THE TURF

Evening Star, Issue 17227, 17 December 1919, Page 6

THE TURF

[Gossip bx Old Idehtitv.] Demosthenes got a good advertisement as a sire at Woodville, three of his progeny—Crenides, Demis, and Oratress—filling the places in the Woodville Handi--1 cap.' ; 'Lyttelton Times’ reports; G. MurrayAynsley is having a- lot of bad,.luck with his team just now. The three-year-old lilly Warlovo has been laid aside with a poisoned leg, from which she is making a good recovery. Xow the two-year-old Tilly Orange Mart (Xassau —Marline) has developed trouble of a similar nature. The veteran trainer. H. French, who has been connected actively with racing in Auckland for upwards of'half a century, has retired as a trainer. He rode Billingsgate to victory in the second D.J.G. ■ Champagne Stakes. _ Crenides and Hurry Up were the favorites for the Woodville Handicap, and ; while the former won, the latter cut up ; badly, and was in the rear the whole way, , so says the ‘ Dominion.’ At the start the favorite took charge, and with IV?n- , \ n . v Rose he led out of the straight the , first time. Down the hack Oratress, Rose , Wreath, and Demos were nearest the 1 leaders. Two furlongs from home Renurv - Rose fell back, and entering the straight • Demos joined the three-year-old. At the ; distance Oratress also put in a challenge, and in the run to the post the trio were | hard ridden. Crenides finished most ' gamely, and won by a neck from Demos, . witii Oratress the same distance away. , Rose Rink was fourth. 1 Goldshine was a big order for the Goth- * aid Memorial at Woodville, Dribble being the only scratching. Down the hack Bng- ■ dad and Rose Wheath headed Lord Mnskerry, and the favorite took third place. Rose WTeath was clear at the distance, where the favorite challenged, but Rose Wreath held her own and won nicolv bv a length. • “Sir Modred” writes: To Teach his liberty ground each day Gunresrt has to pass down a rigiht-of-w’ay unguided and jump a colid obstacle placed in his path, r By this means the ancient Calibre flat ? racer is being cured of his aversion to > hurdles. “Looker-on” tells ns that Moorfowi is > troubled with a swollen throat at present, but her trainer does not think it will do j her any serious harm. “Whalebone” mentions that Mullingar . and Blue Cross are the onlv two trained , at Ellers! Ie that are engaged" in the Auckland Cup, while Crowlmrst, Comedy Prince, and Ho Mistake are the solo representatives in the Railway Handicap. ■Some probable riders in the Auckland

Cup: Downing on Blue Cross, H. Gray on Alteration, Bagby on Dusky live, 11‘Flinu on Battle Song. C. Emerson left for Melbourne by the Manuka, and will travel to England by the Orvieto, leaving Australia about the end of the month. The ‘ Lyttelton Times ’ says t-linb the trip was undertaken.in the first place lor health reasons, but it- is 1 probable that Emerson will do some riding while he is in England. ]f the conditions prove congenial ho may decide to settle there permanently. In any case ho is not likely to return to the Dominion before the end of next year. In an article in the ‘X.Z. Trotting Journal.’ entitled ‘Starting Capers at Fovbury,’ the writer tabulates the 16 races on the programme, and alleges that ; a horse or horses failed tOi begin in each under the yards system to the number of . 41. The article continues: “We would hko to hear) the yards advocates in an attempt to explain away the worst of the starting absurdities at Dunedin.” To this the retort is made by “Sir Modred” that many of the horses failing to leave the mark were frightened of a barrier used for the first time at For bury. What has the Christchurch paper to say about this Christchurch invention, to which reference is omitted ins the article referred to? A fair inquiry in Christchurch will probably elicit 'the fact that it soared! Canterbury animals, as well aa Southland horses. i i