TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 13

TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

The winter minimum in flat races will first operate this year at Auckland and Wanganui on Saturday. Ben Braggie, topweight in the Winter Oats at Wanganui, has made fast ascent to his present mark of 9.12 in open class. .He might still win. It is reported that the three-year-old Lord Quex—Piquant colt Martinborough has recently been sold and will take up stud duty at Blenheim next season.

International, who figures on the handy mark of 7.11 in the Empire Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday, has been freely entered far important spring races in Victoria.

Among the workers on the sand at Ricrarton on Tuesday was Emissary, who is looking exceptionally well and is ready, at any ;time to start off on another serious preparation. Dictate, who has made the trip from Riccarton fpr the Wanganui Meeting, is a three-year-old Chief Ruler—Kinma gelding who has won three hack events in his last five starts, carrying 9.0 to victory over a mile on a slow track at Washdyke a fortnight ago at his last outing. The former Trentham gelding Meritor, an aged son of Limond, is again being schooled at New Plymouth, and he went over two fences pleasingly on Tuesday.

Tahurangi and High Test both failed to race up to expectations at Foxton last Saturday, and as a consequence'neither of them will compete at the Wanganui Meeting. Master Norval, who figures in the field for the Empire Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday, is a northerner who has been off the scene since very early in the season. . At one stage of his career this Romeo gelding promised to take high rank, his successes including the Takapuna Alison Cup and the Waikato Cup, but subsequently he was disappointing and last season he scored only a single win, the Kay of Islands Kawakawa Cus.