THE TURF

Evening Star, Issue 16823, 27 August 1918, Page 2

THE TURF

[Gossip bx Old Identity.] The Hon. G. W. Russell announces that the tote odd money does not belong to tho clubs, arid that it should bo returned to the public, and that later on he will endeavor to secure it for the hospitals and the poor. . The declaration reads like the discovery of a great wrong and a determination to set it right. That is how tho hon. gentleman’s statement may appear to a Japanese or a Fijian. No Now Zealander will fail to see the fallacy. I Wondor that Mr Russell did not himself see it in time to stop such a foolish remark getting into print. As a fact, the odd money (foes go back to the public, and in the only fair way, by giving it, in the way of improvements to oouwes and increases of stakes, to that very section of the public who have paid it in. It cannot be given back to them an any other way. The suggestion that h© will cause tho odd money to go to the public in general is that it ehaS be shared by persona to whom it does not belong—the killjoys and the crowd who are making use of the war to get a dig at racing. Mr Russell’s wonderful discovery won’t stand a moment's fair thought. As R. O’Donnell, Mir G. L. Stead’s trainer, is not physically fit for tiro Army, Mr Stead is ©ending him to Sydney with Almoner and Kilmoon, and they may have left to-day.

St. Elmn is to have a long and welldoserved spell. It is reported that the new owners of (Arlington refused an offer of 500gs for the gelding after tho good race lie ran :in the Beaufort Steeplechase. I The speedy Chakwana has finished racing, and will he mated with Demosthenes, i Nobleman, who has been off tho tracks for several months, has been taken hi band again at Bulls by J. Coyle. It is intended to give the gelding a New Zealand Cup preparation. After the National Meeting Mr Whelch made a present to Captain Barrett of the Merriwee gelding Merry Lad. 1 “Templar” reports that Mr H. Alder, the Auckland inspector for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals Society, recently came across the gelding Devastation running in an enclosure suffering badly from a kick on the shoulder. The owner was given reasonable time to get a veterinary surgeon’s opinion as to the possibility of the gelding’s recovery, but as none was forthcoming the son of Ran Francisco was put out of his misery. Reports from Wanganui state that Client has a very thick coat, hut now that ho is in steady work he will come on quickly, and it will not bo long before he will be ready to be stretched out a bit, as he comes on very fast. The son of Elevation will, all going well, be given another chance to win the New Zealand Cup.

Probably tho most •unlucky horse at the Grand National Meeting (writes “ Sir Modred ") was Sylva, who should really have finished second in th-j valuable Beaufort Steeplechase on the last .lay of the meeting He was always we l ! up with the leaders, and when Ailington ran off at tho last obstacle Sylva was left in second place to Coalition, with tho other horses standing up at the time a very long way off. It is a matter of common knowledge now how Yellow and Black came with a long fart run, and almost pot on terms with tho winner (Coalition), but it ip not generally known what happened to Sylva, who finished third. After the race F. Ellis, the rider of Sylva, promptly and honestly approached the connections of his mount end told them that Sylva should have filled second place. Ellis said thal ho thought Coalition was winning easily, and ho was unaware that Yellow and Black or any other horse was in pursuit of him, hence he allowed Sylva to slowdown rather than ndo him out. Ellis is deserving of credit for his manly explanation in regard to an error which was only natural under the circumstance©. Yellow and Black, according to J. Decry, struck the last god wail heavily, and on blundering to his feet ran off tho coarse, a considerable amount of time being wasted in getting uim intc a line for home, li nes hie belated appearat:co upon the oo.rna. When he did get ceing, however he mustered up a hurst of speed which caused experienced onlookers to stare, and aiso justified Elh's in hn idea that lie could let Sylva run home at his own pace for second" money. Cuffs won the Australian Steeplechase in dear-cut style. How Westenclale would have fared had all gone right with him can only ho a matter for conjecture, writes “ Archer,” but he must be a courageous horso ro do so well as ho did under hia handicap. Jack Rico ran a great rate under 12.9 in fast time. Ho bore out hie trainer’s opinion that be would beat Lord Cedi, and fully rehabilitated himself with Melbourne racegoers. Lord Cecil foifnd (he pace set bv Hobgoblin too much for him, hut he; did well enough under 12.7 to prove that he is a first-class steeplechaser, Oobram looked beaten when he met with his mishap. He is a game finisher, but the placed horses have too much pace for him over Caulfield. One of the disappointments of the raco was Doiran, who never looked dangerous. Hobgoblin’s effort to win all tlm way was notable, and though he failed he was a long way from disgraced, Mr J. L. Tidily, owner of Cuffs, is one of the best-known racing men in Australia. Tie is half-owner of the (Mentone racecourse and owner of the Epsom racecourse. On and off he has been racing a few horses for 30 years, but the victory of Cuffs was tho most important achieved hi his color.;. Mr R. Hordern imported Murcia, to New Smith Wains in 1912. She was in foal to Collar, cud the fcal is Cuffs, R. Connelly broke hia collarbone for the eleventh time when ho parted company with. Cobram in the Australian Steeplechase. Anrmu, by Trenton—Aura, was sold at Melbourne on the Blh inst; for lOgs. He was bred at St. Albans stud in. 1894 by Mr W. R. Wilson. His best performance was in 1897, when he carried 8.6 as a three-year-old into third place in the Melbourne Cup. After the autumn meeting at Remington m 1898 Aunun was sold to (Mrs Langtry for £5.000, and was shipped to England in the Damascus. Ho was tried in 'England, and found to he well up to tho English standard, but ho failed to stand training, and newer raced. He got very few foals when retired to tho stud, and when Mr 4. O’Keefe visited England a few years ago he brought back Aurmn with TVaqnair. After the death of Traqnair Mr O’Keefe sold his horses, and Mr E. T. Gollor bought Annum for l?0gs. He subsequently passed him on to the late Mr Maurice Quinlan. The veteran South Australian trainer John H. Hill died on tho 15th inst. Among tho horses which he trained were News to ad (Maribyruoug Plate l , Auraria (Melbourne Cup), and Broken Hill (Australian Cup). From Sydney it is reported that Volpi, who is trained by W. Booth at Rosohill, came greatly into favor on the 15th .inst, for the Epsom Handicap. He is a stable mate of Dameacre, who won the la-st Doncaster Handicap. Volpi is' a three-year-old gelding by The Welkin from Teppo, by Ladas from Dum Dum, by Carbine, and is a full brother to Thrice and Deneb. He is in tho Epsom Handicap with 7.0. Au-

other Epsom Handicap candidate to come into favor was the New Zealander Kilhope. He is a three-year-old colt belonging to Mr T. H. Lowry, and is by Kilbroncy from Angele, by Multiform from Happy Valley, by Wallace. He won a Maiden Plate as a two-year-old in New* Zealand last year. His Epsom weight is 6.!2. , , Bunting, who is a first acceptor for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups (he has 8.7 in the former and 8.3 at Remington), put up another good performance at Brisbane on the 10th inst., when he won a nine-furlong w 7 eight-for-age race comfortably from Amberdown, Lanins, and five others in He won the 1917 Brisbane Cup, 2m, with 9.7 in 3miu 28jsec. The Rand wick correspondent of the ‘ Argus ’ telegraphed on the 16th inst. : All has not been well with Biplane during the last few days, bub tho horse appeared all right when he ran a round at Randwick yesterday morning. He went freely enough then, but was not fully extended. It is° thought that he lias had a cold on the kidneys. Three, by The Welkin—Teppo, was sold at auction in Sydney this month, being secured by Mr Hunter White, of the Havilah stud.* Three was formerly owned by the Masterton sportsman Mr R. Buick, in whose colors ho raced in New Zealand and Australia.

A grandson of Carbine is America’s best three-year-old of this season. The horse referred to is H. P. Whitney’s Jolu’en (Spearmint—Miueola), who in Juno won the Suburban Handicap, Belmont Stakes, and Latonia Derby, all within a fortnight. Tliore were six runners for the last-men-tioned race, and Johrcn, who was a 2 to 1 on favorite, scored' easily from the Kentucky Derby winner, Exterminator, the time* for the mile and a-half being _2min 33sec. Johren was bred by Mr Whitney, who sent Mineola (Meddler—Hurley Burlev) from America to England to be mated with Spearmint.