leave no stone unturned in their endeavour to secure their second Grand National.

Billy: Boy's mishap while rolling need not be taken seriously at the present juncture. He .enjoys himself thoroughly in the sand roll, but he is too cautious to do himself much harm.

The Hawke's Bay horseman V. Atkins will again be on Slippery in his various engagements at Eiccarton.

Membo cut one of his front legs when racing at Washdyke last Saturday. He still finds fences more troublesome than hurdles.

A. IT. Eastwood has , been engaged to ride Giggleswick in the Winter Cup. He was associated ■with the AVest Coast gelding in his good form at the Dunedin meeting in Juno, and last year he brought Mount Boa home in the Winter Cup.

At tho Christchurch Hunt Meeting on Saturday, L. J. Ellis will ride Nightform, Rebel Star, and the Cockpit colt; A. ]£, VMs will pilot Vintage, Top Rank, and Importance; A. 11. Eastwood will be on Gigglesv,-ick, and J. W. Jennings will have the mount on Haulbowline.

The Grand National candidate Punchestown shaped disappointingly at Waimate and Washdyke, and he will,have, to improve a lot to- have a chance at Riccarton. He may, of- course, go a lot better under a much lighter weight than he carried last week.

H. L. Russell, the To Awamulu trainer who has had a lengthy Rojourn in hospital, is now- recovering. He will return to Te Awamiitu, but his intention1 is in the near future to set up at BicciU-tbn. Russell has been a successful trainer over a long period.

A. SI. Wright, with Transact and Princess Doreeit, and E.G. Haddock with Invictusand Brigadore, went down to Riccartou last evening. The former pair are engaged at the Hunt Meeting on Saturday, but Invictus and Brigadore will not race until the National fixture.

The two hunters' steeplechases at the Christchurch' Hunt Meeting on Saturday .are°to be run on tl)e main course over the National fences. Tins is an improvement on last year's fixture, when the one steeplechase was run over the. schooling jumps in the middle and proved a farcical affair.

?'lf there is any difference they are both the same," may be applied to Mr. D. Grant's colours and those carried by First View at Washdyke, says "Sentinel." First View represents a new ownership very welcome on the Turf, but the authorities once again, fail' to note that "scarlet" and "red" read differently, but look the same.

The annual report presented to members of the Opunake Racing Club last week stated that during the year there had been a slight increase in all channels of revenue compared with the two previous seasons, but the annual loss was still fairly substantial and an early improvement in the financial position was absolutely necessary.

The forward running of i Master Musk in the Hack Cup Handicap at Rotorua last Saturday waa a complete surprise and he returned the-best dividend of the day for a place. Master Musk lacks size but he evidently stays fairly well and it is quite on the cards that he may show some improvement. He is a four-year-old gelding by Musketoon from Picture, who was a half-sister by St. Amans to King Lu.

Last year the minor place-fillers in the Cashmere Plate won the Derby and Oaks t'espeetively three months later. A glance at the nominations does not encourage one to suggest that the classic winners are again hidden here. If they are, then our present two-year-olds are not as good as they have pretended to be.

Hurlingham had a race at Waimate last Thursday and another at Washdyke last Saturday, but his form on each occasion was poor. He has not had much, galloping lately but he looks in excellent health, so ho is likely to come on rapidly on the work he will get at Riccarton during the uext fortnight. A mile in Winter Cup company will, however, be a severe task.

French Fleet is becoming notorious for the number of shipwrecks lie has been in this year. At Ashburton only lias he reached port safely and then he was behind schedule. Again, at Washdyke last Saturday, he crashed at the second of the stands ...double*-,'in tKk South Canterbury; Steeplephiise.' ' These exhibitions do not offer much' promise for him at Riccartou.

A suggestion made by a member of the committee at the annual meeting of the Tiinaru Trotting Club on Monday evening, that the committee should reduce the members' subscription from £1 to 10s, did not receive much support, but several other members spoke strongly against the number of complimentary tickets issued.

Several two-year-olds were sprinted down the straight at Washdyke last Saturday, and-the' one that pleased most was Mr. Cr. J. Barton's Chief Ruler colt Desert Chief, a brother to Gold Trail. Desert Chief is a' biggish bolt, but has1 come on well since going to Timaru, and he strode out well with a good lengthy stride. Some of the others were backward by comparison, but may speed up when the sunny weather comes back to stay. '.'-.■.

Ainmon Ra's two-year-old liaH-sister Astarth was'solidly supported in thfe Innovation Stakes at Rotorua last Saturday, but she failed to jump out cleanly and was soon in a hopeless.position. She did not appeal* ready to show her best, and, as she is very green, ehe should'benefit^ by the experience. She is a solid type of filly who is reputed to; have'shown a good deal of speed in'private. ■■;■. >

The opinion -that ttfe time.was overdue for the Wellington centre to be entitled to extra permanent permits was expressed' by the president of the Wellington Trotting Club (Mr.;J. E, August) at the annual meeting last evening. Uiitil additional tota'lisator. permits were made available by the, Government," continued Mr. ; August, there appeared to be little possiI bility: of the club's. obtaining satisfaction in that .respect; but the stewards were making every effort to bring about that result in the meantimt. '■:':■■ '