THE TURF

Evening Star, Issue 18255, 20 April 1923, Page 9

THE TURF

Gossip bx Old Idbntitx. Wo shall soon bo figuring out the two-year-old form of the season and declaring a champion amongst the saplings. Tukia’s victory over Queen March in the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Manawatu is important in that question. The merit of Tukia’s win is enhanced by tho fact that Owlscombe was one of the beaten Iqt. Take note of Scotch Mixture’s win at Manawatu. It was meritorious from every point of view. Thespian was lucky in the Awapuni Gold Cup in that ho had not Rapine against him. Many Kittle’s defeat in tho same race puts him down a peg. Was the Stead Gold Cup form false? Roseday was brought back from the north by Arthur Wilson on Monday night. The horse was hardly as bright at _ Wellington ns ho was at Auckland, being a little jaded with travel and change, and that, with the softer going and tho heavier weights, settled him at Trentham. Yet he ran well. Sir George Clifford’s Rod Hind and Scrimmage have retired to the stud. The Christchurch owner’s imported horse The Ace (Bayardo—Usaa) is to bo tried to see if he will stand racing. A new feature at tho Trentham Meeting was the use, by a bracketed horse, of a different colored saddle cloth from the other runner in the bracket. The numbered horse carried a black cloth with white figures, and the A a white cloth with red figures. Rapine’s absence from the Manawatu Meeting is explained. His trainer has decided that Rapine has had enough racing for the season, and as a trip to Eandwick is on the cards for him in tho winter ho is to bo spelled and then got ready for the weight-for-age events at the big Sydney Meeting. According to an Auckland writer, Fon Chow, who has been located at Ellcrslie since breaking down on the eve of the last Auckland Cup, has been sent to the Waikato, and later on he may be used as a hack. -His joint is very much enlarged, and there is no chance of him standing | another preparation. | “ Glcneoo ” writes: —The false rail at Trentham is voted a success_ by owners, trainers, riders, and the public, but some of the riders urge that it requires lengthening, as at present it is off the turn, and the horses are not straightened up in a line for the post when they arc required to leave it Prior to the Wellington Meeting, Highland did very little work, and it is stated that l>o had" only had three gallops. _ Owing to an attack of gastric influenza,' Sir George Clifford was unable to be present at "Wellington, and Manawatu. Mr A. G. Hill’s recent purchase, Matatna, is to join F. Shaw’s team at Wingatni. “ Tho Watcher” writes Some of the finishes at Trentham provided a thorough test of the judging of races from the new position. The experiment was a success, and the numbers of the placed horses were displayed without delay._ Mr R._ B. Lusk declares that the position is tnoronghly satisfactory from his point of view, save in one respect. He is now enabled to get a comprehensive view of the whole race, and the easv sweep for the eye up the straight makes it far bettor than formerly, when tho horses were coming almost directly towards him, with perhaps the horse on the rails almost hidden from sight. The only drawback, states Mr Lusk, is the fact" that ho is not enclosed from others using-that part of the stand, and in a close finish, such as that between Bonnetter and Gold Light, a tumultuous din assails his ears. First one owner or trainer is yelling “The marc wins! The mare wins!” and then another bawls, “No ! Mine’s got her! Mine’s got her !” and there aro times when the noise may be liable to upset him.